NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts NPR delivers breaking national and world news. Also top stories from business, politics, health, science, technology, music, arts and culture. Subscribe to podcasts and RSS feeds.

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin told the judge on Thursday he will not testify on his own behalf in his trial for the death of George Floyd. His defense attorney, Eric Nelson, is seen at left. Court TV via AP hide caption

toggle caption
Court TV via AP

Testimony Ends Without Derek Chauvin Taking The Stand In His Trial

Chauvin told Judge Peter Cahill that he would exercise his Fifth Amendment right. Closing arguments are expected to begin on Monday.

From left, Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., hold a news conference outside the Supreme Court to announce legislation to expand the number of seats on the high court. J. Scott Applewhite/AP hide caption

toggle caption
J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Democrats Unveil Long-Shot Plan To Expand Size Of Supreme Court From 9 To 13

Republicans were scathing in their response to the measure, but the bill has a grim future even without their opposition. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she has no plans to bring it to the floor.

Making of Biblical Womanhood, by Beth Allison Barr Brazos Press hide caption

toggle caption
Brazos Press

'The Making Of Biblical Womanhood' Tackles Contradictions In Religious Practice

Biblical womanhood is a pervasive concept among evangelicals. A new book by historian Beth Allison Barr argues those ideas may be more secular than scriptural.

'The Making Of Biblical Womanhood' Tackles Contradictions In Religious Practice

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/987552105/987552106" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Jamel Hill, a fourth year medical student, confronted a stark reality when he went into medical school. But through the racial microaggressions, he also found mentors who guided him through the hardest times. He just matched in a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at the University of Kentucky. "It's a dream I've had since high school," he says. Farah Yousry hide caption

toggle caption
Farah Yousry

Being Mentored Helps Black Medical Students Face Isolation, Racial Microaggressions

WFYI Public Radio

Many of these students are first-generation doctors with no one to turn to for advice. Finding mentors in academia is one way to help them overcome barriers and increase their odds at success.

Ajo, a former copper mining town more than 100 miles from Phoenix, is unincorporated. The U.S. government began dropping off migrants on the historic plaza in Ajo in March. Kirk Siegler/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Kirk Siegler/NPR

Why The U.S. Government Is Dropping Off Migrants In Rural Arizona Towns

The Border Patrol says the pandemic limits how many people they can safely hold at facilities. Officials say funding and jurisdiction issues also prevent them from transporting migrants to cities.

A city street is closed this month for repairs and upgrades in Orlando, Fla. As part of an infrastructure proposal by the Biden administration, $115 billion is earmarked to modernize bridges, highways and roads. John Raoux/AP hide caption

toggle caption
John Raoux/AP

Biden Claims GOP Voters Support His Infrastructure Plan; Poll Shows They Don't

An NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll finds most support the plan, but three-quarters of Republicans do not. "Listen to your constituents," President Biden says, but that may mean little to no GOP votes.

U.S. Marines conduct an operation to clear a village of Taliban fighters on July 5, 2009, in Mian Poshteh, Afghanistan. The U.S. and NATO forces plan to withdraw their remaining troops from Afghanistan by September. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

U.S. Faces Hard Choices To Fight Terrorism After Afghanistan Withdrawal

Al-Qaida is degraded but not defeated. Analyst Colin Clarke assesses where the U.S. may be mapping out its future counterterrorism presence after withdrawing from Afghanistan.

Department of Justice/NPR

The Capitol Siege: The Arrested And Their Stories

More than 400 people have been charged in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. NPR is looking at the cases. Each provides clues to questions surrounding the attack: Who joined the mob? What did they do? And why?

The Capitol Siege: The Arrested And Their Stories

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/965472049/965966856" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Fears are rising about whether supplies of batteries can keep up with the expected surge in the production of electric vehicles. Pictured here is a close-up of individual battery cells contained in a battery pack module for a Lucid Motors electric vehicle. Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

As Auto Industry Goes Electric, A Nightmare Scenario Looms: Not Enough Batteries

As automakers from General Motors to Volkswagen bet big on an electric future, fears are rising about whether the world's supply of batteries can keep up.

As Auto Industry Goes Electric, Can It Avoid A Battery Bottleneck?

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/985347046/987296944" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

A car parked in a Fresno Gurdwara, or Sikh temple, parking lot with a bumper sticker showing support for Indian farmers protesting new agricultural laws. Jonaki Mehta/NPR hide caption

toggle caption
Jonaki Mehta/NPR

For Calif. Sikh Farmers, India Protests Cast 'Dark Cloud' Over Vaisakhi Festival

Central California is home to a large population of Sikh Punjabi farmers who say this year's harvest festival, Vaisakhi, holds complicated feelings amid months-long farmer protests in India.

For Calif. Sikh Farmers, India Protests Cast 'Dark Cloud' Over Vaisakhi Festival

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/987295025/987787788" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Hartsville resident Rick Bradley, 62, received his first COVID-19 vaccine dose at the end of March at the local Walgreens, saying "this is not a summer cold or a conspiracy." He says some of his neighbors have become so used to COVID-19, that getting vaccinated has fallen off the priority list. Blake Farmer/WPLN hide caption

toggle caption
Blake Farmer/WPLN

'It's Not A Never Thing' — White, Rural Southerners Hesitant To Get COVID Vaccine

WPLN News

A majority of white, rural conservatives in Tennessee are open to getting the vaccine at some point, but at least 45% won't consider it. Rates in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi are also lagging.

'It's Not A Never Thing' — White, Rural Southerners Hesitant To Get COVID Vaccine

  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/987412681/987415876" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

WATCH

MORE VIDEOS

TDC video carousel

New and exclusive videos from the popular concert series.

more from