NPR Top Stories

Communities launch cleanup after severe weather and tornadoes churn across Midwest
At least 66 tornado reports were submitted across multiple states on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
Chandelis Duster | Apr 19, 2026, 9:57 PM UTC

8 children killed in a shooting in Louisiana, police say
The suspect was the father of seven of the children killed, police said. The victims ranged in age from 1 to about 14 years old, according to police in Shreveport, La. A total of 10 people were shot.
Joe Hernandez, Rob Schmitz | Apr 19, 2026, 5:26 PM UTC

Sunday Puzzle: For Mimi
NPR's Elissa Nadworny plays the puzzle with WMEH listener Chee Sing Lee and Weekend Edition Puzzlemaster Will Shortz.
Will Shortz | Apr 19, 2026, 12:02 PM UTC

Why nearly every farmer who grows these chile peppers is a woman
Chile peppers are a traditional part of Indian cuisine — and a key crop for women farmers. They say it's too demanding for men. "In spite of the challenges," says one, "we've found freedom."
Kamala Thiagarajan | Apr 19, 2026, 11:16 AM UTC

U.S. seizes Iranian cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. has taken custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz after firing on its engine room, President Trump said in a post on social media.
NPR Staff | Apr 19, 2026, 11:12 AM UTC

Real estate investors are buying up long-term care facilities. Residents can suffer
Real estate investment trusts are landlords for thousands of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and hospitals. Some select the managers and keep close watch but deny blame for bad care.
Jordan Rau | Apr 19, 2026, 11:00 AM UTC

This tariff-refund portal is about to be America's hottest website
Exactly two months after the Supreme Court struck down most of President Trump's tariffs, the U.S. government has set Monday as the day when some companies can begin requesting refunds.
Alina Selyukh | Apr 19, 2026, 10:30 AM UTC

She no longer remembers it's her birthday. He got her a present anyway
A special day can be tinged with sorrow when your partner has dementia. But then he found the perfect gift.
Marc Silver | Apr 19, 2026, 10:00 AM UTC

Iowa went all-in on school choice. It's hurting this city's public schools
With school choice programs ascendant not just in Iowa but across the U.S., Cedar Rapids offers a preview of who wins and who loses when education meets the free market.
Cory Turner | Apr 19, 2026, 9:00 AM UTC

The Little Probe That Could: Why Voyager 1 Matters, and Why NASA Just Switched Part of It Off
This week, NASA announced it had shut down one of that spacecraft's remaining science instruments — not because the mission has failed, but to keep it alive a little longer.
Willem Marx | Apr 19, 2026, 5:40 AM UTC

