News

North Korea Designed A Nuke. So Did This Truck Driver

11:56am December 26, 2017

by Geoff Brumfiel

It took decades, but John Coster-Mullen has pieced together specs for America's first nuclear bombs. Some believe his odyssey says something about North Korea's rapid nuclear progress.

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A woman casts her ballot at a polling station in Monrovia, Liberia, as Liberians go to the polls for the second round of presidential elections on Tuesday.

World News

Liberians Vote For Next President, As Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Steps Down

11:05am December 26, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

Voters are choosing between soccer star George Weah and Vice President Joseph Boakai. This will be the first time in 70 years that power is transferred between democratically elected Liberian leaders.

Sen. Gillibrand, D-N.Y., has increased her stature in the Democratic Party in recent years, though deflects the question of whether she will run for president in 2020.

Politics & Government

With Women's Rights As A Focus, Attention Turns To Gillibrand

9:48am December 26, 2017

by Scott Detrow

As the "Me Too" moment hit Congress this year, Kirsten Gillibrand found herself in the center of the headlines. The New York senator is now on most short lists of possible Democratic 2020 contenders.

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Abu Qader, 18, came to the U.S. from Afghanistan as a baby. Now a freshman at Cornell University, he has founded a medical technology company with the goal of improving diagnosis of breast cancer in poor countries.

Health & Safety

Teenager Aims To Improve Breast Cancer Diagnosis In Poor Countries

7:00am December 26, 2017

by Diane Cole

Abu Qader came to the U.S. from Afghanistan when he was a baby. He wants to use his technology know-how to help the women of his birthplace.

Trump Seems To Prefer His Own Resorts Over Camp David For The Holidays

5:17pm December 25, 2017

by Joel Rose

It used to be a holiday tradition for the President to spend Christmas at Camp David, the rustic presidential retreat in the Maryland woods. But President Trump seems to prefer his own resorts during the holidays.

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A Look At How Word Prediction Software Works

4:36pm December 25, 2017

This week's All Tech Considered looks at how words pop up when we compose messages on our devices. NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with Ben Medlock of Swiftkey about all you ever wanted to know about word prediction software.

World News

Trump's Jerusalem Decision Cast A Cloud Over Bethlehem's Holiday Season

4:36pm December 25, 2017

by Daniel Estrin

Christian Palestinians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem face a time of uncertainty and bitterness over President Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

World News

Hear The Unique Soundscape Of Tanzania's Largest City

4:36pm December 25, 2017

by Eyder Peralta

The sound of most East African cities is dominated by a few things: motorcycles, buses, and shouts from street vendors. But in Tanzania's largest city the soundscape is dominated by something unexpected.

World News

'New York Times' Reporter On The Lebanese Prime Minister's Relationship With Saudi Arabia

4:36pm December 25, 2017

NPR's Robert Siegel speaks with The New York Times' South Asia reporter Maria Abi-Habib about how Saudi Arabia pressured Lebanon's prime minister Saad Hariri to resign and blame Iran.

National

How Police In Harrisonburg, Va., Spread A Little Christmas Cheer In Their Community

4:36pm December 25, 2017

by Christopher Kurtz

Often when police approach a person, it's not always a "Merry Christmas" sort of situation. But some police departments around the country have started taking some time to play Santa — including in Harrisonburg, Va. There, an officer on Secret Santa detail found a mom doing lawn care, and gave her $100.