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Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan was inspired by a real-life gorilla who lived in a mall in Tacoma, Wash. The author says humans have "a real obligation" to care responsibly for animals in captivity.

The president announced Tuesday his picks for three vacant spots on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, considered the second most important court in the nation. Getting nominees through the Senate has been a struggle, and by announcing three at once, the president is putting pressure on Republicans.

If a family vacation to Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons makes you fear for your waistline — or for your palate — there's good news: The National Park Service is revamping its menus to offer more healthful, local and fancier fare. How does a jumbo lump crab cake or almond-baked chicken sound to you?

President Obama often tells audiences that he has waged his last campaign. But that's not exactly true. The White House is gearing up for a massive push this summer to get uninsured people to buy health care when sign-ups begin Oct. 1.

Senate Republicans have continued blocking a number of President Obama's appointees to run his executive agencies. Majority Leader Harry Reid again has threatened a rules change to permit appointment confirmations with a simple majority vote.

Carole King wrote songs for others before becoming a performer and writing for herself. In her memoir, A Natural Woman, she details the stories behind some of her most famous songs and her relationships with songwriters like James Taylor, Gerry Goffin and Paul Simon.

Many Americans believe the future belongs to China, but the view from within the growing nation is more guarded. Recent surveys by two of China's biggest banks found most of the nation's richest people are thinking about establishing residency in another country or switching their citizenship altogether in order to protect their wealth.

Highmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center worked together for decades. But tensions have prompted a split and uncertainty in Pittsburgh's health care market.

Gunshots rang out during a riot in West Point, one of the country's poorest communities. Residents were angry after learning that no one could leave or enter the neighborhood for at least 21 days.

The presidential election has dragged on for months and it's still not clear who the winner is or when he will take office. NPR's Sean Carberry takes a firsthand look at the slow-motion vote count.