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

At left, Steven Johnson is shown in a photo from the 1990s used in his

Steven Johnson escaped from Mill Creek Correctional Facility in Salem, Ore., during a prison work detail in 1994. He was arrested on Tuesday in Macon, Ga., where had had assumed the identity of a dead child. Oregon Department of Corrections/Bibb County Sheriff's Office hide caption

toggle caption
Oregon Department of Corrections/Bibb County Sheriff's Office

Escaped prisoner found in Georgia 30 years later, using the identity of a dead child

Steven Johnson, who escaped from prison in 1994 while on a work detail, was arrested in Macon, Ga., on Tuesday. He had been living there since 2011 and had assumed the identity of a dead child.

A Crowdstrike office in Sunnyvale, Calif. An overnight outage was blamed on a software update that the cybersecurity firm sent to Microsoft corporate customers, including many airlines.

Microsoft, which hosts cloud services with businesses and governments, said it was grappling with service outages after a glitch triggered by software distributed by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Haven Daley/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Haven Daley/AP

What we know about the computer update glitch disrupting systems around the world

A tech meltdown left workers at airlines, banks and hospitals staring at the dreaded “blue screen of death” as their computers went inert in what is being described as a historic outage.

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after officially accepting the Republican presidential nomination on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks after officially accepting the Republican presidential nomination on stage on the fourth day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 18, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Leon Neal/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Leon Neal/Getty Images

Politics

A solemn Trump recounts details of assassination attempt: 'I'm not supposed to be here'

During his presidential nomination acceptance speech, Donald Trump recounts his feelings and reaction to the shooting at a rally that injured him and killed a supporter.

Linda McMahon, former administrator of the Small Business Administration, during the Republican National Convention.

Linda McMahon, former administrator of the Small Business Administration, during the Republican National Convention. Hannah Beier/Bloomberg/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Hannah Beier/Bloomberg/Getty Images

Politics

RNC speakers want to separate the president from the person to show softer side of Trump

Before former President Donald Trump's marquee address tonight, the schedule of speakers has sought to show a softer, friendlier side of Trump than his persona as president and on the campaign trail.

Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Republican vice presidential candidate, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alex Wong/Getty Images

J.D. Vance's hometown, Middletown, Ohio, reacts to his VP nomination

WVXU News

Some in Middletown, where Vance grew up with his grandparents, said he has never been an advocate for them. Even so, Vance’s roots could be enough for folks eager to see the “hometown kid” succeed.

Outside view of the Brooklyn courthouse where Michail Chkhikvishvili, leader of a neo-Nazi organization, was indicted Wednesday morning on charges related to soliciting violent hate crimes. If convicted on all four counts, he faces 50 years in U.S. prison.

Michail Chkhikvishvili, alleged leader of a Neo-Nazi organization, was indicted at the Brooklyn Federal Courthouse on Wednesday morning for soliciting violent hate crimes. If convicted on four counts, he faces 50 years in U.S. prison. Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Kena Betancur/AFP via Getty Images

A neo-Nazi leader is indicted for a plot to have a Santa Claus poison children in NYC

Michail Chkhikvishvili, an alleged leader of an extremist group called the Maniac Murder Cult, outlined a detailed plan to hand out poisoned candy to Jewish children and also target racial minorities.

Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Vance spent a portion of his address speaking about the influence of his late grandmother, who he called his

Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance speaks during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday. Vance spent a portion of his address speaking about the influence of his late grandmother, who he called his "guardian angel." Nam Y. Huh/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Nam Y. Huh/AP

Politics

Stories about J.D. Vance's grandmother stole the night at the RNC. Here's who she was

Up until her death in 2005, the woman known affectionately as “Mamaw” played a pivotal role in the life of J.D. Vance. She was a Christian who loved to swear, and was fiercely protective of family.

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention on Wednesday in Milwaukee, as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump watches. There are more than a dozen so-called

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, speaks at the 2024 Republican National Convention on Wednesday in Milwaukee as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump watches. There are more than a dozen so-called "fake electors" from several states serving as delegates at this year's convention. Carolyn Kaster/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Carolyn Kaster/AP

Elections

Indicted election deniers from several states are Republican Convention delegates

More than a dozen fake electors, indicted for crimes related to attempting to overthrow the 2020 election, are delegates at the RNC to nominate Donald Trump as he tries, again, to win a second term.

