Weekend Edition Sunday
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For Amy Grant, Beauty And Tragedy Give Way To 'Mercy'
The singer, whose name is synonymous with contemporary Christian pop, is releasing her first studio album in 10 years. The new album begins with a flood, a funeral, a casualty of war and a family wedding.
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The MIDI Revolution: Synthesizing Music For The Masses
The language used to translate sound into digital information celebrates its 30th anniversary. Today, MIDI is everywhere, including nearly every pop song on the radio and the fountain at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.
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Back From Brink Of Death, Corpsman Tackles 'Warrior...
Three years ago, Navy corpsman Angelo Anderson was shot in his arm and leg in Afghanistan and he thought he was going to die. Sunday, he's competing at the fourth-annual Warrior Games in Colorado, along with more than 200 wounded service members. Eric Whitney of Colorado Public radio has this profile of Anderson, who credits the paralympic-style competition with restoring him physically and mentally.
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Even In Basketball, Short Players Can Have Advantage
Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's Mike Pesca about the role of height in the NBA.
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'More Than A Count,' Infant Mortality Is Societal...
Infant mortality is an important indicator of the health of a nation, and decades-long efforts to improve birth outcomes are finally having an impact. Host Rachel Martin speaks with experts in the medical field who are working to promote healthy pregnancies and reduce infant mortality.
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C-Sections Deliver Cachet For Wealthy Brazilian Women
Brazil's economic boom has driven the demand for births by caesarean section. Some 80 to 90 percent of women in private hospitals deliver this way. Proponents say it allows mothers and doctors to better organize their time. Critics say the procedure drives up costs and may cause complications.
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First Female Fighter Pilot: 'Attention Wasn't What I...
In this week's Sunday Conversation, host Rachel Martin speaks with Col. Jeannie Leavitt, the Air Force's first female fighter pilot, about gender in the Air Force. Leavitt is also the first female fighter wing commander, and she has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Gender Neutral: Armed Forces Submit Plans To End...
This week, all divisions of the U.S. armed forces are supposed to submit their plans for ending combat exclusion, the rule that says women cannot serve in most combat positions. Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's Larry Abramson about the implications of the change.
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A 'Cooked Seed' Sprouts After All, In America
Anchee Min's new book, The Cooked Seed, picks up 20 years after the end of her bestselling memoir Red Azalea, as Min arrives in America with little money and no English. After persecution in China, Min describes art school in America as a strange environment, very surreal.
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This One Is For You, Ma
You are given two words starting with M-A. The answer is a third word that can follow the first one and precede the second one, in each case to complete a compound word or a familiar two-word phrase.
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He Didn't Just Call His Mother, He Made Her A Star
Filmmaker Josh Seftel thought starting a Web series with his mom could bring them closer together. Amazingly, it did. In My Mom on Movies, they take on the big topics in the entertainment and pop culture world.
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Chasing A Dream, Speeding Down 'The Emerald Mile'
Host Rachel Martin talks to writer Kevin Fedarko about his new book, The Emerald Mile, which tells the harrowing story of three men who ride the flooded Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.
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Bombing Suspect's Lawyer A Quiet Defender Of The...
Defense attorney Judy Clarke routinely faces an enraged public, top-notch prosecutors and difficult, often disturbed clients. Now, she is soon to face those things again with another high-profile client, alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
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For Graduation, UMass Dartmouth Hopes To Convey 'Real...
It's been an unusual semester at the Dartmouth campus of the University of Massachusetts. Accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a student at the school, and three of his friends were also arrested on charges related to the bombing. Anne Mostue of WGBH reports the school and its students are trying to move beyond the bombing as they celebrate commencement this weekend.
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Rhino Horns Fuel Deadly, Intercontinental Trade
NPR's Frank Langfitt and Gregory Warner have teamed up for a series about how myth and money are driving extraordinary slaughter of rhinos. They talk with host Rachel Martin about the issue, which has repercussions from the African continent all the way to Asia.
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Early Results In Pakistan Point To Ex-Premier
Partial, unofficial election results in Pakistan show former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party as the clear victor. Defying militant threats millions of voters turned out and sent the incumbent Pakistan People's Party packing after five years of rule marked by corruption allegations and a failing economy. Host Rachel Martin gets more on the election from NPR's Julie McCarthy in Lahore.
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A Salute To Longtime Public Radio DJ In Philadelphia
WXPN's Keith Brand, one of the hosts of Philadelphia's eclectic weekend morning show Sleepy Hollow, is retiring from the program after 27 years.
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For The Austin Lounge Lizards, Weirdness Is A Virtue
The Texas alt-country outfit has been spoofing politics, religion and romance for as long as most Austinites can remember.
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Paul Rudnick On His 'Gorgeous' Adventure
The humorist has made a name as a playwright, novelist, columnist and screenwriter. Now he's turned his attention to the Young Adult market with an update of the Cinderella story — starring a young girl from a trailer park.
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A Splash Of 'Urban Ocean' On A Southern California Cruise
Instead of traveling alongside picturesque beaches, this boat takes passengers on a tour of the nation's busiest shipping terminal. The sightseeing includes sea lions and trash, juxtaposing Long Beach's commercial might with a fragile ecosystem.
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Sports: Comebacks In Basketball Playoffs
Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's Mike Pesca about his take on the latest sports news.
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Jumping Hurdles, Making The Grade For A Foreign Worker...
Planet Money's Zoe Chace reports that the immigration overhaul bill proposes doubling the number of skilled-worker visas available to companies that want to hire foreign workers. But the application process is a challenge in itself. (This piece initially aired May 2, 2013, on Morning Edition.)
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What Visa Changes Say About U.S. Immigration Priorities
The immigration overhaul bill currently circulating around the Senate would scrap a two-decade old program that distributes diversity visas to countries with historically-low rates of immigration to the U.S. But it would also introduce the merit-based visa, given to those with a job and high-level education.
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Former Detainee Talks Of Desperation In Guantanamo Bay
Omar Deghayes is one of hundreds of former detainees who have been released from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay over the past several years. In his years as a detainee, he went on three hunger strikes and says he understands what current prisoners are going through.
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Syria's News Agency Blames Israel For Damascus Blasts
Several explosions shook the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Sunday. Syrian state television says the Israeli military conducted the attack. Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's Deborah Amos in Amman, Jordan, and NPR's Emily Harris in Jerusalem.
