diff --git a/news.njk b/news.njk
index b0dbe83..39d78b1 100644
--- a/news.njk
+++ b/news.njk
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ withSidebar: true
                   <span x-show="item.author || item.blog?.title" x-text="'by ' + (item.author || item.blog?.title)"></span>
                   <time class="font-mono text-sm" :datetime="item.published" x-text="formatDate(item.published)"></time>
                   <span class="hidden sm:inline" x-show="item.categories?.length">
-                    <template x-for="cat in item.categories.slice(0, 3)" :key="cat">
+                    <template x-for="cat in (item.categories || []).slice(0, 3)" :key="cat">
                       <span class="text-accent-600 dark:text-accent-400" x-text="'#' + cat"></span>
                     </template>
                   </span>
@@ -387,12 +387,25 @@ function newsApp() {
       this.error = null;
 
       try {
-        const [itemsRes, feedsRes, statusRes] = await Promise.all([
-          fetch('/rssapi/api/items?limit=50').then(r => r.json()),
-          fetch('/rssapi/api/feeds').then(r => r.json()),
-          fetch('/rssapi/api/status').then(r => r.json())
+        const [itemsResult, feedsResult, statusResult] = await Promise.allSettled([
+          fetch('/rssapi/api/items?limit=50').then(r => { if (!r.ok) throw new Error('HTTP ' + r.status); return r.json(); }),
+          fetch('/rssapi/api/feeds').then(r => { if (!r.ok) throw new Error('HTTP ' + r.status); return r.json(); }),
+          fetch('/rssapi/api/status').then(r => { if (!r.ok) throw new Error('HTTP ' + r.status); return r.json(); })
         ]);
 
+        if (itemsResult.status === 'rejected') {
+          this.error = 'Failed to load news: ' + itemsResult.reason.message;
+          console.error('News items fetch error:', itemsResult.reason);
+          return;
+        }
+
+        const itemsRes = itemsResult.value;
+        const feedsRes = feedsResult.status === 'fulfilled' ? feedsResult.value : { feeds: [] };
+        const statusRes = statusResult.status === 'fulfilled' ? statusResult.value : null;
+
+        if (feedsResult.status === 'rejected') console.warn('News feeds fetch failed (non-critical):', feedsResult.reason);
+        if (statusResult.status === 'rejected') console.warn('News status fetch failed (non-critical):', statusResult.reason);
+
         this.items = itemsRes.items || [];
         this.pagination = itemsRes.pagination || null;
         this.feeds = feedsRes.feeds || [];
@@ -429,8 +442,13 @@ function newsApp() {
     },
 
     get filteredItems() {
-      if (this.filterFeed === 'all') return this.items;
-      return this.items.filter(item => item.feedId === this.filterFeed);
+      const seen = new Set();
+      const base = this.filterFeed === 'all' ? this.items : this.items.filter(item => item.feedId === this.filterFeed);
+      return base.filter(item => {
+        if (seen.has(item.id)) return false;
+        seen.add(item.id);
+        return true;
+      });
     },
 
     getFeedUrl(feedId) {