Thousands in France allowed to return home as Europe tackles wildfires and heatwave

A plane releases fire retardant as it flies over a forest near Blagon, during wildfires in southwestern France, July 29, 2026.

Firefighters in the Gironde region of France said the situation had "stabilized", after a week of wildfires caused by a major heatwave across Europe.

(Image credit: Emma Da Silva)

NPR News1 day, 23 hours ago

'I can do this': Woman with cancer reflects on her life and facing death

For StoryCorps, Karán Founds-Benton talks to her friend about her cancer diagnosis and facing death.

NPR NewsJul 31, 2026, 6:02 AM

Spain deploys military to Ceuta after thousands of people breach Morocco's border

Migrants cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Spain will deploy its military to restore order at its border with Morocco in Ceuta after thousands of migrants streamed into the tiny Spanish territory, with at least nine dying in the attempt.

(Image credit: Antonio Sempere)

NPR NewsJul 31, 2026, 5:40 AM

Death toll from southwestern Japan quake climbs to 34

Heavy machinery removes debris at AEON Mall, which was damaged by an explosion following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Friday, July 31, 2026.

Searchers continued to work in the Kumamoto area, including at the site of the collapsed mall, where some of the most serious damage was recorded.

(Image credit: Kyodo News)

NPR NewsJul 31, 2026, 5:20 AM

Trump announces a deal for Hamas to disarm, but many hurdles and uncertainty remain

Palestinians salvage their belongings from the rubble of a building and tents destroyed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Thursday, July 30, 2026.

President Trump says a deal has been reached for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from Gaza. But many hurdles, conditions and long timelines remain to wind down the war in the Palestinian territory.

(Image credit: Jehad Alshrafi)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 8:37 PM

Mortgage rates hit their highest level in a year, driven by war and inflation concerns

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage reached 6.66% on average Thursday.

(Image credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 8:37 PM

After Fauci Senate hearing, experts worry about 'chilling effect' on public health

Anthony Fauci, former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing in Washington, D.C. Experts worry that the pursuit of Fauci is helping to create a "chilling effect" on public health staffing and infrastructure in the U.S.

The accusations against Dr. Anthony Fauci, once the nation's leading infectious disease expert, have some experts worrying that these events may further erode public health staffing in the U.S.

(Image credit: Al Drago/Bloomberg)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 5:47 PM

The Trump administration wants $10 million more to cover its July Fourth celebrations

Spectators on the National Mall watch fireworks on July 4. The Trump administration has asked Congress for an additional $10 to pay for the fireworks show, the Great American State Fair and a prayer event on the mall.

Congress allocated $150 million for 250th birthday events. The Trump-backed group that planned the state fair and July 4th fireworks is asking for an additional $10 million in reimbursements.

(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 5:47 PM

Are you choosing to stay single? We want to hear from you

Millions of Americans are navigating life independently. We want to hear about your experiences on solo living for our upcoming stories.

Solo living, solo travel, and solo dining are all being embraced as more adults are choosing to remain single. Many Americans aren't interested in dating, and being single is a symbol of autonomy.

(Image credit: SeventyFour/iStockphoto)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 5:38 PM

European soccer leaders to boycott the World Cup in an unprecedented step

FIFA President Gianni Infantino looks on prior to the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 quarter final match between Fluminense FC and Al Hilal at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fl., on July 4, 2025.

In an unprecedented step, European nations said they would boycott the World Cup unless FIFA reverses a controversial deal to sell minority stakes to the marquee soccer tournament.

(Image credit: Alex Grimm)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 4:30 PM

Trump says he 'may' pull Blanche AG nomination temporarily

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears at his confirmation hearing on July 15, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

The news comes as two key Republicans are withholding their support over concerns about the Justice Department's deal with President Trump.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 2:47 PM

The economy slowed a bit -- but Americans continued to spend

Consumer spending continued to power the U.S. economy in April, May and June, as GDP expanded at an annual rate of 1.5%.

The U.S. economy grew at an annual rate of 1.5% in the spring, according to the Commerce Department. That's a modest slowdown from the previous quarter — but consumer spending picked up steam.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 1:10 PM

Alien Terrorist Removal Court to hold its first-ever hearing after 30 years

A banner of an image of President Trump is displayed on the facade of the U.S. Department of Justice headquarters in Washington, D.C., in February 2026.

Congress created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court in 1996 to make it easier for the Justice Department to use classified evidence to deport people from U.S. soil.

(Image credit: Drew Angerer)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 11:45 AM

Sen. Paul threatens to hold Fauci in contempt. And, a new rule undercuts U.S. asylum

Former NIH Director Anthony Fauci listens during a hearing with the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on July 29, 2026, in Washington, D.C.

Sen. Rand Paul is moving to hold Dr. Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights. And, the Trump administration has announced a new rule for the asylum process.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:53 AM

Russian strikes across Ukraine kill at least 8 civilians and wound dozens

Rescuers work at the damaged apartment building following a Russian air attack in Lviv, Ukraine, Thursday, July 30, 2026.

The blitz expanded Russia's almost daily bombardment of Ukrainian cities as Moscow apparently looked to exploit Kyiv's critical shortage of Western-supplied anti-ballistic missile defenses.

(Image credit: Mykola Tys)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

Digital habits that rob attention and energy — and how to combat them

NPR journalist Manoush Zomorodi and her latest book, Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being.

There's a reason why double- or triple-screening your devices makes you feel tired, says NPR's Manoush Zomorodi. She explains the science of information overload and how to reclaim calm and focus.

