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Alexandria Sheriff's Office

Former senior CIA officer took home gold bars and millions in cash, FBI says

Bill Chappell

David Rush, a former senior CIA officer, is accused of theft and making false statements. The trove of gold and cash went missing from his CIA storage space — but it was found in his Virginia home.
Win McNamee

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FIFA's World Cup ticket sales outraged fans. Now they are under investigation

Rafael Nam

FIFA has always had a peculiar way to sell tickets to the World Cup. It never faced any major issues — until prices soared for the 2026 tournament.

National

Orthodox Jewish women in Israel may now take a rabbinic exam, like men

Daniel Estrin

Until now, only Orthodox Jewish men in Israel have been allowed to take exams to become rabbis. After a long campaign, women can now also take the test - but still can't become rabbis
National

This is how close American households are to the financial edge

Stephan Bisaha

A new report shows that nearly half of U.S. households did not earn enough to cover their necessities in 2024.
National

A federal judge in D.C. declines to block Trump's executive order on voting by mail

Hansi Lo Wang

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., has declined to temporarily block President Trump's executive order that calls for restricting mail-in voting. Another judge may rule on the order soon.
National

U.S. street drug deaths keep dropping, but some Western states see deadly overdose surge

Brian Mann

Researchers say some structural changes in treating addiction are helping, including wider access to overdose-reversing medication.

Republican state Rep. Gary Click, from northern Ohio, is a Baptist pastor and three-term lawmaker. Here, he poses for a portrait in his office in Columbus, Ohio, in February.

Andrew Spear for NPR

National

An Ohio pastor-turned-lawmaker backs a Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act for schools

Sarah Donaldson

The bill says it would permit the teaching of the positive impact of Judeo-Christian values in U.S. history. Opponents say it offers a skewed view of history.

Swing Shift voters, a group of swing voters in swing states who NPR is routinely speaking with through the next several months. Clockwise from top left: Lee from Nevada, Michelle from Michigan, Wally from Georgia, Jason from North Carolina, Evan from Wisconsin, Gerald from Georgia, Colleen, John and Theresa from Pennsylvania.

Illustrations by Tara Anand

National

These swing voters are adding high gas prices into their political calculations

Tamara Keith

Vincent Tourville, a veteran of the Iraq War, lives on the West Los Angeles VA Campus with his 2-year-old son.

Bethany Mollenkof for NPR

National

Trump pledged to house 6,000 homeless vets. His budget funds zero

Quil Lawrence

National

Cure For Paranoia: Tiny Desk Concert

Elle Mannion

Perseverance, plus a whole lot of talent, is what got the Dallas hip-hop collective to our space after submitting to the Tiny Desk Contest four years in a row.
National

Trump wants a gas tax holiday. There's a much bigger problem looming

Camila Domonoske, Stephan Bisaha

Suspending the federal gasoline tax could save drivers up to 18.4 cents per gallon. But it would drain the fund meant to cover roadbuilding and repairs — a fund that's already in trouble.
National

Trick or spice? How the 'nutmeg' came to dominate the soccer world

Ava Berger

Nutmeg commonly spices up a holiday season eggnog. It's also one of the most sought-after trick moves in soccer.
National

Congo's Ebola outbreak is spiraling, with health workers struggling to contain the virus

Emmet Livingstone

The epicenter of the Ebola outbreak is in Mongbwalu, a poor gold-mining town of 130,000 people, in Ituri province, in eastern Congo.
National

Iranians are back online after a monthslong shutdown but face heavy restrictions

The Associated Press

Iranians began to regain internet access after authorities ended a monthslong shutdown. Users said service was slow and spotty in some areas, with apps like YouTube and Instagram heavily restricted.