The Latest World China in diplomatic push to isolate Japan in feud over Taiwan issue No end in sight to spat between Japan and China over Taiwan, as neither Tokyo nor Beijing shows signs of backing down. Anthony Kuhn Music Remembering soul guitarist and music producer Steve Cropper As a member of Stax Records' Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Cropper helped create some of the most important Southern soul music of the '60s. He died Dec. 3. Originally broadcast in 1990. Terry Gross Business NPR battles Trump executive order in court NPR was in court for a pivotal hearing arguing that the Trump administration had broken the law with its treatment of public media. David Folkenflik National Traffic congestion hits a record high, spreading to more hours of the week If it seems like traffic is getting worse where you live, that's because it probably is. After dropping during the COVID-19 pandemic, congestion climbed to record levels in 2024, researchers say. Joel Rose National The World Cup draw is here. Here's why it matters — and how it will work FIFA is about to determine which teams all 48 participating countries in the FIFA World Cup 2026 will face in the group phase of the tournament, which the U.S., Canada and Mexico are co-hosting. Rafael Nam Arts & Life Remembering playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard Stoppard, who died Nov. 29, wrote Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Real Thing, and the screenplays for Empire of the Sun and Shakespeare in Love. Originally broadcast in 1991. Terry Gross Law & Courts FBI arrests man who allegedly planted pipe bombs near DNC, RNC before Jan. 6 attack The FBI announced Thursday the arrest of the man the believe planted two pipe bombs near the site of the U.S. Capitol complex on Jan. 6, 2021. Ryan Lucas National Morning news brief Hegseth under fire amid new Signalgate report and boat strike briefing, the FBI arrests man they say planted pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, SCOTUS allows Texas to use gerrymandered map. Steve Inskeep Music Zac Brown shares his harrowing childhood story on 'Love & Fear' The Zac Brown Band's first five albums hit #1 on the Billboard Country Charts. Their latest is "Love & Fear," and the band is celebrating with a set of shows at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Steve Inskeep Law & Courts Supreme Court says Texas can use GOP-friendly congressional map in 2026 midterms The Supreme Court has given the Republican Party a boost in the redistricting fight for Congress by allowing a Texas map that may help the GOP win five more U.S. House seats in next year's midterms. Hansi Lo Wang Prev 100 of 1646 Next Sponsored
World China in diplomatic push to isolate Japan in feud over Taiwan issue No end in sight to spat between Japan and China over Taiwan, as neither Tokyo nor Beijing shows signs of backing down. Anthony Kuhn
Music Remembering soul guitarist and music producer Steve Cropper As a member of Stax Records' Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Cropper helped create some of the most important Southern soul music of the '60s. He died Dec. 3. Originally broadcast in 1990. Terry Gross
Business NPR battles Trump executive order in court NPR was in court for a pivotal hearing arguing that the Trump administration had broken the law with its treatment of public media. David Folkenflik
National Traffic congestion hits a record high, spreading to more hours of the week If it seems like traffic is getting worse where you live, that's because it probably is. After dropping during the COVID-19 pandemic, congestion climbed to record levels in 2024, researchers say. Joel Rose
National The World Cup draw is here. Here's why it matters — and how it will work FIFA is about to determine which teams all 48 participating countries in the FIFA World Cup 2026 will face in the group phase of the tournament, which the U.S., Canada and Mexico are co-hosting. Rafael Nam
Arts & Life Remembering playwright and screenwriter Tom Stoppard Stoppard, who died Nov. 29, wrote Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Real Thing, and the screenplays for Empire of the Sun and Shakespeare in Love. Originally broadcast in 1991. Terry Gross
Law & Courts FBI arrests man who allegedly planted pipe bombs near DNC, RNC before Jan. 6 attack The FBI announced Thursday the arrest of the man the believe planted two pipe bombs near the site of the U.S. Capitol complex on Jan. 6, 2021. Ryan Lucas
National Morning news brief Hegseth under fire amid new Signalgate report and boat strike briefing, the FBI arrests man they say planted pipe bombs near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, SCOTUS allows Texas to use gerrymandered map. Steve Inskeep
Music Zac Brown shares his harrowing childhood story on 'Love & Fear' The Zac Brown Band's first five albums hit #1 on the Billboard Country Charts. Their latest is "Love & Fear," and the band is celebrating with a set of shows at The Sphere in Las Vegas. Steve Inskeep
Law & Courts Supreme Court says Texas can use GOP-friendly congressional map in 2026 midterms The Supreme Court has given the Republican Party a boost in the redistricting fight for Congress by allowing a Texas map that may help the GOP win five more U.S. House seats in next year's midterms. Hansi Lo Wang