Former Cricket Star Finds Fans In Pakistani Politics

After 15 years on the fringes of Pakistani national politics, Imran Khan is now at the epicenter. He first rose to prominence decades ago as the rakish star of Pakistan’s cricket team, the country’s national passion. He’s now trying to reshape Pakistan’s political game, outmaneuvering old-time political pros with his Tareek-e-Insaf (Justice Party). Khan is [...]

Asking For Quiet: How To Defuse Thanksgiving Spats

The Thanksgiving holiday offers a chance to connect with family and enjoy a relaxing meal. But it doesn’t always happen that way — especially when political arguments break out at the table. We asked our audience to share their stories on NPR’s Facebook page, and the responses came rolling in. Stef Work echoed the sentiment [...]

Calling Home For The Holidays, Via Video From Iraq

For Lindsey Santana and her young family, video Web chats via Skype are an integral part of their lives. Her husband, Capt. Paul Santana, is a helicopter pilot serving in Iraq. And their video phone calls have helped them make the best of things during his deployment, which continues past this Thanksgiving. The couple was [...]

Turkey Joints That Taste Like Candy

Part of an ongoing series on unique holiday dishes Each fall when it turns cold, a candy maker in Rome, N.Y., kicks into production on a confection known as turkey joints. And each year as Christmas approaches, I receive a jar of these bone-shaped candies in my shoe. My mother-in-law, Miriam Ganze, claims that leaving [...]

David Frum Asks, ‘When Did The GOP Lose Touch?’

Republican David Frum, a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, is seriously upset with the state of his party. He’s written an article in the current New York magazine, titled “When Did the GOP Lose Touch with Reality?” As he tells NPR’s Steve Inskeep, among Frum’s complaints is the idea that his fellow Republicans insist [...]

NFL’s Thanksgiving Day Lineup: Grudge Matches, Not ‘Turkeys’

With six weeks left in the NFL’s regular season, the league’s traditional Thanksgiving Day Classic games have football fans excited. Almost all of the teams involved are having strong seasons. And if the day’s three games have a common theme, it could be “grudge match.” The Dallas Cowboys have a shot at repairing their pride [...]

Poll: Romney Retains Huge New Hampshire Lead

New Hampshire is giving Mitt Romney plenty to be grateful for, with a new Thanksgiving eve-poll showing the former governor of neighboring Massachusetts with a 27 percentage-point lead over his closest rival, Newt Gingrich. The WMUR/University of New Hampshire poll of 413 likely Republican primary voters showed Romney with 42 percent of the vote compared [...]

Romney To Iowans: ‘The Country Counts On You’

Mitt Romney was campaigning in Iowa on Wednesday, raising his flag a bit higher in the state that begins the presidential nominating process with its caucuses on Jan. 3. This is only Romney’s fifth visit to Iowa this year, but already his second this month. So far this year, he’d been keeping a low profile [...]

Scientists Bag Small Game In Bathroom Germ Safari

Turns out Howard Hughes was right. The world is a very germy place, especially public restrooms. The reclusive billionaire, who had the world’s most notorious case of so-called germophobia, would go to just about any length to avoid contamination. He wore tissue boxes on his feet. He burned his clothing if someone near him got [...]

Tavenner To Replace Berwick As Medicare Chief

President Obama is nominating Marilyn Tavenner to succeed Dr. Donald M. Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Tavenner, who has been the agency’s principal deputy administrator, will serve as administrator on an acting basis during the confirmation process, according to an announcement to CMS staff. Berwick was never confirmed by [...]