In the first of two podcast exploring some of what's new in iOS 13, Thomas Domville showcases some of what's new and changed for VoiceOver users. This includes:

• Customizing VoiceOver's haptic feedback
• More responsive VoiceOver when exploring by touch
• Using Voice Control with VoiceOver
• Customizing VoiceOver gestures
• Customizing VoiceOver keyboard shortcuts
• VoiceOver Activities; set custom VoiceOver configurations for specific tasks
• New VoiceOver rotor item: Context Menu
• QuickPath; slide to type
• Scrollbars for faster navigation
• Spoken and haptic guidance when taking photos
• Enhanced Siri US female voice

In the second of two podcast exploring some of what's new in iOS 13, Thomas Domville showcases some of what's new and changed. This includes:

• App Store changes; including a new location to manually update apps
• Checking battery health and optimizing battery charging
• Low Data Mode
• New relationships and emoji for contacts
• Control Center changes
• Dark Mode
• Changes to Bedtime Mode
• Changes to Files app
• Find My replaces Find Friends and Find My iPhone
• Changes to Personal Hotspot
• Granting location permissions to apps
• Changes to Mail app
• Sharing your profile with iMessage recipients
• Subfolders on the Home screen
• Play radio stations with Siri
• Changes to Safari
• Changes to Screen Time
• Silence unknown callers
• Several small changes

In this podcast, Dave Nason explores and discusses some of what's new for iPad users in iPadOS.

In this edition of the AppleVis Extra, Dave Nason, Scott Davert, and Thomas Domville sit down to discuss some of their favourite new features of iOS and iPadOS 13; along with some of the issues that these releases have introduced for blind and low vision users.

Links:
What's New In iOS 13 Accessibility For Individuals Who Are Blind or Deaf-Blind
Apple to Release iOS 13.1 and iPadOS 13.1 on 24 September; Bringing Many Bug Fixes and Some New Bugs for Blind and Low Vision Users
The Accessibility Bugs Introduced and Resolved in iOS 13 for Blind and Low Vision Users

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, Thomas Domville, Randy Rusnak, and Mike Malarsie discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• Amazon updates Echo lineup: better audio quality, an Echo Dot with a clock, and more
• Amazon will keep track of your dog with Fetch
• All the major announcements from Apple's 2019 iPhone Event
• AppleVis Extra 68: Recapping Apple's September 10, 2019 "By Innovation Only" Event
• Get a free year of Apple TV+ with purchase of new hardware
• AppleCare+ monthly plans switch to subscription model
• What to expect from Apple in October
• The Accessibility Bugs Introduced and Resolved in iOS 13 for Blind and Low Vision Users
• Apple to Release iOS 13.1 and iPadOS 13.1 on 24 September; Bringing Many Bug Fixes and Some New Bugs for Blind and Low Vision Users
• AppleVis Extra 69: The iOS and iPadOS 13 Roundtable
• Everything you can do with Voice Control on iPhone and iPad
• Apple to supply parts to independent repair shops for first time
• AudioWizards
• What to do if you forget your iPhone or iPad passcode

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, Thomas Domville, Randy Rusnak, and Mike Malarsie discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• Apple Releases iOS 13.2 and iPadOS 13.2; Bringing Many Bug Fixes for Blind and Low Vision Users
• The New Features, Changes, Improvements, and Bugs in macOS Catalina for Blind and Low Vision Users
• If Catalyst Apps Are the Future of Mac Software, the Future Currently Doesn't Look Too Bright for VoiceOver Users
• Apple (probably) isn't holding an October event after all
• AirPods Pro: Everything you need to know!
• Kuo: New iPad Pro and iPhone SE 2 in early 2020, followed by Apple AR headset collaboration with 'third-party brands'
• Kuo: MacBooks will swap over to a scissor mechanism keyboard in 2020
• Apple TV+ Series Review Roundup: The Morning Show, See, Dickinson, and For All Mankind
• Apple schedules fiscal Q4 2019 earnings release for October 30th
• Supreme Court allows blind people to sue retailers if their websites are not accessible
• Google Maps rolls out detailed voice guidance for people with impaired vision
• How to add hourly Taptic Chime alerts to Apple Watch

