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The 2026 midterm elections are set to become the most expensive on record. More than $15 billion has been raised to influence the outcome and control of Congress.
Election workers process ballots for the California state primary at the Los Angeles County Ballot Processing Center on June 5. California's relatively slow vote count has put "a big target on its back," as one election expert told NPR. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption
At least one person died and more than a dozen were injured in a major Ukrainian drone strike yesterday on Saint Petersburg, Russia's former imperial capital. The attack targeted strategic sites, including a key port oil terminal. Over the weekend, Russian missile strikes in Ukraine killed at least 11 people. This conflict continues as President Trump says that relieving pressure on Russia is the best way to end the war.
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced violence over the weekend that he says has overshadowed largely peaceful protests across the country. The unrest began as a student protest for better conditions and has expanded to include public-sector workers protesting high energy prices, the rising cost of living and social inequality. The Interior Ministry reported about 2,300 arrests and nearly 1,000 injured police officers.
Tony Stepanow, from Finland, attends a sauna during the International Sauna Congress 2026 in Oslo, Norway, Sept. 25, 2026. Siv Dolmen for NPR hide caption
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Saunas are gaining renewed attention in the wellness world for their potential to improve mental health. This trend reflects the growing interest in the broader wellness movement and social connection, especially post-pandemic. While scientists understand how saunas affect the cardiovascular system, they are just beginning to explore their impact on mental health. Here's what they know so far.
Jennifer Teresa Villanueva's aunts, cousins, grandmother and uncle gather around the dining table for an afternoon brunch at home in Chicago in 2018. Jennifer Teresa Villanueva hide caption
Artist Jennifer Teresa Villanueva has captured her family's everyday life through her lens for eight years, revealing moments of love, care and sacrifice within their Chicago home. The personal project took root in 2018, sparked by her grandmother's hospitalization. It started as a way to better understand her grandmother's daily routines, and soon it blossomed into a heartfelt exploration of the immigrant experience. "I am interested in what happens when the camera enters a home where everyone already knows one another," Villanueva told NPR. "There is no distance between photographer and subject. I am photographing the people who raised me, and I am also photographing the home that raised me." See photos from the project and read more about Villanueva's work.
Noah Adams adjusts his headphones in the National Public Radio studio in Washington Feb.16, 1987. Charles Tasnadi/AP hide caption
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