Chileans weigh a new constitution
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.
IRS Hearings Highlight Ambiguity Of Nonprofits In Politics
The congressional hearings about the IRS's handling of Tea Party applications for tax-exempt status raise the question of why and how tax-exempt groups engage in politics in the first place.
Baptist Church In Oklahoma Churns Out Meals For Victims
Hundreds of volunteers have come to Moore, Okla., to help the community following Monday's tornado. Some are helping clear debris, others bringing out water and supplies to people whose homes were damaged or destroyed, and whose lives are in disarray. One group of volunteers is cooking more than 10,000 meals a day.
Pentagon's Historical Displays Honor Americans' Sacrifices
Nearly 18 million tourists descend on our nation's capitol every year, and most of them are keen to spend time at the many free museums in Washington, D.C. But only about 100,000 people take the trip across the river to a museum of a different sort: the Pentagon. The Pentagon's exhaustive historical displays offer fresh insight into the range of the Defense Department's activities.
Local Story Shows 'Plain Dealer' Prowess, But Future's Murky
NPR's Scott Simon talks to Connie Schultz, former columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Starting this summer, the paper's owners will be reducing home delivery to three days a week and making huge cuts in the newsroom staff.
What A Week: White House Rattled By Controversy
NPR's Ari Shapiro joins host Scott Simon to talk about the Obama administration's week. The president was buffeted by revelations that the IRS had targeted Tea Party groups seeking tax-exempt status and that the Justice Department had subpoenaed reporter phone records. On top of that, Republicans continue to allege that the White House engaged in a cover-up of talking points about the attack in Benghazi, Libya.
Media Covers Itself In Privacy Debacles
Host Scott Simon talks to NPR's David Folkenflik about the Justice Department's seizure of phone records of Associated Press reporters and editors, and Bloomberg's secret monitoring of its sources' and customers' activities.
After Health Issues, Influential Conductor Back At Met Opera
Host Scott Simon speaks with New York Times classical music critic Anthony Tommasini about conductor James Levine's return to the Metropolitan Opera after a series of health problems kept him away for two years.
Prime Challenge Sends Mathematicians On Infinite Search
University of New Hampshire professor Yitang Zhang announced this week that he has come close to solving a centuries-old problem: proving the twin prime conjecture. Host Scott Simon gets an explanation from Weekend Edition Math Guy Keith Devlin of Stanford University.
When Alcohol Takes The Wheel: What's Your Limit?
This week, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended lowering the legal limit of blood alcohol content for drivers to .05 or even lower. Currently, it's illegal to drive in all states with a BAC of .08 or higher. Host Scott Simon speaks with Dr. Anthony Liguori of Wake Forest School of Medicine about alcohol's impact on driving ability.
Sports: Playoffs, Hard Hits, Soccer Kicks
Host Scott Simon talks to ESPN's Howard Bryant about the NBA playoffs, Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper's collision with a wall, and David Beckham's retirement from soccer.
Kerry's Agenda: Priorities Emerge With Travel
Secretary of State John Kerry has been in office for less than three months and as he travels the globe, his priorities are becoming clearer. He's trying to find a diplomatic solution to the Syrian crisis, revive Israeli Palestinian talks and convince China to use its influence with North Korea to resolve that issue diplomatically.