NPR News, Author at Northwest Public Broadcasting

President Donald Trump speaks while on a tour of Shell's soon-to-be completed Pennsylvania Petrochemicals Complex in Beaver County, Pa. on Tuesday. Susan Walsh/AP

A memo instructed workers at a Pennsylvania plant to show up at 7 a.m., scan their ID cards and stand for hours through lunch in order to watch a speech by the president. Continue Reading Workers Forced To Choose Between Read More

BOOK REVIEW: ‘Inland’ Creates A New Myth Of The Old West

Téa Obreht's new novel is set against a familiar old West backdrop, but it tells a fresh story of two people, both haunted in their own ways — a tough frontier woman and an immigrant camel driver. Continue Reading BOOK REVIEW: ‘Inland’ Creates Read More

Greenland Says It’s ‘Not For Sale’ After Reports That President Trump Wants To Buy It

Greenland, a Danish territory, has strategic value in terms of military activity and natural resources, said a member of Denmark's parliament. AP

The president was reportedly considering purchasing the island, which a Greenlandic politician says has strategic value. But "it sounds a little bit like a joke," Aaja Chemnitz Larsen told NPR. Continue Reading Greenland Says Read More

In a Family Filled With Musicians, Classical Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason Finds Her Voice

Pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, one of seven musical siblings, has just released Romance, her debut album. Robin Clewley/Courtesy of the artist

Isata Kanneh-Mason, one of seven siblings in a British family bursting with promising music careers, showcases the long-overlooked music of Clara Schumann on her debut. Continue Reading In a Family Filled With Musicians, Read More

New Look For Cigarettes? FDA Proposes Graphic Warnings On Packages And Ads

By NPR News August 16, 2019

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans to require tobacco companies to include 13 health warnings on cigarette packaging and advertisements. U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The Food and Drug Administration has rolled out a proposed rule to require tobacco companies to include graphic warnings, depicting some of the lesser known health risks of smoking tobacco products. Continue Reading New Look For Read More

Months Of Flooding On Mississippi River Marooned Midwest Trade

By NPR News August 16, 2019

The Shawnee Forest towboat steers down the Ohio River near American Commercial Barge Line's office outside Cairo, Ill. As of June 12, more than 600 barges were waiting to go upstream once water levels dropped.. CREDIT: Madelyn Beck/Illinois Newsroom

Long-term flooding along major waterways stranded barges up and down the Mississippi River this summer and caused havoc with river transportation and the economy that depends on it. Continue Reading Months Of Flooding On Mississippi River Read More

North Korea Calls Off Further Talks With South, Launches More Projectiles

By NPR News August 16, 2019

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in during the Inter-Korean Summit in April of last year in Panmunjom, South Korea. CREDIT: NurPhoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Following a speech by South Korean President Moon Jae-in vowing to reunify the Koreas, Pyongyang said it would no longer pursue peace with Seoul. Continue Reading North Korea Calls Off Further Talks With South, Launches More Read More

‘One Child Nation’ Documentary Explores The Dark Side Of Chinese Policy

By NPR News August 15, 2019

The documentary One Child Nation examines the consequences of the decades-long one-child policy in China.

Director Nanfu Wang, who grew up in rural China, has made a film about the painful, unintended consequences of the Chinese government's one-child rule — including how it affected her own family. Continue Reading ‘One Child Read More

Reps. Omar And Tlaib Barred From Visiting Israel After Trump Insists On Ban

By NPR News August 15, 2019

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. (left), and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., have been barred from visiting Israel and Palestinian territories by government officials. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

Israeli officials reversed a decision to allow Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib to visit the country. Continue Reading Reps. Omar And Tlaib Barred From Visiting Israel After Trump Insists On BanRead More

MDMA, Or Ecstasy, Shows Promise As A PTSD Treatment

By NPR News August 14, 2019

Therapists Marcela Ot'alora and Bruce Poulter are trained to conduct MDMA-assisted psychotherapy. In this reenactment, they demonstrate how they help guide and watch over a patient who is revisiting traumatic memories while under the influence of MDMA. Courtesy of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies

