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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet Meeting at the White House on Dec. 2.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth listens as President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet Meeting at the White House on Dec. 2. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Politics

Pentagon watchdog finds Hegseth risked the safety of U.S. forces with use of Signal

A forthcoming inspector general report finds that had intel shared by Hegseth been intercepted by an adversary, it would have endangered servicemembers, according to a source who viewed the findings.

This photo shows a bowl of shredded cheeses. Some of the strands are white, and other are orange.

Several varieties of shredded mozzarella and cheese blends, sold at retailers including Aldi, Target and Walmart, are being recalled over concerns they were contaminated with bits of metal. Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

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Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images

Check your cheese: Shredded and grated varieties are recalled nationwide

The FDA is urging customers to toss certain brands of grated Pecorino Romano; at the same time, it escalated an existing recall of numerous shredded cheeses.

A masked federal agent walks in a hallway at New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building in New York City.

A masked federal agent walks in a hallway at New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building in New York City on Oct.15, 2025. Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images

Up First Newsletter

Dems seek to limit who can be immigration judges. And, the GOP wins House election

Democrats seek to limit who can serve as immigration judges amid layoffs from the administration. And, Republican Matt Van Epps narrowly wins a special House election in Tennessee.

Russia Rejects Peace Proposal, Hegseth Defends Boat Strikes, Tennessee House Election

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Buddy and Josh take to the court in the 1997 Walt Disney movie, Air Bud.

Buddy and Josh in the spotlight in the 1997 Walt Disney movie, Air Bud. Walt Disney Pictures hide caption

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Walt Disney Pictures

Missouri's redistricting drama renews focus on direct democracy … and 'Air Bud'

St. Louis Public Radio

The road to redistricting in Missouri has been wild and winding, but its tie to a 1997 kids' movie starring a basketball-playing golden retriever might be the most unexpected development of all.

Why Missouri’s redistricting battle matters heading into the midterms

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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents look over lists of names and their hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse in June 2025 in New York.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents look over lists of names and their hearing times and locations inside the Federal Plaza courthouse in June 2025 in New York. Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Bryan R. Smith/AFP via Getty Images

Exclusive

Immigration

Democrats seek limits on who can serve as immigration judges amid mass layoffs

The legislation comes after the White House authorized up to 600 military lawyers to be temporary immigration judges and scrapped requirements for them to have immigration law experience.

Left: Ed Martin was one of the authors of the law now known as IDEA. Before the law, children with disabilities were often turned away from public schools. “They were invisible,” says Martin. Right: Maggie Heilman and her daughter, Brooklynn, 14, at their home in a Kansas City suburb. Brooklynn has Down syndrome and her own special education plan thanks to IDEA.

Left: Ed Martin was one of the authors of the law now known as IDEA. Before the law, children with disabilities were often turned away from public schools. "They were invisible," says Martin. Right: Maggie Heilman and her daughter, Brooklynn, 14, at their home in a Kansas City suburb. Brooklynn has Down syndrome and her own special education plan thanks to IDEA. Thomas Simonetti and Katie Currid for NPR hide caption

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Thomas Simonetti and Katie Currid for NPR

Education

50 years after the birth of special education, some fear for its future under Trump

The Trump administration has fired, or tried to fire, many of the federal staff members who manage and enforce federal disability law in schools.

Turner - IDEA anniversary

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Michael and Susan Dell pose for photographs on Nov. 26 in New York. The couple said they will donate $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for 25 million U.S. children.

Michael and Susan Dell pose for photographs on Nov. 26 in New York. The couple said they will donate $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for 25 million U.S. children. Frank Franklin II/AP hide caption

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Frank Franklin II/AP

Michael and Susan Dell commit $6.25 billion for investment accounts for kids

Michael and Susan Dell are donating $6.25 billion to fund "Trump Accounts" for 25 million U.S. children. The gift would put $250 into each eligible child's account.

Dells donate $6.25 billion to fund investment accounts for millions of children

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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pictured at a late November press conference.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, pictured at a late Novermber press conference, is facing scrutiny for U.S. attacks on alleged drug boats — and a parody of a children's book cover. Felix Leon/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Felix Leon/AFP via Getty Images

Politics

'Franklin' publisher slams Hegseth for his post of the turtle firing on drug boats

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth faces growing scrutiny over an attack on an alleged drug boat. His response included a parody of the kids' book character Franklin, showing the turtle firing at boats.

Matt Van Epps delivers his victory speech in front of an American flag.

