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

Friday

White House Holiday Spirit A 'Joy To All'

Lauren Rae (left) and Olivia Marlow look at the ornaments in the Grand Foyer during the first viewing of the White House 2012 holiday decorations in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. This year's theme is "Joy to All." Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

White House Holiday Spirit A 'Joy To All'

The bows are tied, the garlands are hung, and the White House is aglow. The decorations were handled with care by volunteers from all over the country, and this week, first lady Michelle Obama showed them off to military families.

White House Holiday Spirit A 'Joy To All'

Listen · 3:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166267703/166291661" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
After Sandy Outages, A Tale Of Two Utilities

After Hurricane Sandy, the town of Madison, N.J., which runs its own power utility, had electricity restored long before its neighbors. Friscocali/via Flickr hide caption

toggle caption
Friscocali/via Flickr

Superstorm Sandy: Before, During And Beyond

After Sandy Outages, A Tale Of Two Utilities

Residents of Summit, N.J., waited weeks for the power to return after Superstorm Sandy. That's in stark contrast to the nearby town of Madison, where the lights were on in just a few days. Madison owns its own utility company — and after its shining performance, Summit is weighing the idea, too.

After Sandy Outages, A Tale Of Two Utilities

Listen · 4:00
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166241777/166260508" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Elections

2012 Election The Most Expensive In History

Robert Siegel talks to Tom Hamburger of The Washington Post, and Melanie Mason of The Los Angeles Times about how much money campaign consultants made from the presidential election this year.

2012 Election The Most Expensive In History

Listen · 6:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166260533/166260832" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

U.N. Ambassador Rice Not The Typical Diplomat

U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice has come under attack from all sides in her bid to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State. We take look at Rice's record and why her critics seem to be growing in numbers.

U.N. Ambassador Rice Not The Typical Diplomat

Listen · 4:01
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166260523/166260512" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

The Americas

Far From Mexico, Students Try Saving Aztec Language

The descendant of the ancient Aztec language is one of many endangered indigenous languages. Although there may still be a million speakers of Nahuatl, it is not being transmitted to a new generation. But there is an attempt to revive Nahuatl in New York City, and students eager to connect to their heritage are taking classes.

Far From Mexico, Students Try Saving Aztec Language

Listen · 4:19
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166260521/166260510" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

Boehner: Fiscal Cliff Negotiations At A 'Stalemate'

President Obama traveled to the the Philadelphia suburbs on Friday. He visited the maker of Tinker Toys and talked about the impact of tax hikes on consumers this Christmas season.

Boehner: Fiscal Cliff Negotiations At A 'Stalemate'

Listen · 2:09
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166260513/166260496" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Law

DOJ Sues Gallup For Overcharging On Contracts

The Justice Department has accused the Gallup Organization of cheating federal agencies out of millions of dollars by inflating the price of federal contracts. Gallup says in a statement that the case is "based on false allegations of a former disgruntled employee."

DOJ Sues Gallup For Overcharging On Contracts

Listen · 2:40
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166260531/166260831" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Kerry: In The Shadow Of Rice's Firestorm

Committe Chairman John Kerry , D-MA, speaks during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the nomination of Robert Beecroft to be ambassador to Iraq Sept. 19 in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

It's All Politics

Kerry: In The Shadow Of Rice's Firestorm

The fight over U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice's potential nomination for secretary of state has left Sen. John Kerry in an odd spot because he could be up for the Cabinet post, too. Once a vocal defender of Rice, Kerry has kept quiet lately.

Health Care

What Obamacare Means For Patients--And Their Docs

House Speaker John Boehner said it himself: "Obamacare is the law of the land." But what does that mean for patients--and their doctors and nurses? Ira Flatow and guests map out the road ahead for the Affordable Care Act, and when insurance exchanges, employer rewards for exercise and other features of the law take effect.

What Obamacare Means For Patients--And Their Docs

Listen · 42:27
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166248515/166248508" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Booches' Famous Burgers Seek New Buns After Hostess Plant Closes

A softly-lit Booches' burger, back in the days of the Hostess bun. Genevieve Howard/Flickr.com hide caption

toggle caption
Genevieve Howard/Flickr.com

The Salt

Booches' Famous Burgers Seek New Buns After Hostess Plant Closes

KBIA

It's not just Twinkie hoarders and Ding Dong lovers that feel the pain of the Hostess factory closings. For the first time in about 40 years, Booches Billiard Hall in Columbia, Mo. has to go elsewhere to source the buns for its famous burgers. Regulars say they are adapting to the change.

Education

Pigtails For Peace

Maisie Kate Miller regularly wore pigtails to her Massachusetts high school, but her hairstyle made her a target for a bully. Miller asked friends on Facebook to wear pigtails in solidarity. When word got out, she turned into a national anti-bullying crusader. Maisie Kate Miller talks about her "Pigtails 4 Peace" protest with host Michel Martin.

Pigtails For Peace

Listen · 5:18
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166241063/166241054" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Politics

What Allen West And Abraham Lincoln Have In Common

U.S. Rep. Allen West came to Washington as part of the 2010 wave of Tea Party-backed candidates. He became known as aggressive and outspoken, but his tenure in Congress was short-lived. He recently conceded a close race for Florida's 18th District. West sits down with host Michel Martin to reflect on his term and his outlook for the future.

What Allen West And Abraham Lincoln Have In Common

Listen · 11:48
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166241059/166241050" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
For Powerball-Winning Family: A Trip To The Beach And Maybe A Horse

A Powerball lottery ticket sits in the machine at the 4 Sons Food Store and Chevron gas station which sold one of two winning Powerball lottery tickets in Fountain Hills, Ariz. Joshua Lott/Reuters /Landov hide caption

toggle caption
Joshua Lott/Reuters /Landov

The Two-Way

For Powerball-Winning Family: A Trip To The Beach And Maybe A Horse

Each of the two winning tickets is worth about $192.5 million if the "cash option" is chosen. One was sold in Missouri, the other in Arizona. The Missouri family that bought one of the winners has some plans for the windfall.

Law

Senate Committee OKs Electronic Privacy Measure

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted Thursday to make it a little harder for police to read people's old emails. It's something privacy groups and tech companies have wanted for years, but law enforcement groups are less pleased.

Senate Committee OKs Electronic Privacy Measure

Listen · 3:32
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/166217425/166217408" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript