NPR's Leila Fadel asks former State Department official Wa'el Alzayat about the prospects of Kurdish forces reaching an agreement to join the Syrian army ahead of an end-of-year deadline.

Ukraine spent its third Christmas at war with Russia. NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with a Ukrainian member of parliament about celebrating in wartime and soliciting U.S. support for Ukraine.

After two years of not celebrating because of the war in nearby Gaza, Christmas festivities have returned to Bethlehem.

Hamas is ready to lay down its weapons for up to 10 years. That's what senior Hamas officials tell NPR as they gear up to negotiate the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire. NPR's Daniel Estrin reports.

Democrats have become the party of the status quo, says Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. He's urging members of his party to craft sharper... Sen. Van Hollen urges Democrats to stand for something — ...

Now to Indiana, where the state Senate is convening in a special session this week. Senators plan to vote on new political maps that would help Republicans capture all nine of Indiana's seats in ...

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat representing Maryland, says his party must do more to regain public confidence and counter what he calls a "lawless president." "We've become too much the party of ...

Updated December 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM EST Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat representing Maryland, says his party must do more to regain public confidence and counter what he calls a "lawless president.

NPR's Leila Fadel asks Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland about the future of his party. Congress has eliminated all funding for public media. That means $2.1 million per year that ...