A sampling of the stories NPR staff believe made some of the deepest ripples this year — reminders of what rigorous, compassionate journalism can do, and why the work remains as urgent as ever.

President Trump recently embraced kei cars, tiny vehicles that are popular in Asia but hard to get in the U.S. Kei car enthusiasts are delighted — but doubt whether much will change.

A palliative care doctor in Austin says listening to vinyl music can lift heavy moments for families and patients receiving end-of-life care.

The Justice Department released more files related to Jeffrey Epstein over the weekend. But lawmakers criticized the agency for missing the deadline to release all the files.

More than a year after Hurricane Helene, businesses along parts of the Blue Ridge Parkway are suffering as a big stretch of that tourist attraction remains closed.

Jeffrey Epstein accuser Annie Farmer tells NPR's Leila Fadel how survivors of his abuse are reacting to the Justice Department's file dump, which included her sister's 1996 FBI complaint.

More immigrants are not showing up for their mandatory immigration court hearings compared to prior years, an NPR analysis shows, allowing the government to order their immediate deportation.

CBS News Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss pulled a 60 Minutes segment on allegations of abuses at an El Salvador detention center where the Trump administration sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants.

Vice President JD Vance acknowledged the controversies that dominated the Turning Point conference, but he did not define any boundaries for the conservative movement besides patriotism.

The Justice Department is defending its initial release of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, saying lawyers are still going through them to ensure victims are protected.

Researchers retrieved reef monitoring devices that had been placed in deep coral reefs in Guam. The devices were placed up to 330 feet below the surface.

Steves purchased the property to prevent it from closing. Many homeless people had come to depend on the Lynnwood Hygiene Center, which had operated rent-free on the property since 2020.