The Goats and Soda blog, a part of NPR, highlighted a selection of global stories from 2025 that resonated with readers, covering topics ranging from education and cultural experiences to global health challenges. Published on December 29, 2025, the retrospective featured articles that explored daily life in the Global South, poverty, and global health news.

Among the stories highlighted was a piece on a chess club in Chennai, India, illustrating the importance of educational opportunities for children in the region. Another story focused on the experiences of Rohingya refugee children finding spaces to play in the refugee camp outside of Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, underscoring the resilience and adaptability of displaced communities.

The blog also featured a story about a kindergartener in Maryland, whose start of school triggered a flashback for his father to his own childhood in Uganda, highlighting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of families in the United States.

A particularly poignant story addressed the impact of U.S. aid cuts on Uganda, specifically the loss of free condoms and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for sex workers along the Uganda-Kenya highway. This article shed light on the public health consequences of reduced international assistance, particularly for vulnerable populations. According to the blog, this story exemplified the challenges faced by many in Uganda following the aid cuts.

Goats and Soda regularly publishes hundreds of stories each year, aiming to provide insight into global issues and connect readers with diverse experiences from around the world. The selection of stories from 2025 reflected the blog's commitment to covering a wide range of topics and highlighting the human stories behind global events.