NPR News

Two New Stories With A New-Wave Vibe

David Edelstein — Fri, 24 May 2013 16:01:00 +0000

Lately I've been re-watching vintage Truffaut movies, and I've been struck by the resurgent influence on American independent films of the French New Wave of the late '50s and '60s.

The Truffaut borrowings are fairly explicit in Noah Baumbach's Frances Ha, while Richard Linklater's Before Midnight takes its cues from Eric Rohmer's gentle but expansive talkfests.

Kobo Town: A Haunted 'Jukebox' Filled With Caribbean Sounds

Banning Eyre — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:44:00 +0000

Throughout Kobo Town's new album Jumbie in the Jukebox, frontman Drew Gonsalves declares his love for the past even as his feet are firmly planted in the present. The music of the Toronto band can drift between classic Caribbean pop styles and even verge on hip-hop, but the singer's perspective remains sharply focused, wry and witty.

Remembering Ray Manzarek, Keyboardist For The Doors

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 15:11:00 +0000

This interview was originally broadcast in 1998.

The mythology surrounding The Doors has centered largely on its lead singer, Jim Morrison, who died under mysterious circumstances in 1971. Morrison is still considered one of rock music's tortured poets and sex gods, but instrumentally, The Doors' distinctive sound was based on Ray Manzarek's keyboard playing.

Why Former Gitmo Chief Left In Protest

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

President Obama is once again calling for the prison at Guantanamo Bay to be shut down, even though new polls suggest most Americans want it to stay open. But the chorus of critics has gained one surprising member: former Guantanamo Chief Prosecutor Morris Davis. Host Michel Martin talks with Davis about why he now feels the facility should be closed.

Health Insurance At 'Good Prices' Coming To Calif. Exchange

Sarah Varney — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:57:00 +0000

California just unveiled a wide array of choices for the 5.3 million people expected to qualify to purchase coverage through its online marketplace established by federal health overhaul.

It's the first disclosure of prices in the nation's most populous state for individual health insurance that complies with the Affordable Care Act, and the menu of affordable options surprised some consumer advocates and analysts who had been expecting premiums to be much higher.

"I'm impressed," said Betsy Imholz, director of special projects for Con

Marcus Samuelsson: On Becoming A Top Chef

editor — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:55:00 +0000

A longer version of this interview was originally broadcast on June 28, 2012.

Marcus Samuelsson owns two restaurants in New York City and two restaurants in Sweden. He's cooked for President Obama and prime ministers, served as a judge on Top Chef and Chopped, and recently competed against 21 other chefs on Top Chef Masters.

James Joyce Coin-troversy Reportedly Could Have Been Averted

Bill Chappell — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:23:00 +0000

Irish banking officials should have known there were problems with the controversial 10-euro coin commemorating James Joyce, according to Ireland's RTE News.

2 Men Arrested After Pakistani Jet Is Diverted Over U.K.

Mark Memmott — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:15:00 +0000

Two men were arrested and removed from a Pakistan International Airlines passenger jet Friday.

British Soldier Hacked To Death Was 'Our Hero,' Family Says

Mark Memmott — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:16:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrxcAADT56E

Developing: Explosion, Gunfire In Kabul

Mark Memmott — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:34:00 +0000

There's been an explosion followed by the sound of gunfire in Kabul, NPR's Sean Carberry and other journalists report from the Afghan capital.

Reuters says the explosion occurred "at about 4 p.m. local time in a downtown district. ...

Assad Regime Agrees To Attend Peace Conference, Russia Says

Mark Memmott — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:13:00 +0000

Representatives of President Bashar Assad's regime have agreed "in principle" to attend an international peace conference aimed at ending more than two years of brutal warfare in Syria, Russia's foreign ministry said Friday.

But NPR's Corey Flintoff reports from Moscow that Russian diplomats also said it's not known just when such talks might start because it's unclear who would speak for the groups who have been fighting to overthrow the regime.

Community Surprised Okla. Tornado Death Toll Wasn't Higher

Hansi Lo Wang — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Monday's tornado in Moore, Okla., killed 24 people and caused an estimated $2.2 billion worth of damage. As the community reflects on what happened, one question is: How did so many manage to survive such devastating destruction?

Lifelong Oklahoman Kristi Freeman has seen her share of tornadoes, but she says the twister that tore through her neighborhood Monday was something else.

"This tornado was like a monster. It was like something that was alive. It destroyed your peace, your comfort," she says.

Tornado In Moore, Okla.: Friday's Developments

Mark Memmott — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:39:00 +0000
As the residents of Moore, Okla., and surrounding communities continue to recover from Monday's devastating tornado that killed at least 24 people and injured more than 375, we're keeping an eye on the news from there:
-- Oklahoma City's KOCO-TV reports that "Moore Police will be removing checkpoints into affected areas in the city

Book News: Judge's Comments Bruising To Apple's Price-Fixing Case

Annalisa Quinn — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:32:00 +0000
The daily lowdown on books, publishing, and the occasional author behaving badly.
U.S.

'White Flash And Cold Water' After Bridge Collapse In Wash.

Mark Memmott — Fri, 24 May 2013 11:03:00 +0000
(Most recent update: 10:50 a.m. ET.)
Miracle is the word that comes to Dan Sligh's mind after he and his wife, Sally, survived a plunge off a highway bridge in Washington State on Thursday evening.
Sligh tells The Seattle Times that they were driving on Interstate 5 near Mount Vernon, Wash., around 7 p.m. local time when he saw a truck carrying a heavy load strike the southbound side of a bridge over the Skagit River.