Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, host:

Visitors to the nation's capital will soon have a lifetime chance to see one of the most precious artifacts of ancient Rome. The Capitoline Venus will go on display next Wednesday at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. She is over six feet tall and naked, covering herself with both lovely arms.

Transcript

SCOTT SIMON, host:

Julian and Adrian Riester entered the world together. Twin brothers born in Buffalo, New York, they played the kinds of games twins do: fooling teachers when they sometimes took each other's tests at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute.

One day during World War II, the brothers received their acceptance from the Franciscan order in the morning, and orders from their draft board that afternoon. They told their draft board they had to answer the call of God and became friars.

Host Scott Simon reads listener's letters about Aldous Huxley's only children's book and an interview last week with cellist Alisa Weilerstein.

Lindi Ortega's debut album Little Red Boots comes out Tuesday on Last Gang Records. She says her influences run the gamut from the pensive Leonard Cohen to the atmospheric Mazzy Star and Jeff Buckley, but her new CD serves some straight-up country. Host Scott Simon speaks with singer-songwriter Lindi Ortega, who has been described as Canada's answer to Dolly Parton.

Sometimes, there's nothing more exciting than a great athlete who is growing older, like the rest of us, yet rouses themselves to give one more great performance. Dirk Nowitzki and Roger Federer both upset their opponents this week with stellar wins. Host Scott Simon discusses the French Open, the NBA playoffs and Shaquille O'Neal's retirement announcement with NPR sports correspondent Mike Pesca.

Apple CEO Steve Jobs will come back from medical leave to announce a new music service at the company's annual developers conference on Monday. The service will be called iCloud, and it's rumored to have been in the works for the last year. All indications are that, for the first time, the major record labels and music publishers have gotten behind a service that will let you access your entire iTunes collection from almost any Internet-connected device.

Peruvians elect their next president on Sunday and the candidates seem like they've been plucked from a political novel. The daughter of a jailed former president faces the ex-army commander, who tried to depose him. NPR's Juan Forero has the story.

At least 63 anti-government protestors were killed Friday by Syrian security forces. The rising death toll has provoked widespread outrage, but so far there's been only limited international pressure on the Syrian government to end its harsh crackdown. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Deborah Amos, who is monitoring the increasing anti-government protests in Syria.

Canada is more enamored than usual with hockey, which is quite a lot, but the Stanley Cup finals are only part of it. Host Scott Simon speaks with former NHL goalie and CBC hockey analyst Kelly Hrudey about Winnipeg's new NHL franchise and the challenges of playing a schedule in the Southeast Division while living in Manitoba, 1,246 miles from their nearest division rival.

High-level al-Qaida militant Ilyas Kashmiri reportedly has been killed in a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan. Host Scott Simon talks to NPR's Steve Inskeep in Islamabad.