Morning Edition

Aug 12/2021

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  NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner general of the U.N.'s lead agency for aid to Palestinians, about the international response to a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with a Chinese observer of the U.S. and an American observer of China about the countries' competing interests.
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  President Biden is giving a commencement address at Morehouse College this weekend, but that speech has created some controversy. Morehouse is in the swing state of Georgia.
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  Grand Theft Auto 5 came out more than 10 years ago, and developer Rockstar Games has finally announced a release date for Grand Theft Auto 6 — Fall 2025. Some fans feel it isn't soon enough.
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  The name is a nod to the hometown B-52s, whose debut single shares the same name. The moniker will be accompanied by a logo of a lobster holding a hockey stick doubling as an electric guitar.
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  On the campaign trail, former President Donald Trump has made many promises about what he'd do on his first day in office, should he win again. Some are more realistic than others.
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  It's prom season! We hear from listeners about proms past and future.
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  In this week's StoryCorps, two sisters remember their lives as foster children
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  The latest version of ChatGPT has the internet wondering: Was it meant to make it sound like Scarlett Johansson in the movie Her? Its creators insist the model was not based on the movie.
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  The White House paused a shipment of bombs to Israel out of concern they would be used in Rafah. But this week, the Biden administration announced it is moving ahead on a new sale of arms to Israel.
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  The two 2024 presidential candidates are bypassing the matchups organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to commission co-chair Frank Fahrenkopf.
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  Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band is coming to Disney+ and Hulu in October. It feature interviews with the musicians as they figure out their performance setlists and other issues.
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  United is releasing a new safety video for the first time in years. The refresh comes as airlines struggle to hold the attention of passengers who are distracted by screens of their own.
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  The Mirage which helped spur a construction boom on Las Vegas' world famous Strip says it won't take reservations past July 14. It hosted various shows including Siegfried and Roy's tiger-taming act.
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with United States Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns about diplomatic tensions with China over new U.S. tariffs.
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  After Israel marked its 76th Independence Day, Palestinians mourn what they call the 'Nakba," or Catastrophe, amid increasing death and displacement in Gaza.We hear voices from the West Bank.
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  Slovakia's prime minister is in stable condition after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds at a political event on Wednesday. Police have a suspect in custody.
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  The bright red painting has evoked strong feelings from the public — ranging from awe to disgust. NPR's A Martinez talks to British journalist and artist Bidisha Mamata about the controversy.
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  The latest report, will not only give an update on inflation, it could also indicate if the Federal Reserve will resume lowering interest rates.
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan about the Biden administration's decision to increase tariffs on Chinese goods.
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  The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says a growing number of card user are falling behind on their monthly credit card bills. Fallout from years of rising prices and high interest rates.
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  NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell about the EU's upcoming elections, and its foreign policy priorities at this challenging time.
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  Dorothy Jean Tillman II spoke at her commencement this month at Arizona State University. She successfully defended her dissertation to earn a doctorate in integrated behavioral health last December.
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  Three years ago Melissa and Georgia Laurie were swimming in a river when a crocodile dragged Melissa under water. Georgia fought the crocodile, and now King Charles has given her a medal for bravery.
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  NPR's Michel Martin talks to Rich Schapiro of NBC News, about the three men charged in the 2018 prison killing of Boston crime boss James "Whitey" Bulger reaching plea deals with prosecutors.
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  Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to China for a state visit this week. The invitation from his Chinese counterpart marks the first international trip of Putin's new term.
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep speaks with former New York Assistant Attorney General Adam Pollock about Michael Cohen's testimony in the ongoing hush money trial of former President Donald Trump.
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  Wildfires have forced evacuations in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. Parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas are seeing poor air quality due to smoke.
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  NPR's Michel Martin speaks with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai about the Biden's administration's decision to raise tariffs on certain Chinese goods.
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  Ukraine says it is struggling to contain a new Russian offensive in a northeastern border region. Its army is short on troops and ammunition. How has Russia gained momentum in this war?
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  An accomplished solo artist, Sanborn was also known for his collaborations with other musicians including: Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin and David Bowie.
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  Fowler earned her doctoral degree in ministry over the weekend. She already has her bachelors and two masters but wasn't sure at her age she could manage the work. She stayed the course.
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  The Professional Women's Hockey League is nearing the end of its first season. Past women's hockey leagues have failed. Will the PWHL survive?
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  An exhibition opening this month in Paris will feature 17th-century paintings that show Italian peasants wearing the blue fabric.
