Search results for

French citizens go to the polls Sunday to elect their next president. The contrasting political platforms of the two candidates suggest a divided France. Socialist Segolene Royal and conservative Nicolas Sarkozy won last month's first round of voting.

Ahead of a vote, a wild-haired populist has split conservatives. Born rich, he vows to fight for the working class. He points out Obama's Kenyan roots. He's not Trump. He's London Mayor Boris Johnson.

After 14 years of Conservative rule, Britons elected a new prime minister, Keir Starmer, and Parliament dominated by the Labour Party, which hadn't won a national election since Tony Blair, nearly 20 years.

Tired of trying to break through the filibusters, steep the tea, climb the summits? In an era dominated by partisan shouting, Christine Rosen offers a reading list that should appeal to anyone — conservative and liberal alike — feeling left out of the debate.

The Food and Drug Administration declares that there is no medical use for marijuana. The determination returns the FDA to the middle of a politics vs. science battle. Researchers who believe marijuana has medical benefits say the FDA is trying to appease conservative legislators.

Pope Benedict XVI wins support with his warm demeanor during a visit to the U.S. His speeches to bishops and Catholic educators and his meeting with victims of clergy sexual abuse, have pleased both conservatives and liberals.

For this week's Barbershop, NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Susan Chira of The New York Times, conservative commentator Lenny McAllister and journalist Jeff Yang talk about this week's news in sexual harassment, gender politics in sports and more.

Our occasional feature, "First Mention," is focusing on this year's presidential candidates. The first time we heard the name Ted Cruz was on Nov. 20, 2000 on Talk of the Nation in a conversation about the Bush-Gore election situation. At the time, Cruz was part of the Bush campaign's legal team.

NPR's Dan Charles reports that employers are increasingly using technology to monitor the performance of their employees. Aside from monitoring telephone conversations and computer key strokes, employers are also using satellites and other devices to track employees. Privacy advocates worry that there are too few protections for employees.

New technology that helps phone companies streamline their service could also be used to track customers, industry observers say. Telecom companies use the technology to bill customers and manage demands on their networks. But experts say the firms can't routinely track the content of phone conversations.

Nellie McKay made a splash in 2004 with her debut CD, Get Away From Me. McKay's latest, Obligatory Villagers, is a jazz- and cabaret-inflected outing with sassy lyrics on topics as diverse as feminism and zombies. McKay joins Terry Gross for a Fresh Air concert and conversation.

Author Leah Hager Cohen says it's time to stop faking your way through conversations. "Once you finally own up to what you don't know, then you can begin to have honest interactions with the people around you," she explains.

The Storied South is a new book by folklorist William Ferris, collecting 40 years worth of oral histories from Southern writers and artists. Ferris tells NPR's Celeste Headlee that the book was a way of getting everyone from Eudora Welty to Bobby Rush to a "common table of conversation."

The band R.E.M. has released its first album in four years, Accelerate. Critics have been describing the disc as a "comeback," saying it's the band's best album in ages. Michael Stipe, Peter Buck and Mike Mills join Terry Gross for a conversation.

Last month, Ronstadt revealed that she has Parkinson's disease and can no longer sing. Her new memoir, Simple Dreams, reflects on a long career. In this conversation with Fresh Air's Terry Gross, she offers frank insights on sex, drugs, and why "competition was for horse races."

From health care to climate change to immigration, GOP presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has found himself at odds with conservatives over the years. But will Republican voters overlook those issues if they think he can beat President Obama?

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May says she'll remain in office, even after her Conservative Party lost its parliamentary majority. She'll partner with another party to make up the lost seats.

Robert talks with Ed Renwick, director of the Institute of Politics at Loyola University in New Orleans. Renwick analyzes the Louisiana GOP primary and the defining issues that helped Pat Buchannan win out over conservative rival, Sen. Phil Gramm.

Several political figures are vying to succeed outgoing President Mohammed Khatami in Iran's election June 17. Both the conservative and reformist camps, according to opinion polls, are not very popular with the voters. And the race may yet have a wildcard candidate.

A black candidate who has been compared to the arch-conservative former Sen. Jesse Helms is running for the House in North Carolina. Vernon Robinson's first challenge is Tuesday's Republican primary. Stephanie Martin of member station WFDD reports.