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Two bison in a
paddock behind the Smithsonian Institution Building, or Castle, in a photo taken between 1886 and 1889. They were acquired by the United States National Museum's Department of Living Animals, which eventually became the National Zoological Park.
(Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives)

Rise, near extinction and recovery of the American bison on display in new Smithsonian exhibit

The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has a new exhibit tracing the animal's importance in American history.

The cover of "Cherry Baby" and author Rainbow Rowell. (Courtesy of Harper Collins and Rainbow Rowell)

'Cherry Baby' by Rainbow Rowell explores marriage, weight and living in a GLP-1-obsessed world

The novel centers around Cherry, whose disintegrating marriage is complicated by the success of her husband's comic strip.

U.S. blockade on Iranian ports is in place to pressure Iran, Trump says talks could resume

The Pentagon is sending more troops to the Middle East, and the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports continues, in an attempt to pressure Iran into making a deal to end the war.

President Trump accompanied Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell on a tour of the Fed's headquarters renovation last summer. The Justice Department is investigating cost overruns on the project.

Once again, Trump threatens to fire Fed Chair Jerome Powell

President Trump once again threatened to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and doubled down on a discredited probe of the central bank.

Greetings from Nairobi, where taking a matatu is no ordinary bus ride

The moment you board, the music grabs you. These privately owned, brightly painted minibuses are moving canvases, mobile sound systems — rolling declarations of what young Nairobi finds cool.

President Trump did not grant Stewart Rhodes, founder of the far-right Oath Keepers extremist group, a full pardon when he returned to office. Now, the Trump administration is seeking to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions for several defendants, including Rhodes.

Trump administration moves to erase Jan. 6 riot convictions for seditious conspiracy

The Trump administration is moving to vacate the seditious conspiracy convictions of extremists involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack who earlier received commutations instead of full pardons.

The long history between Iowa and China

From the first Iowan U.S. ambassador to Beijing, to Herbert Hoover's fortune in Chinese coal mines, to the soybean's journey from China to Iowa fields — Iowa and China’s relationship is older, stranger and more consequential than you might think. Ben Kieffer unpacks the deep and surprising ties between Iowa and China with Iowa State historian Tao Wang and political expert Jonathan Hassid.

Memoir explores the ups and downs of the foster system

In 'Safe: A Memoir of Fatherhood, Foster Care, and the Risks We Take for Family,' Mark Daley describes his journey to becoming a father through the often-frustrating foster care system. Daley discusses the memoir with host Charity Nebbe and expert readers, Lexie White and IPR's Meghan McKinney.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd-R), accompanied by U.S. State Department Counselor Michael Needham (C), and U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa (R), speaks as they begin working-level peace talks with Lebanese Ambassador to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter at the U.S. State Department on April 14, 2026 in Washington, D.C. In their first direct diplomatic talks in more than 30 years, Lebanon and Israel are preparing negotiations to potentially end Israel's conflict with the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.

Trump says new talks with Iran will happen soon. And, Eric Swalwell faces new allegations

President Trump says new talks with Iran could happen in the next two days. And, Democrat Eric Swalwell faces new allegations as a second woman comes forward accusing him of rape.

Wednesday, April 15th, 2026

A federal commission met last night about the Duane Arnold Energy Center. A bill on the governor's desk would no longer allow minors to get vaccines that prevent STIs. And the gender pay gap in Iowa's state employees has widened.

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