We are entering peak flu season, and a new variant known as subclade k is spreading quickly across the country, driving a sharp rise in illness and hospitalizations. Public health officials say this current wave may last for weeks to come. William Brangham discussed the variant and what to look out for this flu season with Dr. Andrew Pekosz of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
Investigators have questioned two French managers from the bar and are looking into the insulation foam used on the ceiling.
Iran has warned President Trump against interference, after he said the US would come to the rescue if protesters were killed. We hear from a protester. And President Zelensky of Ukraine has appointed the country's military intelligence chief as the new head of his presidential office. But what do we know about Kyrylo Budanov?
(Picture: Tributes left in the town of Crans Montana in Switzerland. Credit: Bott / EPA)
Federal authorities in North Carolina say they thwarted an ISIS inspired plot to attack soft targets on New Year's Eve. Investigators in Switzerland believe the fire at an alpine bar that killed at least 40 people was started by a sparkler on top of a champagne bottle. President Trump trades barbs with Iranian officials over protests there.
Ashley and Nick Evancho say raising their young daughter, Sophia, is one of the most joyous things they've ever done. But the Evanchos also made a decision that's increasingly common for families in the U.S. and around the world: one is enough. The trend is leading to populations that are dramatically older, and beginning to shrink, in many of the world's biggest economies.
Experts say a rapidly aging and gradually shrinking population in the world's wealthiest countries could force sweeping changes in people's lives, causing many to work longer before retirement, making it harder for business owners to find employees and destabilizing eldercare and health insurance programs.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
This episode was produced by Paige Waterhouse and Connor Donevan, with audio engineering by Jimmy Keeley. It was edited by Andrea de Leon and Courtney Dorning. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.
As we look back at our international reporters' most memorable stories of the last year, we revisit the story of an NPR journalist in Gaza seeking food from a distribution site run by private American contractors in June of 2025. In a harrowing experience he found himself facing Israeli military fire, crowds fighting for rations, and masked thieves.
The US President warns his forces will come to the rescue of peaceful Iranian anti-government demonstrators if they are targeted by Tehran. A senior adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei has responded by saying Donald Trump should know that US interference would lead to chaos across the region. Also: two French managers of the bar in the Swiss ski resort that suffered a deadly fire on New Year's Eve have been interviewed; new mayor Zohran Mamdani is formally sworn in in New York; the difficulty of not having a birth certificate in South Africa; Donald Trump gives an update about his health after concerns were raised; and what to look out for in space travel in 2026.
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How many hours a day do you spend on your smartphone?
Smartphones have become essential to daily life - but concerns about overuse are growing. Research has linked smartphone addiction to depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
Focus on Africa host, Nkechi Ogbonna, spoke to 27-year-old Dion Rapakgadi from Johannesburg about his past struggles with phone addiction, and to Kenyan musician Nviiri the Storyteller, who recently swapped his smartphone for a basic “dumb phone.”
We also hear from Dr Ethel Obeng-Treve, a Clinical Psychologist from Ghana, who shares insights on how to have a healthier relationship with your smartphone.
Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Carolyne Kiambo and Fana Weldye
Senior Producer: Priya Sippy
Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
As new images emerge of the fire at "Le Constellation" bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, the families of those still missing face an agonising wait for news: we have the latest from the investigation.
Also in the programme: President Trump says he's ready to step in to defend the anti-government protesters in Iran; we hear from a protester. Plus life at a hundred – we speak to one woman, still laughing - and still performing – at 100 years old.
(IMAGE: People pay their respects to the victims with flowers near the area where fire broke out at the 'Le Constellation' bar leaving people dead and injured, during New Year's celebration, in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, 02 January 2026 / CREDIT: Jean-Christophe Botte/EPA/Shutterstock)
President Trump and an Iranian security official traded threats over Iranian protesters...with President Trump saying if Iran kills peaceful protesters, the U-S will come to their rescue. Venezuelan president Maduro has signaled he's willing to talk to the U-S about drug trafficking. Swiss investigators are working to identify victims of a New Year's Day ski resort fire. CBS's Peter King has these stories and much more in today's World News Roundup.
