Accessibility links
U.S. News and National Top Stories NPR coverage of national news, U.S. politics, elections, business, arts, culture, health and science, and technology. Subscribe to the NPR Nation RSS feed.

National

Wednesday

In New York, Gun Owners Balk At New Handgun Database

The Gun Owners of America – which has been described as a more extreme version of the NRA – recruited members for its New York chapter at the Albany Gun Show. Lauren Rosenthal/NCPR hide caption

toggle caption
Lauren Rosenthal/NCPR

Criminal Justice Collaborative

In New York, Gun Owners Balk At New Handgun Database

North Country Public Radio

A plan to have gun owners in New York register their handguns has sparked anger. State officials say a database will help keep guns out of the hands of people who legally shouldn't have them.

In New York, Gun Owners Balk At New Handgun Database

Listen · 3:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/581879702/582240564" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Science Teacher Shares His Journey After Winning The Green Card Lottery

In 2003, in Burkina Faso, Abdel Akim Adjibade found out he won the lottery — the green card lottery. He became one of approximately 50,000 people each year to win entry to the U.S. this way, and now he teaches physics in Illinois. He shares what this experience was like for him.

Science Teacher Shares His Journey After Winning The Green Card Lottery

Listen · 4:16
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240533/582240534" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

National Security

White House Drops Victor Cha As Candidate For Ambassador To South Korea

After he criticized the idea of a U.S. preemptive strike on North Korea, Victor Cha is no longer the White House's candidate for Ambassador to South Korea. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Frank Aum of the U.S. Institute of Peace about the Trump administration's "bloody nose" strategy.

White House Drops Victor Cha As Candidate For Ambassador To South Korea

Listen · 4:27
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240496/582240497" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

At Border Security Expo In Texas, Emphasis Isn't On Steel And Concrete Barriers

As President Trump pushes for an immigration deal that would expand his immigration crackdown on Capitol Hill, administration officials, vendors and law enforcement are gathering in San Antonio for a border security expo.

At Border Security Expo In Texas, Emphasis Isn't On Steel And Concrete Barriers

Listen · 4:06
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240517/582240520" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

Trump's Immigration Proposal Would Eliminate Green Card Lottery

As part of his immigration proposal, President Trump has proposed eliminating the Green Card Lottery that allows around 55,000 people who have no family connection or employer sponsor to enter the U.S. each year. Muzaffar Chishti, a director of the Migration Policy Institute, explains the origin of the program and how it's changed.

Trump's Immigration Proposal Would Eliminate Green Card Lottery

Listen · 3:41
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240526/582240527" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Infrastructure Experts Wondering Where Funding Would Come From For Trump's Plan

President Trump's plan to invest billions into fixing the nation's crumbling infrastructure may burden state and local governments and lead to a greater reliance on tolls.

Infrastructure Experts Wondering Where Funding Would Come From For Trump's Plan

Listen · 3:11
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240503/582240504" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Author Interviews

Historian Makes Case For 'What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia' In New Book

Many journalists and pundits refer to J.D. Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy for a better understanding of the people who live in the Appalachia region. That doesn't sit well with historian Elizabeth Catte, so she wrote her rebuttal in What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia.

Historian Makes Case For 'What You Are Getting Wrong About Appalachia' In New Book

Listen · 4:45
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240482/582240483" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper Discusses State Of The Union Address

NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Colorado's Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper as he offers his reaction to President Trump's first State of the Union address. Trump included a call for greater bipartisanship on the sharp policy differences that divide Republicans and Democrats.

Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper Discusses State Of The Union Address

Listen · 4:26
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240510/582240511" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

National Security

Experts Concerned About Idea Of A Preemptive Strike Against North Korea

The White House's withdrawal of Victor Cha as a candidate for ambassador to South Korea comes as an apparent result of differing views on the idea of using a preemptive strike against North Korea.

Experts Concerned About Idea Of A Preemptive Strike Against North Korea

Listen · 3:23
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240489/582240490" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
With Focus On Unemployment, Yellen Led Fed Through Tough Balancing Act

Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen waits for a hearing of the Joint Economic Committee in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 29, 2017. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Business

With Focus On Unemployment, Yellen Led Fed Through Tough Balancing Act

As she leaves the Fed's top job, Janet Yellen gets high marks for the way she resisted calls to raise interest rates as the economy began recovering. Instead, she was determined to boost job growth.

With Focus On Unemployment, Yellen Led Fed Through Tough Balancing Act

Listen · 4:06
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/581649384/582240558" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
It's In Their Blood: Siblings Eye 1st Mixed Curling Gold At Winter Olympics

(Left) United States' Becca Hamilton releases the stone during a match against Switzerland in the Women's World Curling Championship in Beijing on March 23, 2017. (Right) Becca's brother, Matt Hamilton, delivers a stone during the bronze medal game USA vs Japan at the World Men's Curling Championships on April 10, 2016. Mark Schiefelbein/AP; Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Mark Schiefelbein/AP; Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

The Torch

It's In Their Blood: Siblings Eye 1st Mixed Curling Gold At Winter Olympics

WPR News

Matt and Becca Hamilton will compete in PyeongChang as mixed doubles curling makes its debut at the Olympics. The brother and sister from Wisconsin say their family bond helps drive their success.

It's In Their Blood: Siblings Eye 1st Mixed Curling Gold At Winter Olympics

Listen · 3:37
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582115425/582240540" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

After SOTU, Lawmakers Waiting To See If Trump Will Release GOP Memo

Following President Trump's State of the Union address, one big question remains on whether the White House will allow the release of a controversial House GOP memo related to the Russia investigation.

After SOTU, Lawmakers Waiting To See If Trump Will Release GOP Memo

Listen · 4:10
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/582240350/582240372" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript