English author William Fiennes weaves together his story of growing up in Broughton Castle, which has been in his family since the 15th century, with the history of scientific knowledge of the brain and his story of coming to terms with his brother's epilepsy and brain damage.  We speak with Fiennes,author of "The Music Room."

Will Ukraine's state energy company be able to make its payments to Russia? We'll get a report from the BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse.

This is the time of year when kids start wondering — How does Santa travel the world in one night? Can reindeer really fly? And does Rudolph's red, shiny nose lead Santa's sleigh? Professor Tim Slover set out to answer those questions while his children were growing up, and now he's turned those stories into a beautifully crafted radio drama called "The Christmas Chronicles." Slover tells us about the stories, and how they came to life on KBYU public radio in Provo, Utah. Slover is associate professor in the Department of Theater at the University of Utah.