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It's All Politics, Oct. 25, 2012

Credit Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

By editor

Now comes the debate over the debates. No matter who "won" or "lost," it's clear that there has been momentum building toward Mitt Romney since he first debated President Obama early this month in Denver. Plus, a look at the competitive Senate races. And the comment by Indiana Republican Richard Mourdock about rape, pregnancy and God has put a GOP Senate seat in jeopardy.

Join NPR's Ron Elving and Ken Rudin for this week's political roundup.

2:54 pm

Fri October 26, 2012

Family Of China's Premier Is Really, Really Rich - China Doesn't Want People To Know

Credit Andy Wong / AP

Chinese premier Wen Jiabao.

By Korva Coleman

Originally published on Fri October 26, 2012 4:57 pm

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An explosive report from the New York Times today spelled out just how wealthy the relatives of Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao are. Try $2.7 billion dollars in assets. This startling news so angered Chinese officials that the Times' website was quickly shut down in China.

2:04 pm

Fri October 26, 2012

John Cage At 100: Remembering A Revolutionary Composer

Credit Erich Auerbach / Getty Images

Composer John Cage was born in 1912 and died in 1992. He's show above in May 1972.

By editor

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Transcript

DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:

This fall, arts organizations around the world are celebrating what would have been the 100th birthday of composer John Cage, who was born on September 5th, 1912.

1:34 pm

Fri October 26, 2012

Zapping Nuclear Waste With Laser Beams Could Actually Be A Great Idea

Credit Bethany Clarke / Getty Images

This laser's just pretty, not powerful: Artist Yvette Mattern's laser rainbow in Whitley Bay, England, earlier this year.

By Mark Memmott

Originally published on Fri October 26, 2012 3:01 pm

"World's Most Powerful Laser Beams To Zap Nuclear Waste."

That Bloomberg Businessweek headline got our attention. We were imagining the explosion that might result.

But as it turns out, the zapping "could destroy nuclear waste and provide new cancer treatments," according to the story.

1:33 pm

Fri October 26, 2012

'Cloud Atlas': You're Better Off Reading The Book

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Credit Jay Maidment / Warner Bros.

Zachry and Meronym are only two of the combined 12 characters Tom Hanks and Halle Berry play in Cloud Atlas. It is a challenge that bests both actors, according to David Edelstein.

Credit Reiner Bajo / Warner Bros.

Jim Broadbent and Ben Wishaw, seen here as Ayrs and Frobisher, also play five roles each. Both put forth stellar performances.

By David Edelstein

Originally published on Fri October 26, 2012 1:43 pm

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First I need to talk about the book, because it's not as if Cloud Atlas the movie came from nowhere — and if you think it's only the movie you want to know about, I think you need a context for what's onscreen.

Author David Mitchell writes exquisite pastiches, and Cloud Atlas is in the form of six distinct and enthralling novellas set in six different eras with six different literary styles.

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