Drugs like molly and ecstasy may be best known for giving partyers euphoric feelings. But MDMA, the drugs' psychoactive ingredient, is proving effective at treating severe trauma when used in therapy. Continue Reading MDMA, Or Ecstasy, Shows Promise As A PTSD Read More

Trump’s New Tariff Target List: Flags In, Bibles Out, Frog Meat Delayed

By NPR News August 14, 2019

Frog meat is among the many items imported from China that had been facing tariffs in a few weeks, but now the tariffs are delayed until December. Getty Images

The Trump administration tweaked its list of Chinese imports subject to a 10% tariff this fall. We found some surprises buried in the thousands of tariff line items. Continue Reading Trump’s New Tariff Target List: Flags In, Bibles Read More

THEATER REVIEW: ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Is An Extravagant, Triumphant Jukebox Musical

The new musical adaptation of Moulin Rouge! features 71 popular songs, which all had to be licensed and stitched together into the story. CREDIT: Matthew Murphy/Courtesy of Moulin Rouge! The Musical

With 71 hit songs performed on a decadent nightclub set, the new stage adaptation, based on Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film, is not particularly profound. It is nonetheless a knockout night at the theater. Continue Reading THEATER REVIEW: Read More

The U.S. Once Had A Ban On Assault Weapons — Why Did It Expire?

A visitor peruses H&K rifles at the SHOT Show in Las Vegas. Such weapons were once restricted under a 1994 ban that expired with changing politics in the United States. John Locher/AP

To secure enough votes in 1994, the ban's sponsors in Congress accepted a "sunset provision" — meaning it would last 10 years but need to be reauthorized. Politics in the U.S. changed. Continue Reading The U.S. Once Had A Ban On Assault Weapons — Read More

LA Opera To Investigate Plácido Domingo After Sexual Harassment Report

Plácido Domingo, onstage at New York's Metropolitan Opera last year. Nine women have accused Domingo of trying to pressure them into a sexual relationship by offering them jobs. CREDIT: Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images

The women — eight singers and a dancer — told The Associated Press that the opera titan tried to pressure them into sexual relationships by offering them jobs. Continue Reading LA Opera To Investigate Plácido Domingo After Sexual Read More

For Women Musicians, Maybelle Carter Set The Standard And Broke The Mold

Maybelle Carter, playing her autoharp, performs with her daughter, Helen. Robert Alexander/Getty Images

One of the most indispensable guitarists of all time, Carter was a quiet revolutionary. Though she didn't concern herself with celebrity or need to be the star, she deserves our deepest admiration. Continue Reading For Women Musicians, Read More

Trump Administration Makes Major Changes To Endangered Species Protections

A bald eagle looks for its next meal along the Skagit River. Eagles converge there in great numbers every winter. CREDIT: JASON RANSOM/ NPS 2017

In a move that critics say will hurt plants, animals and other species as they face mounting threats, the Trump administration is making major changes to how the Endangered Species Act is implemented. Continue Reading Trump Read More

Treasury Declares China A ‘Currency Manipulator,’ Escalating Trade War

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down Monday, as did the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, as trade tensions between the U.S. and China increased. Richard Drew/AP

The Trump administration made the declaration after Beijing allowed its currency to drop sharply. China's move triggered a sell-off on Wall Street. Continue Reading Treasury Declares China A ‘Currency Manipulator,’ Escalating Read More

A Novel Concept: Silent Book Clubs Offer Introverts A Space To Socialize

Individuals from all walks of life join together at Silent Book Clubs around the world to socialize, meet new people and trade book recommendations. When the bell rings, it's reading time, and people can read whatever they like, as long as it's in silence. Jonathan McHugh/Getty Images/Ikon Images

When the bell rings, it's reading time. At over 70 chapters around the world, people gather at Silent Book Clubs to read whatever they like, as long as it's in silence. Continue Reading A Novel Concept: Silent Book Clubs Offer Introverts Read More

Proposed Trump Administration Rule Would Penalize Immigrants For Needing Benefits