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Pat Sajak: 'I Didn't See Myself As A Game Show Host'
Wheel of Fortune has been a part of American culture since 1975. The show has been in syndication since 1983 and since then there has only been one host, Pat Sajak. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Sajak about his early years in broadcasting, the military and hosting one the nation's most popular game shows.
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Two Last Names For The Price Of One
Every answer consists of two people, either real or fictional, whose last names are anagrams of each other.
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How To Dip Without Breaking The Chip
Some hold the straight edge of the tortilla chip and dip the point; others do the opposite. But if you're willing to step out of the box, The Sporkful's Dan Pashman has a technique that could help boost the reputation of one controversial chip.
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How Different Cultures Handle Personal Space
How we navigate one another's space is an important and nuanced part of communicating. Two authors observe how this dynamic plays out in Cairo and Sao Paulo.
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Foreigners At Home: Turkey Beckons To Germany's Turks
After years of being treated as second-class citizens in Europe's economic powerhouse, large numbers of Turks — descendants of the first wave of immigrants — are returning to Turkey. Prospects in their homeland are looking up, while times are harder in Germany.
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Congress Heads Back To Debt Talks, Immigration
Lawmakers return to Congress on Monday, following a week's hiatus. Host Rachel Martin checks in with NPR congressional correspondent David Welna about what's on their agenda for the upcoming session. Internet sales tax, paying creditors, immigration, Benghazi hearing, Syria, Guantanamo
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Violence, Hardship Fuels Central American Immigration To...
While Mexican immigration to the U.S. has slowed in recent years, the number of Central Americans heading north has been on the rise. Last year, the number of illegal border-crossers caught from countries other than Mexico hit nearly 100,000 — more than double the year before.
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In Latin America, Obama Stresses Partnership
President Obama traveled to Central America this weekend, to Mexico and then to Costa Rica, where he met with other leaders from the region. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Eric Olson of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, who attended the meeting.
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Xenia Rubinos: Adventures In Syncopation
The Brooklyn-based keyboardist and vocalist favors rhythms that are surprising and experimental. Her debut album is called Magic Trix.
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For Some Young Latinos: Donkey Jaws And Latino Roots
For people like Marco Polo Santiago who grew up in Los Angeles, getting back to his Mexican roots happens partly by making music with a quijada — the skeleton of a donkey jaw.
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When Sculpting Cedar, This Artist Is Tireless And...
Ursula von Rydingsvard is 70 years old, but she still spends eight hours a day working massive blocks of cedar into sculptures. I don't want the cuteness associated with the wood, she says, or even the nostalgia.
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From Coast To Coast with The Power Of The Sun
Weather permitting, a solar-power airplane will embark on a cross-country trip on Wednesday. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin speaks with Bertrand Piccard, one of pilots and creators of Solar Impulse, which will make an American tour stopping in Phoenix, Dallas, Washington, D.C. and New York.
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The NFL Draft: Football's Dog And Pony Show
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mike Pesca about how the NFL draft is not sports or news; it's entertainment. Plus a curve ball about how the Oklahoma City Thunder get their fans to color-coordinate their clothes.
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House Leadership Crashes Into Outside Hurdles On Bills
In several recent cases, Speaker John Boehner's problem hasn't been the Democrats as much as members of his own party, backed by conservative outside groups. But those groups say they could be allies with the House leadership, if only it would push conservative policy.
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Making Gains Abroad 'Begins At Home'
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with Richard Haass about his new book, Foreign Policy Begins at Home. Haass is an American diplomat and currently serves as president of the Council on Foreign Relations.
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Finding A Home After Sandy — Temporarily
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with Daphne Murphy about her experience living in temporary housing post-Superstorm Sandy. Murphy has been living in shelters and hotels since the storm struck last September.
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Vermont To FEMA: Put Our Flooding On Your Maps
Flood maps for the state are old and don't include flooding from fast-rising rivers and streams, the kind of flooding that tore up Vermont during Tropical Storm Irene. Because of that, some areas don't qualify for FEMA assistance.
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Unfinished FEMA Flood Maps Put Sandy Victims In Limbo
Besides disaster assistance, FEMA also oversees the creation of flood maps, which are then used to set building codes and flood insurance rates. Superstorm Sandy struck as FEMA was updating those maps, and now some homeowners looking to rebuild face an expensive choice.
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Michael Bublé On Fishing, Sinatra And Auto-Tune
The Canadian crooner says he misses the pure sound of classic pop and swing — though he's willing to adopt a modern touch once in a while. His eighth studio album is called To Be Loved.
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As You Know, Puzzles Are A Pastime
For each given category, name something in the category where the first letter is also the first letter of the category. For example, given Military Ranks, you would say Major.
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Dilruba Ahmed: An Outsider Turns To Poetry
For National Poetry Month, Bangladeshi-American poet Dilruba Ahmed talks about how her heritage and her experience of being an outsider in small rural towns pushed her toward writing poetry.
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What's Changed About Saving For Retirement?
Given the realities of the federal budget, how should younger workers factor in future benefit cuts when they plan for retirement, and how should they be saving? We hear from people in Nashville, Tenn., about their plans, and Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with Ben Birken, a certified financial planner, about saving.
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The Ins And Outs Of Obama's Social Security Plan
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks to NPR White House correspondent Scott Horsley about the what the changes in Social Security proposed by the administration will mean for retirees and those saving for retirement.
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Leading Senate Democrat Has Concerns With U.S. Drones
Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin discusses his concerns about the continued use of drones by the U.S. military with Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin.
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Koreans In U.S. Have Mixed Reaction To North's Threats
Southern California is home to one of the largest Korean populations in the United States. Some in this community have been especially alarmed by North Korea's latest threats of a nuclear attack, but many think the North's provocations are a lot of bluster.
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N. Korean Refugees Tell Tales of Ordinary, Desperate...
Sokeel Park assists refugees from North Korea adjust to their new lives in the South. He hears first hand accounts of everyday life in the oppressive country — a life that can be poor, dangerous and rigidly controlled by the state.
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'Orphan': A Novel Imagines Life In North Korea
Last week, the The Orphan Master's Son was awarded the Pulitzer prize for fiction. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin spoke with author Adam Johnson last year about his book. In that interview, Johnson explained that as part of his research he actually managed to finagle a visit to North Korea. He said his government minders maintained tight control over his itinerary, but they couldn't hide everything.
