News

In 1984, an American Army unit engaged in this firefight as it shielded a Soviet defector who made a break across the Demilitarized Zone between North Korea and South Korea. Thirty years after the battle, one of the U.S. soldiers, Mark Deville, has finall

National

A Medal Of Valor, 30 Years In Coming

11:17am January 30, 2014

by Tom Bowman

Three decades after U.S. troops helped protect a Soviet defector during a firefight with North Korean troops, one of the soldiers finally received his Silver Star. Mark Deville's comrades were awarded their medals years ago.

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Meet The myRA — Obama's New Retirement Plan

11:00am January 30, 2014

by Yuki Noguchi

On Wednesday, President Obama directed the Treasury Department to create a new retirement plan called "myRA." The decision, a circumvention of Congress, follows through on one of the promises made by the president in his State of the Union. As Yuki Noguchi reports, the success of the plan may depend on its ability to move beyond the limitations of existing retirement plans.

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Abdel Hamid el-Rajoub, a Palestinian, became an informant for Israel while serving time in an Israeli prison. Palestinian informants play a key role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though both sides can be reluctant to speak about it. Rajoub, who now

World News

A Palestinian Explains Why He Worked As An Israeli Informant

11:00am January 30, 2014

by Emily Harris

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict includes a shadow war in which Israel turns to Palestinian informants to gather intelligence. Palestinian Abed Hamed el-Rajoub was imprisoned for fighting against Israel, but while in jail, he secretly gathered information from fellow Palestinian prisoners.

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How Industrial Chemical Regulation Failed West Virginia

7:55pm January 29, 2014

For Charleston Gazette reporter Ken Ward, the recent chemical spill — and sometimes confusing information authorities have provided about the risks to citizens — reflect long-standing regulatory failures in the state. He says West Virginia has "basically ignored" recommendations for stricter oversight.

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In their effort to make their animations seem more realistic, the Next Media team models various facial expressions it will use in a piece. These are models of singer Leslie Cheung.

Arts

For Taiwanese News Animators, Funny Videos Are Serious Work

1:17pm January 29, 2014

by Elise Hu

The studio responsible for bizarre viral videos featuring 3-D animations of the news is more serious than you'd think. Go behind the scenes at the Taipei-based Next Media Animation to find out why this fast-moving — and controversial — company says it's charting the future of news.

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The oPhone was on display at Wired's annual conference in London in October.

You've Got Mail, And It Smells Like 18th Century Paris

1:17pm January 29, 2014

by NPR Staff

The oPhone device (the "o" is for olfactory) will be able to send and receive whiffs of preprogrammed aromas remotely. Created by a Harvard professor, it's intended to add the sense of smell to the way we communicate.

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Jason Brown skates during this year's U.S. Figure Skating Championships at TD Garden in Boston. After his free skate was watched more than 3 million times on YouTube, he said, "I don't know how it happened. ... I'm so shocked, beyond shocked. It's so surr

Sports

'Crazy' And 'Surreal': Figure Skater Jason Brown's Road To Sochi

1:17pm January 29, 2014

by Bill Chappell

Weeks after he turned 19, Jason Brown placed second at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships with an electrifying performance that became a YouTube sensation. "I'm so blown away and so shocked — beyond shocked. It's so surreal to me," he says.

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Nick Goepper competed in the ski slopestyle qualification for the European Winter X Games last March.

X Games Show The Olympics What The Kids Want

1:17pm January 29, 2014

by Robert Smith

The X Games have changed the lineup and atmosphere of the Winter Olympics with the introduction of snowboarding, half-pipe and now slopestyle. But when a youth-lifestyle, punk-rock sport makes it to the Olympics, some things inevitably change.

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As Vermont expands addiction treatment services, it is also coming to grips with one of the most difficult and emotional aspects of the problem: pregnant women addicted to opiates.

In Vermont, A Network Of Help For Opiate-Addicted Mothers

10:44am January 29, 2014

by Steve Zind

Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin attracted national attention this month when he devoted his entire annual State of the State speech to heroin addiction in Vermont. As the state expands addiction treatment services, it's also trying to come to grips with one of the most difficult and emotional aspects of the problem: pregnant women addicted to opiates.

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The Chinese flag is seen in front of a view of the moon at Beijing's Tiananmen Square in December, when China's first moon rover touched the lunar surface. That feat was widely celebrated — but observers believe the rover has now run into serious troubl

China's Jade Rabbit Rover May Be Doomed On The Moon

6:55pm January 28, 2014

by Geoff Brumfiel

Chinese officials recently announced the rover was experiencing mechanical difficulties, and now observers believe its done for. But the thirst for more moon missions may be spreading in China.

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