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Transmission towers in Houston as the storm carrying frigid temperatures approached. The storm tested the reliability of the grid in Texas and across the country, but did not trigger a widespread power crisis.

Intense cold strained, but didn't break, the U.S. electric grid. That was lucky

An intense cold snap caused rolling blackouts in some regions. But a more profound catastrophe didn't unfold, thanks partly to good fortune.

MacKenzie Scott, billionaire philanthropist. Last month she announced that her donations since 2019 have totaled more than $14 billion and helped fund around 1,600 nonprofits. But as much as the scale, it is her untraditional style of giving that is causing a stir.

MacKenzie Scott is shaking up philanthropy's traditions. Is that a good thing?

Donations often come with rigorous applications and reporting requirements. Billionaire MacKenzie Scott, who divorced Jeff Bezos in 2019 and vowed to give away most of her fortune, does it her way.

The World Health Organization's logistics hub in Dubai's International Humanitarian City contains boxes of urgent medical supplies and medicine for dispatch to countries around the world, such as Yemen, Nigeria, Haiti and Uganda. Planeloads of medical supplies from these warehouses are being sent to help with earthquake relief efforts in Syria and Turkey.

A look at the impact of delivering aid to Turkey and Syria through Dubai's global hub

A 1.5 million square-ft. zone of Dubai known as International Humanitarian City is the world's largest aid hub, with warehouses for U.N. agencies, Red Cross and Red Crescent organizations and others.

The Pantone Color Institute has been identifying colors of the year for the last two decades. Their pick for 2023 is a shade of magenta.

How and why Pantone picked 'Viva Magenta' as its 2023 color of the year

After much research and consideration, the Pantone Color Institute has revealed the color of the year for 2023. It calls Viva Magenta "an unconventional shade for an unconventional time."

Among the biggest tasks for Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs: addressing the drought

One of Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs' biggest tasks is addressing the drought on the Colorado River threatening her state's growth boom. The Democrat is convinced it can avoid a drawn out legal battle.

President Biden and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands as they begin talks in Bali.

Biden and China's Xi met for three hours. Here's what they talked about

President Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a high-stakes face-to-face meeting in Bali, Indonesia.

Extracting DNA from Neanderthal urine — and other breakthrough technologies of the year

MIT Technology Review has released its annual list of breakthrough technologies. NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Amy Nordrum, an editor who helped put the list together.

"It's not all just about anger and aggression," Zulu's Anaiah Lei (far left) says, "I'm kind of tired of being expected to express that when I want to express love."

Zulu's soul-sampling powerviolence shifts the pit toward love

Meaty riffs, disembodied screams and... Curtis Mayfield? Anaiah Lei carefully curates samples to acknowledge past freedom fighters and provide windows of hope.

President Biden gave his first State of the Union address on March 1, 2022. On Tuesday, he is set to give his second.

What Biden needs to do in this year's State of the Union speech

On Tuesday, Biden will deliver his State of the Union speech to a divided Congress — and a big audience at home. It's seen as an unofficial kick-off to his expected re-election campaign.

Pedestrians view a partially frozen fountain on a cold-weather day on Jan. 11 in New York City.

In many parts of the northern U.S., it's really cold. Here's how to stay safe

Wind chill warnings and advisories are in place for parts of the northern United States as regions see temperatures settle in the single digits.

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