NPR Topics: Story of the Day Podcast

Rock wrote, directed and stars in Top Five, the story of a marquee comedian who abandons his standup roots for blockbuster film glory.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Following the grand jury's decision not to indict Darren Wilson, Ferguson residents are hoping to take this Thanksgiving to grow and heal their community — and give thanks to one another.

In Ferguson, Mo., some residents spent Tuesday cleaning up looted and vandalized businesses near the police station — some for the second time since the August shooting sparked public outcry.

As President Obama's executive action on immigration starts taking effect, it will be up to the little-known United States Citizenship and Immigration Services offices to handle the actual changes.

The White House is reviewing how it handles hostage crises following the brutal murders of Americans abroad, but families of hostages say they're often left out of the conversation.

For the first time in more than a decade, the Texas State Board of Education has adopted new social studies textbooks. But the process came with a few hiccups.

Cattle theft has been making a major comeback. A drought in the West has meant higher beef prices, making cattle an attractive target for thieves.

While the Nazis may have used the children's opera Brundibár as a propaganda tool, it also was a symbol of hope for the children who performed it. It is now a way to remember profound loss.