Acting Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Ken Cuccinelli speaks during a briefing at the White House on Monday. Trump administration officials announced new rules that aim to deny permanent residency to migrants who may need to use food stamps, Medicaid and other public benefits. Brendan Smialowski /AFP/Getty Images

The so-called "public charge" rule would limit the ability of immigrants to get green cards if are likely to use government benefits, such as SNAP or housing aid. Continue Reading Proposed Trump Administration Rule Would Read More

With Congressional Blessing, The U.S. Space Force Is Closer To Launch

By NPR News August 11, 2019

A ULA Atlas V rocket carrying a U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center mission launched Thursday at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Walter Scriptunas II/Courtesy United Launch Alliance

It started as a joke, as President Trump riffed on the idea last year. Now, Congress could create the first, new military service in more than 70 years. Continue Reading With Congressional Blessing, The U.S. Space Force Is Closer To Read More

Met Opera, James Levine Settle Lawsuits, Avoid Public Dispute In Sexual Assault Cases

By NPR News August 11, 2019

James Levine, conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra at New York's Carnegie Hall in February 2010. Hiroyuki Ito/Getty Images

The Metropolitan Opera suspended, and then fired, Levine after several men came forward with accusations that the conductor had sexually abused them. Continue Reading Met Opera, James Levine Settle Lawsuits, Avoid Public Read More

BOOK REVIEW: ‘When I Was White’ Centers On The Formation Of Race, Identity And Self

By NPR News August 11, 2019

When I Was White: A Memoir, by Sarah Valentine

As the U.S. becomes more brown and black — resulting in a xenophobic backlash and nostalgia by some for white European immigrants — the ideas in Sarah Valentine's memoir become even more necessary. Continue Reading BOOK Read More

Careful With Those Birthday Candles, Smokey: Beloved Wildfire-Prevention Bear Turns 75

By NPR News August 10, 2019

Smokey the bear cub is flown from Santa Fe, N.M., to his new home at the Washington National Zoo by New Mexico's Assistant State Game Warden Homer C. Pickens in 1950. The little bear was rescued from a forest fire and named Smokey after the fire prevention symbol of the U.S. Forest Service, which launched in 1944. FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The longest-running public service campaign is tied to a reduction in wildfires, but in some ways Smokey's message may have worked too well. Here's how he's changed. Continue Reading Careful With Those Birthday Candles, Smokey: Beloved Read More

‘Approximately’ 300 Arrested In Mississippi Immigration Raids Have Been Released, Officials Say

By NPR News August 9, 2019

Friends, co-workers and family watch as U.S. immigration officials raid the Koch Foods Inc. plant in Morton, Miss., on Aug. 7, 2019. CREDIT: Rogelio V. Solis/AP

In a statement Thursday, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi said detainees were asked whether they had children and were provided with cellphones to arrange for their care. Continue Reading Read More

Seattle Storm Ask ‘What About Us?’ As Women’s Soccer Rides High On World Cup Win

By NPR News August 9, 2019

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, center, wears a T-shirt honoring Megan Rapinoe, right, of the U.S. women's World Cup champion soccer team and the Seattle Storm's Sue Bird, left, before a WNBA game on July 12. Elaine Thompson/AP

Will the latest U.S. victory in the Women's World Cup lead to a surge of popularity in other women's pro sports leagues? Executives and players hope so. Continue Reading Seattle Storm Ask ‘What About Us?’ As Read More

MLB’s Yankees And White Sox To Play At ‘Field Of Dreams’ Farm In 2020

By NPR News August 8, 2019

In Iowa, a temporary ballpark will be built to host a game between the New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox next summer. Major League Baseball

For one night, big leaguers will play baseball at the Iowa farm that was made famous in the beloved film Field of Dreams. Continue Reading MLB’s Yankees And White Sox To Play At ‘Field Of Dreams’ Farm In 2020Read More

How Bessie Smith Influenced A Century Of Popular Music

Bessie Smith poses for a portrait circa 1925. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Bessie Smith's songs are tales of liberated women who are not afraid to speak openly about what they want, what they need and what they are tired of. Continue Reading How Bessie Smith Influenced A Century Of Popular MusicRead More

