National

New England Patriots Opt For Rookie Quarterback

4:50pm August 31, 2021

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Kyle Hightower, Associated Press reporter in Boston, talk about the New England Patriots cutting quarterback Cam Newton, and starting rookie Mac Jones instead.

What It Was Like Entering The Kabul Airport Alongside The Taliban

4:50pm August 31, 2021

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with Nabih Bulos, Middle East correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, about the Taliban's takeover of the Kabul airport.

COVID Vaccinations Are On The Rise Again, Says White House

4:50pm August 31, 2021

by Allison Aubrey

Due to more mandates around the U.S., White House COVID advisors say first-time vaccination rates are now on the rise after a slowdown this summer. Millions of unvaccinated children are now in school.

Jury Selection Begins In The Fraud Trial Of Theranos Founder Elizabeth Holmes

4:50pm August 31, 2021

by Bobby Allyn

Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of the health technology corporation Theranos, promised miracles with just a finger prick of blood. Jury selection in her fraud trial begins Tuesday.

National

New Orleans Mayor Cantrell On The City's Loss Of Power Brought By Hurricane Ida

4:50pm August 31, 2021

NPR's Audie Cornish speaks with LaToya Cantrell, mayor of New Orleans, about the damage from Hurricane Ida that has left residents without power for days.

After 3 Failed Attempts To Flee Afghanistan, A Family Clings To Hope

4:39pm August 31, 2021

NPR's Leila Fadel talks with Syvash, one of the thousands of Afghans trying to leave the country. Over the last two decades, he's worked on various projects for both the U.S. and the European Union.

National

Widow Of Soldier Killed In Kabul Bombing Said He Was 'Brilliant'

4:39pm August 31, 2021

by Jay Price

One of the 13 U.S. service members to die after the Kabul airport bombing was Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, a 23-year-old special operations soldier from Tennessee. His widow, Alena, remembers him.

National

New Orleans's Recover From Hurricane Ida's Damage Has Been Slow

4:23pm August 31, 2021

by Aubri Juhasz

Recovery is slow going in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida stormed ashore on Sunday. Rescue crews are still trying to get into hard hit areas as residents cope with the prospect of no power for weeks.

The spike in hate crimes in 2020 follows a recent upward trend in bias incidents, and it was a 6% increase over the 7,287 bias-related offenses reported in 2019.

National

Hate Crimes Reach The Highest Level In More Than A Decade

3:17pm August 31, 2021

by Joe Hernandez

The 6% spike in hate crimes reported by the FBI for 2020 follows a recent upward trend in incidents. But some experts and advocacy groups say the true number is probably even higher.

Director and screenwriter Nia DaCosta (shown here in 2018) has made history with the debut of her horror film Candyman.

National

Nia DaCosta Is The 1st Black Female Director To Debut Atop The U.S. Box Office

3:09pm August 31, 2021

by Sharon Pruitt-Young

The 31-year-old director and screenwriter's horror film Candyman — a reboot of the 1992 classic — made history as it raked in more than $22 million in its opening weekend.