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L.A. On B'way: Midler, Mengers Take Manhattan
The Divine Miss M has had a colorful career, but even she's not as outsize a personality as larger-than-life Hollywood superagent Sue Mengers, whom she portrays in the new solo show I'll Eat You Last. Midler spoke with NPR's Rachel Martin about the role, her career and her love of classic Hollywood.
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Underdogs Shine In Early Stages Of NBA Playoffs
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mike Pesca for his take on the sports news of the week, including how the NBA playoffs are taking shape.
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For A Student Of Theology, Poetry Reverberates
Nate Klug is a poet and candidate for ordination in the United Church of Christ. Poetry is a form where the language is under so much pressure, he says, and that can really bring about wonderful surprises and insights in our ways of talking about God or thinking about our faith.
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When Sculpting Cedar, This Artist Is Tireless And...
Ursula von Rydingsvard is 70 years old, but she still spends eight hours a day working massive blocks of cedar into sculptures. I don't want the cuteness associated with the wood, she says, or even the nostalgia.
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One Amputee's Message Of Hope For Boston's Bombing...
As quadruple amputee Lindsay Ess watched the events in Boston unfold last week, she wondered if she could help the victims of the Marathon bombing. When she found out that many had lost limbs in the explosion, she knew she could.
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Amid Terror, Congress Stumbles On Legislative Battles
Last week began with President Obama hopeful about prospects for gun control and immigration legislation to advance, but the President's focus quickly turned to terrorism and consoling a shaken nation, as gun control legislation floundered in the Senate. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson.
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Boston Slowly Returns To Sense Of Normalcy
The tension last week in Boston culminated in a day-long lockdown for most people. Public transit wasn't operating, stores were closed and kids stayed home from school. With the capture of the bombing suspect, Bostonians emerged from their homes and are slowly resuming life as usual. NPR's David Schaper reports.
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Concerns Raised With Legal Issues In Bombing Case
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft about the legal issues surrounding the prosecution of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the captured suspect in the Boston marathon bombings.
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There's More To Rhubarb Than Meets The Eye
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with food writer Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl about the vegetable you thought you knew: Rhubarb. From a 17th century geopolitical bargaining chip, to a 21st century cocktail ingredient, there's a lot more to the story than pies.
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Fire, Water, Air, Earth: Michael Pollan Gets Elemental...
In his latest book, the author of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food turns his attention to how we use the four classical elements to transform plants and animals into food, and argues that home cooking can remake the American food system.
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You'll Get It Just Right, Junior
Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name with the initials J.R.
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Sunday Night Forecast: Cloudy With A Chance Of Meteors
The Lyrid shower is caused by Earth passing through the orbit of a comet known as Thatcher. The best time to watch should be in the early hours of Monday morning, just before dawn.
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Thirsty States Take Water Battle To Supreme Court
Texas and Oklahoma are fighting over access to the Red River. Fast-growing Texas is eager to fuel its expansion in a time of drought, while the poorer state of Oklahoma is water-rich. The court's decision could impact interstate water-sharing agreements across the country.
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Going 'Beyond War' In The Middle East
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin speaks with David Rohde about his new book, Beyond War: Reimagining American Influence in a New Middle East.
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New Aid To Syria Comes With Fear Of Funding The Wrong...
The Obama administration is doubling its non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, Secretary of State John Kerry announced at an 11-nation Friends of Syria meeting in Turkey this weekend. The aid comes amid concern about the rising presence of Islamist fighters among the opposition.
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Runners Honor Victims Of Marathon Bombing
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin takes a moment to note how racers around the country honored the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing in their races on Saturday.
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Author Dennis Lehane Reflects On Boston's Tense Week
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with author Dennis Lehane reflects on how Boston has dealt with a week of violence and uncertainty. Lehane is a Boston native and the author of many books about the city, including Mystic River.
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An Unforgettable Week, For Boston And The Nation
It was a tense week for the city of Boston and the nation, as a normally peaceful event was disrupted by a terrible act of terrorism and the hunt was on to find the perpetrators. NPR's Jeff Brady reviews the week's events, from the bombing at the marathon to the dramatic capture of the suspect.
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On The Road With Dawes, The Band Behind The Band
The country rock band Dawes has built a grassroots following opening for other bands. As they release their third album, Stories Don't End, they're preparing to tour with their biggest headliner yet: Bob Dylan. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin speaks two members of Dawes, singer and guitarist Taylor Goldsmith and keyboardist Tay Strathairn, about life on the road.
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Harmony Holiday On Finding Poetry In Her Biracial Roots
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Weekend Edition is asking young poets about what poetry means to them. This week, Harmony Holiday describes how poetry helped her negotiate the language of having a white mother and an African-American father.
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After Tragedy, Young Girl Shipped West On 'Orphan Train'
Christina Baker Kline's new novel incorporates a true piece of American history. One of the book's protagonists, an Irish orphan, is packed onto a train and sent to the Midwest. In real life, orphan trains were intended to save children from the streets, but sometimes resulted in near-slavery.
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A Controversial Drop Puts Woods Behind On Final Day Of...
It's the final round of the Masters on Sunday, and American Brandt Snedeker and Argentine Angel Cabrera share the lead at 7 under par. Pre-tournament favorite Tiger Woods is 4 shots behind, which isn't bad considering what he went through on Saturday.
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There Might Not Be Crying In Baseball, But There Is Aging
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks to NPR's Mike Pesca about aging pitchers and the skills that keep them in the game.
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The Case For The Arts In Overhauling Education
One of the ongoing debates in education is whether so much testing in schools is taking away time for young people to develop their own critical thinking and creativity. At the same time, the White House has talked about the importance of innovation when it comes to staying competitive in the global market. The intersection of both of these issues could be the arts. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel talks with NPR's Elizabeth Blair about her reporting on the role the arts play in helping...
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'Core' Curriculum Puts Education Experts At Odds
Forty-five states have adopted the Common Core State Standards. Proponents say these new guidelines will significantly improve what is taught and how students are prepared for college and work. Skeptics say it's a misguided effort to create the first-ever national curriculum and tests.
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Will Lightning Strike Twice For K-Pop's PSY?
