Melissa Block

Ryan Beitz has a goal: Collect every VHS copy of the movie Speed known to man. He has over 500 of them now, he says. But the man pushes on, scouring the earth for more.

The Israeli government suspended peace talks with Palestinians, citing a unity agreement announced Wednesday by Palestinian leadership. The Israeli security cabinet came to the decisi...

Mike Lazer-Walker created a free browser plug-in called Literally, which replaces the word "literally" with "figuratively" in all online text. As the website explains, that's literally all it does.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the 1964 New York World's Fair, we turn back to some predictions that The New York Times commissioned Isaac Asimov to make on the occasion. He got many things right.

Lyndon Johnson taught in the South Texas town of Cotulla in 1928. Even as president, he always remembered the grinding poverty of his students.

Audie Cornish and Melissa Block read letters from listeners about repetition in music and what to call Ukraine.

The boom has brought unexpected prosperity — and many new problems — to Cotulla. It's in the heart of the Eagle Ford Shale area, which has quickly become the nation's No. 2 oil-producing region.

A geopolitical language lesson: It's correct to say Ukraine — not the Ukraine. Those three letters make a big difference, and we explain why.

Melissa Block and Audie Cornish read letters from listeners about the demands made on students and student-athletes in college.

The Kentucky Wildcats and the Connecticut Huskies take the court in Monday's NCAA men's college basketball final. NPR's Tom Goldman talks to Melissa Block about what to watch for in the game.

In Killeen, Texas, another mass shooting had some asking, "Again?" The flags flew at half staff as the community began to pick up the pieces.

From Killeen, Texas, where Fort Hood is based, Melissa Block talks to soldiers who were on base during the shooting, as well as with Killeen's mayor. The mayor explains how the town is trying to cope.

Hispanics now make up 38 percent of Texas residents. One demographer says the state's future is tied to the success of its growing minority population. Schools may be part of the solution.

An injured leg can cause so much pain that some wounded veterans consider amputation. A brace invented at an Army medical center in Texas is getting them up and running again.

The Oxford English Dictionary is adding some 900 new words and phrases to its pages, with wackadoodle, bestie and DIYer among them. Melissa and Robert review some of the new entries.

Melissa Block and Robert Siegel read emails from listeners about Game of Thrones and The Big Broadcast.

President Obama's pitch for his health care law has brought him to an awkward place: "Between Two Ferns." In a bid to up the enrollment of young people, Obama visited Zach Galifianakis' Internet show.

Audie Cornish and Melissa Block read letters from listeners about Tea Party conservative Jim DeMint and a sneaky commentary on Kenny G.

Nick Preuher is no chef; he only plays one on TV. More accurately, he has pretended to be one, appearing on various local morning television shows as a prank.

In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin defended his position on Ukraine. In a news conference, Putin denied that Russian troops are in Crimea but reserved the right to use force in Ukraine.