Uproar Over Birmingham City Schools Superintendent Search
The Birmingham Board of Education is in the midst of selecting a new superintendent and the search has been anything but smooth. Several board members called for the process to be changed after no local candidates were among the finalists. Two of the five finalists pulled out citing the political climate. On Wednesday a bomb threat was called into the administration building forcing an evacuation as candidates were interviewed. And a judge refused to halt the selection process at the request of the interim superintendent, who filed suit. It’s all against the backdrop of a school system that has struggled to keep someone in the top position. We talk about the situation with Alabama Media Group columnist John Archibald.
India (and its kids) are out to conquer the world of chess
Chess is seeing a global resurgence, sparked by The Queen's Gambit and the pandemic impact on leisure time. India is an emerging power player, with 85 grandmasters and intense chess schools for youth.
Colombian Presidential hopeful shot at Bogotá rally
A Colombian Presidential hopeful in critical condition after being shot during a campaign rally in Bogotá on Saturday. The assassination attempt is having a chilling effect in Colombia where security has been backsliding recently.
How a network of women in Latin America transformed safe, self-managed abortions
An underground network of feminists and activists developed new models of care for abortion that eventually helped legalize abortion in countries across Latin America.
NPR readers share stories of love and adversity in honor of Loving Day
June 12th is Loving Day, a holiday that commemorates the Loving v. Virginia case, which allowed interracial marriage in all parts of the U.S. NPR readers share how the case changed their lives.
Chile’s Indigenous fishermen say the salmon industry threatens their way of life
Salmon farming is big business in Chile, and the U.S. is one of its largest markets. Yet the fish are not native, and fishermen say salmon are damaging ecosystems and an Indigenous way of life.
Recovery Failure: Why we struggle to rebuild for the next storm
NPR and the PBS series Frontline investigate the forces keeping communities from building resiliently, and the special interests that profit even when communities don't.