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Why flu cases are surging this season. And, protests erupt in Iran over the economy

Close-up view of a pharmacist

The flu is spreading rapidly across the U.S. this season, and it is expected to get worse. And, protests have erupted across Iran over the country's troubled economy.

(Image credit: Quentin Top/Hans Lucas)

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Out with the mayo: How Ukrainians reclaim holiday food

<eKutia is a sweet, warm porridge of pearled barley mixed with berries, nuts and stewed dried fruit. It's a staple at Ukrainian Christmas tables.'/>

For many people from former Soviet countries, New Year's is a big holiday feast time. A Ukrainian restaurant in Washington gives NPR a taste of what's on the menu.

(Image credit: Samantha Balaban/NPR)

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His brother's mental illness isolated his family. Now he's helping other caregivers

After caring for his brother, who has schizophrenia, for many years Mitul Desai started a company to support caregivers like him.

When it comes to serious mental illness, family caregivers are crucial partners. But often, they must fend for themselves. A new solution offers them support.

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Farmers are about to pay a lot more for health insurance

Prairie Star Farm in Allamakee County, Iowa is home to 180 dairy cows. Owners Meghan and John Palmer say growing health care costs add to the financial pressures facing many farm families, including theirs.<!-- raw HTML omitted --><!-- raw HTML omitted --><!-- raw HTML omitted -->

Tariffs, inflation, and other federal policies have battered U.S. farmers' bottom lines. Now many farmers say the expiration of federal health care subsidies will make their coverage unaffordable.

(Image credit: Meghan Palmer)

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Why do we make New Year's resolutions? A brief history of a long tradition

Revelers release New Year

One of the earliest mentions of New Year's resolutions appeared in a Boston newspaper in 1813. But the practice itself can be traced back to the Babylonians.

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A little boy gave her hope for her foster daughter's future

Natalie Cook, pictured here with her husband, Zachary, was struck by one boy

At a neighborhood park, a young boy noticed Natalie's young foster daughter using a walker. His reaction left Natalie with an unexpected feeling of hope for the future.

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In one year, Trump pivots fentanyl response from public health to drug war

President Donald Trump poses with a recently signed executive order classifying fentanyl as a "weapon of mass destruction," during a ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on December 15, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Experts say Biden's focus on addiction health care saved tens of thousands of lives and slowed fentanyl smuggling. Trump scrapped Biden's approach in favor of military strikes.

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Morning news brief

Trump says the U.S. military conducted a strike on a Venezuelan dock he claims was used by drug smugglers, protests over economy flood Iran, flu cases in the U.S are on the rise, CDC data shows.

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National Guard arrives in New Orleans for 1st New Year's since Bourbon Street attack

Walking under flags that memorialize victims of Jan. 1, 2025 attack, members of the Louisiana National Guard, military police, and Louisiana law enforcement agencies patrol the French Quarter along Bourbon Street and intersecting streets as part of a National Guard deployment for New Year

Nearly a year after a New Year's Day truck attack on Bourbon Street left 14 dead, New Orleans officials are still seeking permanent security solutions.

(Image credit: Matthew Hinton/AP)

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CIA behind strike at Venezuelan dock that Trump claims was used by drug smugglers, AP sources say

President Donald Trump listens during a news conference with Israel

The CIA was behind a drone strike last week at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels. That's according to two people familiar with details of the operation.

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Kennedy Center renaming prompts a new round of cancellations

Demonstrators, including Nadine Siler, of Waldorf, Md., dressed in a pink frog costume, hold up signs at a designated protest point in front of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, a day after a Trump-appointed board voted to add President Donald Trump

The Kennedy Center is ending the year with a new round of artists saying they are canceling scheduled performances after President Donald Trump's name was added to the facility.

(Image credit: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP)

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Trump administration says it's freezing child care funds to Minnesota

State Sen. Michelle Benson reacts at a news conference on April 10, 2019, at the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul to a report by the state

President Trump's administration announced that it's freezing child care funds to Minnesota after a series of fraud schemes in recent years.

(Image credit: Steve Karnowski)

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Flu cases are surging and rates will likely get worse, new CDC data shows

There have been at least 7,500,00 illnesses and 3,100 deaths from flu this season, according to CDC data. And flu cases are expected to rise significantly in the coming weeks.

Flu season is off to a rough start this year, according to new CDC data. The virus is spreading faster than in previous years and the surge is likely to get worse. Here's what you need to know.

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Judge orders Trump administration to continue to seek funding for the CFPB

A view of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) headquarters building in Washington, DC, on February 10, 2025.

The order is the latest in a complex legal battle over the fate of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a watchdog agency.

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In a year of steep challenges, there were still shining moments in global health

A health worker administers the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine to a student in Islamabad, Pakistan on Sept. 24. The vaccine protects against cervical cancer. This year, a new one-dose strategy gained greater acceptance in Pakistan and other countries. Previously, the standard was three doses but years of testing have established that one dose is highly effective for younger girls and older girls can get the benefit from two doses.