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, Thomas Domville and guest co-host Serina Gilbert discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• Apple destroys Street with highest Q4 revenue ever
• Apple announces new 16-inch MacBook Pro: scissor switch 'Magic Keyboard', louder speakers, $2399
• Apple TV+ is now live in the TV app: Start watching Apple's original TV shows and movies
• Apple Renews 'See,' 'For All Mankind,' 'Dickinson,' and 'The Morning Show' for Season 2
• Apple and Disney look to disrupt Netflix's binge-watching model
• iOS 13.2.2 now available with fix for background app performance, more
• Apple releases iOS 13.2.3 with more background app improvements, Mail fixes, more
• Apple Changes Internal Approach to Software Development for iOS 14 Following Buggy iOS 13 Release
• Apple holding 'special event' for December 2nd in New York City
• Microsoft's new Office app for mobile combines Word, Excel and Powerpoint
• Amazon Music App for iOS Now Offers Free Ad-Supported Streaming
• Disney plus
• Triode - Internet Radio
• How to turn off private browsing on an iPhone, or turn it on
• How to Turn Your Mac into a Talking Clock - The Sweet Setup

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, Thomas Domville and Mike Malarsie are joined by special guest Robin Christopherson to discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• 'The Morning Show' earns three Golden Globe nominations for Apple TV+
• Kuo: Apple to Launch 'Completely Wireless' iPhone Without Lightning Connector and 'iPhone SE 2 Plus' With Touch ID Power Button in 2021
• Apple Releases iOS 13.3 and iPadOS 13.3 with Some Fixes for Blind and Low Vision Users, but also a Regression to Smart Invert
• The AppleVis Community Names Seeing AI and Dice World as its Golden Apples of 2019
• A handy guide to 5G and what that actually means for you
• Chirp 2.0 for Apple Watch adds new features
• Jumbo: Privacy + Security
• Take back control of your personal data with Jumbo: Privacy + Security for iOS
• You can now ask Alexa to play Apple Podcasts on Amazon Echo speakers

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, Thomas Domville, Randy Rusnak, and Mike Malarsie discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• iPad at 10: Why apps made the iPad a success
• Apple Q1 2020: The company cracks $90B in a single quarter for the first time as the iPhone returns to glory
• Things Apple Didn't Want to Talk About in its Q1 Earnings Report
• Apple rings in new era of Services following landmark year
• Apple's App Store generates over a billion dollars per week
• Apple Releases iOS 13.3.1 and iPadOS 13.3.1 with Some Improvements to Smart Invert
• Apple Planning to Make Original Podcasts Promoting Its TV Shows
• Apple Requiring Notarization for Non Mac App Store Apps Starting February 2020
• Apple's Upcoming Low-Cost iPhone Could Launch as Early as March
• Kuo: Apple to Launch AirTags, Small Charging Mat, New iPads and Macs, High-End Headphones, and More in First Half of 2020
• Rumor: iOS 14 to support all of the devices as iOS 13
• How to Enable Low Data Mode on iPhone Cellular to Reduce Mobile Data Use
• How to clear all your notifications at once on Apple Watch

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

Would you like to have Siri respond to you when your device is covered or face down? Then you are in luck as Thomas Domville shows us how to make Hey Siri listen with the Facedown Detection or covered in iOS.

Apple has updated Siri to answer some simple questions about Covid-19 for users in the USA.

In this podcast, Troy Larson shows us how voice queries like “Hey Siri, do I have the coronavirus?” will lead you through a series of quick questions about symptoms such as a dry cough and shortness of breath.

Siri is by no means a replacement for a medical professional, but its answers have been provided by the US Public Health Service, and Siri can direct you to the Centers for Disease Control website or even prompt you to ring the emergency services.

In this month's edition of AppleVis Unleashed, regular hosts Thomas Domville and Randy Rusnak are joined by Michael Hansen to discuss recent Apple news and other topics of interest. Topics featured in this podcast include:

• Happy Birthday Apple - Founded April 1, 1976
• Apple Acquires Weather App Dark Sky
• Apple announces the new $399 iPhone SE for 2020
• iPhone SE 2020 release date, price, specs and all you need to know
• iPhone battery life compared: How does the new iPhone SE stack up?
• New iPhone SE Supports Haptic Touch, With 3D Touch Now Officially Eliminated From Apple's iPhone Lineup
• iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 Cases Are Compatible with 2020 iPhone SE
• iPhone SE Plus Postponed Until Second Half of 2021
• Apple Releases iOS and iPadOS 13.4.1 With Fix for FaceTime Bug
• Apple to Announce Q2 2020 Earnings on April 30
• Apple Q2 2020 earnings will be down, but not disastrously so
• Goldman Sachs sees iPhone sales tanking 36%, says sell AAPL shares
• Apple invites select developers to attend accessibility webinar ahead of WWDC 2020
• Apple Rumored to Announce 13-inch MacBook Pro Refresh, AirTags, Over-Ear Headphones at WWDC 2020
• Apple's over-ear headphones reportedly have swappable ear pads and headbands
• Kuo: New AirPods Coming In 2021, Over-The-Ear Headphones To Be Unveiled This Year
• Supersense AI
• Personal Power; The iOS Edition
• ACB Convention homepage
• National Convention | National Federation of the Blind

