Alex Leff

Trump's Insults Will Nudge African Nations Closer To China The danger for the U.S. is that Trump's reported slurs make China an even more enticing partner for African nations, writes British-Somali journalist Ismail Einashe.

A throwback to an earlier time when the US president was reported to used insults about African countries... journalist Ismail Einashe wrote this commentary for NPR www.npr.org/sections/par...

Trump administration halts immigration applications for migrants from 19 nations The Trump administration is pausing all immigration applications such as requests for green cards for people from 19 countries banned from travel earlier this year.

The Trump administration is pausing all immigration applications such as requests for green cards for people from 19 countries banned from travel earlier this year, as part of sweeping immigration changes in the wake of the shooting of two National Guard troops. www.npr.org/2025/12/03/g...

Trump pardons Honduran ex-president who was convicted of drug crimes President Trump has officially pardoned former Honduran President who US officials said was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world.

U.S. officials had said ex-prez Hernández was at the center of one of the largest, most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies. Roger Stone said he delivered a letter from Hernández claiming he was victim of wrongful conviction and "lawfare" by the Biden-Harris admin.
www.npr.org/2025/12/02/n...

Trump’s Immigration Forces Deploy “Less Lethal” Weapons in Dangerous Ways, Skirting Rules and Maiming Protesters Civil rights and weapons experts cite the consequences of federal agents’ use of crowd control weapons: religious leaders shot with pepper balls and noxious chemicals. A nurse nearly blinded by tear g...

Pastor Jorge Bautista was telling a Border Patrol agent "we come in peace" when the agent fired toxic powder at him, leaving him struggling to breathe.

“No one should be assaulted for being out there protesting,” he says.

With @frontlinepbs.bsky.social

White House spokeswoman Leavitt now has a family connection to an ICE arrest Bruna Ferreira, a Boston-area woman who is the mother of Leavitt's nephew, is now in custody at an ICE facility in Louisiana.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt now has a family connection to the ICE actions sweeping the country — her nephew’s mother was arrested by agents near Boston earlier this month. — @wbur.org
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...

Trump backs Witkoff after leaked call with Russian aide. And, Thanksgiving air travel Leaked call transcripts between special envoy Steve Witkoff and a Putin advisor could derail Trump's progress on peace in Ukraine. And, air travel is back to normal just in time for Thanksgiving.

Once again, @npr.org's Up First Newsletter's got you covered! Do hit that subscribe button www.npr.org/2025/11/26/g...

He left Gaza and fled to Europe on a jet ski. Now he hopes to bring his family In an extraordinary journey, a Palestinian man used a jet ski to cross the Mediterranean Sea and reach Europe after he fled the war in Gaza.

His videos of jet-skiing to refuge in Europe have been shared millions of times on socials. But Mohammed Abu Daqqa has a wife and 3 young boys who are still in Gaza. His main focus is trying to get them out. www.npr.org/2025/11/24/n...

He left Gaza and fled to Europe on a jet ski. Now he hopes to bring his family In an extraordinary journey, a Palestinian man used a jet ski to cross the Mediterranean Sea and reach Europe after he fled the war in Gaza.

The Palestinian man jet-ski'd to Europe now wants to get his wife and kids out of Gaza safely www.npr.org/2025/11/24/n...

New Yale HRL satellite evidence: ‘Empty markets, ongoing body disposal’ in North Darfur capital - Dabanga Radio TV Online Disturbing evidence has emerged from a report published by the Yale School of Public Health’s...

Radio Dabanga reports ‘empty markets, ongoing body disposal’ in North Darfur capital according to Yale research www.dabangasudan.org/en/all-news/...

NPR's Scott Simon offers some needed perspective on Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi journalist who was executed in 2018. This week President Trump said of the murder, "A lot of people didn't like that gentleman that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen."

Opinion: Jamal Khashoggi's words live forever Jamal Khashoggi came from a prominent Saudi family but fled his country in June, 2017, after he'd become increasingly critical of his government. The Saudi journalist was murdered in 2018.

"His last column, published after his death, called for free expression in the Arab world, and warned that the region's governments 'have been given free rein to continue silencing the media.'" www.npr.org/2025/11/22/n...

Flu season could be nasty this winter With a new flu virus variant circulating, scientists fear more sickness this winter. The vaccine may be slightly less effective, but doctors still urge getting one ASAP.

jab up, friends
www.npr.org/2025/11/19/n...

Overdue jobs report shows employers added 119,000 jobs in September U.S. employers added 119,000 jobs in September, while the unemployment rate inched up to 4.4%. The report, which was delayed by the government shutdown, may hint at the pace of hiring and firing.

US unemployment rate inched up to 4.4%
www.npr.org/2025/11/20/n...

U.S. deports dozens of migrants to Ukraine amid war Immigration lawyers say those deported to Ukraine could be conscripted to fight in the war, contrary to international laws that prohibit deportations to places where people could face violence.

NPR: The U.S. deported 50 people to Ukraine this week, a Ukrainian border official said on Tuesday, in what appears to be the single largest such deportation from the U.S. since the country has been at war with Russia. www.npr.org/2025/11/18/g...

