Your favorite stories of the year (so far)

2026's highlights take on major policies, health advancements, and more.

This year has been a non-stop news cycle, but our work at Vox is aimed at making sense of the constant barrage of headlines. Below is a list of some of your favorite stories of the year, so far. We hope they give you stronger insight and clarity to the news that surrounds us. This kind of writing is made possible by our Vox Members. Want to support independent journalism like this? Try Vox free for 30 days and join as a Member today. Politics and policy: How to stop a dictator by Zack Beauchamp I spent months studying how authoritarians like Trump lose. The answer is shockingly simple. The elder care solution that everyone with aging parents should know about by Courtney E. Martin As baby boomers age, caregivers are often squeezed caring for parents and children at the same time. They need help. How Austin’s stunning drop in rents explains housing in America by Marina Bolotnikova We finally have some good news about housing affordability. How to screw up universal childcare by Sara Mickelson In New Mexico, a bold childcare plan is meeting hard reality. But it’s not too late to fix things. Advice: Your friends are still acting like everything is normal in America. What do you do? by Sigal Samuel All Americans live in a “dual state.” Here’s what that means — and how to help others see it. How to pray when you don’t believe in God by Casper ter Kuile And why you should. Health: We have a miraculous anti-aging vaccine. Why aren’t more people getting it? by Dylan Scott Research has found that a routine vaccine slows aging and cuts dementia risk. How to rebuild your broken attention span by Adam Clark Estes You’re taking breaks wrong. This animal kills 100,000 people a year. Why can’t we stop it? by Pratik Pawar For comparison, sharks kill about six. The mysterious symptom popping up in some GLP-1 users by Jonquilyn Hill and Kelli Wessinger What if you lost weight and didn’t care — about anything? We’re not as helpless against dementia as we think by Bryan Walsh The shingles vaccine may protect your brain. The bigger story is even more hopeful. The evidence against “ultra-processed” foods is weaker than you think by Marina Bolotnikova New analysis suggests other factors may explain the harms blamed on “ultra-processing.” Alzheimer’s treatment is advancing rapidly — and there’s one thing all of us can do to help by Dylan Scott Believe the hype about the latest Alzheimer’s breakthroughs. Read more on Vox >>> This email was sent to cashub10.politicz@blogger.com. Unsubscribe from this email and manage your email preferences. View our Privacy Notice and our Terms of Service. View this email in your browser.    Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2026. All rights reserved. https://link.vox.com/oc/608adc7591954c3cef04c669sd7za.7p8/7248d231