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Born in Mexico, Contreras-Sweet was the first Latina to serve as a cabinet secretary in California when she led its Business, Transportation and Housing Agency from 1999-2003.

Many spirits are tied to a particular place, but liquor companies have gone global and a small number of firms now dominate the market internationally.

The latest nominees for the movie industry's highest awards are out. Nine films have also been nominated for the "best picture" award. The others: American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, Her, Nebraska, Philomena, 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street.

Gabriel Sherman traces the beginning of Fox News' success back to its wall-to-wall coverage of Monica Lewinsky. He says, "Ratings during the Lewinsky scandal exploded more than 400 percent, so you saw instantly that there was a market for this type of ... television." Sherman's book is called The Loudest Voice In The Room.

For nearly three decades, until 1974, Lt. Hiroo Onoda lived in a Philippine jungle. During those years he continued to battle with villagers. As many as 30 people were killed. It wasn't until his former commander ordered Onoda to lay down his arms that he surrendered. Onoda died Thursday. He was 91.

The state's controversial law threatens the rights of hundreds of thousands of potential voters, a judge has ruled. His decision is almost sure to be appealed. Republicans champion the law, saying it's common sense to require such identification. Democrats say it targets minorities.

NPR's Frank Langfitt recently decided to apply for a driver's license in China. Since he already has a U.S. license, the main requirement was passing a computerized test on the rules of the road in China. He's been driving for decades, and figured it would be a breeze. He was wrong.

The .32-caliber weapon comes amid a spate of reports about rapes in the country. The gun is named for the victim of a 2012 gang rape and murder in New Delhi. But reaction to the Nirbheek has been mixed.

Author and sociologist David Cunningham speaks with Fresh Air's Terry Gross about the origins of cross burnings and white hoods, and why North Carolina had more Klan members during the height of the civil rights movement than all other Southern states combined.

Tom Clancy's wonkish spy returns in a new thriller from Kenneth Branagh, with Star Trek's Chris Pine in the title role and the director playing a menacing Russian bad guy out to bring the U.S. to its knees.