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Richard Perry, record producer behind ‘You’re So Vain’ and other hits, dies at 82
A recipient of a Grammys Trustee Award in 2015, Richard Perry died at a Los Angeles hospital on Tuesday. Perry was a hitmaking record producer with a flair for both standards and contemporary sounds.
The Assad regime’s fall has freed displaced Syrians stuck in a remote desert camp
More than 7,000 people had taken shelter in the Rukban camp, near the border with Jordan, many of whom fled the regime and ISIS attacks almost a decade ago.
Mariah Carey and K-pop group Stray Kids rule this week’s charts
Holiday music rules the pop charts once again this week, as Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You" scores its 17th nonconsecutive week at No. 1 — the third longest run of all time.
Starbucks baristas’ ‘strike before Christmas’ has reached hundreds of U.S. stores
Starbucks' union says workers are walking off the job at some 300 — out of over 10,000 — stores across the U.S. as contract negotiations falter. The company urges it to return to the bargaining table.
American Airlines lifts ground stop that froze Christmas Eve travelers
American Airlines passengers across the U.S. endured a sudden disruption of service on Christmas Eve as a "technical issue" forced the airline to request a nationwide ground stop of its operations.
We needed comic relief in 2024. Here are 5 stand-up specials where we found it
Hasan Minhaj, Ronny Chieng, Mike Birbiglia, Hannah Einbinder and Michelle Buteau all delivered specials that cracked us up this year.
An Indian movie, loved abroad, is snubbed at home for Oscar submission
All We Imagine as Light explores the lives of working-class women in Mumbai and won the Grand Prix at Cannes. But it was deemed not Indian enough to submit to the Oscars.
Inside a secret Ukrainian drone command post, where Russian soldiers are seen as prey
NPR visits a secret drone command center near the front lines in eastern Ukraine, where crews are using remote-controlled aircraft to hunt Russian soldiers on the battlefield.
This mashed potatoes recipe breaks all the rules for a tasty twist on the holiday dish
A mashed potatoes recipe that breaks all the rules and perks up your holiday meal
2024 will be the hottest year on record, even hotter than expected
It's looking like 2024 will be the hottest year since record-keeping began, unseating 2023 for the top spot. Climate change is playing a role, and scientists say it was even hotter than expected.
Here are two seismic changes pushing Honda and Nissan into merger talks
The two major Japanese automakers are discussing a merger. Here is what to know, from the reasons why they are doing this to how it could impact you.
How to protect yourself from AI scams this holiday season
Generative AI is making it easier for fraudsters to dupe people, now more than ever. Protect yourself from scams this holiday season with these five tips.
In a year of tough news, these are some of the stories that made us smile in 2024
Whether we were paying attention or not, 2024 was filled with good news. In case you weren't, NPR's member stations have been keeping track. Here are some of the stories that made us smile this year.
‘Close Your Eyes’ is the best film of 2024 — but these 10 others are also contenders
Fresh Air's film critic takes stock of the past 12 months' worth of movies, pairing 10 of his favorites, and picking one that stands alone.
Drug lord is deported to Colombia and walks free after 20 years in U.S. prisons
Fabio Ochoa, one of Colombia's legendary drug lords and a key operator of the Medellin cartel, has been deported back to the South American country, where he has walked free.
Bill Clinton is hospitalized with a fever but in good spirits, spokesperson says
The 78-year-old former president was hospitalized "for testing and observation" after developing a fever, his deputy chief of staff said in a statement.
10 World Cafe sessions we loved in 2024
From Waxahatchee to Mannequin Pussy and Lizzie No, these interviews and performances from 2024 blew us away.
Walmart illegally opened delivery drivers’ deposit accounts, U.S. says
Lawsuit alleges Walmart and the payments platform Branch Messenger cost delivery drivers millions of dollars in fees, opening deposit accounts without consent and requiring their use to get paid.
Forget what you think you know about fruitcake
For generations of Americans, making fun of fruitcake has been a holiday tradition. But a Canadian pastry chef and master food preserver would like us to reconsider our assumptions.
The Container Store files for bankruptcy, vows to keep stores operating as normal
The Container Store said its 102 locations and website will continue to operate as normal during the bankruptcy process.
House panel releases report on sexual misconduct allegations against Matt Gaetz
The move is a reversal for the committee, which deadlocked on the issue last month.
How an Israeli community helped its children heal from trauma after the Oct. 7 attack
Kibbutz Be'eri was hit hard in the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023. Survivors were evacuated to a hotel, where they worked together to create programs to help their children recover from trauma.
9 movie scenes I couldn’t stop thinking about in 2024
From a heart-wrenching epiphany in the drama Tuesday to a meme-able moment in Challengers, these were the lines that critic Aisha Harris has remembered all year.
‘We are not California’: New Jersey dealers push back on electric truck rules
Vehicle dealers are pushing back on rules that would increase the number of electric trucks sold in New Jersey. It could be a preview of a brewing fight over state rules about cars.
For young adults, caregiving isn’t just hard. It can shape you for life
Caregiving responsibilities can cut young people off from peers and interrupt their emerging life story. And there's been little research or support directed at this group. That's starting to change.
The fun — and confusion — of celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah on the same date
Christmas and Hanukkah rarely fall on the same date, but this year they do. One mixed-faith family in Oakland, Calif., doubles down for double whammy holiday.
How hopes for Myanmar’s democracy faded and why leadership is needed (again)
Former U.S. Ambassador Derek Mitchell argues the United States should assert its leadership in helping shape Myanmar's peaceful, just and democratic future.
What the Israel-Hezbollah war did to Lebanon’s cultural heritage sites
Part of a Crusader castle crumbled. An 18th century minaret felled. Church mosaics burned. Archaeologists are assessing damage to UNESCO World Heritage Sites from Israeli strikes on Lebanon and Syria.
Biden commutes sentences of 37 federal death row prisoners
Opponents of the death penalty had urged President Biden to take this step, given the number of executions that took place during President-elect Donald Trump's first term.
Why Trump’s tariffs on Mexico would mean higher avocado prices at the grocery store
Most avocados consumed in the U.S. are grown in Mexico. Here's what Trump's proposed tariffs would mean for prices at the grocery store and for the avocado industry.
In Memoriam 2024: The Musicians We Lost
It takes a village to make the music we love. We remember the singers, songwriters, composers, instrumentalists, producers and journalists that we lost in 2024.
There’s a new translation of Dante’s ‘The Divine Comedy.’ Why?
Dante Alighieri is one of the pillars of Western literature. And his texts have been translated into English dozens of times. With two new translations of his work out now, it's worth asking – why do we keep returning to this well?
