Accessibility links
U.S. News and National Top Stories NPR coverage of national news, U.S. politics, elections, business, arts, culture, health and science, and technology. Subscribe to the NPR Nation RSS feed.

National

Sunday

The Impact of War

Troops Sour on Iraq War, Poll Says

A Military Times poll finds that troops are showing far less support for continued involvement in Iraq. The publication is read mainly by service members and retired veterans.

Troops Sour on Iraq War, Poll Says

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6704199/6704200" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

A President's Legacy

Crowds at Capitol Pay Tribute to Ford

Thousands of Americans are visiting the U.S. Capitol to pay final respects to former President Gerald Ford, who is lying in state at the Capitol Rotunda. But there are quiet moments, too.

Crowds at Capitol Pay Tribute to Ford

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6704208/6704209" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

U.S. Troop Fatalities in Iraq

At 'Fort Sam' Cemetery, War Toll Hits Home

Iraq war fatalities have been coming home with such regularity -- more than 20 deaths since the conflict began -- that people of San Antonio, Texas, have learned what to do. The ritual at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery is well established.

At 'Fort Sam' Cemetery, War Toll Hits Home

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6704110/6704246" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

President Ford Lies in State at Capitol

The body of former President Gerald Ford lies in state at the Capitol Rotunda, a particularly fitting tribute for a man who spent a quarter-century in Congress. At a Saturday night service, Vice President Cheney and others paid tribute to the 38th president.

President Ford Lies in State at Capitol

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6703029/6703030" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saturday

A President's Legacy

Crowd Gathers Outside U.S. Capitol to Honor Ford

The nation pays its final respects to President Gerald Ford at a funeral service in the Capitol Rotunda today. The former president's body arrived in Washington in the afternoon after a 13-hour public viewing in California on Friday. Debbie Elliott talks to Ari Shapiro about the crowd forming outside the Rotunda this evening.

Crowd Gathers Outside U.S. Capitol to Honor Ford

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6701101/6701102" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

A President's Legacy

Witness Recalls the Beginning of Ford's Presidency

Over the coming days, Gerald R. Ford will receive the final honors accorded an American president. Rep. John Conyers Jr. witnessed the very beginning of Ford's presidency. Despite his own starring role on President Nixon's "enemies list," he was allowed to be in the room when Gerald Ford took the oath of office.

Witness Recalls the Beginning of Ford's Presidency

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6701104/6701105" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Humor & Fun

Mark Russell, Bidding 2006 a Comic Adieu

Mark Russell is known for his satirical songs about politicians and all things political. He's been a wise-cracking fly on the wall, observing official Washington for 50 years. He gained national fame through PBS specials. Who better to reflect on the past year?

Mark Russell, Bidding 2006 a Comic Adieu

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6697451/6697479" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Saddam Hussein: Crimes and Punishment

Iraqi Americans Mark Saddam's Passing

The many Iraqi and Arab Americans in Dearborn, Mich., celebrated news of Saddam's execution Friday night. Iraqi-Americans gathered late Friday at a Detroit-area mosque to celebrate reports that Saddam Hussein had been executed, cheering and crying as drivers honked horns in jubilation.

Iraqi Americans Mark Saddam's Passing

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6700159/6700160" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Friday

The Long View

Merce Cunningham: Dance at the Edge

Considered by many the greatest living choreographer, Merce Cunningham's career began with Martha Graham and spans 60 years of innovations in dance and music. At 87, Cunningham is still creating new works and he remains on the leading edge of dance.

Merce Cunningham: Dance at the Edge

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6692356/6692442" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Teaching Outside the Box

Blues Song Is a Decades-Long Music Lesson

As part of our series about students and teachers, musicologist Bruce Nemerov describes the way that one song is recorded by several different musicians in different decades of the 20th century. The older musicians are teaching the younger musicians through the song "Sitting on Top of the World." We hear the song as recorded by Al Jolson, The Mississippi Sheiks, Howlin' Wolf, Eric Clapton, Bill Monroe and The Grateful Dead.

Blues Song Is a Decades-Long Music Lesson

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6697365/6697366" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

A President's Legacy

Californians Pay Respects to the Late Gerald Ford

Family and close friends of the late President Gerald Ford gather at the family church in Palm Desert, Calif., for a private prayer service. A Marine band played as military pall-bearers carried Mr. Ford's flag-draped casket inside St. Margaret's Episcopal Church. Thousands of people turned out to watch the funeral procession make its way through town.

Californians Pay Respects to the Late Gerald Ford

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6697374/6697375" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Your Money

Oil Prices Recede, and So Do Conservation Habits

When gas prices hit $3 a gallon in early summer, consumers began to change their driving habits. But now that gas is cheaper, they don't appear as focused on fuel efficiency. Volatile oil prices are shaking things up in the energy industry, leading to new technologies and efforts to find new sources of fuel.

Oil Prices Recede, and So Do Conservation Habits

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6697350/6697351" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Law

New Crime Data Has Experts Concerned

Violent crime is trending upward in many cities around the country. Nationally, the FBI says robbery was up 9 percent and murder up 1 percent in the first half of 2006. But the trend is uneven: Some cities are up, and others are down. That volatility has criminologists worried.

New Crime Data Has Experts Concerned

Listen
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/6697362/6697363" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript