Search results for

The village of Dull, Scotland, has just been visited by a delegation from Bland Shire, Australia. It wanted to get in on a bit of the publicity generated last year when Scotland's Dull established links with Boring, Ore. Bland Shire resident Dot McCaskie said she hoped the visit would bring awareness to places with unusual names.

Also: John Hodgman on Ayn Rand; J.K. Rowling to donate proceeds of new novel to charity; Fox News defends anchor's interview with the author of Zealot.

The rise is being tied to a drop in weekly jobless claims, as well as assurances from the Federal Reserve that it would continue to support the U.S. economy.

Edward Snowden has been granted temporary asylum by Russia and has left the transit zone at Moscow's airport where he has been holed up for more than a month. Morning Edition host Renee Montagne talks to NPR's Corey Flintoff in Moscow and Pentagon correspondent Larry Abramson.

The Labor Department announced on Thursday that applications for jobless benefits fell to 326,000 last week — that's the lowest level since January of 2008.

A week out in nature — away from electrical lights — quickly resets the body's internal clock, scientists say. And it helps night owls who have problems waking up be more alert in the morning. The findings suggest some easy ways to help everyone hop out of bed with more energy.

Much of the political debate over immigration reform has raged within the Republican party. Host Michel Martin talks to former Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez about the solutions his group, Republicans for Immigration Reform, has to offer.

McDonald's may seem to be everywhere, but there are still 105 countries without the fast food giant, from Ghana to Jamaica to Yemen to Tajikistan. In six countries, McDonald's once had a presence, but due to economics, and sometimes politics, the franchises closed.

Ariel Castro repeatedly raped three women he held captive in his house for more than a decade. He's been sentenced to life without parole on 937 counts, including aggravated murder, kidnapping, rape and assault.

Uruguay's legislature is taking steps to approve a controversial bill detailing how the government would regulate marijuana, from its production and import to marketing and distribution. The move would be a first.