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Friday, Dec 20

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Bird flu is declared a State of Emergency in California

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On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency to streamline the state's response to avian flu. More than half of the human cases in the U.S. so far have been in California.

What 'election integrity advocates' have planned for 2025

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The 2024 election was widely considered to be run fairly by majorities of political parties. But so-called "election integrity advocates" who think 2020 was stolen are already making plans for 2025.

For Pagans, winter solstice is a time for reflection and celebration

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Saturday (December 21) is winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. In many pagan religions, the day is marked by Yule: a holiday that's a time of both reflection and celebration

At least 2 are dead and 60 injured after a car plowed into a German Christmas market

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Police in Germany say they've closed a Christmas market after reports of a car driving at speed into a crowd. Authorities say the driver has been apprehended, but have not confirmed it was an attack.

Why deportations hit a 10-year high in 2024

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Deportations under President Biden have hit their highest point in almost a decade. The number of removals conducted in 2024 by ICE has surpassed those conducted during the first Trump administration.

A closer look at Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's consequential year

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It's been a year for Israel's Netanyahu. He's prosecuted the deadliest war since Israel's creation and become the first sitting prime minister to face trial in a long running corruption investigation.

U.S. ambassador to South Korea talks about President Yoon's future

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NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Philip Goldberg, the U.S. ambassador to South Korea, about the tension surrounding President Yoon Suk Yeol's political future after he declared martial law.

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Advocates want Biden spare the lives of the 40 prisoners on federal death row

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Anti-death penalty advocates hope President Biden will grant clemency to 40 people on federal death row. He has already commuted the sentences of nearly 1,500 people and pardoned 39 others.

House Republicans to move forward with Plan C to fund the government

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But several hurdles remain to avert a government shutdown ahead of a Friday midnight deadline.

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In a lawsuit, CFPB says 3 top U.S. banks failed to protect consumers from Zelle fraud

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The consumer financial watchdog says customers of the top three banks lost more than $870 million over seven years due to a lack of safeguards against fraud on the Zelle network.

Thursday, Dec 19

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Here's what can be gained when students with disabilities are included in classrooms

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Students with certain disabilities are often excluded from general education classrooms. Two children with Down syndrome show what can be gained from more inclusion.

Steve Dettelbach, who Trump promises to fire, defends his job performance leading ATF

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The president-elect has promised to fire the ATF Director Steve Dettelbach. Dettelbach, in an interview with NPR, defends his record and the agency's work in combating violent crime.

National security advisor shares hopes for incoming administration's Ukraine policy

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As the Biden administration enters its final weeks, NPR's Mary Louise Kelly discusses what may be ahead for U.S. foreign policy on Ukraine and Russia with outgoing National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan.

Cassava bread is named a cultural heritage of humanity

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In December, UNESCO labeled cassava bread as a cultural heritage of humanity. The flatbread is common to several Latin American and Caribbean countries, especially of indigenous communities.

The health care industry's very bad year

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The killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has sparked scrutiny of the business of health care. But even the investors making money from this business have been unhappy with it this year.

News from one of the fiercest areas of fighting in eastern Ukraine

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NPR correspondent Brian Mann is reporting near Pokrovsk, one of the fiercest areas of fighting in eastern Ukraine where Russian soldiers are trying to capture a key transportation and coal-mining hub.

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The future of the CBP One app, which has helped nearly 900,000 migrants

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Tom Homan has vowed to end the CBP One program. Now migrants seeking asylum are making their way to the Mexican border towns as they frantically try to get a coveted spot through the app.

A North Carolina town has become the unlikely epicenter of furniture taste making

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There's a town in North Carolina that evolved as the unlikely epicenter of furniture tastemaking. Each year buyers, makers, trendsetters for furniture descend and hustle to be the next hot couch, chair etc. These are the people who choose…

Activists in France are angry over sentencing in mass rape case

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The lead accused, a man who drugged his wife and invited other men to their home to rape her, was given 20 years in prison. But the 50 other participants were given more lenient sentences.

Who's been funding the HTS rebels now in control of Syria?

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Where did this rebel group get cash and weapons to fuel its lightning takeover of Syria?

Officials declared 'murder hornets' to be eradicated in the U.S.

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The invasive insects known as "murder hornets" have been declared eradicated by Washington state wildlife officials, five years after they were first spotted in the United States.

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Like old times: Trump sends Congress scrambling to avoid a shutdown

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President-elect Donald Trump and his newest top-lieutenant, Elon Musk, have sent Washington scrambling to avoid a government shutdown, even before Trump takes office.

Wednesday, Dec 18

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Checking in with a refugee nine years after he fled Syria for the U.S.

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NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with Mohammed al-Refaai, who we first met nine years ago when he moved to Ohio from Syria.

The push to extend a waiver that allows hospitals to care for patients at home

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"Hospital at home" allowed Medicare and Medicaid to pay for intense treatment of patients in their homes. It's set to expire on Dec. 31 unless Congress acts. A five-year extension is on the table.

Trump has promised to boost oil and gas exports. It could raise energy prices at home

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A report warns that a major increase in U.S. natural gas exports may raise energy costs and worsen environmental impacts. That's at odds with the expected policy of the incoming Trump administration.

Palestinians in Occupied West Bank worry attacks will go up when Trump takes office

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Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank are worried about an escalation of attacks from right wing settlers who are feeling emboldened with a new ally coming to the White House.

Neighbors protecting neighbors: Worried marginalized communities prep for Trump term

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For some marginalized communities the second Trump term is fraught with fears over personal safety. In Minneapolis, one organization is helping neighbors with de-escalation services and gun training.

Prisoners allege a culture of violence by guards at federal facility in Virginia

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At a federal prison in rural Virginia, more than 50 prisoners say they've been abused. But when they try to file a complaint--they're stopped, often by the same guards they say are abusing them.

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Supreme Court agrees to review TikTok ban-or-sale law

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The high court said Wednesday it will review a challenge submitted by TikTok asking for the overturn of a law that could ban the video-sharing app by Jan 19.

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You don't look a day over 4.35 billion! Here's the moon's anti-aging secret

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Early interactions with the Earth may have heated up the Moon and caused it to remelt, producing new lunar rocks and erasing old craters.