diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 49975f2..294dfbf 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -110,15 +110,25 @@ Returns one article by numeric ID. Same usability filter as the list endpoint 
 
 ### `GET /events`
 
-Returns a single event and its articles.
+Without `id` — returns a paginated list of events. With `id` — returns a single event and its articles.
 
 #### Query params
 
 | Param | Description |
 |---|---|
-| `id` | Event ID (required) |
+| `id` | Event ID. If present, returns that event with its articles instead of the list |
+| `limit` | Rows to return (list mode only). Default `20`, max `100` |
+| `offset` | Pagination offset (list mode only). Default `0` |
 
-#### Response shape
+#### List response shape
+
+```json
+[
+  { "id": 1, "title": "...", "created_at": "2025-01-01T12:35:10.000Z" }
+]
+```
+
+#### Single event response shape
 
 ```json
 {
diff --git a/config.json b/config.json
index e2f51f2..025dd19 100644
--- a/config.json
+++ b/config.json
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@
     "tickers": []
   },
   "openRouter": {
-    "apiKey": "[OFF]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",
+    "enabled": false,
+    "apiKey": "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",
     "embeddingModel": "qwen/qwen3-embedding-8b"
   },
   "gdelt": {
diff --git a/src/contentValidation.js b/src/contentValidation.js
index d69fddd..a9541ef 100644
--- a/src/contentValidation.js
+++ b/src/contentValidation.js
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ const BODY_PREFIX_BLOCKLIST = [
   // yahoo finance serves its global nav when the article body is js-rendered
   // and the plain fetch only gets the static shell
   "today's news us politics world weather",
+
+  // cnbc paywall shell — no article body, just site nav
+  "subscribe to cnbc pro subscribe to investing club",
 ];
 
 
diff --git a/src/embeddings.js b/src/embeddings.js
index 238275b..4e87171 100644
--- a/src/embeddings.js
+++ b/src/embeddings.js
@@ -91,6 +91,12 @@ const upsertQueryEmbedding = db.prepare(`
 
 const VEC0_DIM = 8192;
 
+function isOpenRouterEnabled() {
+  if (!config.openRouter) return false;
+  if (config.openRouter.enabled === false) return false;
+  return Boolean(config.openRouter.apiKey && String(config.openRouter.apiKey).trim());
+}
+
 function serializeEmbedding(values) {
   return Buffer.from(new Float32Array(values).buffer);
 }
@@ -279,11 +285,7 @@ async function requestEmbedding(input) {
 }
 
 async function generateAndStoreEmbedding(id) {
-  const apiKey = config.openRouter && config.openRouter.apiKey
-    ? String(config.openRouter.apiKey).trim()
-    : '';
-
-  if (!apiKey) {
+  if (!isOpenRouterEnabled()) {
     return { stored: false, shouldPauseBatch: false };
   }
 
@@ -368,11 +370,7 @@ async function backfillMissingEmbeddings(limit = 256, batchSize = 16) {
     return { processed: 0, paused: false };
   }
 
-  const apiKey = config.openRouter && config.openRouter.apiKey
-    ? String(config.openRouter.apiKey).trim()
-    : '';
-
-  if (!apiKey) {
+  if (!isOpenRouterEnabled()) {
     return { processed: 0, paused: false };
   }
 
diff --git a/src/routes/events.js b/src/routes/events.js
index 36e9fca..574281e 100644
--- a/src/routes/events.js
+++ b/src/routes/events.js
@@ -1,36 +1,67 @@
 const db = require('../db');
 
+function parseLimit(value) {
+  const n = Number.parseInt(value, 10);
+  return Number.isFinite(n) && n > 0 ? Math.min(n, 100) : 20;
+}
+
+function parseOffset(value) {
+  const n = Number.parseInt(value, 10);
+  return Number.isFinite(n) && n >= 0 ? n : 0;
+}
+
 async function eventRoutes(fastify) {
   fastify.get('/events', async (request, reply) => {
     const query = request.query || {};
 
-    if (!query.id) {
-      reply.code(400);
-      return { error: 'id is required' };
+    if (query.id) {
+      const id = Number.parseInt(query.id, 10);
+      if (!Number.isFinite(id)) {
+        reply.code(400);
+        return { error: 'id must be a number' };
+      }
+
+      const event = db.prepare(`SELECT id, title, created_at FROM events WHERE id = ?`).get(id);
+      if (!event) {
+        reply.code(404);
+        return { error: 'Event not found' };
+      }
+
+      const articles = db.prepare(`
+        SELECT id, title, description, content, url, normalized_title, source, pub_date, ingested_at
+        FROM articles
+        WHERE event_id = ?
+          AND content IS NOT NULL AND content != ''
+          AND is_index_page = 0
+        ORDER BY pub_date_effective DESC, id DESC
+      `).all(id);
+
+      return { ...event, articles };
     }
 
-    const id = Number.parseInt(query.id, 10);
-    if (!Number.isFinite(id)) {
-      reply.code(400);
-      return { error: 'id must be a number' };
-    }
+    const limit = parseLimit(query.limit);
+    const offset = parseOffset(query.offset);
 
-    const event = db.prepare(`SELECT id, title, created_at FROM events WHERE id = ?`).get(id);
-    if (!event) {
-      reply.code(404);
-      return { error: 'Event not found' };
-    }
+    const SORT_COLUMNS = {
+      created_at: 'e.created_at',
+      id: 'e.id',
+      article_count: 'article_count',
+    };
 
-    const articles = db.prepare(`
-      SELECT id, title, description, content, url, normalized_title, source, pub_date, ingested_at
-      FROM articles
-      WHERE event_id = ?
-        AND content IS NOT NULL AND content != ''
-        AND is_index_page = 0
-      ORDER BY pub_date_effective DESC, id DESC
-    `).all(id);
+    const sortBy = SORT_COLUMNS[query.sort_by] || SORT_COLUMNS.created_at;
+    const order = String(query.order || '').toLowerCase() === 'asc' ? 'ASC' : 'DESC';
 
-    return { ...event, articles };
+    return db.prepare(`
+      SELECT e.id, e.title, e.created_at,
+        COUNT(a.id) AS article_count
+      FROM events e
+      LEFT JOIN articles a ON a.event_id = e.id
+        AND a.content IS NOT NULL AND a.content != ''
+        AND a.is_index_page = 0
+      GROUP BY e.id
+      ORDER BY ${sortBy} ${order}, e.id ${order}
+      LIMIT ? OFFSET ?
+    `).all(limit, offset);
   });
 }