History

National

Obama Declares Site Of 1963 Church Bombing A National Monument

7:33am January 13, 2017

by Andrew Yeager

President Obama has designated three new national monuments related to civil rights, including the church in Birmingham, Ala. where four black girls were killed in a 1963 Ku Klux Klan bombing.

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The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. addresses a crowd in Birmingham, Ala., in 1966. President Obama has designated an historic civil rights district in Birmingham as a national monument.

National

Obama Honors Civil Rights Movement With New National Monuments

9:27pm January 12, 2017

by Richard Gonzales

As his administration ends, Obama has protected more historic, cultural and natural sites than any other president before him. The new sites are in South Carolina and in Birmingham and Anniston, Ala.

Marie-Antoine Carême began his hardscrabble life in Paris during the French Revolution, but eventually his penchant for design and his baking talent brought him fame and fortune.

How A Destitute, Abandoned Parisian Boy Became The First Celebrity Chef

7:31am January 12, 2017

by Nicole Jankowski

Marie-Antoine Carême died 184 years ago today. But in his short lifetime, he would forever revolutionize French haute cuisine and gain worldwide fame. Some of his concepts are still in use.

Young people have always used language in new and different ways, and it has pretty much always driven older people crazy.

Books
Arts

Why It's Literally Not Wrong To Say 'Literally'

3:14pm January 10, 2017

by NPR Staff

Young people have always used language in new ways, and it has always driven older people crazy. But the linguist John McWhorter says all the LOLs are part of an inevitable evolution of language.

Veteran British war correspondent Clare Hollingworth, who broke the story that the World War II had begun, celebrates her 100 birthday during a party at the Foreign Correspondents' Club in Hong Kong in 2011. She celebrated her 105th birthday there this pa

World News

Reporter Who Broke The Story Of Start Of WWII Dies At 105

1:35pm January 10, 2017

by Camila Domonoske

As an activist, Clare Hollingworth saved thousands of refugees from Hitler's forces. Then, a few days into her career as a reporter, she uncovered the scoop of a lifetime: Germany was invading Poland.

President Obama, seen on his way to board Air Force One, will deliver his farewell address on Tuesday night in Chicago.

Obama's Farewell Address: How Presidents Use This Moment Of Reflection

8:49am January 10, 2017

by Tamara Keith

On Tuesday, President Obama will follow a tradition dating back to George Washington. Over the years, presidents have offered warnings about partisanship, praised balance of power and shared regrets.

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Why Generals Need Congressional Waivers To Become Defense Secretary

8:31am January 09, 2017

by Tom Bowman

George Marshall was the last general nominated for defense secretary and he needed a waiver from Congress. We take a look at Marshall's Senate hearing in 1950. Donald Trump's pick also needs a waiver.

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How English Came To Be The Dominant Language In Science Publications

8:40am January 08, 2017

by Lulu Garcia-Navarro

New research suggests that scientific publications may be overlooked in non-English speaking countries. NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro talks about the issue with Princeton Professor Michael Gordin.

A statue of a girl symbolizing Korean "comfort women" is unveiled last week during a ceremony in front of the Japanese Consulate in Busan, South Korea.

World News

'Comfort Woman' Statue Sparks Diplomatic Row Between Japan And South Korea

3:22pm January 06, 2017

by Merrit Kennedy

The statue in front of the Japanese Consulate, commemorating the plight of Korean women forced by the Japanese to work as sex slaves during World War II, has prompted Japan to withdraw its ambassador.

President-elect Donald Trump is at odds with leaders in his own party over how to respond to cyberattacks that U.S. intelligence has tied to Russia.

At Odds With GOP Over Hacking, Trump Splits With Precedent

11:46am January 05, 2017

by Ron Elving

Donald Trump may wish to rely on the record of previous presidents who entered the White House in conflict with their own parties over a major foreign relations issue. But can he find one?