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Brittney Melton
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A federal judge ruled yesterday that President Trump cannot demolish the Kennedy Center without providing a 30-day notice. The decision comes after the center's board of directors voted to close the art center, citing its poor condition and finances. On Wednesday, Trump said the complex could be "ripped down" if his name isn't displayed on its main building. The president has also said the Kennedy Center has lost millions of dollars, but didn't offer evidence of this claim.
President Donald Trump is seen aboard Air Force One looking at a large Kennedy Center printout after landing in Maryland on Wednesday. Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Voting officials and civil rights groups have filed federal lawsuits arguing that the Trump administration's suggestion to deploy federal agents at polling places violates the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which bans voter intimidation. NPR was the first to report on the latest lawsuit, which highlights the Trump administration's pursuit of noncitizen voters. It alleges that immigration officers are "reportedly using flawed methodologies and faulty data that will almost certainly result in the surveillance, investigation, and even unlawful detention of U.S. citizens, particularly those from communities of color." The plaintiffs say that a visible presence of immigration law enforcement around voting centers amounts to unlawful voter intimidation under federal voting rights laws. The White House hasn't responded yet to the request for comment on the allegations.
Russia plans to send drones or missiles into NATO territories that support Ukraine and label these incidents as "accidental," Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned. Tusk said that these strikes aim to "paralyze NATO" or weaken the alliance's collective response, to show that Article 5 "exists only in theory." Article 5 states that an attack on one NATO member is considered an attack on all members. Tusk's warning yesterday follows recent incidents along NATO's eastern flank that member countries attribute to Russia. Tusk said he received the intelligence from NATO, Ukraine and U.S. agencies, but did not specify which one he was citing.
Malaka Gharib/NPR If you find that you tend to criticize yourself during emotionally tumultuous moments, it may be a sign that you struggle with self-worth, according to psychologist Marisa Franco. Luckily, self-worth is a skill you can develop, and one way to do so is by revisiting challenging memories. In a conversation with Life Kit, Franco explains the benefits of self-esteem and offers an exercise to enhance your self-worth.
For more advice on how to reshape your memories to help with self-esteem, listen to this episode of NPR's Life Kit. Subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter for expert advice on love, money, relationships and more.
Clockwise from left: The Social Reckoning, The Scout, Club Kid, Possible Love and Wildwood. Columbia Pictures; Greenwich Entertainment; A24; Jaclyn Martinez/Amazon MGM Studios; Netflix; Laika hide caption
Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:
🍿 Movies: This fall, NPR critics are looking forward to a variety of films, including a follow-up to The Social Network, the origin story of the Rocky film and more than 20 other exciting movies.
📺 TV: Last Seen follows an emergency dispatcher as he becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth after receiving a call one night from a girl he believes might be his long-missing daughter.
📚 Books: Kate Atkinson's Our Noble Selves is a historical escape that focuses on the Festival of Britain, a real-life celebration aimed at uplifting British people's spirits after World War II.
🎵 Music: Neil Young's 50th studio album, Second Song, features five new personal tracks along with two newly recorded songs that he wrote during his teenage years in Canada. Before the album's release today, Young spoke with NPR about this reflective work.
🎭 Theater: Theatre producer Francesca Moody, who was instrumental in bringing Fleabag and Baby Reindeer to the Edinburgh Fringe festival before their global success, told NPR what she looks for in a performance.
❓ Quiz: We've made it through another Friday without an AI apocalypse, *phew*, so let's celebrate with a quiz of this week's highlights.
Gold medal-winning Olympian and Minnesotan Jessie Diggins crosses the finish line during the Superior 100 Mile Trail Race Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 at Caribou Highlands Lodge in Lutsen, Minn. Erica Dischino/for MPR News hide caption
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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