Saturday and Sunday mornings are made for Weekend Edition, 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 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 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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An explosion outside a reproductive health clinic in Palm Springs, California killed one person and injured 4. Police say it appears to be an intentional act of violence.
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Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass has taken a lot of criticism for problems plaguing her city. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Bass, who is dealing with budget cuts and the remains of the wildfires.
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Mecklenburg, North Carolina, is celebrating its own Declaration of Independence claiming it was signed a year before all the American colonies split from British rule.
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NPR's Ayesha Rascoe asks Politico reporter Declan Harty about President Trump's memecoin, the dinner he is hosting for its holders and the ethical questions surrounding his crypto dealings.
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What is the deal with post-credit movie scenes? NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with Linda Holmes, host of the Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast, about why they exist and whether they really work.
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There are signs that China is trying to spy on the US from Cuba. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe discusses developments with correspondent Eyder Peralta, who recently met with Cuba's deputy foreign minister.
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Who are the winners and losers when it comes to inflation? NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks to Mark Blyth, a political economist at Brown University, about the impact of President Trump's tariffs.
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Pope Leo celebrated his inaugural Mass in Vatican City as head of the Catholic Church, where he called for love and unity, and a world where peace reigns.
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A student protest at Gallaudet University forced out its newly appointed president 37 years ago. NPR's Ayesha Rascoe talks with Nyle DiMarco, co-director of the new documentary "Deaf President Now!"
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Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said 18 people were killed in his state from a devastating tornado, and the death toll could rise.