You can contact the Unleashed Team with feedback or questions at unleashed@applevis.com

It was a special day at Isothermal Community College in late November when UNC-TV used the school's television studios to record upcoming episodes of North Carolina Bookwatch, hosted by DG Martin. One of those discussions featured Author Kristy Woodson Harvey from Beaufort. Kristy is a best selling author thanks to romantic stories like 'Dear Carolina' and 'Feels Like Falling.' The interview was first aired on Nov. 29, 2019. Posted by Host and Producer of More to the Story, Paul Foster- WNCW Senior Producer, News Director, and Moring Edition Regional Host

For many years this downtown Asheville venue has hosted concerts, conferences, trade shows, sporting events and more, attracting attendees from all over western North Carolina. What had been known in recent years as the U.S. Cellular Center has now become 'Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville' - the same Harrah's that oversees Harrah's Cherokee Casino in North Carolina. The Center's General Manager Chris Corl was our guest and he talked about what has happened and previewed news about exciting additions for the future.

Staffers at Isothermal Community College, in Spindale NC - home to WNCW, were honored to welcome guest speaker, Jeffrey Blount, retired veteran director of NBC News programs like the Today Show and Meet The Press. Blount worked with the network for more than 30 years and is also an author, an award winning documentary script writer, and winner of an Emmy. Blount is traveling across the country to talk about his latest book, The Emancipation of Evan Walls, and to share thoughts on issues involving race and social justice. During his visit here, he spoke to local high school students, ICC staff, and community members about his early years, his career, mentoring and the power of education. Blount kicked off the college's celebration of Black History Month with his riveting speech at the college's Foundation for Performing Arts Center. The interview first aired on Feb. 7, 2020. Posted by Host and Producer of WNCW's The Friday Feature, Paul Foster- Senior Producer, News Director, and

Rutherfordton Town Manager Doug Barrick and Dr. Ashley Lowery, a local dentist known for her involvement in many community organizations, were among guests on this edition of The Friday Feature Interview of the Week. They came to talk about the exciting news that Rutherfordton is in the current running for HGTV's Hometown Takeover. Learn how this opportunity came together through a process to show off some of Rutherfordton's very best. The conversation first aired on WNCW, Feb. 14, 2020. Posted by Host and Producer of The Friday Feature Interview of the Week, Paul Foster- WNCW Senior Producer, News Director, and Morning Edition Regional Host

Representatives from The Alzheimer's Association - Western North Carolina Chapter made a return to The Friday Feature to talk about a community forum event in the region, while reminding anyone dealing with a loved one who has the Alzheimer's disease, that they want to provide support. Guest was Denise Young- Program Manager of the association. This conversation was first presented on Feb. 21, 2020. Posted by Host and Producer of WNCW's Friday Feature Interview of the Week- Paul Foster, Senior Producer, News Director, and Morning Edition Regional Host

Guests of this Friday Feature Interview of the Week were Megan Robinson, Executive Director of the Western NC American Red Cross and United Way of Greenville County, SC Executive Director Megan Barp. Both agencies are important, year-round organizations, with staff/volunteers that want to offer support and services, especially during the coronavirus crisis. However, these groups could use additional volunteers and donors to achieve full capacity. This conversation first aired on April 3, 2020. Posted by Host and Producer of The Friday Feature- Paul Foster, WNCW Senior Producer, News Director, and Morning Edition Regional Host

In this Friday Feature Interview of the Week we put the spotlight on PAL: Partners for Active Living, a group working with its partners in an attempt to remind citizens about the importance of their health, and to let people know about the many ways they can take advantage of outdoor adventures in Spartanburg, South Carolina. PAL Executive Director Laura Ringo shared the latest on the non-profit group, and also talked about COVID-19 and its effect on PAL. The interview originally aired May 1, 2020. Posted by Host and Producer of The Friday Feature- Paul Foster, WNCW Senior Producer, News Director, and Morning Edition Regional Host

Two major Connecticut banks announced Tuesday they will merge in a $759 million deal.

