Brian Mann
Brian Mann is NPR's first national addiction correspondent. He also covers breaking news in the U.S. and around the world.
Mann began covering drug policy and the opioid crisis as part of a partnership between NPR and North Country Public Radio in New York. After joining NPR full time in 2020, Mann was one of the first national journalists to track the deadly spread of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, reporting from California and Washington state to West Virginia.
After losing his father and stepbrother to substance abuse, Mann's reporting breaks down the stigma surrounding addiction and creates a factual basis for the ongoing national discussion.
Mann has also served on NPR teams covering the Beijing Winter Olympics and the war in Ukraine.
During a career in public radio that began in the 1980s, Mann has won numerous regional and national Edward R. Murrow awards. He is author of a 2006 book about small town politics called Welcome to the Homeland, described by The Atlantic as "one of the best books to date on the putative-red-blue divide."
Mann grew up in Alaska and is now based in New York's Adirondack Mountains. His audio postcards, broadcast on NPR, describe his backcountry trips into wild places around the world.
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Olympic events are winding down, but there is still much to go. A highlight from the Paris Games Tuesday: American Gabby Thomas cruised in the 200-meter Olympic final to win her first gold medal.
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Thomas settled for bronze in the 200m at the Tokyo Olympics. There would be no settling this time as she cruised to victory to claim gold at the Paris Olympics at Stade de France. -
American middle-distance runner Cole Hocker smashed his own personal best time and beat the Olympic record to seize a gold medal in Paris, defeating the heavily-favored British and Norwegian athletes. -
As the war drags on with Russia, Ukrainians are desperate for symbols of hope and normalcy. At the Paris Olympics, Ukrainian athletes are doing their part: winning gold to help buoy the country. -
Olympic fencing had a big moment in Paris. For the first time ever American women won both individual and team golds in the foil competition. Will this boost a sport that often draws tiny crowds? -
There's still a week's worth of medals to be handed out, as competitions ramp up in track and field, soccer and boxing. The excitement has yet to begin in breaking, Taekwondo and weightlifting. -
American Noah Lyles won gold in the hundred meter sprint by five one thousandths of a second. U.S. swimmers grabbed two gold medals and shattered two world records in the pool.
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In the final Olympic pool swimming race in Paris, U.S. women dominated a relay medley, winning an 8th gold medal for American swimmers and shattering a world record. -
Bobby Finke came to Paris the reigning Olympic champion in the 1,500 meter freestyle swim. He defended his title with a gold medal win and shattered the world record. -
Katie Ledecky has come through again winning her second gold medal in Paris in the women's 800-meter freestyle. The U.S. also won gold and a new world record in a relay race, edging out China.
