The Torch
11:32 am
Fri July 27, 2012

London Olympics: Watching The Opening Ceremony, And This Weekend's Events

Originally published on Fri July 27, 2012 12:46 pm

The London 2012 Summer Games are set to begin in earnest, with today's opening ceremony kicking off a weekend of gold-medal competitions. But if you're in America and you hope to watch the Opening Ceremony live, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed: NBC is tape-delaying its broadcast until Friday night.

Read more
Asia
11:27 am
Fri July 27, 2012

Pay, Not Play, Fuels British Invasion Of Chinese Soccer

Originally published on Thu August 9, 2012 12:20 pm

On a gray, polluted Beijing morning, parents peer through a fence anxiously at their little darlings' wobbly dribbling skills on the soccer pitch, as they try to score goals against former Manchester City goalkeeper Alex Williams.

Across town, Arsenal midfielder Mikel Arteta poses gamely with another group of Chinese kids.

Read more
Movie Reviews
11:22 am
Fri July 27, 2012

Two Films Shoot Past Realism To Weirder Territory

Originally published on Fri July 27, 2012 2:12 pm

Amid the slapstick comedies, sequels and superhero movies that have come to define summer moviegoing, two films opening today center on disturbed and disturbing romantic ties. Ruby Sparks and Killer Joe aren't fantasy or horror pictures, but they're within screaming distance — close enough to remind you how much deeper artists go when they barrel past realism into weirder areas of the psyche.

Read more
Interviews
11:21 am
Fri July 27, 2012

'Fresh Air' Bids Farewell To Melody Kramer

Credit Sam Briger / WHYY
Producer Melody Kramer, who developed a strong social-media presence for Fresh Air over the last several years, departs this week.

Originally published on Fri July 27, 2012 11:47 am

Today, reluctantly, we say goodbye to someone our listeners may have come to feel attached to, even though they've never heard her voice on our show.

Until about 3 years ago, we were so obsessed with getting Fresh Air on the air every day that we were virtually ignoring all the social media possibilities, and our website was pretty bare-boned. Then we hired Melody Kramer to be our associate producer for online media.

Read more
The Two-Way
11:18 am
Fri July 27, 2012

CNN Chief Jim Walton Stepping Down

Saying that the cable news network "needs new thinking," CNN Worldwide President Jim Walton told his staff today that he's stepping down at the end of the year.

In a memo, he said:

Read more
Deceptive Cadence
10:58 am
Fri July 27, 2012

Faster, Higher, Louder

Credit Pablo Helguera

Got an idea for a classical cartoon, or a reaction to this one? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Pablo Helguera is a New York-based artist working with sculpture, drawing, photography and performance. You can see more of his work at Artworld Salon and on his own site.

Read more
The Salt
10:44 am
Fri July 27, 2012

McDonald's Food Has A Healthy Glow, At Least In China

Credit McDonald's China
Tomatoes getting a splash of water reinforces the notion that McDonald's food is wholesome in China, as seen in this video screengrab.

Originally published on Mon October 22, 2012 10:34 am

Here in the U.S., McDonald's food is not usually considered all that healthy. But in China, it is.

That's because Chinese consumers trust American brands more than their own, says Shaun Rein, founder of China Market Research, who studies Chinese consumer behavior. Rein says that in China, McDonald's is seen as providing safe and wholesome food.

Read more
A Blog Supreme
10:44 am
Fri July 27, 2012

Newport Jazz Festival 2012 Preview: The Up-And-Comers

Originally published on Fri August 3, 2012 8:49 am

'It's All Politics': NPR's Weekly News Roundup
10:37 am
Fri July 27, 2012

It's All Politics, July 26, 2012

Credit Charles Dharapak / AP
  • Listen to the Roundup

Mitt Romney figures, why just create gaffes in the United States when I can do the same in Europe? But before he leaves he socks it to the president at the VFW. Also, a look ahead to Tuesday's Republican Senate runoff in Texas. And Alaska Republican Don Young and Hawaii Democrat Mazie Hirono make nice in a most unusual commercial.

Join NPR's Ken Rudin and Ron Elving in the latest installment of the It's All Politics podcast.

Read more
The Two-Way
10:17 am
Fri July 27, 2012

Hubig Pies, Landmark New Orleans Bakery, Has Burned Down

Originally published on Fri July 27, 2012 10:39 am

A bakery that's been producing hand-size, fried fruit pies for hungry folks in and around New Olreans since 1922 is "a total loss" after a blaze today, city fire officials tell The Times-Picayune.

Read more

Pages