Mississippi Immigration Raids Net Hundreds Of Workers

Two people are taken into custody by ICE agents at a Koch Foods Inc. plant in Morton, Miss., one of seven food processing plants targeted for coordinated raids in the state. CREDIT: Rogelio V. Solis/AP

The ICE raids are likely the largest operation since 2008 when 400 unauthorized workers were arrested in Iowa. Continue Reading Mississippi Immigration Raids Net Hundreds Of WorkersRead More

Puerto Rico’s Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez Sworn In As 3rd Governor In 6 Days

Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez arrives at the Supreme Court, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, before she was sworn in as governor early Wednesday evening. Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo/AP

Vázquez assumed the governor's chair after previously saying she wasn't interested. Now she says the island deserves "certainty and stability." Continue Reading Puerto Rico’s Justice Secretary Wanda Vázquez Sworn In As 3rd Read More

New Evidence Shows Popular Pesticides Could Cause Unintended Harm To Insects

Honeybees are seen feeding on the honeydew of whiteflies in citrus trees. Traces of neonicotinoids, a family of pesticides, have shown up in honeydew, an important food source for other insects. CREDIT: Alejandro Tena

A new study is just the latest evidence that a family of pesticides called neonicotinoids, sometimes just called "neonics," can pose risks to the insect world that are not fully understood. Continue Reading New Evidence Shows Read More

Toni Morrison, Whose Soaring Novels Were Rooted In Black Lives, Dies At 88

By NPR News August 6, 2019

Toni Morrison was the author of Beloved, Song of Solomon and The Bluest Eye. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Michel Euler/AP

Morrison was the author of Beloved, Song of Solomon and The Bluest Eye. She was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature, the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Continue Reading Toni Read More

Stock Markets Take Another Hit As The Trade War With China Heats Up

U.S. stocks nosedived Monday as China's currency fell sharply and raised fears that the U.S.-China trade war would keep escalating. CREDIT: Richard Drew/AP

World stock markets saw sharp sell-offs after China let its currency slide, the latest move in its trade war with the United States. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 767 points, or 2.9%. Continue Reading Stock Markets Take Read More

‘Double Indemnity’ Is 75, But Anklets (And Film Noir) Are Forever

Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in a scene from Double Indemnity. CREDIT: Donaldson Collection/Getty Images

Double Indemnity is classic film noir: Men in fedoras walk mean streets shrouded in shadow and women are sometimes the sirens to beckon them to their doom. It's a film — and a genre — that endures. Continue Reading ‘Double Read More

American Anthem: ‘We’re A Winner’ Married Black Pride To An Irresistible Beat

The Impressions circa 1970. Left to right: Curtis Mayfield, Fred Cash and Sam Gooden. CREDIT: Gilles Petard/Redferns/Getty Images

Curtis Mayfield's previous songs for The Impressions had often been broadly inspirational — but here, he aimed his pen directly at black listeners, pledging that better times were ahead. Continue Reading American Anthem: ‘We’re A Read More

‘Hate Has No Place’ In America, President Trump Says After El Paso And Dayton Shootings

President Trump condemned bigotry following the shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, in remarks at the White House on Monday, Aug. 5, 2019. CREDIT: Evan Vucci/AP

President Trump delivered remarks from the White House in the wake of two mass shootings over the weekend, one potentially linked to white nationalism. Continue Reading ‘Hate Has No Place’ In America, President Read More

Retailers Warn: Get Ready For Higher Prices If New Tariffs Hit Goods From China

By NPR News August 4, 2019

Retailers predict rising prices if President Trump goes through with his threat to add new tariffs to Chinese imports. Meanwhile, the White House announced a deal to boost beef exports. Continue Reading Retailers Warn: Get Ready Read More

U.S. Senator Josh Hawley Introduces Bill Aiming To Curb Social Media Addiction

By NPR News August 4, 2019

Sen. Josh Hawley has made it a point to challenge the major tech companies since his election in 2018. Susan Walsh/AP

Sen. Josh Hawley's Social Media Addiction Reduction Technology, or SMART, Act would ban features that encourage prolonged engagement such as infinite scrolling and autoplay. Continue Reading U.S. Senator Josh Hawley Introduces Read More

