NPR News

Pages

Planet Money
11:10 am
Fri July 6, 2012

Rigging LIBOR: Banking Scandal Hits Home (Literally)

Credit Lefteris Pitarakis / AP

Originally published on Mon July 30, 2012 8:20 pm

The biggest scandal in the world right now has nothing to do with sex or celebrities. It's about an interest rate called LIBOR, or the London Interbank Offered Rate.

Most Americans probably never heard of LIBOR. When I first moved to New York, I hadn't. Back then, I could barely afford my apartment and got an adjustable rate mortgage. And so I wondered: When my rate adjusts, how will I know how much I'll be paying?

I searched through all the documents and it was right there — LIBOR. I would be paying a few percentage points above whatever LIBOR was.

Read more
Deceptive Cadence
11:03 am
Fri July 6, 2012

Behind The Music: Charles Ives

Credit Pablo Helguera

Originally published on Tue September 18, 2012 3:23 pm

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
'It's All Politics': NPR's Weekly News Roundup
10:52 am
Fri July 6, 2012

It's All Politics, July 5 2012

Credit Charles Dharapak / AP

If the Supreme Court says President Obama's Affordable Care Act includes a tax, then why is his rival Mitt Romney paying a political price? And who would have guessed in the aftermath of the ruling the right would attack Chief Justice John Roberts. Plus: It's getting nerve-wracking for Charlie Rangel.

NPR's Ron Elving and Ken Rudin have the latest political news in this week's roundup.

Read more
Music Reviews
10:51 am
Fri July 6, 2012

Big K.R.I.T.: Music Straight 'From The Underground'

Originally published on Fri July 6, 2012 1:20 pm

Big K.R.I.T.'s distinction as a rapper is the way he spreads his vowels out over his beats like gravy. There's little that's harsh in his phrasing, even as his lyrics can be tart or tough. In general, though, his tone over the course of Live From the Underground is a voice of coolness, of relaxation or resignation, even occasionally serenity.

Read more
Music
10:34 am
Fri July 6, 2012

Coldplay Sharpens Fencer's Game

World class fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad talks about the music that keeps her sharp for competition for Tell Me More's series, "In Your Ear." Muhammad and the rest of the U.S. women's team recently won gold at the Korfanty Sabre World Cup competition.

Pages