News

npr news headlines

Sharon Van Etten: Learning How To Rock
For Van Etten, her ever-evolving music has been a way to combat shyness and social anxiety.

Komen's Race To Reverse Course: Questions And A PR Challenge
The nation's largest breast cancer charity now says it will continue giving grants to Planned Parenthood. But public relations specialists say the Komen foundation will have a tough time rebuilding its nonpartisan reputation.

Who Killed Lard?
Lard didn't just fall out of favor. It was pushed. It was a casualty of a battle between giant business and corporate interests.

Federal Prosecutors Drop Doping Case Against Cyclist Lance Armstrong
A federal prosecutor said the case had been closed, but gave no details as to why.

Voting Heads West: A Nevada Republican Presidential Caucus Primer
While hotels along the Vegas Strip are full of Super Bowl fans and convention attendees this weekend, another event will be playing out Saturday at more than 100 locations across the state. Nevada's Republican presidential caucuses will be taking place, and mostly in low-key places.

'Best Practices': Learning To Live With Asperger's
David Finch was 30-years-old when he discovered that he was on the autism spectrum. In Journal of Best Practices, he describes how he learned to manage the disorder — and become a better husband and father in the process.

Afghans View Peace Talks With Hope, Suspicion
The surprise announcement that the U.S. and the Taliban could soon begin peace talks in Qatar may have increased the chances of a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan. But some Afghans wonder whether such talks are about stabilizing Afghanistan — or just helping U.S. troops leave.

Improved Job Figures Surprise Economists
The Labor Department released its monthly report Friday, which shows unemployment down to 8.3 percent. Is the dip strong enough to push the rate down further in the coming months?

Facebook's IPO And The Average Investor
The social network filed to go public earlier this week and is hoping to raise $5 billion in a huge IPO. The markets are buzzing, but what might it mean for an individual investor? Melissa Block gets the story on how high profile IPOs work from Dennis Berman, Marketplace editor at The Wall Street Journal.

The Physics Of A Football Player's Performance
The New York Giants' Brandon Jacobs is a 6'4", 270 pound running back. And with that kind of size, you think he'd be able to run right through would-be tacklers, especially when he only needs to pick up a few yards. But he often can't — Jacobs's stats are below average in those situations. A couple NFL greats and a physics professor have the answer.

Jobs Numbers May Boost Obama Re-election Effort
Friday's lower unemployment figures are good news for the Obama administration early in an election year.

NFL Safety Ad Hopes To Remind Fans Of History
Host Audie Cornish talks with Stefan Fatsis about the Super Bowl — including the NFL player safety ad that aims to remind fans about the history of the game amid all the concussion scandals.

Week In Politics: Unemployment Rate, Primaries
Audie Cornish talks to our regular political commentators — E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution, and David Brooks of the New York Times — about the new unemployment figures and the presidential primary race.

Fallout Continues In L.A. School's Lewd Photo Scandal
A second teacher has been removed from Miramonte Elementary School in Los Angeles as part of an investigation into lewd photos. One teacher has already been charged with lewd conduct with 23 students.

In Egypt, Military Blamed For Targeting Soccer Fans
Violent protests continued for a second day in Egypt in response to the deadly riot at a soccer match earlier this week. Many of the protesters claim authorities chose not to stop the soccer riots as retaliation against fan groups — known as Ultras — who had a hand in the country's political uprisings last year. Melissa Block talks with Adel Iskandar, Lecturer in media studies at Georgetown University, about the role of the Ultra football fan clubs in Egypt's politics.