WEMU

Syrian Troops Target Key Rebel-Held Town

Krishnadev Calamur — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:41:00 +0000

Dozens of people are dead in heavy fighting around the Syrian rebel-held city of Qusair where troops loyal to President Bashar Assad are making a strong push.

News reports say as many as 50 people are dead.

NPR's Jonathan Blakley, who is in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, is reporting on the fighting for our Newscast Unit:

"Qusair is a strategically important town that lies between the city of Homs, where the Syrian uprising began two years ago, and the Lebanese border.

Decades Later And Across An Ocean, A Novel Gets Its Due

NPR Staff — Sun, 19 May 2013 22:18:00 +0000

Sometimes you need some distance to appreciate a classic.

That was certainly the case for John Williams' novel Stoner. When it was originally published in 1965, the only publication to mention the book at all was The New Yorker, in its "Briefly Noted" column. The novel received admiring reviews over the years, but sold just 2,000 copies and was almost immediately forgotten.

Fast forward to today and the book is experiencing a renaissance of sorts.

Young Kenyans Build Mobile Apps For Local Use

Gregory Warner — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:25:00 +0000

You're out navigating the jammed sidewalks of Kenya's capital city when you suddenly realize you're in desperate need of a toilet. You crane your neck over the crowds, vainly seeking a McDonalds, a Starbucks — no such luck. What next?

There could be an app for that.

Two Excerpts You Should Read From Obama's Morehouse Speech

Eyder Peralta — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:04:00 +0000

President Obama, on Sunday, delivered a rare, very personal commencement address at Morehouse College, the historically black, all-male insitution that is the alma mater of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It was a short speech, but Obama did not shy away the subject of race and responsibility. We've embedded video of the address above, but here are two excerpts you should read. They are taken from his prepared remarks:

On Personal Responsibility:

"We know that too many young men in our community continue to make bad choices.

Boom Or Bust? Saving Rhode Island's 'Superman' Building

NPR Staff — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:58:00 +0000

Rhode Island is home to beautiful beaches, top-notch universities and a thriving arts scene.

Deke Sharon Makes A Cappella Cool Again

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:48:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lExW80sXsHs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q573_hDhTbE

Unacceptable Anger From 'The Woman Upstairs'

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:09:00 +0000

The main character of Claire Messud's novel, The Woman Upstairs, is a good woman. Nora is a 37-year-old elementary school teacher — responsible, kind and reliable. She is also very, very angry.

Her dreams of being an artist have been suppressed; she is seething inside with rage and resentment. But she keeps her anger in until she meets another woman who has everything she does not: a husband, a child and a successful art career. And then everything begins to unravel.

The Movie Katie Aselton Has 'Seen A Million Times'

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:09:00 +0000

The weekends on All Things Considered series Movies I've Seen A Million Times features filmmakers, actors, writers and directors talking about the movies that they never get tired of watching.

Actor-director Katie Aselton's credits include the TV show The League, and the films Jeff, Who Lives At Home and Black Rock— currently in theaters and on VOD.

North Korea Fires Another 'Short-Range Projectile'

Eyder Peralta — Sun, 19 May 2013 19:42:00 +0000
North Korea launched another short-range projectile on Sunday, just a day after they launched three similar objects.
The projectile landed away from neighboring countries in the sea off North Korea's east coast.
As The New York Times explains, South Korean officials moved away from calling the objects missiles, as they did yesterday.

