NPR News: Posts

NPR News

House Ethics Committee will investigate Ohio Republican Max Miller

Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, walks out of a meeting with Steve Scalise on Capitol Hill, Oct. 2023.

The committee said it was reviewing allegations that Miller "may have engaged in domestic violence." Miller has denied the allegations, which have swirled around his bid for a third term in Congress.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The soaring demand for Patriot missiles, from the Middle East to Ukraine

Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jets fly over a Patriot air and missile defense system in an undisclosed location in Ukraine, on Aug. 4, 2024.

The U.S. and its partners depend on Patriot interceptors to shoot down incoming ballistic missiles. But Russia and Iran are firing their weapons at rates far higher than Patriots can be produced.

(Image credit: Efrem Lukatsky)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Senate Democrats say banks turned blind eye to suspicious moves by Jeffrey Epstein

A report from Senate Democrats says big banks had concerns for years about suspicious money transfers made by Jeffrey Epstein. But in most cases those worries went unreported until Epstein was charged with sex-trafficking.

A report from Senate Democrats accuses big banks of failing to report suspicious money transfers made by Jeffrey Epstein until after his arrest in 2019.

(Image credit: Martin Bureau)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Europe heat wave fuels drought, fires and energy fears

A man walks on a sandbank by the wreckage of a WWII German warship, which emerged during the drought in front of Djerdap II, a large dam on the Danube River between Romania and Serbia near Prahovo on Aug. 4, 2026.

Europe's heat wave exposes buried history and new threats — Nazi-era wrecks emerge from the Danube, nuclear reactors face cooling risks, and Greece battles deadly wildfires.

(Image credit: Darko Vojinovic)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

13 new books in August will get you through the dog days of summer

undefined

This month brings riveting novels about dogs, Hollywood stars, small towns and characters with bigger woes than just the sweltering summer heat and humidity.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

5 states hold primaries today. And, Spokane police arrest man connected to wildfire

Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan Abdul El-Sayed speaks to supporters and media in front of the Spirit of Detroit statue following a march through downtown on Aug. 2, 2026, in Detroit, Michigan.

Five state primaries are being held today, and Michigan is a key focus for Democrats who want to see how progressives fare in races. And, a man has been arrested in connection with a Spokane fire.

(Image credit: Scott Olson)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

They're a world leader in using drones for healthcare. But drones can't do it all

A drone, just returned from a delivery, swings into the landing mechanism in Muhanga, Rwanda. The country

Drones carrying medical supplies constantly crisscross the skies of Rwanda. The Trump administration is giving a major grant to the effort — and at the same time cutting aid to the country.

(Image credit: Claire Harbage/NPR)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Authorities arrest arson suspect in connection with wildfires in Spokane

The rubble of a burned out residential home smolders in the Balboa neighborhood of Spokane, Washington, on August 2, 2026. Fast-moving fires left a trail of destruction in the northwestern US city of Spokane on Sunday, with officials reporting hundreds of structures reduced to cinders. Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate their homes Saturday and overnight into Sunday, as three separate fires broke out in and around the city in the east of Washington state.

The suspect was arrested in connection with one of three wildfires in Spokane, Wash., that have destroyed hundreds of homes and displaced nearly quarter of the city's residents.

(Image credit: ERICK DOXEY)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The sneaky economics of healthwashing

undefined

Why food companies love labels like "organic" and "high protein," why our brains are misled by them — and how to avoid paying extra for marketing.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Primaries in the Midwest have become a high stakes proving ground for progressives

An attendee props up a sign with Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed

Democratic primary elections in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota have made the Midwest a test case for whether progressive candidates can win in competitive states and what electability really means.

(Image credit: Emily Elconin)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Why Texas is betting 'Y'all Street' can take on Wall Street

Construction workers stand at the site of Goldman Sachs

Dallas's financial industry is growing, amid a larger Texas business boom. But can it really steal New York's crown?

(Image credit: Yfat Yossifor)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Medicaid work rule leaves homeless people in the cold

Izzy Kadrmas, a medical assistant at Partnership Health Center

Conservatives who have long pushed for Medicaid work requirements often said vulnerable people would get a pass. But the federal government's list of exemptions left off homeless people.

(Image credit: Katheryn Houghton)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Five states hold polls on Tuesday. Here's what to know.

OAK PARK, MICHIGAN - AUGUST 03: A man walks near an Abraham Lincoln mural outside of Lincoln Liquor & Wine on August 03, 2026 in Oak Park, Michigan. The highly contested Democratic Primary for U.S. Senate is bringing national attention to Michigan ahead of voting on August 4.

Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia and Washington hold primaries Tuesday, with races that could ultimately decide control of Congress next year. Redistricting efforts will also influence the races.

(Image credit: Finn Gomez)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

A veteran was detained by the National Guard in her front yard. Now she's suing

Ring video shows veteran Anna King being detained by National Guard troops.

Military veteran and D.C. resident Anna King has filed a $3 million lawsuit against the Idaho National Guard, saying three guard members assaulted her while detaining her in front of her home.

(Image credit: ACLU of the District of Columbia)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Nauru, the world's 3rd-smallest country, changes its name to Naoero

FILE - Nauru President David Adeang speaks at the opening ceremony of Boao Forum of Asia, in Boao in southern China

The Pacific Island country of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, its president said, matching the spelling and pronunciation in the national language.

