National

Jessica Hong, second from left, at brunch with friends. "Though I am clearly the lone Asian person, I don't think I've ever felt like the 'Asian friend' amongst these girls," she says.

National

Six Words: Ask Who I Am, Not What

9:46am March 14, 2013

by NPR Staff

Where are you from? Jessica Hong, a Korean-American, is constantly asked about her heritage, often before people learn anything else about her. Charley Sullivan found himself on the wrong side of the same question when he was 12 years old.

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National

High-Profile Rape Trial Of High School Football Players Begins In Ohio

9:04am March 14, 2013

M.L. Schultze talks to Melissa Block about the opening day of the trial of two Steubenville High School football players accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in Ohio. The case has attracted nationwide attention, in part due to photos and comments about the incident that were circulated on social media.

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Tony Lithgow, 49, and Andrea Mayer (right), 51, live together on the streets of Baltimore. They are part of a growing number of the nation's homeless who are reaching "premature old age."

Health Problems Compound For Aging Homeless

8:27pm March 13, 2013

by Pam Fessler

Tony Lithgow and Andrea Mayer live under a highway overpass in Baltimore. They're among a growing number of the nation's homeless who are reaching what's called "premature old age." They're in their late 40s and 50s, but suffer from ailments more common for those in their 70s.

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American Catholics Look To New Pope For Hope, Renewal

6:44pm March 13, 2013

by Jeff Brady

Catholics in Philadelphia react on Wednesday to selection of the new pope.

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Dunkin' Donuts plans to go green by committing to purchasing all of its palm oil from sustainable sources.

Can Dunkin' Donuts Really Turn Its Palm Oil Green?

7:13pm March 12, 2013

by Ilya Marritz

Under pressure from the New York state comptroller — who oversees one of its largest shareholders — the doughnut chain has agreed to set a goal of using only 100 percent sustainable palm oil to make its doughnuts. Production of palm oil has caused serious deforestation in Indonesia.

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National

Cyberattacks, Terrorism Top U.S. Security Threat Report

6:42pm March 12, 2013

by Tom Gjelten

In his annual assessment of threats, the director of national intelligence also cited Iran and North Korea. He warned the spending cuts mandated under the sequestration jeopardized the nation's safety.

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National

Hot Coffee Thwarts Robbery Attempt

3:18pm March 12, 2013

In West Haven, Connecticut, a man ordered coffee at a drive-thru Dunkin Donuts. He then announced a robbery and tried to climb through the window. Police say the clerk threw hot coffee in his face.

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National

Death Cafes Breathe Life Into Conversations About Dying

1:20pm March 12, 2013

by Deena Prichep

Jon Underwood, a British Web designer and self-named "death entrepreneur," helps people talk about the taboo topic over tea and cake. "When we acknowledge that we're going to die, it falls back on ourselves to ask the question, 'Well, in this limited time that I've got, what's important for me to do?' " Underwood says.

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Noah Zandan shows off his Zeo sleep-tracking headband. His other self-tracking devices are on his wrists. Noah and his father, Peter, are both part of the growing "Quantified Self" movement.

Self-Tracking Apps To Help You 'Quantify' Yourself

11:11am March 12, 2013

by Elise Hu

Technology is making it easier than ever to track everything from your sleep cycles to the food you eat — and even your amino acid levels.

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Owens Lake — which dried up after losing its water source, the Owens River, to Los Angeles — is known to be a source of air pollution. The city of L.A. is in court over obligations to control dust pollution at the lake.

National

Owens Valley Salty As Los Angeles Water Battle Flows Into Court

6:30pm March 11, 2013

by Kirk Siegler

Almost 100 years ago, a water-supply diversion from Owens River helped quench Los Angeles' thirst some 200 miles away. L.A. thrived, but it drained the Owens Lake and created a salt flat that now pollutes the air. A century later, the finger-pointing continues, and this week, the city's water department is back in court over its cleanup plan.

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