National

President Trump signs a "Buy American, Hire American" executive order at Snap-On Tools in Kenosha, Wis., in 2017.

There's A White House Clash Over Whether To Extend Freeze On Many Work Visas

7:54pm December 30, 2020

by Franco Ordoñez

In June, President Trump halted various temporary work visas, including H-1B, L-1 and certain J-1 visas. Advocates for an extension say it would tie the hands of President-elect Joe Biden.

Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham holds up his mask with the words "2020 Census" as he testifies before a House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on the census in July.

Census To Miss Year-End Deadline For Delivering Numbers For House Seats

7:28pm December 30, 2020

by Hansi Lo Wang

Behind schedule and struggling to fix irregularities in the count, the Census Bureau is working toward Jan. 9 as the next date in the process for releasing results, a bureau employee tells NPR.

New York City's Times Square on Thursday. The city's traditional New Year's Eve event will not be open to the public this year as the coronavirus continues to spread.

Coronavirus Is Canceling New Year's Celebrations

5:19pm December 30, 2020

by Dustin Jones

The virus interfering with end-of-year parties across the country. Even the traditional Times Square ball drop in New York City at midnight will be closed to the public and seen virtually.

Billy White, owner of Red Rose Tattoo in Zanesville, Ohio, will cover up people's previous racist tattoos. But first he ensures it reflects a genuine change in ideology. He's seen more interest in covering up tattoos this year than before.

National

As Statues Of America's Racist Past Were Removed This Year, So Were Tattoos

4:22pm December 30, 2020

by Jonaki Mehta

2020 saw an unprecedented number of statues and other symbols related to America's racist past removed. People with racist tattoos followed suit, by getting their tattoos covered up.

Efforts To Help Absentee Voters Drove Down Mail-In Ballot Rejection Rates

4:22pm December 30, 2020

by Pam Fessler

More than a half-million mail-in ballots were rejected in this year's primaries due to mistakes and missed deadlines. Officials feared many more would be rejected in November, but that did not happen.

National

What We've Lost: Milestones

4:22pm December 30, 2020

by Lauren Hodges

NPR honors milestones — the pins people use to map out their lives and mark their accomplishments — that were lost this year due to the pandemic.

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National

Coronavirus Pandemic Affects Traditional Tamale Season On U.S.-Mexico Border

4:22pm December 30, 2020

by Angela Kocherga

It's a tamale season. Nowhere is the holiday tradition more beloved than along the southern border. But this year the pandemic is affecting who makes tamales and how people get them in Texas.

Alex Padilla On Becoming California's 1st Latino Senator

4:22pm December 30, 2020

NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Alex Padilla, California's former secretary of state who is set to take Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' Senate seat, about his background and his new position.

National

Police Were Warned About Nashville Christmas Bomber Building Explosives A Year Ago

4:22pm December 30, 2020

by Hannah Allam

Police in Nashville, Tenn., were warned in 2019 that Anthony Warner was building explosive devices. Authorities had previously said Warner, who detonated a bomb on Christmas Day, was unknown to them.

National

Louisville Police To Fire 2 Officers Involved In Breonna Taylor's Death

4:22pm December 30, 2020

by Amina Elahi

The Louisville Metro Police Department says it plans to fire two more officers involved in the raid that led to Breonna Taylor's death. Taylor was the Black woman killed by police in a botched raid.