"Donald Trump’s claims that Mohammed bin Salman knew nothing about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi directly contradict a CIA report concluding the crown prince approved it. This deliberate whitewashing of the past — alongside an attempt to blame the victim — marks a new low for an administration that shows at every turn how little regard it has for truth or the free press. Trump's remark that 'things happen' and that 'a lot of people didn’t like' Khashoggi echoes the president’s broader efforts to minimize and justify attacks on the press." — CPJ MENA Regional Director Sara Qudah

"Donald Trump’s claims that Mohammed bin Salman knew nothing about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi directly contradict a CIA report concluding the crown prince approved it." — CPJ MENA's Regional Director Sara Qudah

The Battle of Iwo Jima, through the eyes of a US Marine who lived it Colorado USMC veteran Jim Blane, almost 101 years old, sat down with CPR News to detail his experience in one of the most pivotal WWII battles, 80 years later.

Veteran Jim Blane, almost 101 years old, sat down with CPR News to detail his experience in one of the most pivotal WWII battles, 80 years later. (via Colorado Public Radio)

Katerina Barton is the 2025-2026 Above the Fray Fellow

Congrats to Katerina! www.npr.org/2025/11/10/g...

'No turning back': More and more Ukrainian women join the army to fight Russia An increasing number of women are joining the Ukrainian military, with thousands serving in front line roles, as Russia's war on Ukraine nears its fourth year — with no peace in sight.

More and more Ukrainian women are volunteering to fight Russia as the war nears its fourth year, and troops are in short supply. Latest deep dive by @npr.org's @joannakakissis.bsky.social with Tetiana Burianova & Polina Lytvynova, and 📸 by Anton Shtuka. www.npr.org/2025/11/11/n...

The specter of new conflict haunts memorials around World War I's end Tens of thousands of soldiers were killed in World War I and left without graves. On Tuesday, authorities are unveiling a renovated memorial for them in Ypres, the Belgian town that earned the grim ho...

"Decades later, across once-devastated Europe, nations are again rearming, plowing investments into the defense industry in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine." apnews.com/article/euro...

In an encrypted group chat, National Guard members question Trump deployments As President Trump's call for National Guard deployments rings out across the U.S., a small contingent of Ohio guard members is quietly expressing concern in an encrypted group chat.

In an encrypted group chat, National Guard members question Trump deployments
www.npr.org/2025/11/10/n...

Trump says boat crews are narco-terrorists. The truth is more nuanced, AP finds In interviews in villages on Venezuela's northeastern coast, from which some of the boats departed, residents and relatives said the dead men had been running drugs but were not narco-terrorists.

An AP investigation into some of the victims of US strikes in the Caribbean challenges the official line. As NPR has also found reporting in the region, some of these folks were apparently small-time fishermen rather than some major narco gangsters
www.npr.org/2025/11/08/n...

Grammy nominated artists who played the Tiny Desk in 2025 It's no surprise that a boatload of 2026 Grammy nominations are for rappers, rockers, legends and newcomers who performed at the Tiny Desk in just 2025 alone.

here's a fun way to familiarize yourself with Grammy nominees - check out their @npr.org Tiny Desk Concerts! From Bad Bunny to Tame Impala and even some music theater performances like Gypsy and Death Becomes Her www.npr.org/2025/11/07/g...

Japan deploys the military to counter a surge in bear attacks The deployment comes following a surge of bear attacks in Japan's northern Akita prefecture.

Japan deployed troops to help contain a surge of bear attacks that have terrorized residents in a mountainous region in the northern prefecture of Akita www.npr.org/2025/11/06/n...

How the US is preparing a Caribbean staging ground near Venezuela The US military is upgrading a Cold War base in the Caribbean it abandoned 20 years ago. Experts say it’s a step towards sustained operations in the region.

Reuters photographed construction at an abandoned US naval base in the Caribbean, which military officials and maritime experts said pointed to preparations that could enable the US military to carry out operations inside Venezuela. www.reuters.com/graphics/USA...

Spain grants citizenship to descendants of civil war’s International Brigades About 32,000 volunteered to fight Franco dictatorship, including 2,500 men and women from Britain and Ireland

Guardian: The Spanish government has granted citizenship to 170 descendants of volunteers in the International Brigades in recognition of their fight against fascism during the Franco dictatorship that followed the civil war. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Elon Musk’s Grokipedia is a major own goal [FREE TO READ] Humans might be highly imperfect and biased but they are still better than AI at getting to the truth

on.ft.com/3WCIcxJ

“Instead of setting up a serious challenger to Wikipedia, Musk has scored a major own goal. Grokipedia demonstrates that, while humans might be highly imperfect, biased and tribal beings, they are still better than AI at getting to the truth” - Jemima Kelly in FT

King Charles III strips Prince Andrew of his titles and evicts him from the Royal Lodge Buckingham Palace said the king's brother will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince, and he will move from his Royal Lodge residence into "private accommodation."

the man formally known as prince shall henceforth be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor www.npr.org/2025/10/30/g...

Sudanese-American poet talks about the fall of her hometown El Fasher NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Sudanese-American poet Emi Mahmoud about the fall of Al-Fashir to the Rapid Support Forces in Sudan.

"It has been misconstrued as a civil war but I can tell you no civilians call what's happening in Sudan a civil war. It is an escalation of the Darfur genocide and it is a proxy war involving some of the richest countries in the world." @npr.org interviews Emi Mahmoud www.npr.org/2025/10/29/n...

Who is Doug Ford, the Canadian politician pushing Trump's buttons? In his first campaign to lead Ontario, Ford started out as a Trump-style populist. But tariffs changed his view and he is now a consistent thorn in the U.S. president's side.

Who is Doug Ford, the Canadian politician pushing Trump's buttons? www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...