After weeks of threats from North Korea, some South Koreans turned their attention this weekend away from weapons and toward a new song by the country's global rap star, PSY. On Saturday night the singer unveiled his follow-up single and video to the viral phenomenon, Gangnam Style, at a sold-out concert.
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Syria Conflict Brings Middle East Leaders To White House
In the coming weeks, the Obama administration will ply host to the leaders of several Middle Eastern nations. They are coming, in part, to register their concerns about the ongoing violence in Syria and to nudge the Obama administration to do more to tip the balance in favor of the rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad.
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In Egypt, A Growing Nostalgia For Mubarak
Former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak went on trial for a second time on Saturday. He's accused of ordering the killing of protesters in the revolution that unseated him. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Leila Fadel about the growing nostalgia Egyptians are expressing for Mubarak's rule.
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs On Love Songs, New York And Transforming...
Ten years after the trio's debut album, singer Karen O says she and her bandmates are still shy in conversation. But when they perform together, it's explosive.
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In A Fragmented Cultureverse, Can Pop References Still...
In film and TV, pop culture references are meant to give a knowing nod to those in the audience who understand the joke. But in an increasingly segmented and diverse country, those jokes may be pulling in fewer laughs. This story originally aired on Morning Edition on Jan. 18, 2013.
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O Say Can You C The Answer?
Every answer is a two-word phrase in which the first word starts with O. Drop the O, and you'll get a new word that ends the phrase.
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A Poker Players Tells Are In The Hands As Much As The...
Michael Slepian, a graduate student in psychology at Stanford University, has been studying the way poker players communicate the value of their poker hands through non-verbal signals. He tells Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin that they give themselves away, not in their facial expressions, but with hand motions.
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Jazz In The Cafeteria: Kids Learn To Listen While They...
At Alice Terry Elementary School in Colorado, a music teacher decided the students should occasionally have a silent lunch break. No talking, just listening to live music. Ami Hall says hearing new sounds makes children curious, which then carries over into other subjects.
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Advice On Passion, Brilliance And Bugs In 'Letters'
Biologist and Harvard professor Edward O. Wilson has spent his lifetime making scientific discoveries and writing award-winning, best-selling books on science. His new book, inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke's Letters to a Young Poet, gives advice gleaned from his career in science.
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Scientists Race To Stay Ahead Of New Bird Flu Virus
The top priority is diagnosis — the capability to be able to pick up this virus, should it emerge outside of China, says virologist John McCauley. Flu researchers are getting started on creating a vaccine, but there are still many unknowns.
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In Hazleton, A Mixed Welcome For City's Immigrants
Tension in the Pennsylvania city continues between new Spanish-speaking immigrants and longtime residents. Longtime residents still struggle with their new neighbors' presence, while others are helping the families become part of the community.
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Immigration And The Argument Against Citizenship
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin speaks with Republican Rep. Lou Barletta from Pennsylvania, about the current push for immigration reform in Congress. Barletta served as the Mayor of Hazleton, Pa., during its controversial crackdown on illegal immigration in 2006 and 2007. The laws Barletta championed were ultimately challenged in court, but Barletta remains a staunch opponent of attempts to provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
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Lianne La Havas: 'The Golden Girl Of British Music'
The 23-year-old singer-songwriter and guitarist, who has been compared to Adele, swept critics after her TV debut. One said her voice seemed to make time stand still. This story aired originally on Morning Edition on Nov. 5, 2012.
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National Poetry Month: Poet Nick Friedman Takes A Look...
Weekend Edition is celebrating poetry month by hearing from young poets about why poetry still matters. Today Nick Friedman shares some of his thoughts and some of his work.
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'The Interestings': An Epic, Post-Summer Camp...
Six talented friends meet as teenagers one summer at a camp called Spirit-in-the-Woods. Meg Wolitzer's new novel follows their friendship over the next 40 years, from the success and failure of their artistic dreams to the envy that grows from the difference.
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Paramore Tackles 'Real Life Problems'
The Tennessee band's music was quickly pegged as emo — a melodic variant of punk that has its share of detractors. Emo really stands for emotion, says singer Hayley Williams. I don't think there's anything wrong with writing songs that are emotional.
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Young Greeks Find 'The Math Just Doesn't Work' Amid...
Instead of stepping out into the world, many young adults are moving back in with family. How can someone who makes 300 euros a month ever be independent? one unemployed 24-year-old asks.
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An NCAA Basketball Star In Europe
Ali Farokhmanesh became an overnight sensation after hitting the shot that sealed Northern Iowa's upset of top-seeded Kansas in 2010. Now he plays on a much smaller stage for a professional team in Austria.
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Louisville And Michigan To Vie For NCAA Title
Michigan beat Syracuse 61-56 Saturday night and Louisville also won a close contest edging Wichita by 4 points.The Wolverines play the Cardinals on Monday in Atlanta for the national championship. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks about the how the upcoming title game.
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Court Rejects Case To Ban Egyptian Comic's Show
A popular comedian in Egypt is the frequent target of lawsuits because he pokes fun at the president and other government officials. Bassem Youssef hosts a TV show that's often compared to The Daily Show in the U.S. On Saturday, a court rejected a case calling for the ban of his program. The suit claimed the show corrupted morals and violated religious principles.
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Afghans Embrace Educated Pakistanis
Afghans tend to blame Pakistan for just about every problem in Afghanistan. Yet thousands of highly skilled Pakistanis decide to brave the insurgency, animosity and poorer conditions to live and work in Kabul. They say that even when times are tough between the two countries, Afghans make them feel welcome.
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Revisiting Afghanistan's Reconstruction Teams
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks to Kael Weston about the closing of the first Provincial Reconstruction Team in Afghanistan. PRTs are humanitarian missions run by military troops and civilians that built roads and schools. Weston spent seven years as a diplomat for the State Department, and says the teams have a mixed legacy.
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Packing Up Old Memories At NPR
As NPR changes headquarters in Washington, D.C., and moves to a new building, a few hosts reflect on the mementos they've accumulated over the years.
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The River Thames, A Not-So-Secret Treasure Trove
Frequently scavenged by mudlarks who roam its banks with metal detectors, the river has yielded Elizabethan coins, Roman statuettes and WWII munitions to those who are willing to dig. But not everyone approves of the mudlarks' method.
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A Brand-New Word
Every answer is a well-known commercial name that spells a regular word or name backward. Identify the brands. For example, given laundry detergent and work in a magazine office, the answer would be tide and edit.
