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Disability rights advocate Bob Kafka dead at 79

Bob Kafka, a disabled Vietnam veteran, talks with an Austin Police Officer as he and others try to enter a hotel property.

Bob Kafka was an organizer with ADAPT (American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today), a group which advocates for policy change to support people with disabilities.

(Image credit: Ilana Panich-Linsman)

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'It's behind you!' How Britain goes wild for pantomimes during the holidays

The Wicked Witch

Pantomimes are plays based on a well-known story — often a fairy tale — which are given a bawdy twist. The audience is expected to join in throughout, shouting as loudly as they can.

(Image credit: Ella Carmen Dale)

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Kennedy Center vows to sue musician who canceled performance over Trump name change

The Kennedy Center says it is planning legal action after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled an annual holiday concert. Redd pulled out after President Trump

The Kennedy Center is planning legal action after jazz musician Chuck Redd canceled an annual holiday concert. Redd pulled out after President Trump's name appeared on the building.

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Our top global photo stories from 2025: Fearless women, solo polar bear, healing soups

Polar bear, Dalian Forest Zoo, China. As this zoo, the polar bear is confined to space far smaller than its range in the wild, which can reach 31,000 square miles.

These stunning photos include a polar bear in a Chinese zoo, a teen in Zambia facing an uncertain future, Mongolian kids watching TV in a tent, a chef prepping a bowl of good-for-you soup.

(Image credit: Zed Nelson/Institute)

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Opinion: The best gift we can give the departed is to keep their sparkle alive

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Christmastime is full of joy, sure, but also full of bittersweetness from nostalgia and loss. NPR's Scott Simon details a holiday encounter in his kitchen with a wise man in a red suit.

(Image credit: Caroline Simon)

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ADHD drugs may work indirectly to boost attention

An image of the brain shows that as stimulants increase arousal, they calm (darker colors) various parts of the brain.

Drugs like Adderall and Ritalin appear to help children with ADHD by activating brain areas involved in alertness and motivation.

(Image credit: Benjamin Kay)

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Russia attacks Kyiv, killing 1 and wounding many ahead of Ukraine-US talks

Rescuers work on the scene of a building damaged by a Russian attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.

Russia attacked Ukraine's capital with missiles and drones early Saturday morning, killing one and wounding over 20 people a day before talks between Ukraine and the U.S., local authorities said.

(Image credit: Efrem Lukatsky)

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Myanmar is set to hold phased elections. Here's why they're being called a 'sham'

Supporters of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party wave the party flags during the first day of campaigning for the general election, in Naypyitaw, Myanmar, Oct. 28.

Myanmar's military rulers are holding a general election in phases starting Dec. 28 amid the country's civil war. The head of the U.N. says the vote will be anything but free and fair.

(Image credit: Aung Shine Oo)

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Judge to hold hearing on whether Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being vindictively prosecuted

Kilmar Abrego Garcia arrives at the United States District Court District of Maryland, Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, in Greenbelt, Md.

A federal judge this week canceled the trial of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, and scheduled a hearing on whether the prosecution is being vindictive in pursuing a human smuggling case against him.

(Image credit: Stephanie Scarbrough)

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Thailand and Cambodia sign new ceasefire agreement to end border fighting

In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), Cambodian Defense Minister Tea Seiha, left, stands with Thai Defense Minister Natthaphon Narkphanit, right, at the General Border Committee Meeting in Chanthaburi Province, Thailand Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.

In addition to ending fighting, the agreement calls for no further military movements by either side and no violations of either side's airspace for military purposes.

(Image credit: AP)

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Top Instagram reels from Goats and Soda in 2025: Plumpy'Nut, aid cuts, soccer grannies

From left: Players celebrate during the grannies soccer tournament in South Africa. A Dalit kitchen in India. Plumpy

Our most-viewed Instagram videos include reports from a Rhode Island factory that makes special food for malnourished children and from a tournament for soccer-playing "grannies."

(Image credit: From left: Ryan Brown for NPR; Diaa Hadid/NPR; Gabrielle Emanuel/NPR; Ben de la Cruz/NPR)

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U.S. strikes ISIS in Nigeria. And, holiday shopping was higher than expected

President Trump listens during a ceremony for the presentation of the Mexican Border Defense Medal in the Oval Office of the White House on December 15, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The U.S. has launched a "deadly strike" against Islamic State fighters in northwest Nigeria, according to Trump. And, holiday spending was higher than expected this year.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

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Should the U.S. model its vaccine policy on Denmark's? Experts say we're nothing alike

Guards march in the courtyard of Fredensborg Palace in Denmark. The northern European country of around 6 million people has been suggested as a model for U.S. childhood vaccination policy.

The Trump administration wants to revamp U.S. childhood vaccination recommendations to align with some other peer nations, including one tiny country in northern Europe.

(Image credit: Scott Barbour/Getty Images Europe)

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Marijuana rescheduling would bring some immediate changes, but others will take time

Michael Stonebarger sorts young cannabis plants at a marijuana farm in Grandview, Mo., in 2022. President Trump set the process in motion to ease federal restrictions on marijuana. But his order doesn

President Trump set the process in motion to ease federal restrictions on marijuana. But his order doesn't automatically revoke laws targeting marijuana, which remains illegal to transport over state lines.

