Real-world study of Oregon's nonmedical psilocybin program shows promise

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Oregon was the first state to establish a legalized and regulated psilocybin industry. Since then, thousands have tried magic mushrooms. Here is the latest data from the state's real life experiment.

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 2:19 PM

Greetings from Trouville-sur-Mer, a beach town little changed since Monet painted it

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The Normandy beach town of Trouville-sur-Mer is a two-hour train ride from Paris, but feels a world away, with English Channel breezes and the sound of seagulls screeching through the cobbled streets.

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 11:14 AM

U.S. delays 50% tariff on Canadian imports. And, takeaways from Florida's primaries

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon, participates in a worship service during a visit to the Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church on Aug. 17, 2026, in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

President Trump has announced that the U.S. is delaying a 50% tariff on Canadian imports after reaching a deal. And, how progressive Democrats fared in Florida's primary elections yesterday.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 10:02 AM

How India's blocking of a film exposing real-life police abuses backfired

In the second week of July, hundreds in Bandala village in the Indian state of Punjab attended the screening of Satluj, a film blocked by the Indian government on grounds of national security'.
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When Indian authorities scrubbed the biopic of activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, local villagers and activists turned its censorship into a grassroots movement.

(Image credit: Omkar Khandekar)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 10:00 AM

Striking hospital employees sound alarm over workplace violence

Emergency room nurse Crystal Dhooghe speaks during a rally at the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing on March 17. She is among hundreds of unionized employees at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital who have been on strike since Sept. 1, 2025.

In addition to pay, striking hospital workers say patient violence is an issue. Hospital workers are seven times more likely to be injured at work due to violent acts than the general working population.

(Image credit: Teamsters J.C.43)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 9:29 AM

Congo's Ebola outbreak reaches 5,000 cases as it outpaces response efforts

People dressed in protective gear prepare to lower into a grave the coffin containing the remains of 3-year-old Mave Mercienne, who died of Ebola, in Bunia, Ituri province, eastern Congo, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.

Government data showed the outbreak had so far recorded 5,021 cases, including 2,378 deaths. The outbreak has infected and killed more people at a greater speed than any other outbreak in history.

(Image credit: Dieudonne Dirole)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 9:02 AM

Feeling restless? Level up your life by starting a side quest

Feeling stuck, bored or restless in life? You might be ready to start a side quest. In video games, it

Feeling restless in life? Level up your main quest with an activity that has no other purpose than to add whimsy to your life. Play experts share tips on how to find the perfect side quest.

(Image credit: Westend61)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM

Why more than 400,000 kids are on waitlists for federal childcare assistance

A student plays with interlocking toys at the Connecticut State University Early Learning Center in New Britain, Ct. on March 12, 2025.

The Child Care and Development Fund, the U.S. government's main source of funding to help low-income families pay for childcare, serves over 1.6 million children in a typical month.

(Image credit: Mark Mirko)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM

15 states have laws that allow corporal punishment in schools. Here's where, and why

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There is broad consensus among psychologists that corporal punishment can be harmful to children, but the U.S. has no federal laws banning it in public schools.

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 9:00 AM

Elbridge who? How the name of a forgotten founder lives on in the word 'gerrymander'

A portrait of Gov. Elbridge Gerry hangs in a hallway at the State House in Boston. In 1812, Gerry drew up a redistricting plan to protect his cronies — leading to the word "gerrymander."

Elbridge Gerry was an important early figure in the American Revolution, but his decision to approve a "gerrymandered" state legislative map inadvertently won him lasting infamy.

(Image credit: Ronaldo Schemidt)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 8:43 AM

FCC head Brendan Carr says Disney free speech lawsuit is 'without merit'

ABC and its corporate parent, The Walt Disney Co., filed a lawsuit against the FCC Tuesday, accusing the agency of violating its First Amendment rights.

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 7:51 AM

Israel strikes an air base in Syria to prevent Turkish troops from deploying

This is a locator map for Syria with its capital, Damascus.

Israel struck an air base in northwest Syria early Tuesday, saying it aimed to prevent Turkish troops from deploying there. Turkey, which has close ties with the Syrian government and has been providing assistance to Syria's military.

(Image credit: AP Photo)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 6:57 AM

Liberia agrees to take 1,200 third-country deportees from the U.S.

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The 1,200 deportees will include Africans as well as nationals from North America, South America and the Caribbean, with the first batch of 20 expected on Thursday.

(Image credit: Angelina Katsanis)

NPR NewsAug 19, 2026, 4:55 AM

Trump says U.S. and Canada reached deal to delay 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports

United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, center, leaves the U.S. Department of Commerce following a meeting with Canadian officials, in Washington, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026.

President Trump said he was delaying the 50% U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports after the two countries reached a last-minute deal less than two hours before the sanctions were to go into effect.

(Image credit: Kelly Geraldine Malone)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 9:01 PM

Key results from Florida primaries, so far

Voters in Florida are picking their party's candidates for governor, Senate and a number of U.S. House seats after redistricting.