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Why You Shouldn't Wrinkle Your Nose At Fermentation
It's delicious, it's nutritious and it's basically rotten. Fermentation is the hot culinary trend, and as Weekend Edition food commentator Bonny Wolf explains, the preservation process gives food a flavor unique to time and place.
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Old Guard And Fresh Faces Square Off At Women's Final...
In New Orleans Sunday night, it's the women's turn to put on a college basketball show at the Final Four. Traditional powers UConn and Notre Dame are facing off, while the presence of California against Louisville is proving to doubters that the women's game has depth — and some pizzazz, too.
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Stories Of 'Outside The Wire' Give An Insider's View Of...
In some ways, Christine Dumaine Leche's writing class was just like any other — there were backpacks, rough drafts, class discussions. But her classroom was on an air base in Afghanistan, and her students were active soldiers. She's collected their work in a new book called Outside The Wire.
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New Recruits Combat Sexual Assault In The Air Force
Military leaders, lawmakers and advocates have long agreed that a cultural shift needs to happen to encourage servicemen and women to come forward and report sexual assault. At the Wright-Patterson base in Dayton, Ohio, young airmen are being trained to spot and report abuse.
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New Strain Of Avian Flu Worries Scientists
Scientists are scrambling to understand a bird flu virus never before found in humans. It grabbed world attention this past week after it infected and killed people in China. Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin talks with Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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With Plan B Ruling, Judge Signs Off On Years Of Advocacy
It's unclear if the Obama administration will appeal the ruling that allows the morning-after pill to be sold to women of all ages, without restriction. It's a fight that's been going on for a dozen years, and the ruling may not end it.
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Back From Recess, Congress Preps For Gun Legislation...
Senate staffers say a bipartisan agreement has yet to be reached on universal background checks, and that snarl may end up delaying a vote on gun legislation for another week. Lobbyists on both sides of the debate are using the extra time to keep the pressure on.
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Bridging Arabic And Western Music With An Unusual...
Classically trained Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf has played with everyone from Sting to Salif Keita. While most trumpets have three valves, his has four, allowing him to play the quarter-tones that characterize Middle Eastern music and the blue notes of jazz.
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An Intimate 'Place,' Inspired By Fatherhood
The Place Beyond The Pines is a crime drama follow-up to the film Blue Valentine. Host Rachel Martin talks with co-writer and director Derek Cianfrance about the new movie.
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'General Hospital': 50 Years Old, Dramatic As Ever
The soap opera General Hospital turns 50 this year. Host Rachel Martin speaks with actress Jane Elliot, who has played Tracy Quartermaine on the show since 1978.
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Pope's First Easter Mass Sends Messages Of Peace
Pope Francis called for peace before a crowd of tens of thousands in St. Peter's Square on Sunday. He called for reconciliation in the Korean Peninsula, an end to the conflicts in Syria and between Israelis and Palestinians.
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1970s Chaos And Radicalism Fuels 'Flamethrowers'
The volatile world of New York's art scene in the 1970s is the setting for the newest novel by acclaimed author Rachel Kushner. Reno, the young protagonist of The Flamethrowers, has come to the city to turn a love of motorcycles into a career in art. But the intersection of art, radicalism and international terrorism is a dangerous one. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Kushner about the book.
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Want To Remember New York In The '90s? Pick Up The Phone
New York City has nearly 11,000 pay phones, and a new campaign is trying to turn about 5,000 of them into time capsules. Host Rachel Martin talks with David Droga, creative chairman of ad agency Droga5, about the Recalling 1993 campaign.
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Harnessing Big Data To Combat Cancer
The American Society of Clinical Oncology is launching a project to collect data on the care of hundreds of thousands of cancer patients for use in the treatment of other patients. Host Rachel Martin talks with Dr. Sandra Swain, president of the group, about CancerLinQ.
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Old Newspapers Shed New Light On Emmett Till Murder
New details about one of Mississippi's most infamous murders are coming to light — more than a half-century later. The death of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black boy who allegedly whistled at a white woman, helped spark the civil rights movement.
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Coming Out: A Gay Mormon Navigates Family, Faith And...
Jamison Manwaring is the youngest of eight siblings in a devout Mormon family. Like his older brothers, he wants a marriage and kids. But, as a gay Mormon man, that will be difficult for him.
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In A New Memoir, Maya Angelou Recalls How A 'Lady'...
Maya Angelou spent much of her childhood being raised by her grandmother in Arkansas, but as a young teenager, she returned to live with her mother, Vivian Baxter. Angelou's Mom Me Mom looks back on the long process of reconciliation with the woman who sent her away.
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Hiding In Plain Sight
You will be given some words. For each one, provide a four-letter word that can follow the first to complete a familiar two-word phrase. The four letters of the second word can always be found inside the first word. For example, given personal, you would say loan.
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Phil Ramone's 'Musical Mind' Set Him Apart As A Producer
Phil Ramone was a violin prodigy; he played for Queen Elizabeth when he was 10. As a fledgling recording engineer, he manned the booth for Alice's Restaurant. And as a producer, he recorded hits for Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel and Paul Simon. As NPR's Sami Yenigun reports, Ramone died Saturday at the age of 79.
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Charging Toward Men's Final Four
Half of the Final Four in the men's NCAA tournament is set, and four other teams play Sunday. Host Rachel Martin talks to NPR's Mike Pesca about what it took a couple of these teams to get here.
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Defending Women's Champs Baylor To Battle Cardinals'...
The two NCAA women's college basketball teams face off Sunday for a spot in the Elite Eight. Baylor has been one of the most successful women's programs in the nation, but Louisville has its own strengths. We understand we're going up against a great team, says Baylor point guard Odyssey Sims.
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How A 'Drone Court' Might Work
In recent months, there have been bipartisan calls for more transparency in the Obama administration's drone program. Host Rachel Martin talks with Gregory McNeal, a professor of national security law at Pepperdine University's School of Law, about proposals to bring more openness and accountability. One idea is the creation of a drone court that would review decisions to target and kill suspected militants.
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Assessing Syria's Basic Health Care Needs In Wartime
Host Rachel Martin speaks with Abdulghani Sankari of the Syrian American Medical Society. Sankari is a Syrian-American doctor based in Detroit, and in January he visited Syria and its borders with Jordan and Turkey to assess health care there. He says the Syrian health care system has been overwhelmed not just by traumatic injuries from war, but by basic primary care needs.