WSJ: Yahoo! Board Approves $1.1 Billion Purchase Of Tumblr

Eyder Peralta — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:50:00 +0000
The Wall Street Journal has this breaking news from the tech world:
"The Yahoo board has approved a deal to pay $1.1 billion in cash for the blogging site Tumblr."
The Journal, the only outlet reporting the approval, is sourcing its story to "people familiar with the matter." Lauren Armstrong, a Yahoo spokeswoman, told us in an email that they "don't comment on rumors or speculation."
The Journal's sister site, <

On Sunday News Shows, Obama Official Plays Defense

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 15:37:00 +0000
Talk during the Sunday news shows today focused expectedly on the trifecta of scandals — IRS targeting of conservative groups, the seizure of AP phone records and the attack of the Benghazi consulate — rocking the Obama a

Police Accidentally Killed Hofstra University Student

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 14:32:00 +0000
After analyzing forensic evidence, Nassau County Police in New York said on Saturday that it was a shot fired by an officer that killed 21-year-old Andrea Rebello.
Rebello, a junior at Hofstra University, was being held hostage by a masked gunman who broke into a house she shared with her sister. Police came looking for the man, when he turned a gun on them. The man allegedly had Rebello in a headlock.
CBC News reports that's when an police officer shot eight rounds.

WATCH: David Beckham Tears Up At Final Home Game

Eyder Peralta — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:38:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf4Ws_czMkc

Giant Renaissance Food People Descend Upon New York

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:05:00 +0000
It takes a lot of chutzpah to reduce one of the most powerful men on Earth to a pile of fruits and vegetables.
Luckily for art lovers, Giuseppe Arcimboldo had nerve to spare.
Arcimboldo created this unorthodox produce portrait of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II back in 1590. By that time, the Italian artist had been painting for the emperor and his powerful Habsburg family for more than 25 years, so presumably, they'd grown used to his visual jokes.

A Lucky Winner In Florida Could Be $590.5 Million Richer

Eyder Peralta — Sun, 19 May 2013 11:21:00 +0000
If you bought a Powerball ticket in Zephyrhills, Fla., sit down and look at these numbers:
10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and 11.
As the AP reports, lottery officials believe only one ticket matched all six numbers in yesterday's Powerball drawing with a record $590.5 million jackpot.
"This would be the sixth Florida Powerball winner and right now, it's the sole winner of the largest ever Powerball jackpot," Florida Lottery executive Cindy O'Connell told the AP.

Three-Minute Fiction: 'Ten Ring Fingers' And 'Ghost Words'

editor — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:54:00 +0000
NPR's Bob Mondello and Susan Stamberg read excerpts of two of the best submissions for Round 11 of our short story contest. They read Ten Ring Fingers by Tamara Breuer of Washington, D.C., and Ghost Words by Matheus Macedo of Winthrop, Mass. You can read their full stories below and find other stories on our Three-Minute Fiction page or on Facebook.

Russian Lawmakers: Don't Criticize Soviet Actions In WWII

Corey Flintoff — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:07:00 +0000
World War II remains a monumental event in the collective Russian mind. It's known as the "Great Patriotic War," and Russians believe no one made greater sacrifices than the Soviet Union when it came to defeating Nazi Germany.
The end of the war is celebrated with a huge military parade in Moscow's Red Square on May 9, commemorating the millions of men and women, military and civilian, who died during the struggle.
Any criticism of the Soviet war effort is rare.

Escape From An Eritrean Prison

Gregory Warner — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:50:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoeaVAtEhOc

Nonconservative Groups Say IRS Scrutinized Them, Too

Brian Naylor — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:41:00 +0000
The IRS was in the hot seat Friday, with its outgoing acting commissioner testifying before a House committee. A Senate panel is scheduled for Tuesday. Congress is prodding to find out why the agency singled out conservative groups for special scrutiny.
Attention has focused on the IRS' flagging of these groups starting in 2010.

Afghans With Disabilities Fight For The Right To Rights

Sean Carberry — Sun, 19 May 2013 09:41:00 +0000
Climbing the rickety metal staircase is precarious enough if you aren't on crutches, but it's simply dangerous if you are. At the top is the office of Janbazan-e-Mayhan, one of many social councils for disabled Afghans. Men missing arms, legs or hands sit around the small room.
Afghanistan isn't an easy place for anyone to make a living. But for those with disabilities, it's a downright hostile environment. Tens of thousands have been maimed and disabled during decades of conflict.