NPR News

Muffin top joined the lexicon years ago. Now, it is among the newest words recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary. The self-proclaimed "last word on words" defines muffin top as the top part of a muffin, as well as, "a protuberance of flesh above the waistband of a tight pair of trousers."

When Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was a high school disc jockey, he had to get permission from a Communist youth league to play songs by the British rock band Deep Purple. Before a recent concert in Moscow, Medvedev invited the band to his home.

Mobile phone giant AT&T has announced plans to buy major rival T-Mobile. If the deal goes through, AT&T would dominate U.S. telecommunications. It's reminiscent of when Ma Bell had a monopoly over the industry. Bloomberg New technology columnist Rich Jaroslovsky talks to Linda Wertheimer about the concerns of a monopoly.

In the skies over Libya, NATO will take command of the no-fly zone. U.S. air and sea power will remain a key factor in keeping Moammar Gadhafi's troops from attacking. But on the ground, Libyan rebels are stalled in their efforts to advance on government forces. And civilians are fleeing the front lines of the fighting.

Protests against the Syrian government have been taking place at a small border city. Those leading the protests say that dozens of people have been killed by government troops. The Syrian government has pledged to consider lifting some repressive laws to ease the crisis. Phil Sands, a reporter for the National, an English-language newspaper based in the United Arab Emirates, talks to Renee Montagne about the protests.