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Syrian Rebels' Gains Could Be Due To Influx Of Weapons
In Syria this week, rebels fighting to bring down President Bashar Assad have taken a key town in the country's south. And in Syria's capital, Damascus, a mortar attack killed at least 10 students when an outdoor cafe was attacked. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Kelly McEvers about the continuing conflict.
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On Scraping By And The Close-Game Science
In the NCAA men's basketball tournament Saturday, Marquette escaped with a 2-point win over Butler. What does it take to win a close game? Grit and determination? Luck? Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's Mike Pesca, who was at the game.
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Make Way For Ducks, Out To Prove They're A Better Seed
There's a team in the NCAA men's basketball tournament making some noise in the West. The Oregon Ducks, seeded 12th in their region, now have two double-digit wins over much higher-seeded teams. NPR's Tom Goldman reports from San Jose, Calif.
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Where To Sit To Keep A Big Dinner Interesting
Host Rachel Martin talks to Alex Cornell, who has come up with a scheme for finding the optimal seat at a table with multiple guests. In other words, how to position yourself for the best chance of interesting conversation.
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Love, Roughhousing And Fifth Position In 'Brothers...
Ezekiel Emanuel, elder brother to Chicago mayor Rahm and Hollywood superagent Ari, has written a new memoir about his family and growing up Jewish in inner-city Chicago. It's called Brothers Emanuel, and yes, he does discuss middle brother Rahm's talent for ballet.
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New York Ads Resurrect Stereotypes For Former Teen Mom
A chorus of voices have criticized New York City's new teen pregnancy ads, posters featuring babies talking to their would-be teen parents. Among the critics is Gloria Malone, who writes the blog Teen Mom NYC. Host Rachel Martin talks with the former teenage mother about her reaction.
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Former Bush Aide Pushes 'Conservative Case' For Gay...
Ken Mehlman, the political director for the George W. Bush White House, compares the right to marry to other fundamental rights conservatives embrace. He rounded up a group of 131 prominent Republicans to sign a legal brief that's at odds with the House GOP leadership and the party's platform.
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For Evangelical Leader, Gay Marriage 'Outside Of God's...
Host Rachel Martin talks with Jim Daly, president and chief executive officer of Focus on the Family, about the shifting religious and political landscape on gay rights and same-sex marriage.
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Drawing Artistic Inspiration From C-SPAN's Talking Heads
Michael McCutcheon draws sketches of C-SPAN's morning guests and posts them on his website. The 73-year-old retiree says he isn't particularly interested in the guests, but simply does it to occupy his morning hours.
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Your Kids' Brains On Touch-Screens
Hanna Rosin of The Atlantic, a mother of three, wondered what all the easy access to smartphones and tablets was doing to her kids' brains. So she talked to developers of children's media and researchers to find out. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Rosin about her latest article, The Touch-Screen Generation.
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Finding The Answers Within
You'll be given clues for some five-letter words. In each case, the letters of the answer can be found consecutively somewhere inside the clue. For example, given Some teenagers' language, the answer would be slang (hidden inside teenagerS' LANGuage).
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Kerry Lands In Baghdad With Syria In Mind
Secretary of State John Kerry touched down in Baghdad Sunday on an unannounced trip 10 years after the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein. On his agenda is urging Iraqi leaders to stop overflights of arms and supplies from Iran to Syria. Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's Michele Kelemen, who is traveling with Kerry.
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Musharraf Returns To Pakistan Amid Threats
After four years of self-imposed exile, Pervez Musharraf, the former military ruler of Pakistan has returned to the country. Even before he arrived, the Taliban threatened to assassinate him. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Julie McCarthy about his return.
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'The Bible' Is A Smash, On TV
The Bible is a hit television series currently showing on The History Channel. Some industry insiders are surprised by its popularity. Host Rachel Martin speaks with Time Magazine's culture critic James Poniewozik about what Hollywood doesn't get about the popularity of religion on TV.
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New Bells Chime With Modern Pitch At Notre Dame Cathedral
For its 850th anniversary, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris is getting new bells. Nearly all of its bells date from an 1856 renovation. Experts say the 19th century bells toll off key. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports the new bells will join one original bell, known as Emmanuel, which remains in the south tower.
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Battling Suicide In A 'Gun State' Means Treading...
Discussing gun control is not easy in Wyoming, which has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the country. But it also has the highest per capita suicide rate, and guns are usually involved. One grieving mother is trying to boost awareness while respecting the state's gun culture.
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Parent Navigates Personal Grief In Broader Gun Debate
Tom Mauser's son, Daniel, was killed at Columbine High School in 1999. Mauser, who has been an outspoken advocate for gun control since then, speaks with host Rachel Martin.
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Erin Go Bragh, Shalom: St. Patrick's Day The Jewish Way
In the 1960s, Irish-born Jews living in New York started the Loyal League of Yiddish Sons of Erin. The fraternal organization's biggest event was the annual St. Patrick's Day banquet, complete with green matzo balls.
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Tsunami Delivers A Young Diarist's 'Tale' Of Bullying...
In Ruth Ozeki's new novel, A Tale for the Time Being, a 16-year-old girl in Japan starts a diary, writing that it will be a record of her last days before she commits suicide, and gets an unexpected reader when that diary washes up in Canada.
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Sifting Through The World Of Locks, And Those Who Pick...
Is there such a thing as a lock than cannot be picked? Host Rachel Martin talks with Tom Vanderbilt of Slate about the quest.
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Show Me The Money In March Madness
Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mike Pesca about the funds that go into the NCAA, which runs March Madness.
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The Beat Goes On: Titanic Band Leader's Violin Verified
An auction house in Britain announced this week it has authenticated a violin they believe belonged to Wallace Hartley, the band leader aboard the Titanic, who famously continued playing, even as the ship went down. Host Rachel Martin talks about the find and the seven-year process it took to authenticate it.
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Playing This Year: Conservative Documentaries
As independent financing and filmmaking becomes more accessible, conservatives are turning to movies to get their message out to a larger, younger audience. It's an attempt to get the conservative story out to a broader demographic.
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Week In Politics: Budgets, Gay Marriage And A Straw Poll
Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson about the past week's political news, including the latest in the budget debate and Sen. Rob Portman's reversal on same-sex marriage.
