Weekend Edition Saturday
Saturdays at 8:00am
The program wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories.
Chileans weigh a new constitution
by Scott Simon
NPR's Scott Simon talks with Chilean journalist Francisca Skoknic about the upcoming vote to approve or reject a new constitution for the South American country.
Mental health professionals have advice for handling another pandemic winter
by Scott Simon
As another winter COVID-19 surge ramps up, three mental health professionals provide insights into handling the emotional challenges of this moment.
Local officials try to get census results corrected to ensure correct future funding
by Hansi Lo Wang
Some local officials are planning to challenge 2020 census results. They're worried their communities were undercounted and won't get their fair share of federal money over the coming decade.
The tale of an Arctic Circle tour bus on a long, cold road home in a snowstorm
Sarah Manriquez tells a dramatic story of driving a tour bus up a remote highway in a winter storm. It was originally performed for the Alaska storytelling show and podcast Dark Winter Nights.
Why omicron spreads so fast
by Will Stone
Scientists are trying to figure out why the omicron variant is spreading so much faster than delta did. Early research provides a few possible reasons.
An infectious disease specialist answers our questions about the new CDC guidance
by David Gura
David Gura speaks with Dr. Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist at NYU, about the latest on omicron, and about the CDC's relaxed guidelines for isolation and quarantine.
Banjo star Bela Fleck talks his new album and playing Carnegie Hall
by David Gura
David Gura talks with banjo star Bela Fleck about his new album, "My Bluegrass Heart," and about his Jan. 9 concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City.
There are signs negotiators are making progress toward a nuclear deal with Iran
by Peter Kenyon
For the first time in months, European negotiators report progress in nuclear talks with Iran and the U.S. An agreement would revive an Obama-era pact that President Donald Trump abandoned.
Week in politics: Biden says there is no federal solution to the pandemic
by Ron Elving
President Joe Biden says there's no federal solution to the pandemic as cases climb dramatically.
On the last day of Kwanzaa, the focus is on Imani, or faith
by David Gura
David Gura speaks to the Rev. Kimberly Quinn Johnson of Long Island about the end of Kwanzaa and keeping the spirit of the holiday into the new year.
Saturday sports: Alabama and Georgia go to college football championship; Madden dies
by David Gura
David Gura talks with Meadowlark Media's Howard Bryant about the college football championships, the impact of COVID-19 on the sports world, and the passing of John Madden.
'Waste pickers' in Istanbul are being targeted for deportation
by Durrie Bouscaren
In Istanbul, many recent immigrants make their living by sifting through trash for items to recycle. But recent immigration raids have made the work far riskier.
Almost a year after Jan. 6, two journalists release their book 'The Steal'
by David Gura
David Gura speaks with journalists Mark Bowden and Matthew Teague about their new book "The Steal: The Attempt to Overturn the 2020 Election and the People Who Stopped It."