Shooting In Dayton, Ohio Bar District Leaves At Least 9 Dead

By NPR News August 4, 2019

Bodies are removed from the scene of Sunday's mass shooting in Dayton, Ohio. John Minchillo/AP

The shooter was killed by police officers. It was the second major mass shooting in the U.S. in under 24 hours, following a massacre in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday that killed 20 people. Continue Reading Shooting In Dayton, Ohio Bar District Leaves Read More

El Paso Devastated By Mass Shooting At Walmart. Suspect In Custody

Law enforcement agencies respond to an active shooter at a Walmart near the Cielo Vista Mall in El Paso, Texas, on Saturday. Joel Angel Juarez/AFP/Getty Images

Twenty people are dead and at least 24 were injured in a mass shooting at an El Paso, Texas, shopping center on Saturday morning, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Continue Reading El Paso Devastated By Mass Shooting At Walmart. Suspect In Read More

A Kinder, Gentler Wave Of Reality TV Tries A Little Tenderness, For A Change

Jonathan Van Ness embraces a participant on Season 4 of Queer Eye. Following the success of the reboot, Netflix has made kindness a key element of its unscripted and competition programming. CREDIT: Netflix

It's a genre historically known for screaming matches and backstabbing competition. But lately, the shows at its forefront — say, Queer Eye or Marie Kondo — feature a lot more generosity of spirit. Continue Reading A Read More

Creedence Clearwater Revival’s ‘Green River’ At 50: An Essential Guide To Early CCR

The original lineup of Creedence Clearwater Revival, at London's Heathrow Airport. L-R: Tom Fogerty, Stu Cook, Doug Clifford, John Fogerty. CREDIT: Michael Putland/Getty Images

On the 50th anniversary of the band's landmark album Green River, we dig into how the band formulated its singular sound, its legacy and how Creedence's music still resonates today. Continue Reading Creedence Clearwater Read More

With Jobs Numbers Like These, It’s Hard To See Why The Economy Is Slowing

A construction worker lays down shingles on the roof of a new house in Brandon, Miss., on June 19. Construction jobs rose 4,000 in July — below the 18,000 added in June and the 19,000 added in July 2018.CREDIT: Rogelio V. Solis/AP

The U.S. economy is slowing down, but it keeps creating jobs at a healthy pace. Employers added 164,000 jobs last month — as analysts had projected — and the unemployment rate held steady at 3.7%. Continue Reading With Jobs Numbers Like Read More

New Puerto Rico Governor Sworn In Amid Political Chaos

Pedro Pierluisi, sworn in as Puerto Rico's new governor, speaks during a press conference, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Friday. CREDIT: Dennis M. Rivera Pichardo/AP

Because Puerto Rico's Senate has not approved Pedro Pierluisi yet, legal challenges are expected. Protesters gathered outside the governor's mansion Friday to see his disgraced predecessor leave. Continue Reading New Puerto Rico Governor Sworn In Amid Read More

Trouble In Paradise: Water Uncertainty Frustrates Victims Of California’s Devastating 2018 Wildfire

A mobile home park destroyed by last year's wildfire in Paradise, California. Those rebuilding homes and lives say they're getting contradictory messages about whether the water is safe to drink. CREDIT: Meredith Rizzo/NPR

After the 2018 Camp Fire, scientists detected dangerous levels of cancer-causing benzenes from burned plastics in some water lines. Recent tests show the problem has not gone away. Chronic exposure to benzenes can heighten the risk of blood cancers such as leukemia. Read More

President Trump Drops John Ratcliffe As Top Intelligence Chief Pick Amid Pushback

Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, won't be President Trump's nominee to serve as director of national intelligence after all, Trump said on Friday. CREDIT: Andrew Harnik/AP

The president's Republican allies in the Senate never appeared to warm up to the Texas congressman and press reports suggested he'd overstated his terrorism-fighting qualifications. Continue Reading President Trump Drops John Read More

Historic Arms Control Treaty Ends With Washington And Moscow Blaming Each Other