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Planning Trips Worthy Of A President
Spencer Geissinger headed the Presidential Advance Team for former President George W. Bush. Geissinger served Bush during both terms, doing advance work in 98 countries. He shares anecdotes with host Rachel Martin of arranging the scheduling, security and publicity for Bush's foreign trips, with a view toward President Obama's upcoming visit to Israel.
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Reframing The Argument: Brokering Middle East Peace
Scholar Rashid Khalidi has closely watched the role of the United States as mediator in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In a new book, Brokers of Deceit, he argues that U.S. involvement has made the goal of a lasting peace less attainable than ever. Host Rachel Martin talks with Khalidi about prospects for successful mediation.
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Low Bar Set For Obama's Mideast Trip
Tuesday, President Obama leaves on a mission to the Middle East. It will be the first time he's visited Israel as president. NPR's Scott Horsley tells host Rachel Martin that the president will also meet with Palestinian leaders in the West Bank and pay a visit to Jordan.
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For Aussie Ensemble, 'A Is For Alpine' — As Well As...
With a new album coming on the way, Melbourne-based Alpine is building buzz in the U.S. — including this past week at the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.
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Reminder: Our Memories Are Less Reliable Than We Think
Memory is about the present as much as it is about the past, psychologist Charles Fernyhough writes in Pieces of Light. The book explores the science of memory to figure out what shapes it, how it works and why some things stick with us forever.
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Take Your Pics
Every answer is a familiar two-word phrase or name in which the first word starts with the letters P-I and the second word starts with C. For example, given One of 27 compositions by Mozart you would say (Pi)ano (C)oncerto.
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Maslenitsa Celebration Helps Russians Thaw From Winter
Sunday is the final day of a week-long Russian festival that celebrates folk traditions, heroic eating and the distant promise of spring. NPR's Corey Flintoff reports on Maslenitsa, or pancake week, the last culinary blow-out before the austerity of Lent.
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Female Soldiers Face Tough Switch From Front Lines To...
For many female veterans of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, new battles await when they return home. They need help, just like men — with jobs, PTSD and reconnecting with family. But these issues can be harder for women. And the darkest side of women's military service persists: sexual assault.
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Fear And Daily Struggles: Reporter Reflects On Iraq War
As the 10th anniversary of the invasion of Iraq nears, host Rachel Martin talks with former NPR correspondent Anne Garrels, who reported from Baghdad for much of the war.
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Nun 'Inspired' By Pope Francis' Work For Poor
Sister Pat Farrell is the former president of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. She speaks with host Rachel Martin about what the selection of Pope Francis says about the Catholic Church's future vision for social justice and charity.
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American Church Connected To Pope Through Prayer
Host Rachel Martin talks with Father Mike McGovern of the Church of Saint Mary in Lake Forest, Ill., about what the new pope means to his congregation, starting with the homily at Sunday's Mass.
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U.S. Catholics Gather For Sunday Service With Pope In...
Catholics around the country head to mass Sunday, the first Sunday since the elevation of Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, now known as Pope Francis. We hear from parishioners in Nashville, Tenn., and Phoenix, Ariz.
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From A To Z
Every answer is a word containing an A and a Z. Given anagrams of the remaining letters, you name the word. For example given "leg," you would say "glaze."
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News From North Korea Careens From Terrifying To...
There have been a host of developments in North Korea in recent days. From an unlikely diplomatic emissary in the form of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, to Pyongyang's aggressive response to new U.N. Sanctions. Host Rachel Martin talks with Victor Cha, a professor at Georgetown University and senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International studies.
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De-Escalating Urban Violence In Most Vulnerable Moments
Host Rachel Martin speaks with Dr. Ted Corbin about hospital-focused efforts to help victims of urban violence. Corbin is the director of Healing Hurt People, a program based at Drexel University and Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia. The program supports victims of violence immediately upon their arrival in the emergency room.
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Defense Secretary Hagel Navigates Afghan War Zone
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is taking his first overseas trip since taking the top job at the Pentagon. He'll be visiting troops and key officials in Afghanistan. Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's David Welna, who is along on the trip.
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The 'Pre-Gripe': How NCAA Seeds Its Tournaments
March Madness bracketing will begin next Sunday when the NCAA selects the top teams to compete for the championship. NPR's Mike Pesca talks with host Rachel Martin about the flaws of that process.
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It's 'Literally' In The Dictionary
Can we take a second and just talk about a word? It might be a word that you use all the time. Or maybe you hear people use the word, and it drives you up the wall. Host Rachel Martin talks with David Haglund, an editor at Slate Magazine.
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Alaska Senator's Gun Proposal Looks To Fix Existing...
Host Rachel Martin talks with Sen. Mark Begich, an Alaska Democrat, about his newly proposed gun violence legislation. He introduced it at a press conference with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham this past week.
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The CIA Brennan Inherits: More Military, Less Espionage
Host Rachel Martin talks with Scott Shane, who covers national security and intelligence issues for The New York Times. He explains just what kind of CIA John Brennan will be walking into.
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Musician Gustavo Santaololla: Exceptional Yet Incredibly...
Host Rachel Martin talks with Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd of NPR's Alt.Latino about the rich career of Gustavo Santaololla.
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Poi: Hawaii's Recipe For Revitalizing Island Culture
With only about 1,000 full-blooded Hawaiians left in the world, preserving native island culture is a huge challenge. One way to do this: teach students and other island residents the ancient art of making poi, a dish that's been feeding native Hawaiians for centuries.
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From A To Z
Every answer is a word containing an A and a Z. Given anagrams of the remaining letters, you name the word. For example given "leg," you would say "glaze."
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Rita Moreno Reflects On Anita, Awards And Accents
Moreno made her mark in musicals like Singin' in the Rain and The King and I before winning an Oscar for her unforgettable turn as Anita in West Side Story. Her new memoir tells the story of how a girl born in Puerto Rico and raised in Harlem made it all the way to Hollywood.
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Musician Gustavo Santaololla: Exceptional Yet Incredibly...
Host Rachel Martin talks with Felix Contreras and Jasmine Garsd of NPR's Alt.Latino about the rich career of Gustavo Santaololla.
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It's 'Literally' In The Dictionary
Can we take a second and just talk about a word? It might be a word that you use all the time. Or maybe you hear people use the word, and it drives you up the wall. Host Rachel Martin talks with David Haglund, an editor at Slate Magazine.
