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O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, which is more sustainable: real or plasticky?

It's time to discuss one of the perennial debates of the holiday season. Are real Christmas trees or their fake counterparts more eco-friendly?

Ireland votes in a close-run election where incumbents hope to cling on to power

The parliamentary election will decide the next government, and will show whether Ireland bucks the global trend of incumbents being ousted by disgruntled voters.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was the deadliest in nearly two decades

The six-month season saw an above-average number of storms. Scientists say climate change is leading to more powerful and deadly hurricanes that can affect inland communities far from the coasts.

Venezuela’s opposition leader says Maduro is ‘weaker than ever’

From hiding, María Corina Machado says she'll continue to fight for Venezuelan democracy.

Disappointed by this year’s climate talks, Indigenous advocates look to Brazil in 2025

Indigenous advocates called the final agreement in Azerbaijan "drastically insufficient." Now they're focusing on next year's global climate summit in Brazil where Indigenous participation is expected to be historic.

Democratic lawmakers report Thanksgiving bomb threats against their homes

At least five Democratic members of Congress from Connecticut were targeted by bomb threats on Thursday. Police who responded said they found no evidence of explosives on the lawmakers' properties.

China sentences veteran journalist on espionage charges

Longtime state media journalist Dong Yuyu met often with journalists and diplomats. His family believes he is now being persecuted for those exchanges.

Vito the pug is the first of his breed to win National Dog Show’s top prize

Vito, a pug from Chapel Hill, N.C., beat out more than 1,900 dogs representing more than 200 breeds and varieties that competed in this year's event.

Putin threatens Ukraine in remarks after former-Soviet states security summit

Putin said his military may use another of its new hypersonic missiles to target government or official buildings in Kyiv, in response to Ukraine's continued use of American and British weapons.

Israel and Hezbollah have a ceasefire agreement. Here’s what it says

The ceasefire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel brokered by the United States and France was characterized by President Biden as an attempt to deliver a "permanent cessation of hostilities."

A social media ban in Australia for children under 16 will be first in the world

A social media ban for children under 16 will become first law in the world to levy fines on TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram for allowing youth accounts.

Lebanon says 2 hurt as Israeli troops fire after truce with Hezbollah

The Israeli military said it had fired at people trying to return to certain areas of southern Lebanon on the second day of a ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group.

Come for the roller coaster, stay for the shops: Can malls be fun again?

Mall of America's recipe for success includes an amusement park, pop-up stores, weddings and raves. Can local malls take a page from the country's largest shopping center?

Concerned about arguments at Thanksgiving? NPR readers give tips to help

Many topics have divided the nation recently. NPR asked readers for insights into how they handle divisive conversations over the holidays. Here are the tips they provided.

‘Tired. Damn tired.’ Some Black women are processing the grief of a Kamala Harris loss

Most Black women voters supported Kamala Harris in her presidential run against Donald Trump. Now some say they are pulling back, to rest and mourn.

Zuckerberg dines with Trump in Mar-a-Lago

A spokesperson for Meta confirmed that Zuckerberg and Trump met on Wednesday, saying he was invited for dinner with the president-elect to talk about the incoming administration.

Trump transition says Cabinet picks, appointees were targeted by bomb threats, swatting attacks

Among those targeted were New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Trump's pick to serve as ambassador to the United Nations, and Matt Gaetz, Trump's initial pick to serve as attorney general.

Court backs Texas over razor wire installed on U.S.-Mexico border

A federal appeals court Wednesday ruled that Border Patrol agents cannot cut razor wire that Texas installed on the U.S.-Mexico border in the town of Eagle Pass, Texas.

Here’s why bird flu fears are intensifying

Efforts to contain the virus are falling short. A teenager in Canada is in critical condition after an unexplained infection. And the arrival of flu season has scientists on edge. 

A TikTok sale under Trump? Experts say it could actually happen this time

Will TikTok be sold? The question has been asked before, during Trump's first term. But now, the situation has changed considerably.

Medicaid coverage is expanding into prisons in 2025, starting with children

New federal policies extend Medicaid to incarcerated youth and open the door for adult inmates to get coverage before they’re released.

Federal judge dismisses defamation lawsuit against Fox News

A judge threw out a suit against Fox News by a former Trump supporter who said he got death threats when the network aired false conspiracy theories about his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection.

The world welcomes the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, but worries remain

Celebratory gunfire rang out in Beirut to mark the start of a ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah to end almost 14 months of fighting.

How to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, a tradition 100 years in the making

Macy's is promising its largest Thanksgiving Day parade yet, exactly 100 years after the tradition first started. Here's a look at what to expect and how to watch.

China has freed 3 Americans following an apparent prisoner swap deal with the U.S.

In a statement, the State Department said all the "wrongfully detained" Americans in China are now home.

Alabama man charged in September mass shooting faces more murder charges in July quadruple homicide

Damien McDaniel has been arrested and charged with capital murder in connection with the July 13 mass shooting outside of a nightclub in Birmingham that left four people dead and 10 others wounded.

The National Dog Show explained: How a dog contest became a Thanksgiving tradition

Football isn't the only thing Americans like to watch on Thanksgiving. The National Dog Show continues its decades-long run, this time with a brand new breed. Here's what to know and how to watch.

Over 500 fossilized poops show how dinosaurs came to rule the Earth

Researchers reconstructed the Triassic food web using nothing but scat.

Traffic citations against Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill are dropped

Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins was cited for careless driving and failure to wear a seat belt in September. The citations were dismissed after the officers involved did not appear in court.

More deals, more spending: What Black Friday has in store

This holiday shopping season is poised to break spending records. A new survey finds people plan to spend $771 on average.

PHOTOS: A drone’s eye view of ‘foodscapes,’ from cattle to soybeans to shrimp

Traveling to 36 countries and 5 oceans, George Steinmetz (and his drones) take us on a food tour in his new book Feed the Planet:  A Photographic Journey to the World's Food.

After turkey, take a trot. A little post-meal walk can be a big boost for health

Among the latest health hacks to go viral on TikTok is the idea of short post-dinner "fart walk" to aid digestion. Turns out, the science on this trend is solid, and so are the health benefits.