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Today’s top stories

With two days until Congress’s scheduled holiday recess, lawmakers will likely leave Washington without extending Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies. The enhanced subsidies for ACA marketplace plans will expire at the end of the year. millions of Americans can expect a spike in thier premiums, and some may see the price of their plans double or triple in the new year.

The House To Vote On Conservative Health Reform Proposals

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) discusses rising health insurance premiums as U.S. House Majority Leader steve Scalise (R-LA) (L) and House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) look on during a press conference in the U.S. Capitol Building on Dec.10, 2025, in Washington, DC.

Heather Diehl/Getty Images

The House expects to vote today on a package of long-favored conservative ideas around health reform, NPR’s Sam Gringlas tells Up First. The proposed policies include association health plans and revising pharmacy benefit manager regulations. Rank-and-file congressmembers continue to hold bipartisan talks on subsidies, but lawmakers have acknowledged that a solution is unlikely to come this year.

As President Trump nears the end of his first term…

The rise of ‘de-influencing’ and why it’s shaking up the world of social media marketing

For years, social media has been a powerful engine for influence. brands and creators alike have built empires on recommending products, shaping trends, and convincing audiences to buy, buy, buy. But a new counter-movement is gaining traction: de-influencing.

De-influencing, at its core, is about discouraging needless purchases.It’s a rejection of the constant consumerism fueled by customary influencer marketing. instead of telling you what to buy, de-influencers often tell you not to buy – or to reconsider if you really need something.

How did this happen?

Several factors contributed to the rise of de-influencing. A growing awareness of overconsumption and its environmental impact plays a meaningful role. Manny are questioning the authenticity of traditional influencer marketing, feeling bombarded by ads disguised as genuine recommendations. The economic downturn has also made people more mindful of their spending.

What does de-influencing look like?

On platforms like TikTok, de-influencers share videos highlighting products that are overhyped, overpriced, or simply not worth the money. they might offer alternatives, suggest ways to save money, or encourage viewers to use what they already have. You’ll find content debunking viral trends, pointing out misleading marketing tactics, and promoting a more minimalist lifestyle.

Is this the end of influencer marketing?

Not necessarily, but it’s a clear signal that things need to change. Consumers are craving authenticity and transparency. Brands that continue to rely on superficial endorsements and push excessive consumption risk losing trust.

What’s next for brands?

The shift towards de-influencing presents an possibility for brands to adopt more ethical and lasting marketing practices. Focusing on product quality, durability, and value – rather than simply chasing trends – will be crucial. Collaborating with influencers who genuinely believe in a product and prioritize honest reviews will also be key.

Ultimately, de-influencing is a reminder that consumers are becoming more discerning and empowered. The future of social media marketing lies in building genuine connections and providing real value, not just selling products.

## hanukkah Lights 2025: Remembering Susan Stamberg and Celebrating Enduring Traditions

Sence 1990, NPR broadcasters Murray Horwitz and the late Susan Stamberg celebrated Hanukkah with stories about family, faith, friendship and community. This year, NPR honors the memory of one of its founding mothers by reflecting on Stamberg’s 34 years of performances that still move listeners, spark laughter and provide fresh meaning.

In one story, a 100-year-old opera singer faces one final audience in a performance that reflects the undimmed light of an enduring world. In another, a young Jewish boy saves his money to buy his mother a new menorah.

Listen to “Hanukkah Lights 2025” or decide which of these four stories you want to listen to first here.

The Future of Car Safety: Beyond the Dummy

For decades, the stoic crash test dummy has been the silent guardian of automotive safety.But as cars become increasingly complex – packed with advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and moving towards full autonomy – the traditional dummy is facing a reckoning.It’s simply not equipped to evaluate the safety of these new technologies.

“The dummy hasn’t fundamentally changed in decades,” explains Becky Green,a senior research scientist at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). “It’s really good at telling us what happens in a traditional crash – a head-on collision, a side impact.But it doesn’t tell us anything about how well the safety systems are working before the crash happens.”

These safety systems – automatic emergency braking, lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control – are designed to prevent accidents, or at least mitigate their severity. Evaluating their effectiveness requires a different kind of testing, and a different kind of “dummy.”

The IIHS and other safety organizations are now investing in more sophisticated testing methods.This includes using human-like mannequins equipped with a wider array of sensors to capture more detailed data about forces experienced during a near-miss or partial braking event.These advanced dummies can measure not just head and chest impacts, but also muscle activity, spinal loading, and even eye movements.

But the biggest leap forward may be the move towards virtual crash testing. Using highly detailed computer models of the human body, researchers can simulate a vast number of crash scenarios – far more than would be possible with physical dummies.

“We can test different body sizes and ages, different seating positions, and different crash conditions,” says Green. “It allows us to explore a much wider range of possibilities and identify potential safety issues that we might miss with traditional testing.”

Though, virtual testing isn’t a complete replacement for physical testing. The real world is messy and unpredictable, and computer models can only approximate reality.

“We need a combination of both,” says green.”Virtual testing can help us narrow down the most significant scenarios to test physically, and physical testing can validate our virtual models.”