A state-funded report on New York’s tourism economy says visitors spent $6.1 billion on Long Island in 2018.

Logan County Sheriff Randall Dodds says he is laying off 21 staffers, includuing deputies and jail guards starting on May 2.

The Ohio School Boards Association says voters Tuesday approved a smaller percentage of school tax issues on the primary ballot than in the previous primary election.

Ohio's "Stay at Home" order has been extended to May 29, and is being rebranded as "Stay Safe Ohio".

Manufacturing, construction and distribution companies can reopen today , with employees wearing masks and observing cleaning and social distancing rules. State lawmakers are also coming back to work this week, and one has proposed a bill to open the state immediately while shutting down the authority of the governor and his health director.

Ohio is ramping up its ability to test for COVID-19, which means a big increase in testing by the end of May. Statehouse correspondent Andy Chow reports Gov. Mike DeWine is now announcing new protocols to follow since testing won't be as limited as it once was.

Ohio’s retail businesses that were shut down as non-essential are being allowed to open Tuesday. And by the end of next week, many restaurants, bars and hair salons will also reopen.

Ohio State University has agreed to pay nearly $41 million into a fund for the sexual abuse victims of a now deceased team doctor.

Tory Bilski could have called her well-written and witty memoir of riding horses in northern Iceland “Wild Horses of the Midnight Sun,” but in naming it “Wild Horses of the Summer Sun,” shows her writing creds: the alliteration effectively plays on the popular image many people associate with this starkly beautiful land of lupine fields and black volcanic sand banks – not to mention Johnny Mercer’s lyrics in that old jazz standard, “Midnight Sun.” Like Mercer, Bilski evokes a nostalgic warmth for what is gone but indelibly remembered because it was so affecting. In “Wild Horses of the Summer Sun” the love is for Icelandic horses and the country, not far from the Arctic Circle. An unusual destination when Bilski started going years ago, having heard about the horses from a woman who owned a horse farm in the Berkshires. The marvel of this moving, funny, episodic narrative is that Bilski turns living on a horse farm in Iceland with other women for a week every June into a universal story

Led by arranger and founder Charlie Rosen, the 8-Bit Big Band has rekindled a love of swing with fans of game music. Following a sold-out show in New York City, the band has invited high-energy sax virtuoso Grace Kelly to join them for two concerts in Boston on March 1 . As Charlie told me, he has so much admiration for classic themes from Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy that he thinks of them as The Great Game Songbook. Charlie says his love of Broadway provides the inspiration for his arrangements, which range from classic Benny Goodman to a Frank Sinatra-style cover of Still Alive from Portal. Grace and Charlie performed together as part of The Late Show Band, and their energy just clicked. Grace has been a special guest for many of the 8-Bit Big Band's concerts. Both Charlie and Grace are planning to debut new arrangements of beloved game themes at the Boston concerts. The band has released two albums , and third is due out this summer. Episode tracklist

Christopher Larkin's score for Hollow Knight is one of the most beloved soundtracks in recent games. I talked with arranger David Peacock and pianist Augustine Mayuga Gonzales about their project to adapt Chris' haunting music for solo piano. David says he appreciates Christopher's involvement in developing the arrangements. He says Chris advised him to use the lore of the game as inpiration for his arrangements. Augustine says he loved playing David's arrangements because they were challenging, but also allowed him to use his background as a classical pianist. The soundtrack is available through Bandcamp, and a vinyl release as well as a book of sheet music are also planned. Episode tracklist All tracks by Christopher Larkin, arranged by David Peacock and performed by Augustine Mayuga Gonzales Hollow Knight : Hornet; Greenpath; Resting Grounds; Dung Defender; Crossroads; City of Tears; Reflection; Radiance; Hollow Knight Follow Kate on Twitter Subscribe to Music Respawn in Apple

