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People gather around the lighthouse after the dedication ceremony of a Third Order Fresnel Lens after being relit at the Port Isabel Lighthouse Historic Site in Port Isabel, Texas on Friday. Veronica G. Cardenas for TPR hide caption

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Veronica G. Cardenas for TPR

National

Texas' last public lighthouse shines for the first time in 117 years

Texas Public Radio

At the southern tip of Texas, hundreds of people gathered around the last public lighthouse in the state on Friday. No living person in Port Isabel had seen the city's lighthouse's beacon shine before.

In this photo taken by a drone, cleanup continues in the area where the ruptured Keystone pipeline dumped oil into a creek in Washington County, Kan., on Friday. DroneBase via AP hide caption

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DroneBase via AP

Kansas oil spill is Keystone pipeline's biggest ever, according to federal data

A ruptured pipeline northwest of Kansas City dumped about 588,000 gallons of oil into a creek running through rural pastureland, throwing operator TC Energy's federal permit into question.

In this file photo, sportswriter Grant Wahl speaks during a panel discussion in New York in 2014. He died Friday in Qatar while covering the Argentina-Netherlands World Cup quarterfinal. Michael Loccisano/Getty Images hide caption

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Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Longtime soccer sportswriter Grant Wahl has died covering the World Cup in Qatar

Grant Wahl was influential in the soccer world. He was able to break down the most intricate of plays and relate to hardcore and casual fans alike.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee hearing to examine social media's impact on homeland security, Sept. 14, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

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Alex Brandon/AP

Sinema's break with the Democratic Party may not help her as much as she'd like

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she will no longer be a member of the Democratic Party, raising questions about how independent politicians can really be.

Three people hold U.S. flags as they wait to be sworn in as American citizens at a naturalization ceremony on the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Nearly a million adults became U.S. citizens this past year, a record high since 2008

Despite the setbacks caused by the pandemic, the federal government naturalized a record number of adult immigrants this year and reduced its application backlog by nearly half.

The "congregation" gathers on a Sunday morning in early November at the Battlefield Farm & Gardens in Knoxville, Tenn. Pastor Chris Battle, center, left the Baptist church and started the community garden and a free food delivery as a way to build community and "do church differently." Mike Belleme for NPR hide caption

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Mike Belleme for NPR

As attendance dips, churches change to stay relevant for a new wave of worshippers

A longtime pastor says the question used to be: How can the church change the culture? Now, it's how to change the culture of the church. Ways range from gardening to food giveaways to fire pits.

As attendance dips, churches change to stay relevant for a new wave of worshippers

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A painting by British street artist Banksy amidst destroyed buildings in Borodianka on Saturday. The image shows a young boy tossing a man to the floor. Both are in martial arts attire. The man is widely assumed to be Russian leader Vladimir Putin, a judo enthusiast. Natalie Keyssar for NPR hide caption

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Natalie Keyssar for NPR

Life in a Ukrainian town: rampaging Russians, power cuts, a visit by Banksy

Borodianka was largely reduced to rubble by the Russian invasion. It's become a symbol of the devastation inflicted by the Russian forces, and attracted a recent visit by the artist Banksy.

Life in a Ukrainian town: rampaging Russians, power cuts, a visit by Banksy

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In this image taken from El Paso County District Court video, Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22 (center) sits during a court appearance in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Tuesday. According to newly unsealed court documents, Aldrich was also charged with felony crimes in June 2021, but the case was dismissed. El Paso District Court/AP hide caption

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El Paso District Court/AP

The Club Q suspect's bomb threat case was dismissed because victims wouldn't testify

A court has unsealed documents in a 2021 bomb threat case involving felony charges for the Club Q shooting suspect. The district attorney said a conviction would've required family testimony.

Small wheels of Gouda line the shelves at 't Kaaswinkeltje cheese shop in Gouda, the Netherlands. Amanda Aronczyk/NPR hide caption

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Amanda Aronczyk/NPR

The case of the missing cheese racks

Jelle Peterse's company ships cheese all over the world, but they don't always get their cheese racks back. In this episode of Planet Money, we try to fix a supply chain problem.

The case of the missing cheese racks

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A woman watches an episode of the newly released Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, about Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in London on Thursday. Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Daniel Leal/AFP via Getty Images

It's thumbs-down in the U.K. for Harry and Meghan's Netflix Series

Even critics in the liberal media panned Harry & Meghan, the new documentary that attacks Britain's notorious tabloids for invading the couple's privacy and coverage that traded in racist tropes.