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Novel Explores 'Silence' And 'Roar' Of Life In A Place...
The Silence and the Roar doesn't explicitly take place in Syria, but the similarities between its setting and author Nihad Sirees' home country are undeniable. Sirees' work has been banned from publication in Syria, where he's considered an opponent of the government.
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Sniffing Out Bombs In Afghanistan: A Job That's Gone To...
Highly trained dogs are part of the U.S. military's fight against improvised explosive devices, which are the No. 1 killer of civilians and troops in Afghanistan. The dogs can search places that high-tech equipment simply can't.
-
Defense Secretary Hagel Navigates Afghan War Zone
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is taking his first overseas trip since taking the top job at the Pentagon. He'll be visiting troops and key officials in Afghanistan. Host Rachel Martin speaks with NPR's David Welna, who is along on the trip.
-
De-Escalating Urban Violence In Most Vulnerable Moments
Host Rachel Martin speaks with Dr. Ted Corbin about hospital-focused efforts to help victims of urban violence. Corbin is the director of Healing Hurt People, a program based at Drexel University and Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia. The program supports victims of violence immediately upon their arrival in the emergency room.
-
Alaska Senator's Gun Proposal Looks To Fix Existing...
Host Rachel Martin talks with Sen. Mark Begich, an Alaska Democrat, about his newly proposed gun violence legislation. He introduced it at a press conference with Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham this past week.
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Hiromi: Finding Music In The Daily Din
The Japanese pianist's latest album begins with a tribute to a sound she's never liked: the chime of an alarm clock.
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Poi: Hawaii's Recipe For Revitalizing Island Culture
With only about 1,000 full-blooded Hawaiians left in the world, preserving native island culture is a huge challenge. One way to do this: teach students and other island residents the ancient art of making poi, a dish that's been feeding native Hawaiians for centuries.
-
From A To Z
Every answer is a word containing an A and a Z. Given anagrams of the remaining letters, you name the word. For example given leg, you would say glaze.
-
The 'Pre-Gripe': How NCAA Seeds Its Tournaments
March Madness bracketing will begin next Sunday when the NCAA selects the top teams to compete for the championship. NPR's Mike Pesca talks with host Rachel Martin about the flaws of that process.
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Thirty Years Later, 'Hazzard' Still 'A Good-Old-Boy...
The Dukes of Hazzard still inspires legions of fans. This weekend, many of those fans — and some of the show's surviving stars — descend on central Georgia for a celebration of TV's most famous good ole boys. James Best, who played Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane, joins Rachel Martin for a look back at the show.
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At The Vatican, A Social Media Blackout Keeps Cardinals...
Preparations at the site of Tuesday's papal conclave include a high-tech scrubbing of the chapel for bugs and electronic monitoring equipment. Wi-Fi will be blocked throughout Vatican City, and cardinals with Twitter and Facebook accounts have been warned.
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News From North Korea Careens From Terrifying To...
There have been a host of developments in North Korea in recent days. From an unlikely diplomatic emissary in the form of former NBA star Dennis Rodman, to Pyongyang's aggressive response to new U.N. Sanctions. Host Rachel Martin talks with Victor Cha, a professor at Georgetown University and senior adviser for Asia at the Center for Strategic and International studies.
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The CIA Brennan Inherits: More Military, Less Espionage
Host Rachel Martin talks with Scott Shane, who covers national security and intelligence issues for The New York Times. He explains just what kind of CIA John Brennan will be walking into.
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When Rand Paul Ended Filibuster, He Left Drones On...
The senator launched a nationwide conversation when he challenged the president's pick to lead the CIA. He vowed to keep talking until the White House clarified whether it has authority to kill U.S. citizens on American soil with drones. He finally stood down, but the debate is far from over.
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At The Vatican, A Social Media Blackout Keeps Cardinals...
Preparations at the site of Tuesday's papal conclave include a high-tech scrubbing of the chapel for bugs and electronic monitoring equipment. Wi-Fi will be blocked throughout Vatican City, and cardinals with Twitter and Facebook accounts have been warned.
-
When Rand Paul Ended Filibuster, He Left Drones On...
The senator launched a nationwide conversation when he challenged the president's pick to lead the CIA. He vowed to keep talking until the White House clarified whether it has authority to kill U.S. citizens on American soil with drones. He finally stood down, but the debate is far from over.
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Hiromi: Finding Music In The Daily Din
The Japanese pianist's latest album begins with a tribute to a sound she's never liked: the chime of an alarm clock.
-
Sniffing Out Bombs In Afghanistan: A Job That's Gone To...
Highly trained dogs are part of the U.S. military's fight against improvised explosive devices, which are the No. 1 killer of civilians and troops in Afghanistan. The dogs can search places that high-tech equipment simply can't.
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Perfectly Puzzling
You will be given two words starting with the letter P. Name a third word starting with P that can follow the first one and precede the second one, in each case to complete a familiar two-word phrase.
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Rolling R's Into Wise Words
You will be given some words starting with the letter R. You name a proverb or saying that contains each one.
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Dear Mr. President, What's Your Name?
In honor of Presidents Day, every answer is the last name of a U.S. president. You will be given a word or phrase that is a president's last name with two letters changed. You name the president. For example, given "Carpet," the answer would be "Carter."
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'Armory Show' That Shocked America In 1913, Celebrates...
The exhibition, which opened on Feb. 17, 1913, at the 69th Regiment Armory in New York City, became an important event in the history of American art. It introduced astonished New Yorkers to modern art, like Marcel Duchamp's cubist Nude Descending a Staircase.
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In 'The Searchers,' A Hunt For The Western Film
Weekend Edition Sunday host Rachel Martin speaks with Glenn Frankel, author of The Searchers which explores the making of the classic Western film.
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Jacki Weaver, Looking For Oscar Gold With 'Silver...
The actress's turn as the tough but loving matriarch in Silver Linings Playbook gave her the chance to act alongside Robert De Niro — and earned her a second Academy Award nomination.
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Loss Of Olympic Prospects A Blow To High School Wrestlers
The International Olympic Committee's decision to cut wrestling from the 2020 Summer Games came as a surprise to the quarter of a million high school wrestlers around the country. The fear is that if colleges follow suit, there might not be a future for wrestling beyond high school.
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