Conspiracy Theories Are Entrenched In America; Creative Ways Of Approaching Conflict; So Long, 2020!

Plus, tech experts have a few recommendations on how to organize your photos. by Jill Hudson [A record number of women, racial minorities and members of the LGBTQ community make the 117th Congress the most diverse in history.]( Eric Baradat/AFP via Getty Images Sunday Update The 117th Congress is now under way as members take their oaths of office on Capitol Hill Sunday. [Here's a look at the incoming freshmen class](. An angry President Trump urged Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to overturn the election in the state, [according to a call]( obtained by Georgia Public Broadcasting. The new Congress is set to certify the election results. But a group of GOP Senators say they will vote against electors from disputed states in what some are calling [a loyalty test to President Trump](. The U.S. has hit another devastating milestone: COVID-19 has killed more than 350,000 people [in the country]( according to a [Johns Hopkins University]( tracker. Stories You May Have Missed [Billy White, owner of Red Rose Tattoo in Zanesville, Ohio, will cover up people's previous racist tattoos. But first he ensures it reflects a genuine change in ideology. He's seen more interest in covering up tattoos this year than before.]( Cy Dodson, director of Beneath the Ink Tattoo artists around the country say that as protests took off this year, requests to remove or cover up racist tattoos did, too. [Listen to the story]( or [read it](. Women could not enter art academies in Italy, the cradle of Renaissance masters, no matter how talented. Now there's an effort to [uncover some 2,000 works by women artists]( that had been gathering dust in Italy's public museums and in damp churches. A significant number of Americans believe conspiracy theories like QAnon, the recent presidential election and the origins of the coronavirus, according to a new NPR/Ipsos poll. [Listen]( or [read](. January is the traditional time for fresh starts and new resolutions. It's also peak season for online returns. NPR's Alina Selyukh explains a word you might not know: "returnsmageddon." [Listen here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- Podcasts Of The Week [2020 was an unpredictable year, but Pop Culture Happy Hour is sticking with our annual tradition of looking into the future and predicting what the new year might bring.]( Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images 2020 was an unpredictable year, but NPR's favorite culture critics have a few predictions for what the new year might bring. ([Pop Culture Happy Hour]( Conflict is a part of life. But in a polarized world, reaching resolution sometimes feels impossible. ([TED Radio Hour]( Fahmida Azim for NPR The Sunni-Shia divide is a conflict that most people have heard about. Exactly how did this conflict originate and when? ([Throughline]( What will Congress and education policy look like under President Joe Biden? ([The NPR Politics Podcast]( Feeling overwhelmed by thousands of photos? Here's how to organize them, from tagging them to backing them up. ([Life Kit]( Checking in on The Federal Reserve (on skis), vaccine scientist Rick Bright, and a lawsuit about mixed martial arts. ([Planet Money]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Farewell, 2020! [Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor as the hot duke and Daphne in Netflix's Bridgerton.]( Liam Daniel/Netflix NPR's Linda Holmes has gifted us a list of her 50 favorite things that happened in 2020. It includes stuff that brought [happiness, enlightenment and that stunned feeling of recognition]( that someone's art sees something in you. Some producers of All Things Considered share moments that meant something special to each of them last year. [Click here to listen](. The NPR Music team has a tribute to the musicians we lost in 2020. [Listen]( or [read](. Here are a few of our favorite global TikToks of 2020 — [everything from a hand washing dance in Vietnam to life in a Tibetan ice box](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Daily News, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Best of NPR emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( [NPR logo]