Christmas eve telescope launch has astronomers hoping for good tidings of great joy
As they count down the hours to the highly anticipated launch of NASA's powerful, $10-billion James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers hope for the best while fearing the worst.

Read more on NPR

Amanda Shires wants out 'For Christmas'
The fiddler, singer and songwriter's new Christmas album takes a realistic measure of the season.

Read more on NPR

Pro-Beijing candidates sweep Hong Kong elections
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said she was "satisfied" with the election despite the 30.2% voter turnout being the lowest since the British handed Hong Kong over to China in 1997.

Read more on NPR

Schools embrace social and emotional learning to help 'overwhelmed' students
School officials believe that kids can't succeed academically if they are struggling emotionally.

Read more on NPR

Outgoing NIH director implores Fox News viewers to stay focused on the 'real enemy'
The virus is the enemy, NIH Director Francis Collins said. "It's not the other people in the other political party." Omicron, which could soon become the dominant strain, is extremely infectious.

Read more on NPR

'Saturday Night Live' ditches audience, musical performances amid omicron fears
The highly transmissible variant has again upended life in the U.S., as officials warn of a coming spike in cases and people race to get booster shots and coronavirus tests during the winter holidays.

Read more on NPR

Joe Manchin says he is unable to support President Biden's Build Back Better plan
The announcement by the West Virginia Democrat dooms the $2 trillion social spending and climate legislation, which needs support from every Senate Democrat in order to pass through the 50-50 chamber.

Read more on NPR

The rapper Drakeo the Ruler was reportedly stabbed at a concert in Los Angeles
The rapper was assaulted Saturday at the Once Upon a Time in LA concert, according to the Los Angeles Times. Organizers later said that the event had been called off early, but did not give a reason.

Read more on NPR

U.S. could see 1 million cases per day, warns departing NIH director Francis Collins
Collins is retiring after 12 years of leading the federal health agency. He parts with a warning about the dangers of yielding to pandemic fatigue. "The virus is not tired of us," he says.

Read more on NPR