News

John Rippo in July 2012 in a coffeehouse called Espresso Mio, in San Diego's Mission Hills neighborhood.

Newspaper Takes The Pulse Of San Diego Coffee Culture

3:51pm January 09, 2014

by Eliza Barclay

The Espresso, a San Diego newspaper for "cafe society," documents the local coffee shop scene with juicy vignettes in a gossip column. Publisher John Rippo says he's inspired by European periodicals written for the cafe intelligentsia.

Queue Listen Now

An overseer sits in the shade while workers collect coffee beans on a Brazilian plantation, circa 1750.

Books
Arts

How Coffee Influenced The Course Of History

3:49pm January 09, 2014

by Lydia Zuraw

Once people figured out how to roast the seeds of the Coffea plant in the 1400s, coffee took over the world. In doing so, it fueled creativity, revolutions, new business ventures, literature, music — and slavery.

Queue Listen Now

The flag of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, flutters on the dome of an Armenian Catholic Church in the northern rebel-held Syrian city of Raqqa on Sept. 28, 2013. At first, Syrian rebels and civilians welcomed the experienced Islamist fighte

World News

As Rebels Fight Rebels, Grim Reports From A Syrian City

10:29pm January 08, 2014

by Deborah Amos

Syria's civil war keeps getting more complicated. In the latest twist, fractious rebel groups have united to fight extremists linked to al-Qaida. Both sides oppose the Syrian government, but for now they are pointing their guns at each other and a nasty battle is taking place in the northern city of Raqqa.

Queue Listen Now

Politics & Government

McCain Lays Al-Qaida Surge In Iraq At Obama's Feet

10:29pm January 08, 2014

by David Welna

Al-Qaida has gained control in an area where 1,300 U.S. troops lost their lives during the Iraq War. Troops who came home are now wondering whether it was all in vain, the Arizona Republican says. He says the total withdrawal of troops from Iraq left a vacuum that's being filled by America's enemies.

Queue Listen Now

The Navigate Jacket from Wearable Experiments uses GPS navigation and a mapping app on the wearer's smartphone to signal directions. It's part of a new trend of wearable tech that some speculate will be a billion-dollar industry.

Tech Fit For The Showroom, But The Runway Might Have To Wait

10:27am January 08, 2014

by Aarti Shahani

Wearable technology is often said to look dorky. "Stylish" and "fashionable" are not words anyone would associate with devices like Google Glass or smart watches. But companies are now working to embed technology into clothing so that it's unobtrusive or even attractive.

Queue Listen Now

National

JPMorgan Chase Settles Madoff Case For $1.7 Billion

6:56am January 08, 2014

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has agreed to pay $1.7 billion to settle criminal charges accusing the bank of ignoring obvious warning signs of Bernard Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme.

Queue Listen Now

Katherine Hackett of Connecticut introduces President Barack Obama during a White House event on unemployment insurance Jan. 7. Hackett spoke about her financial struggles during unemployment before Obama put pressure on the House to extend benefits.

Politics & Government

Senate Unexpectedly Moves Forward On Unemployment Benefits

9:05pm January 07, 2014

by Tamara Keith

After a procedural vote in the Senate on a bill that would temporarily extend emergency insurance for the jobless, President Obama held a White House press conference to pressure Congress to keep the momentum going. But Republican leaders say they need spending cuts or job-creation plans in return.

Queue Listen Now

Health Care Costs Grew More Slowly Than The Economy In 2012

4:55pm January 07, 2014

by Julie Rovner

Health care costs grew at 3.7 percent in 2012, the fourth year of a trend of smaller annual increases. The Obama administration says that the Affordable Care Act is a factor. But the actuaries who wrote the report beg to differ, saying the recession is a more likely cause.

Queue Listen Now

A DJI Phantom 2 flying camera is presented at the media event prior to the International CES show opening in Las Vegas.

CES 2014: Toothbrush? Bed? Car? Put Some Internet On It

11:18am January 07, 2014

by NPR Staff

The Consumer Electronics Show is the tech industry's annual electronics showcase in Las Vegas, where companies are showing off their latest and greatest gadgets, like Internet-connected toothbrushes (ideal for hygiene-concerned helicopter parents) and cars that come equipped with a 4G cell connection.

Queue Listen Now

To help cut down on fraud, Congress is limiting access to the Social Security Administration's data about people who die in the United States each year.

Tighter Access To 'Death Master File' Has Researchers Worried

10:51am January 07, 2014

by Brian Naylor

The Social Security Administration has long kept track of deaths so it can stop checks when recipients die. And while researchers have used the file for years, fraudsters have, too. So Congress is limiting access to the data — and that has everyone from bankers to genealogists concerned.

Queue Listen Now