Supporters cheer during a meeting Monday when the Seattle City Council voted to approve a measure that would allow ride sharing drivers for Uber and other ride services to unionize.

Supporters cheer during a meeting Monday when the Seattle City Council voted to approve a measure that would allow ride sharing drivers for Uber and other ride services to unionize. Matt Mills McKnight/Reuters/Landov hide caption

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All Tech Considered

Fact Checking Uber On Labor Laws

A law passed by Seattle, which allows Uber and other contract drivers to organize, raises many legal questions. But despite claims by Uber, labor experts say, it has real teeth.
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Prince George's County District Court in Maryland has used a mental health court as an alternative to traditional criminal proceedings.

Prince George's County District Court in Maryland has used a mental health court as an alternative to traditional criminal proceedings. Sallicio/Wikimedia hide caption

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Shots - Health News

Mental Health Courts Are Popular, But Jury Is Out On Effectiveness Kaiser Health News

The courts serve as an alternative for people with mental health issues when legal charges are filed. The courts steer people to help through community services rather than jail.

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Cover art for (from top, left to right): Wilco, Kamasi Washington, Grimes, Sufjan Stevens, Chvrches, Kendrick Lamar, Father John Misty, Joanna Newsom and Courtney Barnett.

Cover art for (from top, left to right): Wilco, Kamasi Washington, Grimes, Sufjan Stevens, Chvrches, Kendrick Lamar, Father John Misty, Joanna Newsom and Courtney Barnett. Courtesy of the artists hide caption

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All Songs Considered

Poll Results: Listeners Pick Their Favorite Albums Of 2015

You voted! We counted! This year's list may be the most diverse we've seen in 10 years of doing these.
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Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling play a married couple forced to reassess their relationship in Andrew Haigh's film, 45 Years.

Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling play a married couple forced to reassess their relationship in Andrew Haigh's film, 45 Years. Sundance Films hide caption

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Movie Interviews

A Long-Buried Secret, Once Revealed, Rattles '45 Years' Of Marriage FA

Director Andrew Haigh's new film profiles a couple suddenly forced to reassess their decades-long union. "It's always interesting to me how we keep secrets from the ones we love the most," he says.
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The food industry has processed lots of foods to hit that "bliss point" — that perfect amount of sweetness that would send eaters over the moon. In doing so, it's added sweetness in plenty of unexpected places – like bread and pasta sauce, says investigative reporter Michael Moss.

The food industry has processed lots of foods to hit that "bliss point" — that perfect amount of sweetness that would send eaters over the moon. In doing so, it's added sweetness in plenty of unexpected places – like bread and pasta sauce, says investigative reporter Michael Moss. Yagi Studio/Getty Images hide caption

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The Salt

How The Food Industry Helps Engineer Our Cravings

To make foods irresistible, the food industry has added sweetness in unexpected places — like bread and pasta sauce. That's helped shape our cravings but may also be coming back to bite the industry.

Doing More With Less

Free Music Lessons Strike A Chord For At-Risk Kids

John and Katrina Vowell used their small savings to start Major Chords for Minors in Saginaw, Mich., because they were worried about the city's youth. Now they have 130 students and a long wait list.
The fleet of U.S. vehicles has kept its fuel efficiency at a record high, the EPA says. Here, an electric BMW i3 is seen in Miami.

The fleet of U.S. vehicles has kept its fuel efficiency at a record high, the EPA says. Here, an electric BMW i3 is seen in Miami. Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images hide caption

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The Two-Way - News Blog

Cars In The U.S. Are Ahead Of Emissions Standards, EPA says

The fuel economy is at record highs, according to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency. Among the agency's findings: Trucks hit a record 20.4 miles per gallon.
A Flint resident cries out during the filing of a class action lawsuit against city and state government officials on Nov. 16.