Royal Ramey, the co-founder and CEO of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program.

Royal Ramey, co-founder and CEO of the Forestry and Fire Recruitment Program. Ed Kashi/Talking Eyes Media hide caption

toggle caption
Ed Kashi/Talking Eyes Media

Interview highlights

The next generation of firefighters learned how to fight fires while in prison

A nonprofit in California is aiming to remove roadblocks for previously incarcerated firefighters and expand the profession in the process.

Incarcerated people are key in fighting wildfires. But building a career after prison isn't easy

Listen · 8:12
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5042174/nx-s1-06eec241-94df-4973-9d8d-54877deeaf6c" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
A sign marks the entrance to a voting precinct on the first day of early voting in the general election in Phoenix, Oct. 12, 2022. Arizona Latinos responded to a tough crackdown on immigrants by building a turnout machine that helped propel Democrats to power.

A sign marks the entrance to a voting precinct on the first day of early voting in the general election in Phoenix, Oct. 12, 2022. Arizona Latinos responded to a tough crackdown on immigrants by building a turnout machine that helped propel Democrats to power. Ross D. Franklin/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Ross D. Franklin/AP

Politics

Latinos helped Biden in 2020. He'll need to earn their votes this year, expert says

Biden shouldn’t consider Latino vote a given, but Trump's immigration plan could chill support for him, outreach expert Stephanie Valencia tells Morning Edition.

Growing Latino electorate could again be key to this election year in swing states

Listen · 4:03
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/nx-s1-5043555/nx-s1-985905ee-b3d6-44b1-ab21-4bce18de1976" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Workmen search the debris of what was the carpenter shop on the pier at Port in Chicago, Calif., on July 18, 1944, after the building was leveled by the explosion of two munition ships on the evening of July 17. Other buildings on the waterfront and in the town itself were shattered by the blast, which was felt 50 miles from the scene.

Workmen searched through the debris of what was the carpenter shop on the pier at Port in Chicago, Calif. on July 18, 1944, after the building was leveled by the explosion of two munition ships the evening of July 17. Other buildings on the waterfront and in the town itself were shattered by the terrific blast, which was felt 50 miles from the scene. EKB/AP hide caption

toggle caption
EKB/AP

The Navy exonerates 256 Black sailors unjustly punished over 1944 WWII port explosion

The blast that happened at the Port Chicago Naval Magazine in California killed 320 people and injured 400 more.

A car is crushed by the fallen building that hosted the Gansevoort mural that was struck by a tornado, in Rome, N.Y., on Tuesday. Much of the U.S. and Canada is cleaning up or still dealing with a new wave of severe storms that have caused deaths and damage this week from the Plains to New England.

A car is crushed by a fallen building that hosted the Gansevoort mural that was struck by a tornado, in Rome, N.Y., on Tuesday. Much of the U.S. and Canada is cleaning up or still dealing with a new wave of severe storms that have caused deaths and damage this week from the Plains to New England. John Clifford/The Daily Sentinel/AP hide caption

toggle caption
John Clifford/The Daily Sentinel/AP

Weather

Swath of storms flood the Ozarks and ravage an upstate New York community

The relentless series of storms caused deaths or damage from the Plains to Canada to New England. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power and air conditioning during days of sweltering heat.

What will Trump tell the RNC after an attempt on his life?

What will Donald Trump say at the Republican National Convention this week, after an attempt on his life? Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Alex Wong/Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

What will Trump tell the RNC after an attempt on his life?

Donald Trump's message for America has long been one of grievance and retribution.

What will Trump tell the RNC after an attempt on his life?

Listen · 9:58
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/1198912914/1255856008" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Death row inmate Ruben Gutierrez was set to receive a lethal injection on Tuesday at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, before the Supreme Court issued a stay.

Death row inmate Ruben Gutierrez was set to receive a lethal injection on Tuesday at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, Texas, before the Supreme Court issued a stay. Texas Department of Criminal Justice/Texas Department of Criminal Justice/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Texas Department of Criminal Justice/Texas Department of Criminal Justice/AP

Law

Supreme Court grants last-minute stay in Texas execution of man requesting DNA tests

Ruben Gutierrez has been seeking DNA tests on multiple crime-scene items from the murder case against him for more than a decade. His legal team says a Texas law blocking his effort is unconstitutional.

Browse archive or search npr.org