Story of the Day

John Coltrane during the recording of A Love Supreme in December 1964.

Music & Culture

50 Years Of John Coltrane's 'A Love Supreme'

6:29pm December 09, 2014

by Arun Rath

Half a century ago, the saxophonist and his band stepped into the studio to lay down the tracks of what would become his most important statement: The "love supreme" in the title refers to God's love.

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According to a national poll on children's health, over 80 percent of parents believe all children in day care should be required to be up to date on their vaccines.

When It Comes To Day Care, Parents Want All Children Vaccinated

10:07am December 09, 2014

by Alison Bruzek

Parents have strong opinions about vaccination, a poll of parents done by the University of Michigan finds. Most want day care centers to require that children are up to date on their shots.

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An American Red Cross worker stands on an inundated Brooke Avenue following heavy rains and flash flooding Aug. 13, in Bay Shore, N.Y.

Red Cross Misstates How Donors' Dollars Are Spent

5:51pm December 05, 2014

by Laura Sullivan

Red Cross officials have repeatedly said 91 cents of every dollar donated to the charity goes to disaster relief services. But an investigation by NPR and ProPublica found that's just not true.

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The local middle school plays its annual homecoming football game at Wilcox Central High in Camden, Alabama.

In Rural Alabama, Fighting HIV With A Game

10:34am December 04, 2014

by Dan Carsen

In rural Alabama, HIV infection rates are among the highest in the nation, but talk of the virus is largely taboo. One researcher is hoping to break through the stigma with a video game.

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Brazil's Christ the Redeemer statue is lit up in pink as part of a campaign for breast cancer awareness. The country's survival rate for the disease is improving.

Your Odds Of Surviving Cancer Depend Very Much On Where You Live

7:18pm December 03, 2014

by Anders Kelto

The largest study of cancer patients reveals a huge gulf in survival rates around the world. And in some countries, there may only be one cancer doctor for the entire population.

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Workers pack items Sunday at an Amazon fulfillment center in Tracy, Calif. Cyber Monday online sales jumped 8.5 percent over 2013.

Holiday Shoppers Are Filling Their Carts, Online

7:45pm December 02, 2014

by John Ydstie

In-store purchases on Black Friday fell this year, but online sales have seen a big increase. Easy comparison shopping and widespread free shipping have sweetened the deal for many online shoppers.

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Kwame Ajamu grabs his brother Wiley Bridgeman's beard after his release in a gesture that dates from their boyhood.

National

After Wrongful Conviction, Three Lifetimes Spent With Hope In Check

4:31pm December 01, 2014

by NPR Staff

They were young men when they went to prison in 1975 for a murder they did not commit. The last two of them were freed this month, releasing a joy they could finally savor together.

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Backstage With Janis Joplin: Doubts, Drugs And Compassion

1:08pm December 01, 2014

by NPR Staff

John Byrne Cooke was Janis Joplin's road manager from 1967 until her untimely death in 1970. So he saw a lot of rock history up close — and describes some of the details in a new memoir.

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Second-grade teacher Amanda Siepiola reads with Cornelia Blixt and Isabelle Posner-Brown.

Channeling Springsteen: Teachers As Performers

1:05pm December 01, 2014

by Gabrielle Emanuel

The importance of a teacher's presence in the classroom has long been debated. Our 50 Great Teachers project asks: Does does a teacher's performance distract, or does it inspire?

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Do you want to go to the park? Mango Doucleff, of San Francisco, responds to her favorite command by perking up her ears and tilting her head.

How Dogs Understand What We Say

11:42am December 01, 2014

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Dogs pay close attention to the emotion in our voices, but what about the meaning of words? A clever experiment with 250 canines shows that dogs understand more of our speech than previously thought.

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