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Farmers welcome Trump's $12 billion aid package, say additional relief is needed

Soybean farmers like Kevin Deinert in South Dakota have grain bins full of unsold beans they were planning to send to China before President Trump initiated a trade war with that country. China has recently started buying U.S. soybeans again, but in much smaller quantities than before.

President Trump says he's sending $12 billion in aid to American farmers who are reeling from global trade disruptions. Those include inflation and Trump's tariffs that are making fertilizer and farm equipment more expensive, and the President's trade war with China which closed a huge market for American soybean exports.

(Image credit: Kirk Siegler)

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Was Michael Jordan NBA's GOAT? Phil Jackson reflects on the 'Masters of the Game'

Michael Jordan and Chicago Bulls head coach Phil Jackson celebrate the team

Legendary NBA head coach Phil Jackson and sports writer Sam Smith talk about the stars who helped define the sport, including Jordan, Kobe, Shaq and "bad boy" Dennis Rodman.

(Image credit: Jeff Haynes)

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Judge orders Kilmar Abrego Garcia to be released from ICE custody

Kilmar Abrego Garcia speaks during a rally and prayer vigil for him before he enters a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) field office on August 25, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The native of El Salvador and resident of Maryland has become a symbol of the Trump administration's policy of mass deportations after he was mistakenly sent to a prison in El Salvador in the spring.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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Senate to vote on 2 health care proposals. And, the latest U.S. move against Venezuela

The dome of the U.S. Capitol Building is visible on the Hill in Washington, DC.

The Senate is expected to vote on two opposing health care proposals today. And, the Trump administration says it has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in its latest move in the region.

(Image credit: Win McNamee)

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Sen. Jeanne Shaheen warns millions could lose coverage as ACA votes near defeat

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), accompanied by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) (L), speaks at a news conference to call on Republicans to pass Affordable Care Act tax breaks on Capitol Hill on September 16 in Washington, D.C.

With ACA tax credits set to expire, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen says premiums are "doubling, tripling" and warns "millions" could lose coverage if Congress fails to act.

(Image credit: Andrew Harnik)

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Fire-making materials at 400,000-year-old site are the oldest evidence of humans making fire

Fragments of iron pyrite, a rock that can be used with flint to make sparks, were found by a 400,000-year-old hearth in eastern Britain.

Archaeologists in Britain say they've found the earliest evidence of humans making fires anywhere in the world. The discovery moves our understanding of when humans started making fire back by 350,000 years.

(Image credit: Jordan Mansfield)

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I hate getting Pap smears. Is there a safe alternative?

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You may have heard about HPV testing and self-swabbing to collect the sample. Does that work as well? Here are the ins and outs of this newer option.

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This refugee's family faced persecution in Bhutan. Now, he could be deported there

Mohan Karki (R) and his wife Tika Basnet (L) pose for a photo before he was detained by immigration agents in April.

Mohan Karki's family and others with Nepali ancestry were persecuted and driven out of Bhutan in the 1990s. Karki himself was born in a refugee camp in nearby Nepal. Yet, the U.S. government claims he is a Bhutanese citizen and seeks to deport him there.

(Image credit: Tika Basnet)

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Elizabeth Warren says both bids to buy Warner Bros. Discovery are bad for consumers

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., attends a news conference about SNAP benefits on Oct. 29 on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren cautions that the sale of Warner Bros. Discovery to either Netflix or Paramount Skydance could reduce competition and concentrate power over what films and news American see.

(Image credit: Jacquelyn Martin)

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Senate to vote on dueling health care proposals as ACA premium hikes loom

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-SD. speaks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol on December 09, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The Senate is set to vote on dueling health care proposals. Both plans are likely to fail, even as Affordable Care Act premiums are set to skyrocket at the end of the year.

(Image credit: Heather Diehl)

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Trump calls affordability crisis a "hoax," touts the economy ahead of midterms

President Trump gestures after speaking at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pa., Tuesday.

As Democrats campaigning on affordability pick up wins, Trump's messaging about a strong economy is at odds with widespread voter sentiment that he's not doing enough to tackle rising costs.

(Image credit: Alex Brandon)

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Will U.S. military strikes slow drug overdose deaths? Experts say no

On Dec. 4, four people were killed in a strike on this vessel in the Eastern Pacific. The U.S. military claims the vessel contained illicit narcotics and was traveling a known narcotrafficking route.

President Trump says U.S. strikes on supposed drug-smuggling boats will save Americans from overdose deaths. But most experts worry the strategy is counterproductive.

(Image credit: U.S. Southern Command)

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Elizabeth Warren says both bids to buy Warner Bros. Discovery are bad for consumers

NPR's Steve Inskeep asks Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) about her concerns over the fight between Netflix and Paramount to take over Warner Bros. Discovery.

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Venezuelan opposition leader Machado reappears in Oslo as a Nobel laureate

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado reacts to the crowd gathered below from a balcony at the Grand Hotel, in Oslo, Norway, early Thursday.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado appeared in public for the first time in 11 months after a daring escape from her homeland when she emerged from a hotel balcony in Norway's capital.

(Image credit: Jonas Been Henriksen/AP)

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Botulism outbreak sickens more than 50 babies and expands to all ByHeart products

FILE - Stephen Dexter holds a container of ByHeart baby formula, which was recently recalled by ByHeart, in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025.

