diff --git a/src/components/home/CodingNews.tsx b/src/components/home/CodingNews.tsx
index 4856e508..4f22471e 100644
--- a/src/components/home/CodingNews.tsx
+++ b/src/components/home/CodingNews.tsx
@@ -105,7 +105,13 @@ export default function CodingNews() {
         throw new Error('Failed to fetch news');
       }
       const data = await response.json();
-      setNews(data);
+      if (Array.isArray(data)) {
+        setNews(data as NewsItem[]);
+      } else if (data && Array.isArray(data.articles)) {
+        setNews(data.articles as NewsItem[]);
+      } else {
+        setNews(FALLBACK_NEWS);
+      }
     } catch (err) {
       console.error('Error fetching news:', err);
       // Fall back gracefully even if fetch fails
diff --git a/src/components/ui/InteractiveBackground.tsx b/src/components/ui/InteractiveBackground.tsx
index b1c16f35..ab97ee33 100644
--- a/src/components/ui/InteractiveBackground.tsx
+++ b/src/components/ui/InteractiveBackground.tsx
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 'use client';
-const DEVPATH_API =
-  process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_DEVPATH_API_URL ?? 'https://api.devpath.in';
 import { useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import { useUIStore } from '@/stores/ui-store';
 
+const DEVPATH_API =
+  process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_DEVPATH_API_URL ?? 'https://api.devpath.in';
+
 // Code snippets that type across the screen — dev/community themed
 const CODE_LINES = [
   // Git
diff --git a/src/context/RealTimeContext.tsx b/src/context/RealTimeContext.tsx
index 3504525e..6ece0c28 100644
--- a/src/context/RealTimeContext.tsx
+++ b/src/context/RealTimeContext.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 'use client';
+import React, { createContext, useContext, useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+
 const AVATAR_API =
   process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_AVATAR_API_URL ??
   'https://api.dicebear.com/7.x/avataaars/svg';
-import React, { createContext, useContext, useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 
 interface Activity {
   id: number;