A Frank Assessment of Israel’s Goals in Gaza From the Former Defense Minister Israel’s Defense Minister was fired last week by Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu who said that trust had “eroded” between them. The now former defense minister met with families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza and gave his thoughts on what Israel can…

My Little Pony, Transformers, Phase 10 join the National Toy Hall of Fame The three 1980s staples are new National Toy Hall of Fame inductees. Hess Toy Trucks, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, the trampoline, and balloons were among the finalists. Read more on NPR

A U.S. jury awards former Iraqi detainees $42 million for Abu Ghraib prison abuse A U.S. jury has awarded $42 million to three former detainees of Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison, holding a Virginia-based military contractor responsible for contributing to their abuse. Read more on NPR

Trump to name former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel In the midst of the Israel-Hamas war, President-elect Donald Trump announced he will nominate Huckabee, a loyalist and former Republican governor, to serve in the key post as ambassador to Israel. Read more on NPR

Chronic itch is miserable. Scientists are just scratching the surface Journalist Annie Lowrey has a rare disease that causes a near-constant itch that doesn’t respond to most treatments. She likens the itchiness to a car alarm: “You can’t stop thinking about it.” Read more on NPR

With Trump coming into power, the NIH is in the crosshairs The National Institutes of Health, the crown jewel of biomedical research in the U.S., could face big changes under the new Trump administration, some fueled by pandemic-era criticisms of the agency. Read more on NPR

A man told 911 a bear chased him off a cliff. Weeks later, he was arrested for murder Authorities say Nicholas Hamlett killed a man in Tennessee in an attempt to steal his identity, and reported it to police as a bear attack. He was arrested in South Carolina after a weekslong manhunt. Read more…

Federal judge blocks Louisiana law that requires classrooms to display Ten Commandments The new Louisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom by Jan. 1 was temporarily blocked Tuesday. The judge said the law is “unconstitutional on its face.” Read more on NPR

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns over sex abuse scandal Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has resigned over accusations that he failed to report physical and sexual abuse to the police. Read more on NPR

Young men helped Trump retake the White House — a trend years in the making Where did Democrats go wrong with men this election? How did Republicans win them over, and how might Democrats work to win some of them back?NPR’s Michel Martin speaks with Aaron Smith of the Young Men Research Initiative and John Della Volpe…