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
Southwest canceled more than 16,700 flights over several days in late December, leaving thousands of travelers stranded for days. Now lawmakers are attempting to hold airlines to account for disruptions and cancellations with a new Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights. David Zalubowski/AP hide caption
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services relies nearly entirely on fees to operate. John Moore/Getty Images hide caption
Someone in Washington state overcame steep odds Monday night, Feb. 6, 2023, to win an estimated $747 million Powerball jackpot. Lottery officials did not immediately make an announcement of a winner. Keith Srakocic/AP hide caption
People visit Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Friday, April 22, 2022. Ted Shaffrey/AP hide caption
A sign for the Food and Drug Administration is seen outside of the headquarters in White Oak, Md., on July 20, 2020. The FDA announced a recall of hundreds of ready-to-eat food products. Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images hide caption
A screenshot of one of the 'He Gets Us' campaign advertisements, this one on Reddit. Patrick Wood/NPR hide caption
The 'He Gets Us' commercials promote Jesus. Who's behind them and what is the goal?
A black plume rises over East Palestine, Ohio, as a result of the controlled detonation of a portion of the derailed Norfolk and Southern trains on Monday. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption
Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, middle, is flanked behind by Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, left, and Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen, right, at Hobbs' state of the state address on Jan. 9, 2023, in Phoenix. Ross D. Franklin/AP hide caption
Busing migrants was a partisan lightning rod. Here's why Democrats have embraced it
This photo taken with a drone shows portions of a Norfolk and Southern freight train that derailed Friday night in East Palestine, Ohio, are still on fire at mid-day Saturday. Gene J. Puskar/AP hide caption
Kyrie Irving is reportedly leaving the Brooklyn Nets after four seasons with the team. Sarah Stier/Getty Images hide caption
President Biden speaks to reporters after arriving in Hagerstown, Md., on Saturday. He congratulated the aviators who took down the Chinese balloon. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
People look at a dead gray whale at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, Calif., in May 2019, a year when 122 gray whales died in the U.S., according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Last year, 47 of the whales died. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption
Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., waits for the start of a session in the House chamber as the House meets for the fourth day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, D.C., Friday, Jan. 6. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption
Santos took office one month ago and his New York district says he's got to go
Eye-popping egg prices have finally started to fall. Wholesale eggs in the Midwest market dropped by 58 cents to $3.29 a dozen at the end of January, according to USDA data. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption
Southwest Airlines planes are seen at the Austin Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas on Jan. 22. Daniel Slim/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Arctic sea smoke rises from the the Atlantic Ocean as a passenger ferry passes Spring Point Ledge Light, on Saturday, off the coast of South Portland, Maine. The morning temperature was about minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Robert F. Bukaty/AP hide caption
The special police car TK Miami Police Department hide caption
In this photo provided by Melissa Smith, a train fire is seen from her farm in East Palestine, Ohio, Friday. A train derailment and resulting large fire prompted an evacuation order in the Ohio village near the Pennsylvania state line. Melissa Smith via AP hide caption
Kaitlyn Arland drives in her car in Junction City, Kan. Two years ago, when she tried to buy her first car, the dealership called her back and demanded she sign a new deal with a higher down payment after she had taken the car home. This tactic is often referred to as a yo-yo deal. Arin Yoon for NPR hide caption
Even after you think you bought a car, dealerships can 'yo-yo' you and take it back
The sign for Glen Oaks Alzheimer's Special Care Center is seen on Google Earth. The facility pronounced a living woman dead and is being fined $10,000. Google Earth/Screenshot by NPR hide caption
Gas utilities and cooking stove manufacturers knew for decades that burners could be made that emit less pollution in homes, but they chose not to. That may may be about to change. Sean Gladwell/Getty Images hide caption
Gas stove makers have a pollution solution. They're just not using it
LeBron James is on the cusp of overtaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record for most points scored. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images hide caption