Supporters of ousted Peruvian President Pedro Castillo march at the Plaza San Martin in Lima, Peru on Thursday. Peru's Congress voted to remove Castillo from office Wednesday and replace him with the vice president, Dina Boluarte, shortly after Castillo tried to dissolve the legislature ahead of a scheduled vote to remove him. Fernando Vergara/AP hide caption

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Fernando Vergara/AP

From president to prisoner: The rapid descent of Peru's Pedro Castillo

Castillo gambled away all of his power in one breathtaking day, attempting to avoid possible corruption charges by shuttering Congress, reorganizing the judiciary and ruling by decree. No one else seemed to like that plan.

Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, at right, in London a decade ago on his way to give evidence at a British judicial inquiry. He is accompanied by his son (and now Fox Corp boss) Lachlan Murdoch, at left, and his then-wife Wendi Deng. LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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LEON NEAL/AFP via Getty Images

Rupert Murdoch's turn to face questions in $1.6 billion lawsuit against Fox News

Rupert Murdoch will be deposed on Monday in a defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems, which also alleges that Fox News destroyed messages from star Sean Hannity and others.

Performers with the Kyiv National Ballet rehearse for a production of The Snow Queen at the National Opera in Kyiv on Sunday. Pete Kiehart for NPR hide caption

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Pete Kiehart for NPR

Ukraine is calling for a boycott of 'The Nutcracker,' but ballet companies aren't budging

Ukraine's culture minister said his country's allies could stop Russia from weaponizing its culture by temporarily boycotting Russian artists, including The Nutcracker composer Tchaikovsky.

NPR

'Framing Agnes' questions the ways trans stories are told

When the world never stops questioning you, do you refuse to answer... or do you play along to get what you want? These questions are at the heart of Framing Agnes, an award-winning documentary about the legacy of a young trans woman in the 1950s who was forced to choose between access and honesty.

'Framing Agnes' questions the ways trans stories are told

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NPR - Breaking News, Analysis, Music, Arts & Podcasts : NPR
NPR - Breaking News, Analysis, Music, Arts & Podcasts Top stories in the U.S. and world news, politics, health, science, business, music, arts and culture. Nonprofit journalism with a mission. This is NPR.

English actor Tom Wilkinson poses for photographers on the red carpet ahead of the Royal and World Premiere of the film The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in London on Feb. 17, 2015. Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Actor Tom Wilkinson, known for 'The Full Monty' and 'Michael Clayton,' dies at 75

Wilkinson died suddenly at home on Saturday, his family confirmed. His wife and family were with him, they said in a statement.

Dan Novack, an attorney for the publisher Penguin Random House, speaks with reporters after an injunction hearing against an Iowa law that bans schools from having books in their libraries that include descriptions of sexual acts. Grant Gerlock/Iowa Public Radio hide caption

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Grant Gerlock/Iowa Public Radio

National

Federal judge blocks enforcement of Iowa book ban law

Iowa Public Radio

A federal judge has blocked the state from enforcing major portions of an education law which has caused school districts to pull hundreds of books from library shelves.

Michael Cohen arrives at New York Supreme Court for former President Donald Trump's civil business fraud trial on Oct. 25, 2023 in New York. Cohen says he unwittingly passed along to his attorney bogus artificial intelligence-generated legal case citations he got online before they were submitted to a New York judge. Yuki Iwamura/AP hide caption

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Yuki Iwamura/AP

Michael Cohen says he unwittingly sent AI-generated fake legal cases to his attorney

Donald Trump's onetime personal lawyer and fixer says he passed along to his attorney bogus artificial intelligence-generated legal case citations he got online before they were submitted to a judge.

Taylor Swift (left) and Brittany Mahomes react during the first half of a game between the New England Patriots and the Kansas City Chiefs in Foxborough, Mass., on Dec. 17. Michael Dwyer/AP hide caption

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Michael Dwyer/AP

National

Call it 'Swiftonomics': How Taylor Swift brought a gold rush to Kansas City

KCUR 89.3

Swift's Eras Tour this summer gave a big boost to the local economy. Then the mega-popular performer kept coming back to Kansas City because of her relationship with the Chiefs' Travis Kelce. Local business owners and tourism officials say they're reaping the benefits.

