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Bassist Ben Williams is a rising jazz star. He won the 2009 Thelonious Monk Competition and received a recording contract for his debut album, State of Art, which was released this summer. Williams brought his band Sound Effect to perform two songs from that album at the NPR Music offices.

More and more nonprofits are bringing Americans with opposing political views together for civil discussions on divisive issues. Critics question whether these encounters produce lasting results.

Images of dead civilians in the streets of Bucha shocked the world and intensified concerns of Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Officials want more military aid, and bigger consequences for Russia.

A dozen writers for America's Next Top Model, the hit reality show, are on strike. Their goal is to unionize reality TV writers. Without their efforts, Model maestro Tyra Banks and other reality show stars might sometimes be at a loss for words.

Some progress was reported during weekend talks in Vienna between Iran's top nuclear negotiator and the EU's foreign-policy chief. Iran has reportedly offered to temporarily suspend nuclear-enrichment activities.

Neil Burger, writer and director of the movie The Illusionist, says he tried not to use film effects to create the magic captured on screen. He also talks about how he became interested in magic. Based on a short story, the film stars Paul Giamatti, Edward Norton and Jessica Biel.

An unexpectedly steep rise in tax revenues has driven down the projected federal budget deficit this year. The White House says that the deficit will be about $296 billion, much less than the $423 billion predicted six months ago. Steve Inskeep talks with David Wessel of the The Wall Street Journal.

President Bush speaks at the NAACP's 97th annual convention in Washington, D.C. It's his first visit to the gathering since becoming president. Democratic Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ted Kennedy and Barack Obama have already addressed the gathering of about 4,000 people.

British writer Mark Haddon's first novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, brought him critical and popular acclaim. He follows up with A Spot of Bother.

Thailand's army has taken control of Bangkok in an apparent bloodless coup timed to Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's visit to the United States. Military leaders revoked the constitution, but they have also promised a return to democracy.