Search results for

German Catholics are facing a stark choice: Pay a church tax or forget about receiving the sacraments, including baptisms, weddings and funerals. Germany taxes registered Catholics, Protestants and Jews. In 2011, the tax raised $6.5 billion for the Catholic Church alone. Many progressives and conservatives are up in arms over the German bishops' decree.

In my life, I have found myself as a colored, a negro, a Black, an African American, and a person of color. This is my reflection as a colored girl. The predominantly colored community in Punta Gorda was more than a place, it was alive with a consciousness of a shared culture.

At its heart, Gabrielle Zevin's new novel is a love letter to the joys of reading. Each chapter starts with the title of a book or short story, essentially introducing characters by what they read.

Each summer, 5,000 tons of sand and nearly 100 palm trees transform a half-mile stretch along river into a beach paradise with volleyball, ice cream stands and sunbathing. Especially now, Paris Plage is a real boon for those who can't afford a more extravagant vacation.

When a teenager with special needs refused to get back into his seat on a recent flight, the crew asked if there were any teachers on board and Sophie Murphy answered the call.

The U.S. aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80 percent by 2050. Wind and solar power can help. But folks doing the math say other pricey, controversial technologies — such as burying carbon gas underground, and expanding nuclear power — are also likely to be part of a low-carbon future.

For Father's Day, we visited a class in West Baltimore that teaches parenting skills to dads, many of whom grew up in poverty and spent time in and out of the criminal justice system.

Staff Sergeant Ty Michael Carter received the nation's highest military honor. He feels privileged, but says "I would never tell any soldier or service member, 'Hey, go out and get the Medal of Honor', because of the amount of pain and loss and tears that has to be shed in order to receive it."

In Duluth, Minn., on Thursday, a federal jury convicted Jammie Thomas for copyright infringement for sharing music online. Thomas is to pay $9,250 for each of the 24 songs involved in the case. Eric Bangeman, who has been covering the trial for the tech Web site Ars Technica, talks with Michele Norris about what the case will mean for future litigation involving file sharing.

NPR's Renee Montagne asks Keith Alaniz and Emily Miller about the spice company they founded with a group of veterans who served in Afghanistan.