(Image credit: Charlie Riedel)

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The cultural works becoming public domain in 2026, from Betty Boop to Nancy Drew

The original version of Betty Boop — as seen in this "Dizzy Dishes" cartoon — is one of many works from 1930 entering the public domain in 2026.

The original Betty Boop, the first four Nancy Drew books and Greta Garbo's first talkie are among the many works from 1930 that will be free to use, share and remake starting on Jan. 1.

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Why do airline computer systems fail? What the industry can learn from meltdowns

This year Alaska Airlines joined the long list of airlines forced to ground their planes because of IT outages.  <!-- raw HTML omitted -->

Alaska Airlines is the latest airline to ground its planes because of an IT meltdown. We talked to industry leaders about why these systems fail, and what airlines can learn from past disruptions.

(Image credit: Stephen Brashear)

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Amanda Seyfried's tally for 2025: 3 starring roles, 2 Golden Globe nominations

Amanda Seyfried in THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE. Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Amanda Seyfried is up for a Golden Globe for her performance in The Testament of Ann Lee, a movie musical about the leader of the Shakers, the 18th-century religious movement that preached celibacy, gender and racial equality, and pacifism.

(Image credit: Searchlight Pictures/Searchlight Pictures)

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Want a stronger body this year? Our newsletter can help you reach your goal

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If your New Year's resolution is to start resistance training, Life Kit is here to help. Sign up for our Guide to Building Strength and get a month of expert tips on how to create a lasting routine.

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As insurance prices rise, women puzzle through coverage options for their families

Cynthia Freeman and her husband Brad Lawrence in their apartment in Brooklyn, NY.  Because they work freelance jobs as storytellers and podcasters, they rely on their Affordable Care Act insurance to treat Brad

Figuring out the insurance options for families often falls to women. Some say they're delaying marriage, taking side jobs, and putting their kids on Medicaid as premium prices shoot up in 2026.

(Image credit: José A. Alvarado Jr. for NPR)

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Christmas is over. Here's what to do with your holiday trash

A staff member with the Architect of the Capitol carries a Christmas tree in a recycling bin through the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Dec. 23, 2022.

Household waste increases by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years. Rules vary by municipality on what you can recycle and what needs to go into the trash.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

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Ex-State Dept. official on likelihood Kurdish forces join Syrian army before deadline

NPR's Leila Fadel asks former State Department official Wa'el Alzayat about the prospects of Kurdish forces reaching an agreement to join the Syrian army ahead of an end-of-year deadline.

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Veteran remembers her wife's last Christmas after cancer diagnosis

An Army veteran remembers her wife's last Christmas after she was diagnosed with cancer.

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Nuclear submarine arms race heats up between North and South Korea

In this undated photo provided Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, by the North Korean government, its leader Kim Jong Un inspects a nuclear-powered submarine under construction at an undisclosed location in North Korea. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: "KCNA" which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency.

North Korea's state media released photos Thursday of what it said was the hull of a nuclear submarine. Its leader denounced South Korea's plans to build its own subs as "an offensive act."

(Image credit: AP)

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Jimmy Kimmel jokes about fascism in an 'alternative Christmas message' for Britain

FILE - People walk by the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio on Hollywood Blvd., on Sept. 17, 2025, in Los Angeles.

In an "alternative" message to the king's annual Christmas speech, Kimmel told British viewers that "from a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year," for the United States.

(Image credit: Chris Pizzello)

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President Trump announces strike on ISIS targets in Nigeria

President Trump listens during a ceremony for the presentation of the Mexican Border Defense Medal in the Oval Office of the White House on December 15, 2025 in Washington, DC.

President Trump made the announcement late Thursday on social media, saying the strike was in response to the Islamic State targeting Christians in Nigeria.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

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The pope urges the faithful on Christmas to shed indifference in the face of suffering

Pope Leo XIV waves Thursday after delivering the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for

During his first Christmas Day message, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the suffering in Gaza, Yemen and among migrants, and called for peace in troubled regions like Lebanon, Ukraine and Syria.

(Image credit: Gregorio Borgia)

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The real ping pong champion — and hustler — who inspired 'Marty Supreme'

Marty Reisman practicing in New York in 1951.

Marty Reisman was nicknamed "The Needle" for his slender physique. He dressed well and put on a show.

(Image credit: Ed Ford)

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In Belgium, a group of volunteers makes drones for Ukraine in special workshops

A group of hobbyists in Belgium make drones that help on the frontline of a war.

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A holiday tradition: David Sedaris reads from 'The Santaland Diaries'

Writer and humorist David Sedaris reads from his holiday essay "The Santaland Diaries."

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Morning Edition hosts play 'Do You Know Your Ho-Ho-Ho!'

Morning Edition hosts Michel Martin and Leila Fadel answer holiday trivia questions compiled by Southern Living Magazine.

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