Is America Tilting Toward Dictatorship?

TERRY GROSS, HOST: This is FRESH AIR. I'm Terry Gross. My guest, Robert Kagan, used to describe Donald Trump as antiliberal. Then he upped it to authoritarian, and now Kagan says that Trump is getting close to becoming a dictator. Kagan writes, "President Trump has managed in just one year to destroy the American order

Bitcoin Falls Below $71,000, Erasing Post-Election Gains

The world’s most popular cryptocurrency has fallen nearly 20 percent in value since the start of 2026. Bitcoin has dropped below $71,000, adding to a week of losses that have wiped out all of its gains since United States President Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024. The world’s most popular cryptocurrency fell more than 7 percent

Penny the Doberman Wins Westminster Best in Show

Penny, a doberman pinscher, competes in the Best in Show judging of the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in New York. Yuki Iwamura/AP hide caption toggle caption Yuki Iwamura/AP NEW YORK — The dog was Penny. The win was priceless. A Doberman pinscher named Penny won best in show Tuesday

Brothers Urge Congress to Act After Renee Good’s Death

Luke Ganger, left, and Brent Ganger, right, brothers of Renee Good, appear during a Bicameral Public Forum on the Disproportionate Use of Force by DHS Agents, on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Washington. Rod Lamkey/AP hide caption toggle caption Rod Lamkey/AP WASHINGTON — The brothers of Renee Good, one of two U.S. citizens

China Bans Hidden Car Door Handles to Prevent Trapping

The handle of a Tesla Model Y electric vehicle sits flush against the vehicle's side inside a showroom in Beijing on February 3, 2026. China will ban hidden door handles on cars sold in the country starting next year, phasing out the minimalist design because of safety concerns. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Josh D’Amaro Named Disney’s Next Chief Executive

New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro. Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images for Disney hide caption toggle caption Ricardo Moreira/Getty Images for Disney The Walt Disney Company is getting a new CEO. Tuesday morning, the company's board of directors announced that Josh D'Amaro will replace Bob Iger, who's been at the helm for nearly two decades. D'Amaro is a

Aleppo Initiative to Restore Jewish Property and Heritage

Syrian-American cantor Henry Hamra at the Central Synagogue of Aleppo, once the center of a thriving Jewish community in the northern Syrian city. The Syrian government transferred control of Jewish sites in December to Hamra's Jewish heritage organization. Jane Arraf/NPR hide caption toggle caption Jane Arraf/NPR ALEPPO, Syria — Decades after almost the entire Syrian

Artemis II Launch Delayed After Pre-launch Leaks

NASA has delayed the launch of its Artemis II lunar fly-by mission by at least a month. Testing of the rocket and capsule, shown here on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida Sunday, revealed a number of issues. The launch, with four astronauts, would be the first crewed mission to the

Police Open Criminal Probe of Lord Mandelson Over Epstein Links

Then-British Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson speaks during the rededication ceremony of the George Washington Statue in the National Gallery in London, June 18, 2025. Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP hide caption toggle caption Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP LONDON — British police on Tuesday opened a criminal investigation into politician Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office related

Authorities Probe Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mother

The Pima County Sheriff's Department in Arizona issued an alert after Nancy Guthrie, mother of Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, went missing on Sunday. While Nancy Guthrie has mobility issues, Sheriff Chris Nanos said that she "is of great sound mind. This is not a dementia-related" case. Pima County Sheriff’s Department hide caption toggle caption
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