The evolution of crash testing is a continuous process, driven by the relentless pursuit of safer vehicles. As cars become smarter, so to must the methods used to ensure their safety. The future of car safety isn’t just about protecting occupants during a crash, but about preventing the crash from happening in the first place – and that requires a new generation of testing tools, and a re-evaluation of the role of the crash test dummy.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive Is Coming, But When and Where Remain Key Questions

As winter loosens its grip on Ukraine, all eyes are turning to the anticipated spring counteroffensive.After months of absorbing Russian attacks, particularly in the east, Ukraine is preparing to wrest back territory occupied since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. But the timing and location of this offensive remain closely guarded secrets, and success is far from guaranteed.

Awaiting the Right Conditions

Ukrainian officials are publicly cautious, emphasizing the need for optimal conditions. These include sufficient delivery of Western weaponry, particularly tanks and armored vehicles, and favorable weather.The muddy rasputitsa season – the period of spring thaw and autumn rains that turns the ground into a quagmire – has historically hampered military operations in the region. Ukrainian forces need relatively dry ground to maneuver effectively with heavy equipment.

“We are now at the stage of completing the training of brigades,” said Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s Deputy Minister of Defense, in late March. “After that, we will be ready to move forward.”

Potential Focus Areas

Several areas are considered potential focal points for the counteroffensive:

* Zaporizhzhia: This southern region is a likely candidate. Taking back Zaporizhzhia would sever the land bridge connecting Russia to Crimea, a key strategic objective for Ukraine. Russian forces have heavily fortified this area, anticipating a Ukrainian push.
* Bakhmut: While the city itself has been largely reduced to rubble after months of brutal fighting, a Ukrainian advance around bakhmut could disrupt Russian supply lines and potentially encircle the remaining Russian forces. However, the cost of such an operation could be high.
* Southern Front (towards Melitopol and Berdyansk): A broader offensive along the southern front, aiming to cut off the land bridge, is also a possibility. This would likely involve multiple axes of attack.

Western Support and Challenges

The success of the counteroffensive hinges heavily on continued and increased western support. While pledges of tanks and other equipment have been made, delivery timelines and quantities remain crucial. ukraine also needs a steady supply of ammunition, spare parts, and logistical support.

Beyond material support, Ukraine faces significant challenges:

* Russian Defenses: Russian forces have had months to prepare defensive lines, including trenches, minefields, and fortifications.
* Manpower: both sides have suffered heavy casualties, and maintaining sufficient manpower is a concern.
* Logistics: Sustaining a large-scale offensive requires a robust logistical network to supply troops with food, ammunition, and fuel.
* Air Superiority: Russia maintains a significant advantage in air power, posing a threat to Ukrainian ground operations.

What to Expect

Analysts predict a gradual,methodical offensive rather than a swift breakthrough.Ukraine is likely to focus on weakening Russian defenses through targeted strikes and probing attacks before launching a major assault. the counteroffensive is expected to be a long and bloody affair, with no guarantee of a speedy victory.

Ultimately, the goal of the counteroffensive is not necessarily to liberate all occupied territory instantly, but to demonstrate Ukraine’s ability to regain the initiative and inflict significant losses on Russian forces, bolstering its negotiating position and strengthening its long-term security.

AI-generated Art sparks Copyright Debate

the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has extended into the creative realm, with tools now capable of generating original artwork. This advancement, however, has ignited a complex debate surrounding copyright law. Who owns the rights to an image created by AI – the user who prompted the creation, the developers of the AI model, or does it fall into the public domain?

Currently, U.S. copyright law requires human authorship.The U.S. Copyright Office has stated that it will not register works created solely by AI, clarifying that the human contribution must be considerable. This ruling stems from a case involving an AI-generated comic book, Zarya of the Dawn, where the Copyright Office initially granted registration but later revoked it, citing the lack of human authorship in the images.

The core issue lies in defining “authorship” in the context of AI.If a user provides a detailed prompt, guiding the AI towards a specific artistic style and composition, does that constitute sufficient creative input to claim copyright? Legal experts are divided.Some argue that the prompt itself is a creative act, akin to commissioning a human artist. Others maintain that the AI is the primary creator, and the user merely a facilitator.

Several lawsuits are underway that aim to clarify these issues. Getty Images,for example,is suing Stability AI,the creators of Stable Diffusion,alleging copyright infringement due to the AI model being trained on millions of copyrighted images. Artists are also filing lawsuits, claiming that AI art generators are unfairly competing with their work and devaluing their skills.

the implications of these legal battles extend beyond artists and AI developers. Businesses that use AI-generated images for marketing or other purposes need to understand the potential copyright risks. Using an image that infringes on existing copyrights could lead to legal repercussions.

As AI technology continues to evolve, the legal framework surrounding AI-generated art will need to adapt.Legislators and courts will need to grapple with basic questions about creativity, authorship, and the role of technology in the artistic process. for now, the copyright status of AI-generated art remains a gray area, creating uncertainty for creators and users alike.

The debate also touches on the data used to train these AI models. Many models are trained on vast datasets of images scraped from the internet, often without the consent of the copyright holders. this raises concerns about fair use and the potential for unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted material. Some companies are now exploring ways to train AI models on licensed datasets,but this approach is more expensive and may limit the diversity of the resulting artwork.

Ultimately, the resolution of these copyright disputes will shape the future of AI-generated art and its place in the creative landscape. Finding a balance between protecting the rights of artists and fostering innovation will be crucial.