NPR News

For nearly a year, Syria's government has sustained a violent crackdown against opposition protesters. The international community has struggled to agree on a unified response, and on Saturday, the latest effort to bring pressure on Syria's leaders fell apart. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Kelly McEvers, who is monitoring developments in Syria.

For nearly a year, Syria's government has sustained a violent crackdown against opposition protesters. The international community has struggled to agree on a unified response, and on Saturday, the latest effort to bring pressure on Syria's leaders fell apart.

Russia and China blocked a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have condemned the Syrian government for attacks against civilians. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said the United States was "disgusted" by the double veto.

Before Hugo was the hit film directed by Martin Scorsese, it was a children's book called The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick. Host Rachel Martin speaks to screenwriter John Logan, whose script for the film has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Super Bowl is probably the one time of year when any of us bother to pay attention to roman numerals. This year it's 46, otherwise written as XLVI. Just can't keep your numerals straight? Ian Chillag and Michael Danforth of NPR's podcast How Do You Do That explain the subtleties of Roman Numerals for the watchers of Super Bowl XLVI.

Last year, the oil-rich Gulf nation of Qatar quietly purchased a painting by Paul Cezanne for more than $250 million, the highest amount ever paid for a work of art. Rachel Martin talks with Alexandra Peers, who recently wrote about the sale in Vanity Fair.

NASCAR Hall Of Fame driver Darrell Waltrip has a new book, Sundays Will Never Be the Same. Waltrip discusses his long and successful career as a driver and his time afterward in the announcer's booth. Host Rachel Martin also speaks with Waltrip about the day his longtime friend and rival Dale Earnhart died in a crash.

The Super Bowl: an annualized marketing event-cum-gambling extravaganza. That they have to play a football game to justify the ads, gambling and Ines Sainz's career is still in the official rule book somewhere, but that rule book is now sponsored by the Gatorade G2 series. Why does Gatorade have more series than Telemundo?

For years, small churches have been meeting in New York City public schools. Some want cheap rental space, and others are part of a "church planting" movement. The idea is to "plant" congregations, often in unconventional settings, to attract the unaffiliated.

A federal court last year ruled that these school gatherings violate the separation of church and state. The congregations now have one week left to vacate.

There was no 11th-hour surprise in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night. The first state in the West to vote in the Republican presidential race chose Mitt Romney, who won with support from a broad base and left his rivals trailing behind.

No Thanks To You, Mr. President

Nevada has been Romney country since at least 2008. That year, he took about half the vote in the caucuses but lost the Republican nomination to John McCain.

This year, he has his sights set higher.