Politics & Government

Politics & Government

Sen. Klobuchar will attend hearing about protecting kids online

12:22pm October 26, 2021

NPR's Rachel Martin talks with Sen. Amy Klobuchar about a Senate hearing Tuesday with representatives from Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube about safeguarding young users on their platforms.

Prince performs in Paris at the Grand Palais on Oct. 11, 2009. The musician died in 2016.

Lawmakers may honor Prince with a Congressional Gold Medal

11:16am October 26, 2021

by Jaclyn Diaz

Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Ilhan Omar introduced the bill calling for Prince to posthumously receive the award. The Congressional Gold Medal has been awarded to only 163 people since 1776.

Construction workers build a sound wall along Interstate Highway 66 in Fairfax, Va., this past August. While Congress debates President Biden's infrastructure bill, some rural transportation projects are in limbo.

Transportation planners wait for money as the infrastructure plan stalls in Congress

11:02am October 26, 2021

by David Schaper

Democrats say they're close to a deal on the broad reconciliation bill, but transportation planners are anxious because a short-term extension on federal highway and transit programs runs out Sunday.

Politics & Government

Early voting is underway for NC cities and towns

9:30am October 26, 2021

by Paul Garber

Early voting has started for the elections that will determine who leads most of the state's towns and cities.

Politics & Government

The impact of social media on kids is again the focus of a Senate hearing

8:12am October 26, 2021

Does social media use harm children? That's one question senators will be asking executives from YouTube, Snap and TikTok at Tuesday's hearing on Capitol Hill.

Zalmay Khalilzad explains what went wrong with the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan

7:26am October 26, 2021

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Zalmay Khalilzad, who stepped down last week as the U.S. envoy to Afghanistan. He played the lead role in negotiating a deal with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. troops.

Politics & Government

News brief: Zalmay Khalilzad, social media hearing, Sudan coup

6:22am October 26, 2021

The U.S. envoy who brokered the Taliban deal discusses what went wrong in the Afghan withdrawal. A Senate panel holds a hearing on social media and kids. U.S. aid to Sudan is suspended after a coup.

Queue Listen Now

In their book, Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen envision a more unified U.S.

5:50am October 26, 2021

by Audie Cornish

Former President Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen's new book Renegades is based on their podcast. The book delves into conversations about race, the American dream and their stories of growing up.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testifies on Capitol Hill in April 2018. A trove of insider documents known as the Facebook Papers has the company facing backlash over its effects on society and politics.

Politics & Government

The Facebook Papers: What you need to know about the trove of insider documents

6:56pm October 25, 2021

by Bill Chappell

"We've been fueling this fire for a long time and we shouldn't be surprised it's now out of control," an employee reportedly wrote on an internal message board.

Containers of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses, donated by the United States, arrive in Bogota, Colombia, in July. The U.S. plans to send more than a billion vaccines abroad by September 2022.

What the U.S. can — and cannot — do for vaccine equity per the State Department

6:18pm October 25, 2021

by NPR Staff

The U.S. has pledged to deliver 1.1 billion doses of COVID vaccines to countries in need. Billions more are needed. NPR interviewed the State Department's global vaccine coordinator to learn more.