(Image credit: Flatiron Books/Tory Williams/NPR)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

Pediatricians and health officials are sidestepping Trump's CDC on vaccine advice

Pediatrician John Snyder gives vaccine information to Tenzin Dekey, who had brought her 1-year-old son to Amherst Pediatrics for an annual exam. She accepted the vaccines that Snyder recommended.

The Trump administration's upending of years of vaccine advice puts many pediatricians in a quandary. Some are steering patients away from the CDC to other authoritative websites, including their own.

(Image credit: Karen Brown)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

Here's how 'parasite' went from a laughing matter to a serious biological threat

Spinach is displayed for sale on shelves at a Target store on July 23, 2026 in Austin, Texas.

Odysseus did not face the parasite Cyclospora in his 10-year journey home. But the word "parasite" originated as a popular character trope in Greek literature.

(Image credit: Brandon Bell)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

Congress hasn't passed AI rules for schools. So these 98 teens did it themselves

Students create AI policy at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston. High school student Leena Jain of Louisiana addresses her fellow senators moments before the final vote.

Should students be allowed to use AI on assignments? What about on tests? Who should teach AI literacy? About 100 teenagers got together to try to decide.

(Image credit: Kieran Kesner for NPR)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

The Trump administration has undercut the U.S. asylum program. These 3 charts show how

Asylum seekers queue at the entrance of Mexico

A new rule for asylum applications adds to the bevy of changes under the Trump administration to the core program for those fleeing persecution in their home countries.

(Image credit: Guillermo Arias)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. wants better healthcare, but plans to fund it are in limbo

Angie Lowery grows squash, onions, potatoes, and other produce in her backyard garden in Robeson County, North Carolina. She

Robeson County, N.C., where most of the Lumbee Tribe's citizens live, ranks as one of the worst counties in the U.S. for health. The tribe can access the Indian Health Service now, but it's not likely to be sufficient to improve the health of the community.

(Image credit: Andrew Jones/KFF Health News)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 9:00 AM

The renter-owner wealth gap is wider than ever, as many are priced out of buying

Jay Washington, 38, stands for a portrait at his residence in Athens, Ga., earlier this month. Washington would like to own a home, but after a cycle of underemployment, he

Housing has long been the largest source of wealth for middle income families. But many renters cannot afford to buy as housing prices soar, which could fuel a generational divide.

(Image credit: Alyssa Pointer for NPR)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 8:55 AM

U.S. resumes strikes on Iran in retaliation for attack on American troops

A man sits on a surfboard as a container ship and other commercial vessels appear anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Monday, July 27, 2026.

The U.S. said it had struck "dozens" of targets belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. The multiple flare-ups, after several days of relative calm, raised the risk of a return to all-out war.

(Image credit: Razieh Poudat/AP Photo)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 5:56 AM

Senate panel delays vote on Blanche's nomination as key Republicans withhold support

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

The Senate Judiciary Committee had been expected to vote Thursday on whether to advance Todd Blanche's nomination. But resistance from two Republican senators threw his confirmation into doubt.

(Image credit: Allison Robbert)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 5:33 AM

Man convicted in terrorism trial over the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie

FILE - Hadi Matar walks in to the Chautauqua County court in Mayville, N.Y., May, 16, 2025.

A man was convicted of federal terrorism charges in the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie, the author who has faced a decades-old death threat over his novel "The Satanic Verses."

(Image credit: Adrian Kraus)

NPR NewsJul 30, 2026, 5:18 AM

Hope dwindles for rescue in southwestern Japan quake as death toll climbs to 23

In this aerial image taken with a drone, responders work outside AEON Mall Kumamoto after an explosion occurred following an earthquake, in Kashima, Kumamoto Prefecture, southern Japan, Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Time was running out to find survivors, as rescuers continued to work in the Kumamoto area on Japan 's southern main island of Kyushu, where the magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit Tuesday.

(Image credit: Koji Harada)

NPR NewsJul 29, 2026, 11:02 PM

Animal spillover? Lab leak? What the science says about the origins of COVID-19

Members of the Wuhan Hygiene Emergency Response Team leave the shuttered Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in the city of Wuhan, in Hubei, Province on January 11, 2020. Investigations of the origin of COVID-19 have centered on the animals sold at the market.

The release of Dr. Anthony Fauci's pandemic diaries has rekindled the debate over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. Here's how scientists have weighed in.

(Image credit: Noel Celis/AFP)

NPR NewsJul 29, 2026, 8:58 PM

The Trump administration's move to end subsidies for Medicare drug plans could cost consumers

Premiums for Medicare Part D drug coverage could rise next year because subsidies to insurers are set to end.

Federal subsidies that have helped defray insurers' Medicare drug costs will disappear at the end of the year. Millions of beneficiaries could face higher premiums in 2027.

(Image credit: Eric Thayer)

NPR NewsJul 29, 2026, 8:28 PM

Oregon is on track for its worst wildfire season yet

An air tanker drops retardant while battling the Bench fire on Saturday, July 25, 2026, in Jefferson County, Ore.

Wildfires in central and eastern Oregon are prompting evacuations and forcing ranchers to scramble to move cattle and find feed as public range land burns. More than a million acres have burned so far. Most fires have little or no containment.

(Image credit: Noah Berger)

NPR NewsJul 29, 2026, 4:55 PM

'Taiwan Travelogue' rethinks history, colonialism, and identity

Copies of the novel Taiwan Travelogue, which received the International Booker Prize this year, are seen at a bookstore in Taipei on May 21, 2026.

The author and translator of Taiwan Travelogue, the winner of the 2026 International Booker Prize, discuss identity and history amid the debate over Taiwan's colonial ties to Japan and escalating geopolitical pressure from China.

(Image credit: I-HWA CHENG)