U.S.

Jake Ralston with his father Jon Ralston. This week, Jake successfully petitioned to change the name and gender on his birth certificate to reflect that he is male.

When Maddy Became Jake: A Father And Son's Enduring Love

11:09pm May 25, 2016

by NPR Staff

Jake, born female, was 5 when he says he first told his dad he was a boy. Jon thought it was a phase, but came to accept it, and 15 years later Jake made his new name and gender official.

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National

Louisiana Moves To Extend Hate Crime Protection For Police Officers

11:09pm May 25, 2016

by Martin Kaste

The state of Louisiana is close to extending hate crime protection to police officers and other emergency responders. The so-called "Blue Lives Matter" bill is a response to a growing sentiment among many in law enforcement that they are under attack.

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Thirteen-year-old Alex Iyer (left) gives 6-year-old Akash Vukoti a high-five as Akash leaves the stage after misspelling a word in Round 3 of the 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Wednesday in National Harbor, Md.

National

6-Year-Old May Be Out Of Spelling Bee, But This Kid Is A Winner

8:57pm May 25, 2016

by Dana Farrington

Akash Vukoti was the youngest contestant in this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee. He didn't go all the way this time, but we've got our eye on him.

TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger prepares to testify during a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers sought answers as to why long security lines persist at airports around the country.

TSA Hopes To Speed Up Screening Lines This Summer, Administrator Tells Congress

7:17pm May 25, 2016

But the agency projects that its checkpoints will screen 100 million more people in 2016 than it did in 2013 — even as its workforce has been reduced by 12 percent over that same time period.

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Nearly A Dozen States Sue U.S. Government Over Transgender Policies

6:27pm May 25, 2016

by Dana Farrington

The Obama administration has argued that gender identity is protected under federal law. The states say the government is overreaching.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (right), along with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (left), speak to reporters in London on May 12. They tried to assure European banks they won't be penalized for conducting legitimate business with Iran. Criti

John Kerry's Awkward Push For Investment In Iran

6:13pm May 25, 2016

by Michele Kelemen

The secretary of state negotiated the nuclear deal and wants it to work. He recently went to Europe to encourage banks there to invest in Iran.

MacArthur 'Genius' Angela Duckworth Responds To A New Critique Of Grit

6:13pm May 25, 2016

by Anya Kamenetz

The author of a new meta-analysis says the importance of grit — a concept that has gained wide traction in education circles — has been exaggerated.

Amy Peterson now runs the Build It Back program in New York City. She says she is optimistic about the program.

National

Business Of Disaster: Local Recovery Programs Struggle To Help Homeowners

6:11pm May 25, 2016

by Laura Sullivan

State and local disaster relief programs are leaving communities impacted by Superstorm Sandy confused by the dizzying array of directives on how to rebuild.

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Beef sides hang in a chilling room at a slaughterhouse in Nebraska.

We Don't Know How Many Workers Are Injured At Slaughterhouses. Here's Why

5:12pm May 25, 2016

by Grant Gerlock

Injuries in the meat industry are likely to be under-reported, a new GAO report finds. Workers may be sent back to the line without seeing a doctor, or may not report out of fear of losing their jobs.

National

11 States Sue Obama Administration Over Transgender Student Guidance

4:53pm May 25, 2016

by Debbie Elliott

Texas and 10 other states are suing the Obama administration over its guidelines governing transgender students in schools.

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