The Trump administration has achieved remarkable success in confirming federal judges, while left-leaning groups are sounding alarms about diversity and other concerns.
Crowdfunding Drives Funds And Attention Toward Questionable Medical Treatments
Many Americans turn to crowdfunding to pay for medical care. But sometimes the money covers unproven treatments. Should crowdfunding companies be held accountable for spreading false hopes?
Unexpected Ways The Government Shutdown Might Affect You
In the second week of the federal shutdown, consumers might notice fallout in unexpected places, from poop in national parks to closed museums.
VIDEO: Texas Longhorns Steer Charges Georgia’s Bulldog
A pre-game photo-op at the Sugar Bowl almost goes horribly wrong.
Netflix Drops Hasan Minhaj Episode In Saudi Arabia At Government’s Request
The Saudi government asked Netflix to remove an episode of the comedian’s show Patriot Act that was critical of the regime over the death of Jamal Khashoggi. Netflix said it was following local law.
Trump Invites Congressional Leaders For Talks As Shutdown Continues
As the partial government shutdown continued into its second week, the president invited a bipartisan group of lawmakers to the White House for talks. “Let’s make a deal?” Trump asked in a tweet.
For One Violinist, Elevating Music By Black Composers Is A 20-Year Mission
Composers of color have long had to compete with dead white men for space on the concert stage. A new project, spearheaded by Rachel Barton Pine, seeks to correct that for the next generation.
Right-Wing Populist Jair Bolsonaro Sworn In As President Of Brazil
Bolsonaro’s path to the presidency was nearly cut short in September when he was stabbed while on the campaign trail, but he continued to rally supporters from his hospital bed.
Car Attacks In Japan And Germany Mar New Year’s Celebrations
A dozen people were hurt on separate continents after police say motorists deliberately plowed through crowds of revelers just past Midnight.
Here’s What Could Be Ahead In The Russia Investigations In 2019
A number of unfinished criminal cases could be resolved. Democrats will take the majority in the House of Representatives. But many big questions still remain unanswered.
Police Treating Stabbing Of 3 At U.K. Train Station As Terrorism
On New Year’s Eve, a man with a knife was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after three people were stabbed at a busy railway station in Manchester, England.
NASA Probe Sends Pictures Of An Object 4 Billion Miles From The Sun
The first images of the object, just a few pixels wide, arrived Tuesday morning. Higher-resolution photographs will be sent back to Earth in the coming weeks.
Family Of American Arrested In Moscow Refutes Spy Claims
David Whelan, who says he is Paul Whelan’s brother, tweeted that his brother was in Moscow for a wedding, not a spy mission.
Kim Jong Un Wants New Summit With Trump, But Also Issues A Veiled Warning
In the North Korean leader’s New Year’s address, he says Pyongyang is willing to work with the United States, but suggests cooperation could be contingent on lifting sanctions.
Military Apologizes For Bombing A New Year’s Eve Tweet
U.S. Strategic Command faced a backlash after it tweeted about the Time’s Square ball drop, adding that “if needed” it would “drop something much, much bigger.”
Fifteen Are Dead After Landslide In Indonesia
Torrential rain caused tons of mud to crash into a village on Indonesia’s main island during New Year’s Eve celebrations on Monday. Twenty people are still missing.
To The Dismay Of Free Speech Advocates, Vietnam Rolls Out Controversial Cyber Law
The law requires internet companies to store locals’ data in Vietnam and hand over user information if the government asks for it, among other contentious provisions.
Kentucky Distillers Scientifically Emulate A Century-Old Bottle Of Bourbon
A discovered pre-Prohibition bottle of Old Taylor, named after a whiskey world icon, inspired a distillery to use chromatography to examine the bourbon’s murky past and try to recover its flavor.
Rejected By Italy, Thousands Of Migrants From Africa Risk The Alps To Reach France
This year alone, some 5,000 migrants have attempted to cross from northern Italy into France, according to local municipalities and aid groups. Some have perished along the way. Many are sent back.
N.Y. Swears In New Attorney General After A Tumultuous Year For The Office
Letitia James says “it is the highest honor” to begin her time as the state’s top legal officer. She is the state’s first black attorney general and the first woman to be elected to that post.
Lawmakers Hope New House Day Care Will Keep Staff On Capitol Hill
A new day care facility is opening Jan. 2 for employees in the House of Representatives which will reduce the wait list for childcare from three years down to one.
Could Exercising In Frigid Temperatures Make Us Healthier?
As a freezing winter drives many of us indoors, some extreme athletes embrace the cold as a great way to burn calories and retrain the immune system while working out. Not so fast, physiologists say.
China’s Lunar Lander To Explore Moon’s Far Side
Early in 2019, China hopes to land a rover — the first soft landing on the moon’s far side. The mission is exploratory, and will lay groundwork for a trip by Chinese astronauts to the lunar surface.
Federal Workers, Burdened By Shutdown, Face Trump-Ordered Pay Freeze
Because of the partial government shutdown, a great number of federal workers are furloughed or working without pay. President Trump has ordered a freeze in 2019 federal employee salary rates.
‘Keep The Faith In Our Country And Hold Fast,’ Mattis Tells Defense Department
Monday is the Defense Secretary’s last day on the job. He urged people to “to support and defend the Constitution while protecting our way of life.”
Stock Market Gyrations Making You Dizzy? Get Used To It, Analysts Say
With the Dow swinging up and down hundreds of points in a day, investors are feeling queasy. One economist says uncertainty in the stock markets may mean turbulence will continue in the new year.
As Government Shutdown Drags On, So Do Economic Worries
The partial government shutdown is hurting the pocketbooks of 800,000 federal workers. But it also could affect consumer and business confidence down the line.
Democrats Plan Vote To Reopen Government On Jan. 3, When They Take Over House
The incoming House leadership plans legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security for a month. President Trump shows no sign of agreeing to their terms, digging in on funding a border wall.
Serena Williams And Roger Federer To Face Off For The First Time
The tennis legends will meet at a mixed doubles match in Perth, Australia. They have been on the international tennis circuit for decades and hold 43 Grand Slam titles between them.
Cronyism, ‘Wasteful’ Spending Accusations Roil Government Publishing Office
NPR has obtained an internal investigative report that alleges mismanagement at a little-known federal agency in charge of producing and distributing official documents, including 2020 census forms.
U.S. Citizen Arrested In Moscow On Suspicion Of Spying
Russia says Paul Whelan was detained on Friday while on a spy mission. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted on espionage charges.
The Best Tiny Desk Concerts Of 2018
Watch 25 of the year’s greatest, most surprising Tiny Desk performances, featuring just a sampling of the gifted artists who passed through NPR Music’s office this year.
A Menstruation Movie Is On The Short List For An Oscar Nomination
It all started when a guy wanted to create a better sanitary pad for his wife. And now there’s a new documentary about the impact of his work.
Chickpeas Sit In Silos As Trump’s Trade Wars Wage On
The largest importers of crops like lentils, garbanzos or peas — China and India — aren’t buying because of trade wars and tariffs. But farmers already planted in anticipation of sales.
‘We Can Win’: Elizabeth Warren Outlines 2020 Presidential Bid
Warren is launching an exploratory committee. The 69-year-old senator, former law professor and consumer advocate is likely to face a crowded Democratic field eager to take on President Trump in 2020.
Way Beyond Pluto, An Icy World Is Ready For Its Close-Up
Minutes after the turn of the new year, NASA’s New Horizons probe will fly by a minor planet in the most distant exploration of a world ever attempted.