A Flint resident cries out during the filing of a class action lawsuit against city and state government officials on Nov. 16. Jake May/MLive.com/Landov hide caption

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The Two-Way - News Blog

Michigan Mayor Declares State Of Emergency Over Lead Levels

Lead poisoning has caused irreversible health problems for children in the city of Flint. Mayor Karen Weaver calls it a "man-made disaster" and says the situation is still dangerous.
Neil Tony/Getty Images/Ikon Images
Neil Tony/Getty Images/Ikon Images

Shots - Health News

Clinical Trials Still Don't Reflect The Diversity Of America

Clinical trials are too white, with less than 2 percent of cancer studies including enough minority people to provide information that could be useful for health, a study finds.
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In the end, Tuesday's debate seemed to do little to scramble the standings ahead of the holidays — eyes were mostly, once again, on Donald Trump (center).

In the end, Tuesday's debate seemed to do little to scramble the standings ahead of the holidays — eyes were mostly, once again, on Donald Trump (center). Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Politics

All Eyes On Trump Once Again, But His Rivals Feel The Pressure

Trump appeared serene and imperturbable, while most all the others on stage directed their fire primarily at each other. Jeb Bush was the exception, saying Trump would be "a chaos president."
U.S. forward Abby Wambach waves to fans at the end of a practice session Tuesday in New Orleans for Wednesday's final U.S. victory tour match, against China. Wambach will be playing in her final match with the team.

U.S. forward Abby Wambach waves to fans at the end of a practice session Tuesday in New Orleans for Wednesday's final U.S. victory tour match, against China. Wambach will be playing in her final match with the team. Gerald Herbert/AP hide caption

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The Two-Way - News Blog

Soccer Star Abby Wambach Prepares For Her Final Game

Wambach leads the U.S. Women's National Team into a victory tour match against China in New Orleans on Wednesday. Then, she'll retire after a career full of team championships and personal achievements.
Producer Dave Cobb in the studio at his Nashville home. Cobb's work has added traditional notes to the slick sound that dominates country, but he challenges the idea that what he's doing is more "authentic."

Producer Dave Cobb in the studio at his Nashville home. Cobb's work has added traditional notes to the slick sound that dominates country, but he challenges the idea that what he's doing is more "authentic." Laura E. Partain for NPR hide caption

toggle caption Laura E. Partain for NPR

The Record

An Outsider Remakes Nashville's Traditional Sound

After making acclaimed albums with Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton, producer Dave Cobb has quietly staked out territory as the man behind country music's roots revolution.
French Foreign Minister and President of the COP21 Laurent Fabius (center) gives a thumbs up while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) and French President Francois Hollande applaud after the final meeting of the U.N. conference on climate change in Le Bourget, France, on Saturday.

French Foreign Minister and President of the COP21 Laurent Fabius (center) gives a thumbs up while U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) and French President Francois Hollande applaud after the final meeting of the U.N. conference on climate change in Le Bourget, France, on Saturday. Francois Mori/AP hide caption

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13.7: Cosmos And Culture

What The World Looks Like After The Paris Treaty

The climate treaty demands a profound paradigm shift in how civilization interacts with nature and resources — and builds hope that our deeds carry more weight than our words, says Marcelo Gleiser.
Drinking with co-workers can be festive — and fraught. In an informal survey of Salt readers, 25 percent of you told us you'd gotten tipsy enough to regret it at an office party, and 80 percent said you'd seen a co-worker overdo it, with embarrassing results.

Drinking with co-workers can be festive — and fraught. In an informal survey of Salt readers, 25 percent of you told us you'd gotten tipsy enough to regret it at an office party, and 80 percent said you'd seen a co-worker overdo it, with embarrassing results. iStockphoto hide caption

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The Salt

From Tipsy To Regret: Your Tales From The Office Holiday Party

Office soirees can be an opportunity for networking and workplace bonding. But drinking with the boss can also lead to embarrassment, injury and litigious outcomes, as the stories you shared bear out.
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