NPR - Breaking News, Analysis, Music, Arts & Podcasts Top stories in the U.S. and world news, politics, health, science, business, music, arts and culture. Nonprofit journalism with a mission. This is NPR.

Afroman, pictured performing in 2018, made music videos featuring home video footage of a police raid of his house last year. Now some of the officers are suing him, and he plans to countersue. Johnny Louis/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Johnny Louis/Getty Images

Afroman put home footage of a police raid in music videos. Now the cops are suing him

A police search of the rapper's Ohio home didn't lead to charges, but spawned music videos, merchandise, theft accusations and an invasion of privacy lawsuit. Afroman tells NPR he plans to countersue.

Nam June Paik, a Korean-born artist who blazed a trail in the fine art world by using video as a medium, is the subject of the new documentary Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV. Above, the artist in 1982. Elliott Erwitt/© Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos hide caption

toggle caption
Elliott Erwitt/© Elliott Erwitt / Magnum Photos

New film explores how 'the father of video art' pioneered an art form

Nam June Paik: Moon Is the Oldest TV premiered at Sundance in January. It traces the life and legacy of visionary artist Nam June Paik.

Rep. Elise Stafanik, R-N.Y., Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Julia Letlow, R-La., held an event to introduce the Parents Bill of Rights Act at the U.S. Capitol on March 1. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

What a House GOP messaging bill could spell for 2024 culture war campaign

Although the GOP-led "Parents Bill of Rights" likely won't advance in the Democratic-controlled Senate, the messaging bill highlights Republican priorities as lawmakers eye the 2024 election cycle.

Gwyneth Paltrow enters the courtroom for her trial, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Park City, Utah, where she is accused in a lawsuit of crashing into a skier during a 2016 family ski vacation, leaving him with brain damage and four broken ribs. Rick Bowmer/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Rick Bowmer/AP

Gwyneth Paltrow takes the stand in a Utah court for a trial over a 2016 ski crash

The Oscar-winning actress took the stand Friday in Park City for a jury trial that will determine who was at fault in the 2016 crash. Paltrow is seeking $1 in damages.

Pro-democracy activists tear a placard of Winnie-the-pooh that represents Chinese President Xi Jinping during a protest against a proposed new security law outside the Chinese Liaison Office in Hong Kong on May 24, 2020. ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
ISAAC LAWRENCE/AFP via Getty Images

The autocrat threatened by Winnie the Pooh

The slasher film Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has been pulled from theaters in Hong Kong and Macau - and not because of its terrible Rotten Tomatoes score. The Silly Old Bear has been used in protest memes against Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Opinion: The autocrat threatened by Winnie the Pooh

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1166008149/1166059916" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

An officer speaks to migrants as they arrive at the Roxham Road border crossing in Quebec, Canada, earlier this month. Sebastien St-Jean/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Sebastien St-Jean/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. and Canada reach a deal to close a popular but unofficial border crossing

The U.S. and Canada have reached a deal that will allow both countries to turn back migrants at unofficial border crossings. President Biden announced the deal in remarks to the Canadian Parliament.

A Passport Processing employee uses a stack of blank passports to print a new one at the Miami Passport Agency June 22, 2007 in Miami, Fla. Passport processing times are high due to increased demand. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Traveling overseas this summer? There's huge demand for passports, so get yours ASAP

Passports are in "unprecedented demand," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. In 2022, the State Department issued a record 22 million passports — and 2023 is on track to break that record.

Thousands gather outside the LAUSD headquarters in downtown Los Angeles in support of the SEIU99 and UTLA strike on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. Ashley Balderrama for LAist hide caption

toggle caption
Ashley Balderrama for LAist

Education

The union that represents school support staff in the LAUSD has reached a tentative agreement

LAist 89.3

The deal would increase salaries by 30% and provide health care to more members. This comes after a three-day strike by bus drivers, cafeteria workers, classroom assistants and other Service Employees International Local 99 members in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Lake Saimaa in Puumala, Finland, which is near the resort where 10 lucky participants will stay for a happiness masterclass in June. Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alessandro Rampazzo/AFP via Getty Images

The happiest country in the world wants to fly you in for a free masterclass

Finland has held the title of world's happiest country for six years running. It wants to teach people how to unlock their "inner Finn" during a four-day masterclass at a lakeside resort in June.

