Saturday mornings are made for Weekend Edition Saturday, 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. The two-hour program is hosted by NPR's Peabody Award-winning Scott Simon.
Drawing on his experience in covering 10 wars and stories in all 50 states and seven continents, Simon brings a humorous, sophisticated and often moving perspective to each show. He is as comfortable having a conversation with a major world leader as he is talking with a Hollywood celebrity or the guy next door.
Weekend Edition Saturday has a unique and entertaining roster of other regular contributors. Marin Alsop, conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, talks about music. Daniel Pinkwater, one of the biggest names in children's literature, talks about and reads stories with Simon. Financial journalist Joe Nocera follows the economy. Howard Bryant of EPSN.com and NPR's Tom Goldman chime in on sports. Keith Devlin, of Stanford University, unravels the mystery of math, and Will Grozier, a London cabbie, talks about good books that have just been released, and what well-read people leave in the back of his taxi. Simon contributes his own award-winning essays, which are sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant.
Weekend Edition Saturday is heard on NPR Member stations across the United States, and around the globe on NPR Worldwide. The conversation between the audience and the program staff continues throughout the social media world.
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There's a lot of finger-pointing in Slovakia following the assassination attempt this week on its prime minister. It's another example of political violence that's been taking place in Europe of late.
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The U.S. military says the first shipment of aid has moved ashore into Gaza over a new, massive floating pier. It wants to scale up to 150 trucks entering Gaza per day.
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A flag flap for a Supreme Court justice, and both major presidential campaigns agree to debates, albeit earlier than is traditional, with some rule changes.
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Mercedes-Benz workers voted against union representation in Alabama, a defeat for the United Auto Workers.
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Today is the Preakness Stakes, the 2nd leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. NPR's Scott Simon talks to Jonathan Finn, author of "Beyond the Finish Line," about the history and tech of photo finishes.
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A Crimean Tatar couple in Ukraine, displaced by Russian troops, sees parallels to the Soviets' forced deportation of 200,000 Tatars from Crimea 80 years ago.
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A reluctant hero's quest, a can-do princess, and an evil wizard who just can not shut up: NPR's Scott Simon talks with Peter S. Beagle about his new novel, "I'm Afraid You've Got Dragons."
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Max Dow, a once-stray tabby cat, is getting an honorary doctorate from Vermont State University Castleton today. His area of study: Litter-ature.
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NPR's Scott Simon talks to Matt Shultz, frontman for the band Cage the Elephant, about reassessing one's reality and his band's new album, "Neon Pill".
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The Chinese government just released new economic data following the big May holiday week. Our correspondent reports from Shanghai about how the world's second largest economy is faring.