Clockwise from left: Sinéad O'Connor, Tina Turner, Matthew Perry, Wayne Shorter, Paul Reubens and Harry Belafonte Getty Images; Brian Rasic/Getty Images; Getty Images; Christophe Simon/AFP via Getty Images; Danny Moloshok/AP; AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Getty Images; Brian Rasic/Getty Images; Getty Images; Christophe Simon/AFP via Getty Images; Danny Moloshok/AP; AFP via Getty Images

Remembering the actors, musicians, writers and artists we lost in 2023

Giants of the arts world left us this year: We look back on the legacies of Harry Belafonte, Tina Turner, Sinéad O'Connor, Paul Reubens (aka Pee-wee Herman), Richard Roundtree, Norman Lear and more.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., talks with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., during a voting on a motion to adjourn after the 14th vote for speaker in the House chamber as the House meets for the fourth day to elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress on Jan. 6. Andrew Harnik/AP hide caption

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Andrew Harnik/AP

2023: What a year in politics

From former President Donald Trump's historic mug shot to the House speaker drama, here are moments that captured the unprecedented political drama and other powerful moments that unfolded in 2023.

Internally displaced Palestinian children use a makeshift wheeled cart to haul water in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday, as battles continue between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mohammed Abed/AFP via Getty Images

There's a water crisis in Gaza that the end of fighting might not solve

Before the war, Palestinians in the territory relied heavily on power-hungry desalination plants. But with Israel's intense bombardment, the fate of those plants — and Gaza's water future — is hazy.

Google agreed Dec. 28, to settle a $5 billion privacy lawsuit claiming that it continued spying on people who used the "incognito" mode in its Chrome browser — along with similar "private browsing" modes in other browsers — to track their internet use. Matt Slocum/AP hide caption

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Matt Slocum/AP

Google settles $5 billion privacy lawsuit over tracking people using 'incognito mode'

The class-action lawsuit said Google misled users into believing that it wouldn't track their internet activities while using 'incognito mode.' Terms of the settlement weren't disclosed.

Elizabeth Weller speaks at a press conference in Austin, Texas on July 19. She's one of 20 women suing the state after being denied abortions despite serious pregnancy complications. Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP via Getty Images

'Jane Roe' is anonymous no more. The very public fight against abortion bans in 2023

As the first full year since Roe v. Wade was overturned closes, the abortion landscape in the U.S. has changed legally, politically and medically.

Immigrants wait to be processed after they crossed the border into the U.S. in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Dec. 22. Eleven states and D.C. offer taxpayer-funded health insurance to some immigrants without legal status. Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Chandan Khanna/AFP via Getty Images

More states extend health coverage to immigrants even as the issue inflames the GOP

KFF Health News

More than 1 million immigrants, most lacking permanent legal status, are covered by state health programs. Several states, including GOP-led Utah, will soon add or expand such coverage.

The Pop-Tarts mascot is lowered into a toaster following the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl between the Kansas State Wildcats and the NC State Wolfpack at Camping World Stadium on Thursday in Orlando, Fla. Julio Aguilar/Getty Images hide caption

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Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

First edible mascot in sports history stars in the Pop-Tarts Bowl

Kansas State beat NC State, 28-19, after which the winning team devoured the giant pastry that emerged from an even more giant toaster in what was a clever marketing move.

Bishop William J. Barber II speaks during the Clinton Global Initiative September 2023 meeting at New York Hilton Midtown on Sept. 19, 2023. Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global hide caption

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Noam Galai/Getty Images for Clinton Global

AMC Theatres apologizes for kicking out a civil rights leader for using his own chair

Bishop William J. Barber II, who suffers from a chronic and painful form of arthritis, was escorted out of an AMC movie theater after he tried to use his own chair in the accessible section.

A woman casts her vote at a polling station during regional elections in Hyderabad, India, on Nov. 30. In 2024, India will be among a large number of countries holding important national elections. Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Noah Seelam/AFP via Getty Images

2024 elections are ripe targets for foes of democracy

Billions of people around the world are expected to head to the polls in 2024. But experts warn that these elections are ripe targets for bad actors seeking to disrupt democracy.

2024 elections are ripe targets for foes of democracy

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Photo Illustration by Becky Harlan/NPR

7 tiny hacks that can improve your to-do list

Is your to-do list helping you reach your goals? Or is it holding you back? Productivity experts explain how to level up your list so it prioritizes what matters.

