National

Texas Gov. Greg Abbot has made "school choice" one of his top issues for the state. A special legislative session starting Monday will take up the issue of school vouchers for the second time this year, plus controversial border enforcement measures.

Controversial issues to come up in Texas special legislative session

5:06am October 09, 2023

School vouchers and border security are the focus of a special legislative session beginning this week in the Texas Statehouse. Both are key issues for the state's Republican governor.

HBCUs have been underfunded by $12 billion, federal officials reveal

5:06am October 09, 2023

by Alexis Marshall

Federal officials have told 16 states that they've been underfunding their Historically Black Colleges and Universities by some $12 billion. (Story aired on All Things Considered on Oct. 16, 2023.)

An image from security camera footage shows alleged thieves breaking into a P.C. Richard & Son appliance store in Philadelphia in late September.

National

Videos of 'flash mob' thefts are everywhere, but are the incidents increasing?

5:01am October 09, 2023

by Joe Hernandez

Retailers are implementing new strategies to thwart thieves, such as locking up merchandise and limiting the number of customers. Companies say thefts are on the rise across the U.S.

Voters take to the polls on March 7, 2023, at Mann Elementary School in south St. Louis. If supporters get enough signatures, an abortion initiative will likely be on the ballot in 2024.

Missouri's strict abortion ban could change. Even a GOP-led group thinks it should.

5:00am October 09, 2023

by Jason Rosenbaum

Missouri has one of the strictest abortion bans in the U.S. Abortion rights advocates hope to put forward a ballot initiative next year to take the issue directly to voters.

Powerball lottery tickets are displayed Oct. 4, 2023, in Surfside, Fla.

National

Monday's Powerball jackpot up to $1.55 billion as lottery losing streak continues

2:18am October 09, 2023

by The Associated Press

The jackpot is now the world's fourth-largest lottery prize after rolling over for 34 consecutive drawings, since the last time someone won the top prize on July 19.

National

The challenges for Amazon sellers

5:22pm October 08, 2023

The FTC and 17 states have accused Amazon of using tactics to maintain a monopoly. Independent vendors who do business selling products on Amazon face serious challenges to compete on the platform.

Carlos Moreno, a Franco-Colombian urbanist, has been helping spread the idea of 15-minute cities — where people can access key things in their life within a short walk, bike ride or transit ride of their home. But the climate solution is seeing huge challenges, including conspiracy theories.

It's a global climate solution — if it can get past conspiracy theories and NIMBYs

4:33pm October 08, 2023

by Julia Simon

The "15-minute city" is an urban planning concept that aims to increase quality of life and reduce planet-heating pollution. But it faces obstacles, including conspiracy theories.

Kelvin Kiptum of Kenya celebrates after winning the 2023 Chicago Marathon professional men's division and setting a world record marathon time of 2:00.35 at Grant Park on Sunday in Chicago, Illinois.

Kelvin Kiptum breaks a world record in his U.S. marathon debut

3:11pm October 08, 2023

by Juliana Kim

The self-coached 23-year-old runner from Kenya beat two-time Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge's previous world record by 34 seconds at the Chicago Marathon.

National

A trans teenager and her mom reflect on Nebraska restricting gender-affirming care

2:42pm October 08, 2023

by Ayesha Rascoe

NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with transgender teenager Nola Rhea and her mother Heather Rhea about a new Nebraska law restricting gender-affirming care.

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OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe blows a kiss during a ceremony honoring her career, after the team's NWSL soccer match against the Washington Spirit on Friday, Oct. 6, 2023, in Seattle. The Spirit and the Reign played to a scoreless draw in Rapinoe's final regular-season home game before her retirement at the end of the season.

Megan Rapinoe plays her last regular season home game in Seattle

11:42am October 08, 2023

by Grace Madigan

Friday night was Megan Rapinoe's last regular season home game in Seattle with the OL Reign, the team she's played with for her entire 11-year NWSL career.

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