Before there was the Algonquin Round Table in New York in the ‘20s, a lunch group of literary bon vivants whose often quotable put downs would become famous, there was – and STILL IS – The Club, a unique London tavern assembly of intellectuals, started in 1764, that included some of the most dazzling verbal sharpshooters of the day. Their extraordinary, wide-ranging conversations, passionate arguments and often hilarious provocations and rejoinders have now been captured by the award-winning cultural critic Leo Damrosch. Called “ The Club: Johnson, Boswell, and the Friends Who Shaped An Age , ” this fascinating history will likely prove one of the most engaging, enlightening and delicious books you’ll come across in a long time. Damrosch wears his scholarship with ease and grace, including references, as he genially corrects or adds ironic commentary to the private lives and public careers he celebrates. As the title has it, he follows the arcs of the humbly born Samuel Johnson and of

There are celebrations of Beethoven's 250th birthday all over the world this year, but close to home, Musical Masterworks in Old Lyme is presenting every string quartet by Beethoven in two sets of three evening performances by the Ehnes Quartet beginning on Friday, March 13th. Kate Remington talks with series Artistic Director Edward Aaron about the concerts, which he'll be experiencing from the inside out as the cellist with the Ehnes Quartet.

Mutazione , a quirky game created by the studio Die Gute Fabrik, has one of the most laidback soundtracks ever. From his very relaxed studio on Sardinia, Alessandro Coronas created a wonderful mix of low-fi, accoustic and synth sounds to accompany young Kai on her voyage to save her grandfather on a very unusual island. Mutazione has been in development for ten years! Alessandro says the initial concepts remained from the beginning. They included the magical seeds the player can select for their various healing properties and musical sounds. That allows you to create your own soundtrack, too. Alessandro is also the sound designer for the game, so he was able to grow the music out of the sounds of the game world. He says working with the small team of Die Gute Fabrik, and especially artist Nils Deneken, was a wonderful experience because of the freedom and synergy they all had. The four-hour soundtrack, which includes extended suites adapted from the musical cues, is available through

The sparsely-populated world created as the result of a plague in The Surge 2 needed a suitably dystopian sound for the music. I talked with composer Helge Borgarts of BowsToHymns who, with his colleague Thomas Stanger, crafted their music for the soundtrack that's inspired by the striking visuals and unique sound design by developers Deck 13. Helge and BowsToHymns also worked on the soundtrack for The Kraken , an expansion for The Surge 2 set during the 1980s on an aircraft carrier that's been turned into a cruise ship. Helge says it was really fun to recreate a grunge rock sound from some of his 1980s heroes. The Surge 2 Soundtrack, including the Kraken expansion is available in Apple Music, and many other sources. Episode tracklist : All tracks composed and performed by Helge Borgarts and Thomas Stanger (BowsToHymns) The Surge 2: Plane Crash; Infiltration; City Exploration; University; The Wall; Dangerous Harbour; Black Market; The Escape (feat. Alina Lesnik, vocals); Kraken Electro

It’s a matter of fact that between 1840 and 1882 there were eight assassination attempts on the life of Queen Victoria, but in his suspenseful novel “The Darwin Affair,” Tim Mason adds a ninth, in 1860, and makes the target Prince Albert. The date is important: it’s just months after the publication of Charles Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” and concomitant with the Oxford University Museum debate on evolution featuring those famous antagonists – biologist and anthropologist Thomas Huxley and Anglican Bishop Samuel Wilberforce. Prince Albert wants to give Darwin a knighthood. No way say fierce evolution deniers in Parliament and powerful members of the clergy, and so they conscript a sinister anti-evolutionist to kill the prince and thus head off what would otherwise be seen as royal approval of a theory that threatens The Great Chain of Being: the way things are, have been, and must be forever. Little do they know that their hired man, the wraith-like creature with the disturbing

Lumote is a dreamy puzzle platforming game created by the tiny team of Luminawesome. Composer and sound designer Paul Ruskay describes it as "a science fair project" because they designed a completely new way of generating the graphics with a program that's normally used to place the music at the appropriate moment in a game. The art style is flowy, and as the little blobby Lumote moves through the world interacting with the various flowers and little "dumb-bats," or batteries, the whole environment feels like it's underwater. Paul used that as inspiration, as well as the way nature films are shot and edited to create his playful, ambient soundtrack. Paul says he was thrilled to have a chance to add music and sound design to the genre of puzzle platformers, including games he really admires, like Portal. He says working on this soundtrack felt like unexplored territory, as it did when he wrote the music for the iconic Homeworld series of games. Paul's soundtrack is available with the