7 tiny hacks that can improve your to-do list

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Clockwise from left: Brad Mehldau, Maryam Keshavarz, Samantha Irby, Lauren Fleshman, Ke Huy Quan and Christian Cooper. Giorgio Perottino/Getty Images for OGR; Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie; Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random House; Ryan Warner/Oiselle; A24; Matt Licari/Invision/AP hide caption

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Giorgio Perottino/Getty Images for OGR; Fred Hayes/Getty Images for SAGindie; Lori Morgan Gottschling/Random House; Ryan Warner/Oiselle; A24; Matt Licari/Invision/AP

'Fresh Air' staffers pick the 2023 interviews you shouldn't miss

Fresh Air

Interviews with actor Ke Huy Quan, pianist Jason Moran, humorist Samantha Irby, and media critic Brian Stelter are among the conversations that stuck with the staff of Fresh Air this year.

John Rogers/Getty Images

In Memoriam 2023: The musicians we lost

When artists die, it can feel impossible to imagine a world without their musical guidance. Yet it's also a moment to celebrate — not just their impact on culture but also inside ourselves.

In Memoriam 2023: The Musicians We Lost

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Harry Belafonte, alongside Ed Sullivan, signs autographs for fans outside CBS Studio 50 in New York City, circa 1955. Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images hide caption

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Archive Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Island man: How Harry Belafonte's Caribbean roots helped him change America

Since his death at 96, tributes to the singer and activist have centered his legacies in the U.S. But it's impossible to grasp Belafonte's larger meaning without first understanding his island roots.

A clergyman with the Orthodox Church of Ukraine, Chaplain Ivan, conducts a liturgy for Ukrainian troops near the front line in the eastern town of Vuhledar on Dec. 15. Valentyn Kuzan/AP hide caption

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Valentyn Kuzan/AP

2 bitter wars with a long history and no solution in sight

NPR's Greg Myre has been covering both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the Israel-Hamas fighting. He looks at where both these wars stand and the prospect for a permanent solution.

2 bitter wars with a long history and no solution in sight

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Left to right: Barbies in India; Maya softball players in Mexico; walking on a frozen fountain in the mountains of Pakistan, where efforts are underway to revive the ancient art of glacier mating. Anushree Bhatter for NPR, Bénédicte Desrus; Diaa Hadid/NPR hide caption

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Anushree Bhatter for NPR, Bénédicte Desrus; Diaa Hadid/NPR

From glacier babies to a Barbie debate: 7 great global stories you might have missed

Here are our editors' picks for stories from 2023 that we wish more people would see: from an elephant safari for teens to mating glaciers in Pakistan to a debate about Barbie's skin tone in India.

Rite Aid, Bird and Bed Bath & Beyond are among the notable companies that filed for bankruptcy in 2023. Gene J. Puskar/AP; John Minchillo/AP; Rogelio V. Solis/AP hide caption

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Gene J. Puskar/AP; John Minchillo/AP; Rogelio V. Solis/AP

Why corporate bankruptcies were up in 2023 despite the improving economy

Hundreds of debt-saddled companies filed for bankruptcy this year, as the era of easy money caught up to corporations. High interest rates mean banks aren't extending lifelines.

Clockwise from left: Cocaine Bear, Luke Macfarlane in Platonic, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino in The Color Purple, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies, the cover of the book Starter Villain, Jessica Williams in Shrinking. Universal Pictures; Apple TV+; Eli Adé/Warner Bros. Pictures; Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images; Tor Books; Apple TV+ hide caption

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Universal Pictures; Apple TV+; Eli Adé/Warner Bros. Pictures; Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images; Tor Books; Apple TV+

The year in review: 50 wonderful things from 2023

Pop culture critic Linda Holmes has been making this annual list since 2010. Big, small, inspirational, silly — what these items have in common is that they are all wonderful and brought her joy.

The year in review: 50 wonderful things from 2023

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Clockwise from top left: Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Passages, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Four Daughters, Only Murders in the Building, Hijack Paramount Pictures; MUBI; Sony Pictures; Jour2Fête; Hulu; Apple TV+ hide caption

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Paramount Pictures; MUBI; Sony Pictures; Jour2Fête; Hulu; Apple TV+

Review

Culture

The best movies and TV of 2023, picked for you by NPR critics

Whether you plan to head out to the theater or binge from the couch, our critics have gathered together their favorite films and TV shows of the year. Happy watching!

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