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  NPR's Leila Fadel speaks talks to Belkis Wille of Human Rights Watch, which examines casualties among aid workers in Gaza. She says there have been at least eight strikes on convoys and shelter homes.
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  The Hindu nationalist BJP is increasing its anti-Muslim rhetoric as the country's elections heat up.
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  NPR's Michel Martin talks to retired Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, ex-director of European Affairs for the National Security Council, about whether the Russian troop push is a turning point in the war.
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  A third of the city of Rafah is under evacuation orders, as Israel presses its offensive into southern Gaza. Israel is also expanding attacks in central and northern areas of the Gaza Strip.
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  Atlanta beat the odds and will be the first team to pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Washington will pick second — followed by Houston and San Antonio.
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  A new type of traveler is part of the post-pandemic reset at U.S. hotels, along with fewer daily cleanings and pancake-slinging machines.
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  Dan Neidle inserted a sentence into the privacy policy on the U.K. think tank's website in February: We will send a bottle of good wine to the first person to read this. He got a response this month.
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  Why is President Biden planning to hit China with tariffs this week? NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Harvard economist Gordon Hanson, who has studied how U.S.-China tariffs affect jobs and voting.
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  Catalonian separatist parties lost their majority in controlling the northeastern region of Spain. The pro-union Socialist Party won the most votes in Sunday's election.
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  NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Dr. Ismail Mehr of the Islamic Medical Association of North America about the collapsed medical care in Rafah, a region of Gaza that Israel threatens to invade.
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  The Department of Veterans Affairs has expanded access to benefits for vets who left the military with other-than-honorable discharges — in particular those kicked out for homosexuality.
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  The transitional council could begin cementing a new transitional government, and a multi-national force led by Kenya is expected to deploy into the country in the next couple of weeks.
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  Could president Biden do more? NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Jonah Blank a political scientist at the RAND Corporation and a former foreign policy adviser for Biden when he was in the Senate.
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  Andy Serkis, the actor who portrayed Gollum, the tormented creature obsessed with the One Ring to rule them all, in Lord of the Rings, will reprise the role in two films centered around the character.
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  In 2000, a representative of FC Barcelona was talking with the future star's father. To show the team's commitment, he wrote the contract on a napkin, which could sell for over $600,000.
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  There's a fund that commercial airlines pay into for things such as safety inspections, but commercial space companies don't pay into that fund. (Story aired on All Things Considered on May 9, 2024.)
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  A pier for the delivery of food and other supplies to Gaza is complete and is expected to be installed off the coast of Gaza in the coming days. Aid groups say there are a lot of unanswered questions.
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  Former Georgia Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan, a Republican, tells NPR's Steve Inskeep why he is breaking ranks with many in his party to support Joe Biden in the upcoming presidential election.
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  Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, has agreed to plead guilty to stealing nearly $17 million from the Major League Baseball superstar.
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York about GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's failed attempt to vacate Mike Johnson from the speakership.
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  The U.S. will stop shipments of bombs or artillery shells if Israel presses its offensive against Hamas into the crowded city of Rafah in southern Gaza, President Biden said.
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  Hawaii residents have used the "shaka" hand gesture to convey several greetings: hello, goodbye, thank you and aloha.
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  Peacock announced the new mockumentary comedy series Wednesday. While the show doesn't have a name yet, it's about a publisher trying to revive a dying Midwestern newspaper with volunteer reporters.
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  Three of Donald Trump's criminal trials are on hold indefinitely, and may not move forward before the November election.
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  During a Senate hearing Wednesday on antisemitism in K-12 schools, superintendents were unapologetic as they faced tough questions about discipline and accountability.
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  Musician Steve Albini fronted the bands Big Black and Shellac and engineered albums for Nirvana, the Pixies and PJ Harvey. He died this week at 61.
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  NPR's Leila Fadel talks to former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert about Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the war in Gaza.
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  Apple unveils new versions of its iPad at a time when revenue from its devices are falling and it faces growing competition from places like China. Will this refresh help the company?
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Republican strategist Scott Jennings about the challenge to House Speaker Mike Johnson from GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
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  As cease-fire negotiators talk, soldiers and militants keep fighting. Israeli warplanes pound Gaza's southernmost city Rafah, where some 1.4 million Palestinians have sought refuge.
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  A single pack costs just a few dollars. But a collection of 2,400 rare Pokémon cards from the late 90s and early 2000s just sold at auction in the United Kingdom for nearly $70,000.
