Morning news brief
China watches as Taiwan's president visits New York. A federal rule protecting Medicaid coverage is about to expire. Nashville holds a city-wide public vigil for the victims of a school shooting.
National
A plumber crawled under a house in Los Angeles to do a job and then went missing
After three hours went by without a sound, the homeowner called for help. Firefighters started cutting holes in the floor with chainsaws. The plumber had fallen asleep in the crawlspace.
Casualties reported after Army helicopters crash in Kentucky
Two military helicopters crashed Wednesday night in southwestern Kentucky during a training mission, the U.S. Army said in a statement. The status of the crew members wasn't immediately known.
Nashville searches for healing after this week's school shooting left 6 people dead
Nashville mourns the victims of a school shooting in a citywide public vigil attended by first lady Jill Biden.
More states pass laws to restrict or ban gender-affirming care for transgender kids
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds last week signed a law banning gender-affirming care for transgender minors. NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Matt McIver, a parent of a transgender child in Des Moines.
Ex-Patriots star Aaron Hernandez sounded upbeat in final prison calls before suicide
In a few short years, Aaron Hernandez moved from NFL star to murder suspect. The last phone calls from prison of the former New England Patriots tight end raise new questions about his death.
As states start to get opioid settlement cash, few are sharing how they spend it
All told, drugmakers and distributors will pay over $50 billion to communities harmed by opioids. An investigation finds that only a dozen states are letting the public see how they use the money.
Ritch thought everyone loved his humor. Then a friend pulled him aside
Ritch Addison thought everyone loved his sarcastic sense of humor in high school. But then a friend let him know that not everyone was laughing. It changed how he treats people in life.
These are the states with the highest and lowest tax burdens, a report says
A new report by WalletHub measured how much people pay in property, income and sales tax in proportion to the amount of money they make.
Melissa Joan Hart says she helped kindergarteners escape the Nashville shooting
Hart, known for her starring role on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, said her children attend school near Nashville's Covenant School.