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 8:04 PM

Embattled Florida Republican Rep. Cory Mills fights to keep his House seat

Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on April 22. The House Ethics Committee is investigating Mills for allegations of sexual misconduct and campaign finance violations. Mills denies any wrongdoing.

Mills is the latest lawmaker in a recent string of congressional members facing scandals and allegations of domestic abuse while running for elected office.

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NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 7:51 PM

ABC and Disney sue FCC, alleging First Amendment violations

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The ABC Network has sued the Federal Communications Commission, alleging that the Trump administration is violating its First Amendment rights by challenging ABC broadcast licenses and investigating the network's talk show "The View."

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NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 5:39 PM

'Profits won.' The child safety trial against Meta kicks off in federal court

People line up outside the Oakland, California federal courthouse ahead of opening arguments in the trial that four state attorneys general are bringing against Meta Platforms, Inc.

Opening arguments are underway in a trial that pits four states against the company that owns Facebook and Instagram. They allege that Meta knew its products could hook kids — and lied about the danger.

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NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 3:19 PM

S. Korea stresses US alliance amid confusion over Trump drill cut

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, center, speaks during a cabinet meeting at the presidential office in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026.

Lee's comments Tuesday come as many South Koreans remain baffled and concerned about U.S. President Donald Trump's abrupt order to "substantially reduce" military exercises with South Korea.

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NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 11:40 AM

U.S. and Iran miss peace talks deadline. And, Alaska, Florida and Wyoming primaries

President Trump speaks as he meets with lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Aug. 17, 2026.

The U.S. and Iran missed a deadline to begin peace talks this week. The monthslong war has depleted U.S. resources. And, what to know about Alaska's U.S. Senate seat primary.

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NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 10:30 AM

The grueling fight over who profits from AI music

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AI can generate songs in seconds. But behind every AI track is a complicated question: Who should get paid? And, how? The fights have started.

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 9:30 AM

In Portland, this soap box derby combines downhill speed with extreme pageantry

Racers a few moments after the start of the derby at Mt. Tabor Park during the 27th Portland Adult Soap Box Derby on Aug. 15 in Portland, Ore.

Soap box derbies send motorless cars down a steep incline. At one event, contestants make their cars look like cartoon characters, subway cars, food, and giant animals (among other outlandish shapes).

(Image credit: Celeste Noche for NPR)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 9:00 AM

She told no one about her agony except ChatGPT. What her death reveals about AI risks

A year before she died, Sophie Rottenberg climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro. Her mother says her "tiny hand" photos were a signature joke. Mourners were given the toys at her funeral. She was 29.

A 29-year-old woman confided her suicidal thoughts to an AI chatbot — not to her therapist, not to her parents, not to her best friend. What can AI learn from her death?

(Image credit: Reiley Rottenberg family)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 9:00 AM

Many recent grads say AI is making it harder to get a job. Economists aren't so sure

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The unemployment rate for young adults with new degrees is higher than the rate for all workers, according to the New York Fed. Is AI the problem, or is it more complicated?

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 9:00 AM

This crowded Republican primary in Florida has drawn a unique cast of candidates

John Strand speaks during an event at the U.S. Capitol on June 13, 2023. A convicted and pardoned Jan. 6 rioter, Strand is now running for the Republican nomination in Florida

The GOP primary in Florida's 19th District includes candidates who are new to the state, candidates who've run for Congress before and two candidates who have received pardons from President Trump.

(Image credit: Amanda Andrade-Rhoades)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 8:41 AM

Morning news brief

Jared Kushner and Israel's prime minister meet in attempt to move Gaza ceasefire plan forward, U.S. focus on Iran draws key resources from Asia, voters head to the polls for primaries Tuesday.

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 8:41 AM

Jason Arday's rise and fall tells a larger story about academia, a critic says

Supporters leave flowers and photographs at a vigil for late Cambridge professor Jason Arday in London on Aug. 17. Arday died Aug. 14 at age 41 amid allegations of plagiarism and embellishing his biography.

What can academia learn from Jason Arday's rise and fall? Atlantic staff writer and former academic Tyler Austin Harper weighs the questions his story left behind.

(Image credit: Carlos Jasso)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 8:41 AM

Jason Arday's rise and fall tells a larger story about academia, a critic says

What can academia learn from Jason Arday's rise and fall? Atlantic staff writer and former academic Tyler Austin Harper weighs the questions his story left behind.

(Image credit: Carlos Jasso)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 5:56 AM

A dispute about fact vs. fiction at the trial over Tupac Shakur's 1996 killing

Duane Davis appears in court during his murder trial, related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026.

A prosecutor said that while few have been willing to speak about the 1996 killing of Tupac Shakur, Duane "Keffe D" Davis is the "one person who has a hard time being silent."

(Image credit: Steve Marcus)

NPR NewsAug 18, 2026, 5:51 AM

Palestinian American returns to his West Bank home, under siege by Israeli settlers

Loui Ridi, an Ohio-based Palestinian-American landlord of one of the homes besieged by Israeli settlers for over a week, arrives at his parent

The Palestinian American whose home in the occupied West Bank has been besieged by Israeli settlers traveled to his property on Monday to join other family members who have been defending it.

(Image credit: Majdi Mohammed)