(Image credit: Tian Macleod Ji)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

These are some of the last pristine ocean ecosystems. Now, they're losing protections

undefined

The largest conservation areas in the U.S. are in the Pacific Ocean, where tiny islands are epicenters of biodiversity. The Trump administration is now opening their waters to commercial fishing, sparking a battle over some of the country's most pristine ecosystems.

Continue Reading…

NPR News

House Ethics panel recommends censure for Chuck Edwards after harassment allegations

Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., is pictured outside the U.S. Capitol on May 12, 2026. The House Ethics Committee has recommended Edwards be censured.

After a months-long investigation, the ethics committee recommended censure for Edwards because of "persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers."

(Image credit: Graeme Sloan)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Ripple effects: After Hearn, three others have their Reflecting Pool charges dropped

The repainted Reflecting Pool, pictured in late July, was drained a second time after the Fourth of July fireworks.

Prosecutors dropped their case against David Hearn on Friday, blaming Reflecting Pool damage on a "botched installation" rather than vandalism. That has implications for other people who were charged.

(Image credit: Finn Gomez)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

With U.S. doors shutting, Cubans turn to Brazil for asylum

A man pushes his bicycle along a trash-strewn street in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, June 9, 2026.

For years, many Cubans hoping to leave the island looked to the United States. Now, with legal pathways largely closed, a growing number are heading to Brazil instead.

(Image credit: Ramon Espinosa)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Photos: Wildfires in Spokane lead to thousands of evacuations

Chris Mutton, left, whose house burned in a wildfire speaks with Shane Maggart on Aug. 2, 2026, in Spokane, Wash.

Wildfires in Spokane have destroyed hundreds of homes and led to evacuation orders for 60,000 people.

(Image credit: Young Kwak/AP)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Two people in Michigan have died after becoming ill with cyclosporiasis

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by food or water contaminated with the parasite Cyclospora.

They are the first reported deaths linked to a massive outbreak of the intestinal illness that began in May.

(Image credit: wildpixel)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Washington wildfires destroy homes, force thousands to evacuate

Allen Sather and his wife Kimberley embrace at the duplex they rent on W. Indian Trail Rd. after it burned in a wildfire in Spokane, Wash., Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown says nearly half of the city's neighborhoods have either been evacuated or are at risk as the fires remain uncontained.

(Image credit: Young Kwak)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

U.S. men's national team coach Mauricio Pochettino will stay through 2030 World Cup

U.S. Soccer and Mauricio Pochettino have agreed to a new contract that extends the men

Pochettino came on in 2024 to right the ship ahead of this year's World Cup, in which he led the team to a record three wins and helped ignite enthusiasm in millions of fans before a round of 16 exit.

(Image credit: Martin Meissner)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Todd Blanche rescinds 'anti-weaponization fund'. And, Trump calls off striking Iran

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche gets sworn in at his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill July 15, 2026 in Washington, D.C.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche rescinds President Trump's anti-weaponization fund ahead of his confirmation hearing. And, the president calls off strikes on Iran over a potential deal.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

What would it take to get peptides on the shelf?

The popular and experimental drugs called peptides received unprecedented attention last month during a marathon hearing held by a panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration.

An FDA advisory panel recently voted to green-light some popular peptides. The decision brought enormous attention to the market for these products — and concerns about the unregulated supply.

(Image credit: Catherine Falls Commercial)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

This lawyer believes in second chances. Now AI is providing a boost

Noella Sudbury is the founder of Rasa Legal, a non-profit that uses technology to help people expunge their criminal records. The organization is using artificial intelligence to rapidly scale up their work so their clients can regain the ability to work, find housing, apply for credit and other opportunities in moving forward with their lives.

Tens of millions of Americans have criminal records that can be barriers to employment. An AI-powered app is helping those eligible to expunge their records at a pace not seen before.

(Image credit: Meredith Rizzo for NPR)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Rare photos of ex-Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi give her family hope

In this photo released by Myanmar President Office on Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, Myanmar

Kim Aris, son of Aung San Suu Kyi, told NPR that photographs of his mother meeting a foreign official gave him "a reason to hope" for the first time since the military coup that ousted her in 2021.

(Image credit: Myanmar President Office)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

The DOJ is increasingly charging ICE protesters with criminal conspiracy

Treasure Thoreson, one of a group of protesters charged with conspiracy recently, poses for a portrait at Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis on Aug. 2, 2026.

The Justice Department is using federal conspiracy charges to sweep up ICE protesters. Some legal experts worry the agency is casting too wide a net to prosecute political activists who oppose the Trump administration's deportation agenda.

(Image credit: Jaida Grey Eagle for NPR)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Over 4 million people are no longer receiving food aid amid sweeping changes to SNAP

A grocery cart is full of food items as a person shops at the Feeding South Florida food pantry on July 8 in Pembroke Park, Fla.

SNAP, also known as food stamps, has seen a rapid and consistent participation decline since last July. The drop comes as the program faces historic cuts and changes.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

Continue Reading…

NPR News

Bedbugs, bad Wi-Fi: Federal workers say forced summer relocations have been chaos

Daniel Kim, a structural engineer with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, says uncertainty about the planned relocation of the agency

Federal agencies are rushing to move hundreds of workers into new buildings. Employees say the moves are significantly disrupting their work.

(Image credit: Shuran Huang for NPR)

Continue Reading…