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At this time of year, poinsettias are everywhere. So how did this leafy colorful plant become synonymous with Christmas? NPR's Ari Shapiro and Michel Martin investigate.

The strike has shut down public schools since last Thursday. Union leaders met with Gov. Jim Justice, and they have reached a deal for pay raises. State lawmakers would need to pass the proposals.

The newest Star Wars Monopoly game featured Finn, Kylo Ren, Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader — but not the latest film's heroine, Rey. Hasbro says it will add her to the game this year.

Stocks all over the world plunged Friday as investors became even more nervous about China's weakness and oil's collapse. The worries triggered a broad stock sell-off and sent oil below $30 a barrel.

Scientists were studying the properties of the light coming from a quasar — one of the brightest objects in the universe — when the light just seemed to wink out. Now they think they know why.

Stock markets around the world were down again Thursday. In the U.S., the Dow and the S&P were down about 2 percent at mid-day. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is on Capitol Hill briefing lawmakers, and the price of oil slipped below $27 a barrel.

Some New York City first responders are taking Mandarin classes as a way to better serve the country's largest Chinese immigrant community during emergencies.

"I still stand on my belief that I'm against same sex marriage because of what the Bible says, but I'm not condemning LGBT," the famous boxer says, after a TV interview went viral.

About 200 people, including some Americans, departed the Afghan capital on Thursday. Officials said this was not an evacuation flight, but rather that people were leaving of their own free will.

NPR's Skunk Bear blog received 300 nominations for our Golden Mole Award for Accidental Brilliance. We have a winner: Elizabeth Tibbetts found her luck, and scientific insight, in tiny insect faces.