NPR News Now

Dayton Hamvention goes digital - The 2025 event app is now live, allowing attendees to manage forum schedules, track prize drawings, and exchange digital QSL cards via QR codes.

FCC moves to ban foreign electronics testing - A proposed order aims to shift device certification away from labs in countries like China to U.S.-based facilities to mitigate national security risks.

Brazil modernizes amateur radio licensing - Regulator ANATEL is removing Morse code requirements for licenses and granting hams new access to the 11-meter citizens' band under specific power limits.

The Dayton Hamvention app simplifies the world's largest radio gathering - the new digital platform allows attendees to build custom schedules, track hourly prize drawings, and exchange digital QSL cards via QR code scans

The FCC is moving to ban electronics testing by adversarial nations - a new proposal aims to shift device certification away from labs owned by entities posing national security risks, specifically targeting Chinese facilities that currently test 75% of US electronics

Brazil is modernizing its amateur radio licensing framework - the national regulator is removing Morse code requirements for exams and granting licensed hams new operating privileges on the 11-meter citizens' band

The Dayton Hamvention app streamlines the event experience - the new digital tool allows attendees to map out forum schedules, track hourly prize drawings, and exchange contact information via digital QR code badges.

The FCC moves to repatriate electronics testing - a new proposal aims to ban testing labs controlled by foreign entities like China due to national security concerns, shifting certification responsibilities to US-based facilities.

Brazil is modernizing amateur radio licensing - regulator ANATEL is dropping Morse code requirements for all license classes and granting ham operators new access to the 11-meter band.

Elephant sanctuaries prioritize psychological trauma recovery - moving Mundy the elephant from a tiny zoo to an 850-acre refuge demonstrates how social interaction and space allow intelligent animals to heal from decades of confinement

US political volatility is driven by internal party friction - the 270-day speakership of Kevin McCarthy highlighted how a slim majority allowed the far-right Freedom Caucus to exert massive leverage over the debt ceiling and federal budget

2023 represented a rare convergence of systemic shifts - the year saw the rise of generative AI, a regional banking crisis, and significant labor unrest, signaling a period of intense economic and social transition

Elephants prioritize social connection for trauma recovery - Mundy’s transition from 35 years of solitary confinement in Puerto Rico to a social refuge in Georgia highlights the species' complex emotional need for community and shared energy.

Intra-party rebellion crippled the 118th Congress - Kevin McCarthy’s speakership was defined by a constant battle with the Freedom Caucus, resulting in a near-government shutdown and the first-ever removal of a House Speaker via a motion to vacate.

AI and labor rights collided in a historic strike wave - The emergence of large language models became a central friction point in 2023, fueling a massive Hollywood double strike and broader labor movements across the US auto and shipping sectors.

Sanctuaries provide essential trauma recovery for elephants - after decades in cramped enclosures, animals like Mundy require social integration and large-scale natural environments to heal from the psychological stress of captivity.

Internal GOP rebellion paralyzed the 118th Congress - the razor-thin majority held by Kevin McCarthy led to a historic 15-ballot election and eventually the first-ever removal of a sitting House Speaker by his own party.

2023 was a year of massive labor and economic disruption - record-low union membership paradoxically coincided with high-profile strikes in Hollywood and the auto industry, even as generative AI began reshuffling the global economy.

US forces executed a high-risk rescue in Iran - a downed Air Force colonel was extracted from mountainous terrain after his F-15 was shot down, despite US rescue aircraft taking heavy fire during the operation.

The US issued a strike warning over the Strait of Hormuz - President Trump set a Tuesday deadline for a deal to keep the critical shipping lane open, threatening to attack Iranian economic and infrastructure installations.

Ukraine is targeting Russian oil hubs to disrupt war profits - drone strikes on Russian refineries aim to prevent Moscow from capitalizing on soaring global energy prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.

US forces executed a high-risk rescue in Iran - The operation involved dozens of aircraft to extract a downed Air Force colonel from mountainous terrain, culminating in the intentional destruction of two disabled US planes to prevent technology capture.

Aggressive military rhetoric risks endangering US personnel - Senator Tim Kaine warns that 'no quarter' messaging from the administration could encourage the mistreatment of American pilots captured behind enemy lines in the current conflict.

Ukraine is targeting Russian energy infrastructure to offset war gains - Strategic drone strikes on major oil ports and refineries aim to block Moscow from profiting from the global price spikes caused by US-Iran hostilities.

Socialization is critical for rehabilitating captive animals - Mundy the elephant's move from a solitary quarter-acre enclosure to a social 850-acre refuge highlights the complex emotional and social needs of intelligent species.

Political fragmentation paralyzed the 118th Congress early on - The historic 15-ballot struggle to elect a Speaker of the House set the stage for a year of debt ceiling crises and internal party rebellions.

AI and labor rights became the primary economic flashpoint - The rapid emergence of large language models triggered historic Hollywood strikes, signaling a broader national trend of labor unions fighting for protections against automation.