Ori and the Will of the Wisps by Moon Studios continues the adventure begun with the beloved Ori and the Blind Forest. Will of the Wisps takes Ori on an emotional journey as he searches for his new friend, Ku. Gareth Coker, who also scored Blind Forest , told me that writing the score for Will of the Wisps gave him plenty of fresh ideas because of all of the new characters in the game. Gareth was part of development of Will of the Wisps since the game's beginning, which gave him plenty of time to finetune themes for each of the new characters. Gareth worked with some outstanding musicians, including Kristin Naigus, who plays 21 different wind instruments on the score, and vocalist Aeralie Brighton, whose voice was so memorable in Ori and the Blind Forest. The digital release of Gareth's soundtrack is over three hours long, and follows the story arc of the game. A vinyl release by IAM8Bit is planned as well, and because LPs hold fewer minutes of music, Gareth describes it as "composer's

He didn’t at first appreciate the scare and chose to stay in the crowded city. And he hadn’t at the start stockpiled food or self-isolated or realized the extent of the contagion. But he did come to acknowledge the horror and the “brutal courage” of those who tried to help. “He” was Daniel Defoe. The time was 1722. The occasion, the publication of “A Journal of the Plague Year,” three years after Robinson Crusoe. In the “Journal” Defoe is looking back 57 years to when The Great Plague hit London, one year before The Great Fire would destroy just about anything that was left. Ironically it was probably the fire that helped finally destroy the vermin carrying the infecting bacteria. Writer, merchant, at times spy, Daniel Defoe created in the “Journal” a chronological first-person narrative of the epidemic in the voice of a middle-class tradesman, a saddler. Defoe would have been 5 when The Plague broke out, so his gripping on-the-scene account, augmented by research, must be considered

The spy-thriller, Spyder , from studio Sumo Digital, is an homage to a classic genre that had its golden age in the 1960s. The Apple Arcade game features an adorable mechanical spider, Agent 8, created like one of James Bond's gadgets, that players control during missions that are increasingly dangerous. Composer Winifred Phillips created the perfect '60s and early '70s inspired soundtrack, featuring elements of jazz, orchestral, and even early synth rock sounds. She says doing the research by reviewing classic spy and adventure films and TV shows helped her keep the score pitch-perfect. Winifred says the first music she wrote for Spyder was the trailer soundtrack, which encapsulates lots of aspects of the game: suspense, heroics, and Agent 8's confident swagger. Winifred's insightful articles about writing game soundtracks appear regularly on Gamasutra, and her sessions at the annual Game Developers Conference are among the most well-attended. She was planning to present a session

Amoeba Battle, a real time strategy game, gives teams of players a chance to save the world, defeating one virus at a time. Composers Kenny Wood and Igor Nemirovsky were encouraged by developer Grab Games to create music that gives an epic scale to the microscopic world the amoebas inhabit. Players in Amoeba Battle can explore different worlds, and adapt their army of amoebas to the different enemies they encounter. Kenny and Igor say the developers at Grab Games provided lots of inspiration for the various enviroments. Amoeba Battle has been in development since 2011, and both Kenny and Igor say it's been a great experience to revisit the music they wrote all those years ago and adapt it to the finished game. They're planning to release a soundtrack in the near future as well. Episode tracklist: All tracks performed by Kenny Wood and Igor Nemirovsky Amoeba Battle: Kenny Wood: Battle 2 Igor Nemirovsky: Obsidian Peak Kenny Wood: Final Battle Igor Nemirovsky: Mushroom Kingdon; Primorial

Award-winning composer Peter McConnell is no stranger to the world of Plants vs. Zombies . Battle for Neighborville is his third soundtrack for the series. He's also no stranger to the banjo! He's been playing since he was 13, but when he spied a gorgeous 1928 Gibson five-string in a music store he regularly haunts, he knew it would be perfect for the Cheese Mines levels in the game. Peter gave the whole soundtrack a real roots feel, also using a slide guitar. He even wrote his own, in his words, "earnest" folk song, Where Have All the Plants Gone , inspired by legendary folksinger Joan Baez, who's actually a neighbor. Because Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville is a science fiction game at heart, Peter also added plenty of classic synths. He says the developers at Pop Cap also suggested the sound of the score for The Time Machine, based on the novel by H.G. Wells. Peter says getting the right emotion in his music for a game keeps the writing interesting, whether it's the

Adopted from Texas and raised in Mississippi, Krista Shows was a kid who grew up singing in church. She spent time in Los Angeles, Hawaii, and Western North Carolina before returning to Mississippi in her early 20s. She's now back in Asheville, and has a sweet blend of folk, R&B, and country influences. She performs (with a full band!) at Isis Restaurant & Music Hall in Asheville on Saturday the 22nd.

