South Korea has the world’s lowest fertility rate, a struggle with lessons for us all South Korea’s government has moved aggressively to encourage more childbirth, but its ongoing struggles point to the complexity of a challenge that is only becoming more salient around the world. Read more on NPR

3 takeaways 20 years after the invasion of Iraq Two decades ago, then-President George W. Bush announced the start of combat operations in Iraq. The bloody occupation that followed lasted longer and cost more in lives and money than anyone guessed. Read more on NPR

Opioids are devastating Cherokee families. The tribe has a $100 million plan to heal The fentanyl crisis is hitting young people hard, and the highest death rates are in Native American communities. The Cherokee Nation is working to help young families recover. Read more on NPR

Vladimir Putin has made a surprise visit to the occupied city of Mariupol Russian President Vladimir Putin has visited the port city of Mariupol, Russian state news agencies reported, in his first trip to Ukrainian territory that Moscow illegally annexed in September. Read more on NPR