Morning news brief
The diplomatic wrangling that led to a long-awaited ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, reactions to the deal, and how LA and other communities could tighten laws around wildfire safety.
Growing Vegetables From Seeds Takes Root For Many Gardeners
More and more gardeners are bypassing the local nursery and instead starting their veggies from seed. Seeds are often cheaper, and they give growers a bigger choice of varieties. At a community garden in Venice, Calif., students learn the ins and outs of gardening from scratch.
Select Young Afghans Chosen As Commandos In Training
From the Afghan capital Kabul, Morning Edition's Renee Montagne talks to Gen. Joseph Dunford, the commander of all U.S. and international forces there. They discuss the challenges of the current situation on the ground, and look ahead to the withdrawal of NATO combat troops in 2014.
Theater Lover Takes A Stand Against Annoying Cellphone
Writer Kevin Williamson of the National Review attended a musical in New York. He says a woman was web surfing on her phone, violating theater rules. He tells Gothamist he complained to the woman. She replied, "So don't look." That's when Williamson grabbed her phone and threw it across the theater.
Is There Really A Second-Term Curse?
Whether it's Richard Nixon's resignation or Bill Clinton's impeachment, presidents tend to have a tough time during the back half of an eight-year presidency.
After Shooting, New Orleans Area Begins To Return To Normal
Police in New Orleans have arrested six people in connection with last Sunday's mass shooting at a Mother's Day parade. Two brothers have been charged with 20 counts of attempted murder, for firing guns into a dancing crowd. Four others have been charged with assisting them after the fact.
Germany May Have Paid A Price For Its Financial Power
Germans had to finance bailouts for countries like Greece, and imposed austerity measures in return. Those who disapprove may have struck back. People across the continent and beyond watched the Eurovision song contest. The German entry finished near the bottom, with countries giving the Germans no points at all
Right Lottery Numbers, Wrong Date
A California woman turned on the TV last week and saw she had the winning numbers in Wednesday's drawing. She thought she had won $360 million. It turns out she bought her ticket an hour after Wednesday's drawing.
Calif. Law To Require Ships To Cut Pollution
California is about to become the first state to require shore power at its ports. A new law mandates at least half of a shipping line's fleet to shut down their diesel engines and plug into shore-side electric power when they unload their cargo. It's part of a larger effort to cut pollution at the state's busiest ports, but costs have been a sticking point.
Why Congress Has Reasons Not To Be Bipartsan
Some political columnists say President Obama needs to exercise more "leadership" to bend a divided Congress to his will. But congressional Republicans have little incentive to cooperate with the president. And the more he "leads," the harder it may be for them to follow.
Yahoo To Buy Tumblr In An Attempt To Revitalize Itself
Yahoo is expected to announce Monday that it's acquiring the social media site Tumblr, in a deal The Wall Street Journal and other news outlets are reporting to be worth about $1.1 billion. Some analysts are calling the acquisition an effort by Yahoo to be "cool and relevant" again.