We've got a special "Ten O'Clock Doc" set for you this time, with two of Doc's visits to WNCW back in the 1990's: Doc with Wayne Henderson and Charles Welch from March of 1996, and with Jack Lawrence from March of 1997.

The beloved, charismatic Del & the Boys have visited us more than a time or two over the years, and this one from September 25th, 1998 has never aired since that date. What say we revisit it again? "Well all RIGHT!"

Primary schools in France are reopening next week. There will, of course, be social distancing measures in place. Class sizes will be limited to 15 and no games at recess. It's a gradual three-week process beginning with preschoolers. The government says the reopening is voluntary and students won't be forced to return. Still, many parents and administrators are against the plan. More than 300 mayors in the Paris region signed an open letter to President Macron, urging a delay in reopening and saying the timeline is " untenable and unrealistic ." They said schools needed more time to implement the required sanitary measures. Jean-Michel Blanquer, France's minister of education, talked with Mary Louise Kelly on All Things Considered about bringing students back to class for the first time since mid-March. Here are selected excerpts: Do you think they will come? Do you think you will have 15 students in classrooms come next week? Yes, because we are asking the parents during the last

Updated at 5:02 p.m. ET It was supposed to be a day of parades, a vast party that would transcend borders and bring generations together, not unlike the spontaneous euphoria that swept through victorious European allies when Nazi Germany finally surrendered. But instead of a mega-event, leaders in London, Paris, Moscow and other capitals, observed the 75th anniversary of V-E Day at a diminished level Friday due to the COVID-19 pandemic. French President Emmanuel Macron led a small ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe, looking out over an empty Champs-Élysées. A 93-year-old veteran of World War II observes a moment of silence at the Cenotaph war memorial in London, where British residents — like much of Europe — marked a subdued 75th anniversary of V-E Day. Daniel Leal-Olivas / AFP via Getty Images Because of health risks the disease poses to older people, many veterans of the war were forced to avoid travel and keep their distance at public gatherings. "The veterans are of course getting

A slickly produced 26-minute video called Plandemic has exploded on social media in recent days, claiming to present a view of COVID-19 that differs from the "official" narrative. The video has been viewed millions of times on YouTube via links that are replaced as quickly as the video-sharing service can remove them for violating its policy against "COVID-19 misinformation." In it, filmmaker Mikki Willis conducts an uncritical interview with Judy Mikovits, who he says has been called "one of the most accomplished scientists of her generation." Never heard of her? You're not alone. Two prominent scientists with backgrounds in AIDS research and infectious diseases, who asked not to be identified over concerns of facing a backlash on social media, told NPR that they did not know who she was. If you were aware of Mikovits before this week, it is probably for two books she published with co-author Kent Heckenlively, one in 2017 and another last month. Heckenlively has also written a book

The Census Bureau says it is continuing the gradual relaunch of limited field operations for the 2020 census next week in nine states where the coronavirus pandemic forced the hand-delivery of paper forms in rural areas to be suspended in mid-March. On May 13, some local census offices in Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington are scheduled to restart that fieldwork, according to an updated schedule the bureau published on its website Friday. All workers are expected to be trained in CDC guidance in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and besides a new reusable face mask for every 10 days worked and a pair of gloves for each work day, the bureau has ordered 2 ounces of hand sanitizer for each census worker conducting field operations, the bureau tells NPR in an email. The announcement means more households that receive their mail at post office boxes or drop points are expected to find paper questionnaires left outside their

The Pan American Health Organization this week warned of an impending humanitarian crisis in Haiti due to the coronavirus pandemic. Haiti has reported relatively few cases of COVID-19 but it shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, which is experiencing one of the worst outbreaks in the hemisphere. With the Dominican Republic under lockdown, thousands of laid off migrant workers have headed home to Haiti and presumably some of them are carrying the virus with them. "There is real danger of a large-scale outbreak followed by a humanitarian crisis in Haiti," said Carissa Etienne, the head of PAHO, in a briefing this week with reporters. She said Haiti's health-care system is ill-equipped to deal with an outbreak of a highly-infectious, potentially-fatal respiratory disease. And the measures used elsewhere to stem the spread of COVID-19 are impractical or impossible in Haiti. "It is extremely difficult to institute proper social distancing in Haiti," she said —