NPR News

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'Sopranos' Actor James Gandolfini Dies At Age 51
James Gandolfini, the actor made famous for his signature role as Tony Soprano on HBO's groundbreaking series The Sopranos died on Wednesday. All Things Considered host Robert Siegel speaks with NPR Pop Culture Blogger Linda Holmes about the actor's life.
Russia And China Dinged In U.S. Human Trafficking Report
The State Department issued its annual report on Human Trafficking on Wednesday and some key countries, including Russia and China, are getting downgraded. The report says that more countries were downgraded than upgraded this year and that's because of corruption and the lack of political will to confront entrenched forced labor interests, including shrimping in Thailand, palm oil in Malaysia and construction in Russia, which will be hosting the Olympics in 2014.
Federal Reserve To Continue Bond-Buying Program
Federal Reserve policymakers say the economy is doing slightly better than it was last fall, but the Fed's $85 billion per month stimulus program will continue for the time being. Speaking at news conference in Washington, D.C., Chairman Ben Bernanke indicated the Fed might begin tapering the stimulus program later this year. The Fed repeated earlier statements that it would hold short-term interest rates near zero until the jobless rate reaches 6.5 percent as long as inflation remains in check.
Amid Violence, Chicagoan Fights For Right To Bear Arms
He's a hero to the National Rifle Association for fighting to overturn Chicago's ban on handguns and now he wants to be among the first in Chicago to carry a concealed weapons. 79-year-old Chicagoan Otis McDonald took on city hall and won, big time, in his own personal fight for his right to bear arms — his way of trying to reduce the gun violence that plagues his and other neighborhoods in Chicago, even though many of his neighbors aren't thrilled about McDonald's Second Amendment activism.
Half-Finished Buildings A Symbol Of Forgotten Promise In Egypt
Marsa Alam is a region of more than 100 miles of beautiful coastlines, coral reefs and diving spots. But the city itself is a microcosm of neglect in Egypt since the revolution. It is a ghost town of unfinished construction and promised infrastructure that still doesn't exist. There is no power grid, no water so local hotels and resorts must provide their own generators and water source. And a diesel crisis has hit business hard. When there is no fuel, tour operators can't power their boats or generators and can't take advantage of the few tourists who visit the area.
Tourism Workers In Luxor Threaten Protest Over New Governor
Tourism workers in Luxor, Egypt, are threatening protest over the appointment of the region's new governor. Over the weekend Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi appointed Adel el-Khayat to lead Luxor. El-Khayat is a member of a political party strongly associated with the Islamist group Gamaa Islamiya, a group connected to attacks in Luxor in 1997 that killed 58 tourists. Parliament member Abdul Mawgoud Rageh Dardery represents Luxor. He speaks with Robert Siegel about the appointment and the reaction to it.