The Queen's Cartoonists perform at the Miller Symphony Hall in Allentown, PA on November 22, 2019. Lindsey Theong/The Queen's Cartoonist hide caption

toggle caption
Lindsey Theong/The Queen's Cartoonist

The Queen's Cartoonists: Where jazz meets animation and hints of musical circus

The Queen's Cartoonists is a jazz band with elements of classical music, comedy and clowning that performs music live to animation, both old and contemporary.

The Queen's Cartoonists: Where jazz meets animation and hints of musical circus

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1157442227/1165977686" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Paul Rusesabagina looks on as he sits with some of his co-accused at the Supreme Court in Kigali, Rwanda, on Feb. 17, 2021, where he denied charges of being associated with an armed group. On Friday, the Rwandan government said it commuted his sentence. Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images

Paul Rusesabagina, 'Hotel Rwanda' hero, is released from prison

The man who inspired the novel and the Hollywood film Hotel Rwanda, Paul Rusesabagina, was released in the capital of Kigali after the Rwandan government commuted his sentence.

Guard Caitlin Clark is leading No. 2 seed Iowa Hawkeyes into the Sweet 16, where they'll face sixth-seeded Colorado at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Matthew Holst/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Matthew Holst/Getty Images

Women's March Madness has been wilder than ever, but can anyone catch South Carolina?

For the first time this century, two No. 1 seeds didn't make it to NCAA women's basketball's Sweet 16. And teams who geared up with transfers are challenging historically dominant programs.

Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan (center) leaves after appearing before a court for a protective bail in relation to two cases, in Lahore on March 21. Khan spoke to NPR's Morning Edition on Thursday. Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Arif Ali/AFP via Getty Images

In a polarized Pakistan, Imran Khan accuses opponents of conspiracies

As a deeply polarized Pakistan confronts political and economic crises, Imran Khan, the embattled former prime minister, speaks with NPR from his home in Lahore.

In a polarized Pakistan, Imran Khan accuses opponents of conspiracies

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1165728882/1165788125" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

This combination of images provided by the Memphis Police Department shows (from left) former police officers Demetrius Haley, Emmitt Martin III, Desmond Mills Jr. and Justin Smith. A Tennessee commission voted to decertify Haley, Martin and Smith. Mills surrendered his certification. Memphis Police Department via AP hide caption

toggle caption
Memphis Police Department via AP

4 ex-Memphis police officers who are charged with Tyre Nichols' murder have been decertified

Decertification hearings for others investigated in his death are pending. Decertification prevents officers from going to work in the same jurisdiction. They can still get police jobs out of state.

Sean Watkins, Chris Thile and Sara Watkins sequenced Nickel Creek's Celebrants as a way to write the album. "We wanted the songs to relate to each other," says Sara Watkins. Josh Goleman/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Josh Goleman/Courtesy of the artist

For the beloved trio's return, Nickel Creek created its own world

"We had basically farmed every nutrient we could out of the potential of this band's soil and we needed to let it rest," Sara Watkins says of the nine-year break between Nickel Creek albums.

David Gahan of Depeche Mode. Anton Corbijn/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

toggle caption
Anton Corbijn/Courtesy of the artist

Depeche Mode co-founder David Gahan wants us to remember: 'Memento Mori'

Depeche Mode return with its first album since the death of founding member Andy Fletcher. It focuses a lot, unsurprisingly, on the subject of life.

Depeche Mode co-founder David Gahan wants us to remember: 'Memento Mori'

  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1165578139/1165766456" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
more from