Announcing the NPR Student Podcast Challenge for 2026 — and a very special prize!
The annual contest for students in grades four through 12 is back for its eighth year — this time with a special prize for a podcast that marks the 250th anniversary of the United States.
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Trump wants a new U.S. census to exclude people here illegally. It'd be unprecedented
Trump is calling for a "new" census that excludes people in the U.S. without legal status. The 14th Amendment requires the "whole number of persons in each state" in a key set of census results. -
Ultra-processed food consumption is down a bit, but still more than 50% of U.S. diet
Americans get about 55% of our calories from tasty, cheap — and unhealthy — manufactured foods, the latest data from CDC says. For kids, the percentage is even higher. -
Alleged gunman at Army's Fort Stewart was a sergeant who shot 5 coworkers
The Army identified the alleged gunman as Sgt. Quornelius Radford, who worked in automated logistics. The victims were Radford's coworkers and he used a personal handgun, the Army added. -
House Oversight Committee subpoenas the Justice Department for Epstein files
The committee asked the DOJ for files related to its investigation of Jeffrey Epstein. It is also looking to question Bill and Hillary Clinton, among several other former government officials. -
It's 2025, the year we decided we need a widespread slur for robots
People all over TikTok and Instagram are using the word "clanker" as a catch-all for robots and AI. Here's a deep dive into the origins of the pejorative and an explanation of why it's spreading. -
RFK Jr. pulls $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccine contracts
The Department of Health and Human Services will cancel contracts and pull funding for some vaccines that are being developed to fight respiratory viruses like COVID-19 and the flu. -
Nihilistic online networks groom minors to commit harm. Her son was one of them
When Dana's son was hospitalized last year, it led her to a path of discovery about predatory online networks that groom children into harming themselves and others. Their reach is global and growing. -
With $1K in cash aid, he built a life-changing barbershop. Now cash aid is under fire
This man in Mozambique is one of many who've received a cash sum with no strings attached. The Trump administration has criticized and curtailed the practice. Advocates are pushing back with evidence.
