National Public Radio News

Egypt has faced deteriorating security and a surge in crime since the popular uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak a year ago. The country's military rulers have yet to transfer power to civilian rule, and though many are proud of the revolution, some argue Egypt is not much better off than it was under Mubarak.

The Central American nation is the most violent country in the world, according to the United Nations. A mix of drug trafficking, political instability and history adds up to a murder rate that is now four times that of Mexico. Contributing to the volatility are the police themselves.

Mitt Romney has struggled to prove his conservative authenticity to voters. At the Conservative Political Action Conference, he hardly uttered a sentence that didn't include the word "conservative." For this weekend — and the primary season in general — the calculation is simple: The more conservative, the better.

Along with Republicans, some Democrats said religious institutions shouldn't have to include birth control in their employees' health coverage. The Obama administration altered its policy Friday, but the issue could still affect which party controls the Senate next year.

President Obama announced a change of course Friday regarding religious institutions and birth control coverage. The administration, which seemed caught off guard by the strong opposition to its original policy, hopes to regain Catholic allies and maintain support from the women who put Obama in the White House.

Mitt Romney has struggled to prove his conservative authenticity to voters. At the Conservative Political Action Conference, he hardly uttered a sentence that didn't include the word "conservative." For this weekend — and the primary season in general — the calculation is simple: The more conservative, the better.

Scientists in Hungary and Sweden say they've found an answer to the age-old question of how the zebra got its stripes. It turns out the pattern may have evolved to repel Africa's biting flies. The researchers discovered this by placing models of patterned zebras next to models of their plainer cousins, horses, and measuring how many flies ended up on each one. Host Scott Simon has more.

Dengue fever, a nasty disease caused by a virus, is just beginning to show up in the U.S. It's carried from person to person by mosquitoes, and one researcher studying the spread is looking for clues in the age of the insects. But it's not very easy to tell how old a mosquito is.

For sale: 160 acres of rolling hills in California perfect for a vineyard, cattle ranch or communication with outer space. The Jamesburg Earth Station and its 10-story satellite dish once relayed broadcasts of historical events like the Apollo 11 moon landing. Now it's on the market.

Joseph Smith Jr. has been chosen to oversee the multibillion-dollar national mortgage settlement announced earlier this week. Smith is described as a man who understands the plight of the homeowner without forgetting what makes a successful banking industry work.

An engineer set out to raise $75,000 through the crowd-funding website Kickstarter to build and sell iPhone docks. It was an ambitious goal, but he made it — and then some. Supporters gave more than $1 million — the first time a project on Kickstarter had raised that much.

Most of the country is having a mild winter, and that's having a positive impact on cities and towns. Local governments report being able to continue roadwork uninterrupted, and cities that are usually cleaning up after winter storms are saving tens of thousands of dollars.

If Dave Isay has learned one thing from editing his new book of StoryCorps conversations it's this: "No one should ever, ever give up hope on love," he says. "It seems like it's not in the cards for people, and then it just sneaks up behind you."

George Clooney talks to Robert Siegel about The Descendants, aging gracefully in Hollywood, and the ubiquity of cell phone cameras.

For years, Elling was the Susan Lucci of jazz: Every year he would be nominated for a Grammy, and then every year he wouldn't win. But ninth time's a charm! In 2010, he won his first Grammy, and this year, he's a favorite to win another for his latest record, The Gate.

Liz Lemon began 30 Rock as a harried but capable television producer. Now, she's a little girl looking for approval.

In 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act resetting the 180-day statute of limitations for filing an equal-pay lawsuit with each paycheck. Laura Flanders of The Nation argues that despite these attempts, there remain discrepancies between men and women in employment.

The unemployment rate is calculated by dividing the people who do not have work but are looking by everybody in the labor force. Jay Cost of The Weekly Standard finds that what's really been going on with employment is more complicated than the official 8.3% unemployment rate indicates.