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A drone view shows a major section of Pasang Lhamu highway washed away along swollen Trishuli river by recent flash floods cutting off Rasuwa district from Nuwakot area, Nepal, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.

A drone view shows a major section of Pasang Lhamu highway washed away along swollen Trishuli river by recent flash floods cutting off Rasuwa district from Nuwakot area, Nepal, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP hide caption

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Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

World

Hindu pilgrims, on arduous trek, among Nepal's missing

Among the hundreds still missing on Nepal's border with China are Hindus from India and beyond, participating in a journey of devotion to a sacred mountain

NEPAL PILGRIM TRAGEDY

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The SAT's 100-year grip on higher ed
Science History Images/Alamy/Science History Images/Alamy

Throughline

The SAT's 100-year grip on higher ed

For generations, the SAT has loomed large in the lives of teenagers. The quest for a perfect or near-perfect score has filled many test takers with dread. In this episode, a listener's question makes us wonder... who decided the SAT was the best and brightest way to filter students? And how did it become the pathway to higher education in America?

The SAT's 100-year grip on higher ed

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A large cream-colored spiral shell sits on wet sand near the shoreline. Waves are blurred in the background, while the sun sets in the orange-colored ocean

Shells could gives us important clues about the health of our oceans. Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images

Short Wave

What can seashells teach us about the health of our oceans?

Seashells: They're beautiful remnants to carry home from the beach—and so much more! According to environmental journalist Cynthia Barnett, seashells record history more accurately than the humans who first wrote it down. In this episode, we talk about the science of seashells, their impact on humankind and the scientist behind a very famous tongue twister.

What can seashells teach us about the health of our oceans?

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Reporters ask U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent questions.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

The Indicator from Planet Money

A Treasury showdown with the bond market

Why is the U.S. Treasury planning to buyback at least double the number of long-dated government bonds it usually does? And will Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s buyback plan pit him against both the bond markets and the Federal Reserve? Today we explain what the Treasury’s up to and what it means for you. 

A Treasury showdown with the bond market

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FILE - Fashion designer John Galliano poses at the end of the presentation of the Dior Haute Couture spring/summer 2010 fashion collection on Jan. 25, 2010, in Paris.

FILE - Fashion designer John Galliano poses at the end of the presentation of the Dior Haute Couture spring/summer 2010 fashion collection on Jan. 25, 2010, in Paris. Jacques Brinon/AP hide caption

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Jacques Brinon/AP

Culture

Amid backlash, museum cancels planned Met Gala exhibit on fashion designer John Galliano

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is canceling exhibit honoring British designer John Galliano. The exhibit had led to backlash because of the designer's past antisemitic and racist statements.

Duane Davis, right, and his attorney Michael Sanft sit in a courtroom after a jury found Davis guilty of first-degree murder in his trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Las Vegas.

Duane Davis, right, and his attorney Michael Sanft sit in a courtroom after a jury found Davis guilty of first-degree murder in his trial related to the 1996 killing of rapper Tupac Shakur, at Clark County District Court Regional Justice Center, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026, in Las Vegas. Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Pool Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP hide caption

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Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Pool Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP

National

Jury convicts a man of first-degree murder for the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur

A jury found Duane "Keffe D" Davis guilty of orchestrating the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur, finally bringing a measure of resolution to a case that had gripped hip-hop fans for decades.

FILE - U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker, File)

FILE - U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., June 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker, File) Karl B. DeBlaker/AP hide caption

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Karl B. DeBlaker/AP

National

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down, White House says

Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is stepping down after 18 months on the job, the White House said Monday, in the latest departure of a top military leader during the Trump administration.

Meagan Bradley walks to a memorial for Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Meagan Bradley walks to a memorial for Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Friday, Sept. 12, 2025. Lindsey Wasson/AP hide caption

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Lindsey Wasson/AP

National

Nearly 200 witnesses to Charlie Kirk shooting apply for victims' benefits in Utah

While the high-profile shooting at Utah Valley University had only one homicide victim, Kirk's assassination was witnessed by thousands in person and even more as video spread online.

Nearly 200 witnesses to Charlie Kirk shooting apply for victims' benefits in Utah

Audio will be available later today.
The Trump administration removed language banning political interference from the scientific integrity policy for the Commerce Department, the parent agency of the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which are headquartered in Suitland, Md.

The Trump administration removed language banning political interference from the scientific integrity policy for the Commerce Department, the parent agency of the Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis, which are headquartered in Suitland, Md. Michael Zamora/NPR hide caption

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Michael Zamora/NPR

Elections

Trump officials cut political interference ban after unusual Census Bureau report

After the Census Bureau issued a report tied to a Trump-aligned think tank, the bureau's parent agency cut language banning political interference from its scientific integrity policy, NPR learned.

What does the Lindsay Clancy trial tell us about treating maternal mental health?
Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images

Consider This from NPR

What does the Lindsay Clancy trial tell us about treating maternal mental health?

Lindsay Clancy is currently on trial for killing her three children.

What does the Lindsay Clancy trial tell us about treating maternal mental health?

