The Latest Politics Defense secretary under fire as lawmakers question admiral about deadly boat strikes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under pressure this week as a Navy admiral faces tough questions from lawmakers about the legality of striking boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean. Tom Bowman Politics Rep. Jim Himes recounts briefing on U.S. boat strike in the Caribbean NPR's Michel Martins talks with Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., about what he learned in a briefing from the Navy admiral who ordered the second strike on a boat near Venezuela. Michel Martin Sports FIFA to announce matchups for 2026 World Cup Friday Soccer fans will learn Friday where their country will be playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The draw for the largest-ever tournament will take place in Washington, D.C. Becky Sullivan 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. Michel Martin Prev 672 of 1645 Next Sponsored
Politics Defense secretary under fire as lawmakers question admiral about deadly boat strikes Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is under pressure this week as a Navy admiral faces tough questions from lawmakers about the legality of striking boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean. Tom Bowman
Politics Rep. Jim Himes recounts briefing on U.S. boat strike in the Caribbean NPR's Michel Martins talks with Rep. Jim Himes, D-Conn., about what he learned in a briefing from the Navy admiral who ordered the second strike on a boat near Venezuela. Michel Martin
Sports FIFA to announce matchups for 2026 World Cup Friday Soccer fans will learn Friday where their country will be playing in the FIFA World Cup 2026. The draw for the largest-ever tournament will take place in Washington, D.C. Becky Sullivan
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. Michel Martin