The Trump administration's deep cuts in U.S. foreign health aid had a devastating impact. Yet there were achievements of note in spite of it all.

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An escalation in Yemen threatens to reignite civil war and widen tensions in the Gulf

The president of the Yemen

Saudi Arabia bombed Yemen's port city of Mukalla, targeting a shipment of weapons from the United Arab Emirates for separatist forces. The UAE later said it would withdraw its forces from Yemen.

(Image credit: Ted Shaffrey)

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What being around death taught this hospital chaplain about life

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J.S. Park helps patients and their families cope with death every day as a hospital chaplain. He explains what to expect as a person is dying, and how to reckon with uncomfortable feelings about death.

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Israel says it will bar aid groups, including Doctors Without Borders, from Gaza

A Palestinian woman walks along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed during Israeli air and ground operations in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, in Gaza City, Tuesday.

Israel accused Doctors Without Borders, one of the largest health organizations operating in Gaza, of failing to clarify the roles of some staff that Israel accused of cooperation with militants.

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Trump, Netanyahu meet over ceasefire. And, Russia accuses Ukraine of attempted strike

President Trump shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. The two leaders held a bilateral meeting to discuss regional security in the Middle East as well as the U.S.-Israel partnership.

Conditions are dire for people in Gaza as President Trump and Israel's prime minister discuss the next phase of the ceasefire deal. And, Russia accuses Ukraine of an attempted drone strike.

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China flexes blockade capabilities near Taiwan on second day of military drills

A Taiwan

China's People's Liberation Army is staging a second day of large-scale military drills around Taiwan. It's unleashing live-fire exercises as part of what it calls "Justice Mission 2025."

(Image credit: Chiang Ying-ying)

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Policy relief for family caregivers seems stalled out. But there are signs of change

The Care Can

Family members carry the burden and costs of caring for America's aging population. Federal policy change is slow to come but a new movement and state actions are building momentum.

(Image credit: Paul Morigi/Getty Images for Unbendable Media)

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Federal appeals court judge is accused of bullying her clerks

A view of the Thurgood Marshall U.S. Courthouse in Manhattan, N.Y., where the Second Circuit Court of Appeals is seated, from 2020.

The Legal Accountability Project complaint, which has not been previously reported, states that it is based on conversations with multiple former law clerks.

(Image credit: Mark Lennihan)

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Thousands watch livestream of Maine family's food pantry for deer

A three-generation family in Maine set up a camera to capture their deer-feeding station. Thousands watch online as hundreds of white-tailed deer enjoy the food at Brownville's Food Pantry for Deer.

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FIFA president defends World Cup ticket prices, saying demand is hitting records

FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the FIFA World Cup 2026 official match schedule announcement in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 6, 2025.

The FIFA President addressed outrage over ticket prices for the World Cup by pointing to record demand and reiterating that most of the proceeds will help support soccer around the world.

(Image credit: Roberto Schmidt)

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From chess to a medical mystery: Great global reads from 2025 you may have missed

Clockwise from top left: Rohingya refugee children find a place to play amid the construction at the refugee camp outside of Cox

We published hundreds of stories on global health and development each year. Some are ... alas ... a bit underappreciated by readers. We've asked our staff for their favorite overlooked posts of 2025.

(Image credit: Clockwise from top left: Danielle Villasanal; Viraj Nayar for NPR; Joanne Cavanaugh Simpson for NPR; Ben de la Cruz/NPR)

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The U.S. offers Ukraine a 15-year security guarantee for now, Zelenskyy says

President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shake hands at the start of a joint news conference following a meeting at Trump

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday the United States is offering his country security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan.

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Trump says Ukraine peace is closer. And, how funding cuts affect anti-poverty groups

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky listens as President Trump speaks during a press conference following their meeting at Trump

Trump and Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskyy signaled momentum on peace talks after a meeting yesterday. And, anti-poverty groups address challenges they are facing that impact Americans who need help.

(Image credit: Joe Raedle)

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'Raising questions' isn't enough. The best films of the year took a stance

Clockwise from top left: stills from <!-- raw HTML omitted -->Eddington, Bugonia, Sinners, It Was Just an Accident, Good Fortune, One Battle After Another,<!-- raw HTML omitted -->

Now is not the time for subtlety, nostalgia or neutrality on screen.

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Why do so many people ring in the new year on Jan. 1?

Revelers celebrate after the ball drops in New York

Much of the world follows the Gregorian calendar, named after Pope Gregory XIII, who put the finishing touches on a Roman system that integrated ideas from other cultures.

(Image credit: Stefan Jeremiah)

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Teens are having disturbing interactions with chatbots. Here's how to lower the risks

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Teen use of AI chat bots is growing, and psychologists worry it's affecting their social development and mental health. Here's what parents should know to help kids use the technology safely.

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