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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her speech during a debate on the social and economic consequences for the EU of the Russian war in Ukraine, Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

EU leader calls for Russian oil ban in new set of sanctions

The EU chief concedes that that getting all 27 member countries — some of them highly dependent on Russia for energy supplies — to agree on oil sanctions will be extremely difficult.

Twenty-Two Die in Mortar Attack on Iraqi Prison

Insurgents launch mortars at an Iraqi prison, killing 22 prisoners and injuring an estimated 92 others. U.S.-led forces in Iraq are using the Abu Ghraib prison to hold suspected Saddam Hussein sympathizers and insurgents. It's unclear why the prison was targeted. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and NPR's Philip Reeves.

Rush-Hour Blasts Kill More Than 60 in Basra

More than 60 people are killed and several hundred others injured in a wave of explosions in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Three almost simultaneous blasts, believed to be car bombs, target Iraqi police stations at rush hour. Victims include school children aboard a minibus passing by at the time. Another bomb targets an Iraqi police training facility. Hear NPR's Emily Harris.

Shares in Facebook parent company Meta surged after it reported a return to user growth, even though the company's profits dropped and sales growth slowed.

Facebook shrugs off fears it's losing users

More people used Facebook in the first quarter than analysts expected, easing concerns about competition from TikTok.

A teacher walks through an empty classroom at Hazelwood Elementary School in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 11.

How social-emotional learning became a target for Ron DeSantis and conservatives

Florida officials recently rejected a slew of math textbooks, claiming they included "prohibited topics." Journalist Dana Goldstein theorizes the objections related to social-emotional learning.

Menthol cigarettes and other tobacco products are displayed at a store in San Francisco in 2018.

The FDA is proposing a ban on menthol cigarettes

The agency says the proposal has the potential to significantly decrease disease and death from tobacco by "reducing youth experimentation and addiction."

Senate Hearings Target Soft-Money Ads

The Senate Rules Committee holds hearings on independent groups that run hard-hitting political ads in hopes of influencing voter sentiment in so-called "battleground" states this election season. Lawmakers from both parties are seeking to outlaw the groups, which are unfettered by restrictions placed on candidates and political parties. NPR's Peter Overby reports.

Minority Leaders Targets of Iraq Violence

As violence continues to rock Iraq, assassinations targeting religious and political leaders of the minority Sunni and Kurd communities are becoming increasingly prevalent. Residents of Kirkuk are still reeling from the recent murder of a Kurdish city council member. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell collects his notebooks as he testifies before the Senate Banking Committee on March 3. The Fed is widely expected to raise interest rates by half a percentage point at its meeting this week.

4 things to know as the Fed embarks on its biggest fight against inflation in years

The Federal Reserve is expected to approve its largest interest rate hike in more than two decades this week. Additional rate increases are likely, as the Fed tries to regain control over inflation.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose gives his victory speech after winning his election in 2018.

In Ohio, Trump endorses an election official who doesn't think 2020 was stolen

Trump endorsed Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose ahead of Ohio's primaries on Tuesday. LaRose told NPR in January that candidates not conceding was a "really dangerous thing."

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