At least 51 babies in 19 states have been treated for botulism after being exposed to organic ByHeart baby formula. The New-York based manufacturer issued a recall of all its products last month.

(Image credit: Cheyanne Mumphrey)

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Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore jailed, hours after his firing

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches from the sideline during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Ohio State, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Moore was jailed on Wednesday, according to court records, hours after he was fired for what the university said was an "inappropriate relationship with a staff member."

(Image credit: Ryan Sun)

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Trump says the U.S. has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela

President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025, in Washington.

Using U.S. forces to take control of a merchant ship is unusual and marks the Trump administration's latest push to increase pressure on Maduro, who has been charged with narcoterrorism.

(Image credit: Evan Vucci)

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High school students learn trade skills building affordable housing in Colorado

High school student June Baker and teacher Darrin Rassmusen study plans for a modular home students are helping to build at a city-owned factory in Boulder, Colorado

Affordable housing and a shortage of skilled trades workers are both pressing issues in the U.S. A Colorado city is partnering with a local school district and Habitat for Humanity to teach kids trades by building homes working people can afford.

(Image credit: Sam Fuqua)

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NTSB warns that defense bill could undermine aviation safety changes after DCA crash

National Transportation Safety Board chairwoman Jennifer Homendy gave a strong rebuke of a defense authorization bill that rolls back safety improvements. The board recommended the changes after the January collision of a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing 67 people.

The head of the NTSB is voicing strong opposition to provisions in the defense policy bill. The NTSB says the House bill would undermine safety improvements made after the mid-air collision near DCA.

(Image credit: Kayla Bartkowski)

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Congress calls for a crackdown on companies charging disabled vets

Erik Jensen, 67, is seen at his home in Warrenton, Ore. He served in the Navy for 30 years before retiring in 2007. While veterans are entitled to free support from accredited services to navigate their disability benefits, Jensen sought out the services of Trajector Medical. The company charged him $12,000.

Congress is calling for action in response to reporting last week from NPR that "claim shark" companies are using aggressive tactics to make millions off of veterans, despite warnings from VA's that it may be illegal.

(Image credit: Kristina Barker for NPR)

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Philip Rivers' return to the NFL, by the numbers

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers throws against the Las Vegas Raiders during a game at Allegiant Stadium on Dec. 13, 2020 in Las Vegas. Rivers, now 44 years old, has signed a practice contract with the Colts in hopes of returning to the NFL for the first time since 2021.

Philip Rivers is coming out of retirement at age 44 for a shot at playing for the Indianapolis Colts, who are struggling to make the playoffs. He last played in the NFL in 2021.

(Image credit: Ethan Miller)

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Egypt and Iran object to playing in a Seattle 'Pride' match in next year's World Cup

Iran is illuminated on the screen during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Draw on December 05, 2025 in Washington, D.C.

Local organizers had planned to include the June 26 game with Seattle's Pride celebrations. Then, FIFA announced the match would include Egypt and Iran, two countries where gay rights are nil.

(Image credit: Kevin Dietsch)

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Judge blocks Trump's National Guard deployment in LA with sharp rebuke

National Guardsmen stand outside of the Edward Roybal Federal Building on June 9, 2025 in downtown Los Angeles.

In the latest in a series of legal setbacks for Trump's deployments, a judge ruled the administration must end its deployment to Los Angeles and return control of National Guard troops to California.

(Image credit: Jim Vondruska)

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What to know about death cap mushrooms, blamed for poisonings in California

Death cap mushrooms look similar to other edible varieties, but are highly poisonous. They grow near oak and other hardwood trees, usually in urban and suburban areas.

Death cap mushrooms look harmless, but are responsible for the majority of the world's mushroom-related deaths. California officials say 21 people have been sickened in recent weeks, one fatally.

(Image credit: William West)

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Can the lessons of 1929 help us avert another economic crisis?

New York Times financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin draws parallels between the stock market crash of 1929, which led to the Great Depression, and today's economic uncertainty.

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Author Sophie Kinsella, who penned the 'Shopaholic' books, has died at 55

Sophie Kinsella at the Costa Book Awards in 2015.

The author, whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer in late 2022.

(Image credit: Anthony Harvey)

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The fight to beat neglected tropical diseases was going well. 2025 could change that

A nurse performs surgery on a trachoma patient in Ethiopia. Trachoma is considered a neglected tropical disease, caused by a bacterial infection, and can lead to blindness.

The campaign to prevent and treat these diseases has seen great success thanks to a USAID program. Now that program is gone.

(Image credit: Marco Simoncelli/AFP)

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Greetings from Andhra Pradesh, India, where a fragrant food stand feeds working women

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Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

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Machado's daughter accepts Nobel Peace Prize in Venezuelan opposition leader's absence

A picture of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado during the Nobel Peace Prize award ceremony at Oslo City Hall, in Oslo, Norway, Wednesday Dec. 10, 2025.

Machado — who has been in hiding for nearly a year — was still expected in Oslo later in the day.

(Image credit: Ole Berg-Rusten)

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The Fed is expected to cut rates. And, Afghan CIA fighters feel abandoned by the U.S.

President Trump arrives to deliver remarks on the economy at Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, on Dec. 9, 2025.

The divided Federal Reserve is considering cutting interest rates today. And, Afghans in the U.S. who fought for the CIA say they feel abandoned by the agency.

(Image credit: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds)

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