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A pedestrian walks past a mural featuring oil wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Aug 29, 2026, a day after President Donald Trump announced a deal giving the United States a stake in Venezuela’s oil reserves. (AP Photo/Pedro Mattey)

A pedestrian walks past a mural featuring oil wells in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Aug 29, 2026, a day after President Donald Trump announced a deal giving the United States a stake in Venezuela's oil reserves. Pedro Mattey/AP hide caption

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Pedro Mattey/AP

State of the World from NPR

Will the U.S. really control Venezuelan oil?

The U.S. and Venezuela say they have entered into a partnership that would give the U.S. majority control of more that 65 billion barrels worth of oil reserves. President Trump hopes to lower energy costs in the U.S., Venezuela’s leaders hope to bring investment and keep the unpopular U.S.-backed interim president in power. But given the U.S. oil industry’s past experiences in Venezuela, it’s not clear when, or if, that oil gets to U.S. gas pumps.

Will the U.S. really control Venezuelan oil?

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MOGADISHU, SOMALIA - A child is being screened for malnutrition at a health clinic in Baidoa.

A child is screened for malnutrition at a health clinic in Baidoa, Somalia, where drought and other conditions have sparked concerns about famine. Sally Hayden/SOPA Images/LightRocket/via Getty Images hide caption

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Sally Hayden/SOPA Images/LightRocket/via Getty Images

Global Health

Whatever happened to the U.S. famine alert system that Trump shut down, then reopened

The highly regarded FEWS NET network stopped posting data on Afghanistan, Somalia and Yemen -- then says it will start posting again in September. What's the reason for this back-and-forth?

Whatever happened to the U.S. famine alert system that Trump shut down, then reopened

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Former Congressman George Santos has been banned from the prediction market site Kalshi for life after an investigation into accusations of insider trading on betting markets.

Former Congressman George Santos has been banned from the prediction market site Kalshi for life after an investigation into accusations of insider trading on betting markets. Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP hide caption

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Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

Technology

Kalshi bans former congressman George Santos for life after State of the Union trades

Kalshi says Santos did not cooperate with its investigation into bets he placed on his own attendance at the State of the Union. The company also fined the disgraced congressman more than $71,000.

Kalshi bans former congressman George Santos for life after State of the Union trades

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Hospitality workers wait in line to apply for unemployment benefits at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020.

Hospitality workers wait in line to apply for unemployment benefits at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP hide caption

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Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP

Author Interviews

Paperwork, lines, hours on hold: There's a 'Time Tax' on Americans who need help most

Annie Lowrey explores the administrative burdens people face applying for government benefits. It's not just about wasted time: "When the government treats us like this, we don't trust it," she says.

FA: Annie Lowery, The Time Tax

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A drone view shows the aftermath of flash flooding along the Trishuli River amid a freshwater surge warning in the Trishuli Bazaar area of Nuwakot district in Nepal on Sunday.

A drone view shows the aftermath of flash flooding along the Trishuli River amid a freshwater surge warning in the Trishuli Bazaar area of Nuwakot district in Nepal on Sunday. Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP hide caption

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Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

Asia

Nepal's hesitance to accept foreign help for flood relief comes under scrutiny

A group of the country's private sector power producers says Nepali authorities lost crucial time in rescuing hundreds of people trapped in hydropower tunnels.

President Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. He is wearing a dark suit, a light blue tie and an American Flag lapel pin.

President Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Aug. 28, 2026. Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images

Up First Newsletter

U.S., Venezuela strike oil deal. And, the staggering hidden toll of U.S. heat deaths

The U.S. and Venezuela have entered into an oil deal. And, NPR spent two years tracking heat-related deaths and found that people in the U.S. are dying from heat more than the official counts show.

Trump Venezuela Oil Deal, US & Iran Renew Strikes, House Back From Recess

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This photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service shows a site of a residential building damaged by a Russian guided bomb in the city center of Sloviansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026.

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Emergency Service shows a site of a residential building damaged by a Russian guided bomb in the city center of Sloviansk, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, Aug. 31, 2026. Ukrainian Emergency Service via/AP hide caption

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Ukrainian Emergency Service via/AP

World

Russia's jet-powered drones bring empty Kyiv supermarket shelves and rattle Ukrainians

Russian forces relentlessly battered Kyiv and cities in the region around the Ukrainian capital for a fifth straight day, leaving some supermarket shelves bare after repeated strikes on warehouses.

A small boat sails past cargo ships and other commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Aug. 5.

A small boat sails past cargo ships and other commercial vessels anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, on Aug. 5. Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP hide caption

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Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP

Middle East conflict

Attacks flare between the U.S. and Iran after a monthlong pause

U.S. threats erupt into attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran retaliates against U.S. targets in the United Arab Emirates and Jordan in the first exchange of fire since July 29.

This collage shows a photo of the CDC logo, a woman on a stretcher with an EMT, a shirtless man drinking water and a thermometer reading about 120 degrees, along with charts representing heat deaths.
Getty Images/Collage by Emily Bogle/NPR

Exclusive

Only on NPR

NPR spent 2 years tracking deaths from heat. We found a staggering hidden toll

An NPR investigation found that people in the U.S. are dying from heat much more often than official counts show. We explore the reasons why — and how lives can be saved.

NPR spent 2 years tracking deaths from heat. We found a staggering hidden toll

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