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German Baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has died — he was 86. Fischer-Dieskau began performing in the 1940s and had a career spanning five decades. He was perhaps best known for his interpretation of Franz Schubert's "Winterreise."

Actress Audra McDonald talks about her Tony-nominated role in the Broadway musical Porgy and Bess. And obesity expert Kelly Brownell weighs in on a new HBO documentary series, The Weight of the Nation.

Hundreds of Turkish women die each year at the hands of men, often their husband or a family member, and many more are routinely abused. Activists say the police and legal response has been dismal. One group has issued a controversial proposal: arming at-risk women and training them in self-defense.

In his new book, journalist Jack Hitt says America's amateur spirit goes back to the nation's origins — and it's nothing to be ashamed of. The Europeans viewed the Americans as an "unfinished people," Hitt says. "We were amateur everything." And it's only made the nation better.

Early investors like investment banks and venture capitalists already own shares of Facebook. Some are even starting to sell. Now small investors get their chance to buy with Friday's IPO. NPR's Sonari Glinton checks in with a few of them on the first day of trading.

Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng and his family have been cleared to leave China and travel to the U.S. They are scheduled to land in Newark, N.J., on Saturday afternoon. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Frank Langfitt about the latest developments.

With NASA's help, SpaceX is trying to send the first commercial spaceship to the International Space Station. The launch was aborted Saturday morning, but there will be another opportunity on Tuesday. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce.

Tamae Watanabe, 73, reached the summit of the world's tallest mountain this morning. The last time she was crowned the oldest woman to climb Everest was 10 years ago.

Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng, whose escape from house arrest sparked a diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and China, flew to the U.S. with his wife and two children. He reportedly will be studying law at New York University.

Zimbabwe suffered out-of-control inflation four years ago, and it ravaged an economy already in decline. Today, the economy has stabilized and the shops are full, though many Zimbabweans are still struggling.