Rep.-elect Matt Van Epps delivers his victory speech on Tuesday in Nashville. Tennessee's 7th district elected the Republican in a special election to fill a House of Representatives seat that garnered national attention and millions in spending. Brett Carlsen/Getty Images hide caption

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Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Analysis

Politics

Tennessee's special House election sets stage for affordability-focused 2026 midterms

Republican Matt Van Epps won the Tennessee 7th Congressional special election, but Aftyn Behn's overperformance has Democrats celebrating, too, and sets up an affordability focus in the 2026 midterms.

Dustin stateside at an Army base during sniper training. NPR is only using his first name because he fears retribution from the company described in this story.

Dustin stateside at an Army base during sniper training. NPR is only using his first name because he fears retribution from the company described in this story. Via Dustin hide caption

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Via Dustin

Exclusive

Investigations

This company charges disabled vets millions, even after VA said it's likely illegal

A Florida-based company is charging military veterans as much as $20,000 for help with disability claims, even though the VA has said that may be illegal and the service should be free. But so far nobody's stopping the company and others like it.

This company charges disabled vets millions, even after VA said it's likely illegal

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A makeshift memorial is seen at the location of last week's shooting of two members of the National Guard December 1, 2025, in Washington, DC. Two National Guard troops, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, were shot on November 26 near the White House in what authorities described as a targeted attack by an Afghan migrant who had previously worked with the US military in Afghanistan, a case now being treated as a terrorism investigation. (Photo by / AFP via Getty Images)

A person walks past a makeshift memorial for U.S. Army Spc. Sarah Beckstrom and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe outside of Farragut West Station, near the site where the two National Guard members were shot on Dec. 1 in Washington, D.C. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images

National Guard deployments

Suspect in National Guard shooting makes first court appearance

On Tuesday, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, was formally charged in D.C. Superior Court with multiple crimes, including first-degree murder and assault with the intent to kill while armed.

This combination of images provided by the U.S. State Department shows Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada (left), leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Both were arrested on July 25, 2024, by U.S. authorities in Texas.

This combination of images provided by the U.S. State Department shows Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada (left), leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, and Joaquín Guzmán López, son of the infamous Mexican drug lord Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Both were arrested on July 25, 2024, by U.S. authorities in Texas. US Department of State/AP hide caption

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US Department of State/AP

El Chapo's son details abduction of a Sinaloa boss in his guilty plea deal

Joaquín Guzmán López, the 39-year-old son of former Sinaloa cartel kingpin Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, pleaded guilty to two counts of drug trafficking and continuing criminal enterprise in U.S. court.

This photo of Colorado's Arapahoe Basin ski area shows early season snow on peaks. Also seen on the peaks are some structures, fences and conifer trees.

Early season snow has started to accumulate at Colorado's Arapahoe Basin ski area, as seen from nearby Loveland Pass on Thanksgiving weekend. Hart Van Denburg/CPR hide caption

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Hart Van Denburg/CPR

U.S. ski resorts are bracing for a steep drop in international travel due to politics

Canadians usually head south for the skiing, shopping and nightlife in American ski towns. But due to cross-border politics, tourism to the U.S. is down, and some resorts are worried.

A line of white semi-trucks parked side by side.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is threatening to shut down thousands of truck driving schools, part of the Trump administration's widening crackdown on trucking schools and drivers. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Thousands of U.S. trucking schools could lose accreditation under DOT crackdown

The U.S. Transportation Department is threatening to shut down thousands of truck driving schools and trainers, part of the Trump administration's widening crackdown on industry.

Members of law enforcement stand in the road, blocks from the White House, at the site where two West Virginia National Guard members were shot on November 26, 2025.

Members of law enforcement, including the Secret Service and Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department, respond to a shooting near the White House on Nov. 26. Two West Virginia National Guard members were shot blocks from the White House. Win McNamee/Getty Images hide caption

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Win McNamee/Getty Images

National Guard deployments

Afghan suspect in D.C. National Guard attack appeared to suffer personal crisis

Rahmanullah Lakanwal, an Afghan national, is accused of shooting two National Guard soldiers on Nov. 26. One of those soldiers, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, died from her wounds.

Suspect in National Guard attack appeared to suffer personal crisis

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JonOne with one of the paintings featured in his sol show at Miami's Museum of Graffiti.

JonOne with one of the paintings featured in his solo show at Miami's Museum of Graffiti. Greg Allen/NPR hide caption

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Culture

From subways to galleries: Miami's Museum of Graffiti traces the appeal of street art

A new show at Miami's Museum of Graffiti traces the origins and development of street art. What began in the 1970s with teenagers tagging New York subway cars has grown into a worldwide art movement.

From subways to galleries: Miami's Museum of Graffiti traces the appeal of street art

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