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Rep. Liz Cheney, vice chairwoman of the select committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, delivers remarks during a hearing on Oct. 13, 2022. (Also pictured are Rep. Bennie Thompson and Rep. Adam Kinzinger.) Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption

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Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Liz Cheney, focused on stopping Trump, hasn't ruled out 3rd-party presidential run

Fresh Air

The former representative says a second Trump presidency would be an "existential threat" to democracy: "There's simply no defense, no excuse for putting that power back in the hands of Donald Trump."

Mary Griffis' unsung hero reminded her that people need to support each other and to keep going. Mary Griffis hide caption

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Mary Griffis

Under a barrage of road rage, a woman found help from a stranger when her car stalled

Not long after she lost her brother to suicide, Mary Griffis accidentally stalled her car in heavy traffic. As drivers honked and shouted, a stranger slowed down to help.

Under a barrage of road rage, a woman found help from a stranger when her car stalled

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Republican presidential candidate former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley puts her hand up to Vivek Ramaswamy while he speaks to her as Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (C) listens during the NBC News Republican Presidential Primary Debate. Joe Raedle/Getty Images hide caption

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

How to watch Haley, Ramaswamy, DeSantis and Christie face off in Wednesday's debate

A smaller pool of Republican candidates competing to be president will face off Wednesday night — one last time before primary elections begin in the new year.

Yuly Velásquez (center in tan vest) president of a local fishers association and a clean-water advocate, meets with its members on a tributary of the Magdalena River. She has been attacked three times in the past two years for her environmental work. Nathalia Angarita for NPR hide caption

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Nathalia Angarita for NPR

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for environmental defenders

Of the 177 environmental activists killed around the world last year, 60 were murdered in Colombia, says the advocacy group Global Witness. In most cases, no one is tried or convicted.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for environmental defenders

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An artistic rendering of deep brain stimulation. Scientists are studying this approach to see if it can treat cognitive impairment that can arise after a traumatic brain injury and other conditions. Andrew Janson / Butson Lab, University of Utah / NIH Image Gallery hide caption

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Andrew Janson / Butson Lab, University of Utah / NIH Image Gallery

A little electric stimulation in just the right spot may bolster a damaged brain

A small study found that electrically stimulating an area deep in the brain allowed people with severe traumatic brain injuries to complete a cognitive test more quickly.

A little electric stimulation in just the right spot may bolster a damaged brain

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Brenda Lee attends the CMA Awards at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8. Her holiday hit "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" has reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, 65 years after its debut. Jason Kempin/Getty Images hide caption

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Jason Kempin/Getty Images

'Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree' goes to No. 1 — after 65 years

Move over, Mariah Carey: Brenda Lee's reliable holiday hit, first released during the Eisenhower administration, is the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 — for the first time ever.

This November 1978 photo shows, from left, Kenny Baker as R2-D2, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill during the filming of CBS-TV's "Star Wars Holiday Special" in Los Angeles. George Brich/AP file photo hide caption

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George Brich/AP file photo

A new documentary examines the 'Star Wars Holiday Special' and asks: Why?

A new documentary called A Disturbance in the Force looks back on how the special happened and why it's been locked away ever since.

Denny Laine performs in January 2019 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, Ill. Laine, a British singer, songwriter and guitarist who performed in an early, pop-oriented version of the Moody Blues and was later Paul McCartney's longtime sideman in the ex-Beatle's solo band Wings, died Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023. Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP file photo hide caption

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Rob Grabowski/Invision/AP file photo

Denny Laine, co-founder of the Moody Blues and Paul McCartney's Wings, dies at 79

Laine joined Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder to form the Moody Blues and sang lead on the group's first hit, "Go Now." His death comes 50 years after the release of McCartney's Band on the Run album.

In this Jan. 6, 2021, file photo with the White House in the background, President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Washington. Jacquelyn Martin/AP hide caption

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Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Prosecutors cite Trump's history of false election claims as evidence of motive in his fraud case

Prosecutors want to use evidence of former President Trump's baseless statements about election fraud and his embrace of rioters on Jan. 6, 2021, to bolster the election interference case against him.

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., paid recently expelled Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y., to record a video message aimed at Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. Like Santos, Menendez is under a federal indictment. Alex Wong/Getty Images hide caption

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Alex Wong/Getty Images

Senator hires an indicted and ousted representative to troll an indicted senator

"I thought my ethically-challenged colleague" should hear from former Rep. George Santos, said Sen. John Fetterman. He hired Santos to record a message for Sen. Bob Menendez.

A Brightline train is shown at a station in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on Jan. 11, 2018. A high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area is getting a Biden administration pledge of $3 billion to help start laying track. Wilfredo Lee/AP hide caption

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Wilfredo Lee/AP

High speed rail linking L.A. to Las Vegas expected to receive $3B in federal funds

Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto says the project will create thousands of union jobs, and will reduce traffic between the two cities.

A salvo of rockets is fired by Palestinian militants from Gaza toward Israel on Oct. 10. Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel started Oct. 7. A senior Hamas official told NPR that its planning was kept a close secret. Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Mahmud Hams/AFP via Getty Images

These were NPR.org's biggest international stories in 2023

Hamas' attack in Israel and the war that followed and the stalemate in Ukraine were our biggest international stories in 2023, but we also found some wonder around the world.

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