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  The documentary is about the making of the Beatles' album of the same name. Its raw footage was the basis of Peter Jackson's eight hour series Get Back. The new release is only 80 minutes long.
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  It's a show that's got it all — music, dancing, sequins and razzmatazz. And the winning song becomes the official campaign music for President Nicolás Maduro.
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  The adult film actress testified Tuesday in Donald Trump's criminal trial, with details about an alleged sexual encounter that prompted the ex-president's lawyers to ask for a mistrial. It was denied.
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  The war in Gaza has caused deep divisions in communities around the world. But in the Israeli city of Haifa, some people are working toward dialogue.
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  Social Security benefits are facing an automatic cut in less than 10 years unless changes are adopted. The report from Social Security trustees predicts the fund will be exhausted in November of 2033.
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  NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council about how Israel's evacuation of Rafah could affect the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
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  The complex deal also brought home two sons of a Minnesota man who fought for ISIS
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  The "Man in Black," singer-songwriter Johnny Cash, and civil rights icon Daisy Bates will be honored with statues representing Arkansas, at the U.S. Capitol later this year.
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  Symphony No. 9 in D minor, was the final complete symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, composed between 1822 and 1824.
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  An Israeli tank brigade has seized control of the Gaza Strip side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
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  Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia says this week she will force a vote to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson. The move is unpopular with many of her GOP colleagues.
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  NPR's Michel Martin is joined by New York Times fashion director Vanessa Friedman to talk about Monday night's Met Gala.
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  Bumble, known for allowing women to message men first, has unveiled new features that allow men to make the first move. Will the change breathe new life into online dating, and the company's stock?
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  Israelis mark Holocaust Memorial Day amid a spike in antisemitic incidents, pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses worldwide and an impasse in Gaza cease-fire talks.
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  There's a Republican effort to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson but Democrats plan to protect him. NPR's Michel Martin speaks with House Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts.
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  The concert was the final stop of Madonna's "Celebration Tour, and tickets were free. It was on Saturday at Brazil's Copacabana Beach. About 1.6 million people were there to cherish the event.
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  That's double the numbers that usually show up on the custom floating piers — and a number that hasn't been seen since the early 90s. It turns out a large school of anchovy is the appeal.
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  China's president is in Europe for the first time in five years, at a point when Sino-European relations are particularly frosty. Will a Beijing charm offensive turn things around?
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  Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been taking place on university campuses around the world since last October. Morning Edition focuses on three countries: the United Kingdom, France and Mexico.
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  President Biden finally broke his silence on student protests over the Israel-Hamas war and conditions in Gaza, an issue that has caught him in a political bind.
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  The tabletop role-playing game, which has its 50th anniversary this year, debuts as a theatrical show in New York this weekend. Audiences get to decide what happens in the story by voting on an app.
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  The orangutan chewed up some medicinal leaves and applied them to the wound. He did this several times, and within two months the wound had healed. Where did he learn that? Researchers don't know.
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  Closing arguments have begun in the Justice Department's antitrust case against Google. At issue is whether Google has illegally monopolized the search engine market.
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  Protesters in the small southern Caucasus nation of Georgia say a Russia-style draft law will hurt free speech and democracy.
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  NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with Robert Kelchen, professor of education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, about what's at stake when college students join in protests.
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  NPR's Michel Martin talks to Mayor Eric Adams about the police response to student protests at Columbia and other campuses in the city. He says "outside agitators" co-opted the protests at Columbia.
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  The United Methodist Church, one of the largest U.S. Protestant denominations, voted to repeal its ban on LGBTQ clergy as well as prohibitions on its ministers from officiating same-sex weddings.
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  NPR's Michel Martin speaks with strategic diplomacy expert Mickey Bergman about the different approaches Israel and Hamas take toward negotiating a hostage swap and cease-fire.
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  A self-taught virtuoso, his music from the 1950s and 60s was strictly instrumental and featured a distinct twangy sound. His hits included, "Forty Miles of Bad Road" and "Rebel Rouser."
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  A new category of listings is called "Icons." Homes include the house from the Pixar movie Up — complete with 8,000 balloons attached to the top. It's held up by a crane over the N.M. desert.
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  Rapper Kendrick Lamar dropped a scathing rebuke against Drake in a new song. NPR's A Martinez talks about the fascination with diss tracks with Noah A. McGee of the online magazine The Root.
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  Democrats and Republicans have something in common: they're worried about the future of the U.S, but for different reasons.
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  A decades-old Missouri law that may prevent a pregnant woman from getting divorced is being challenged by lawmakers. Advocates say changing the rule is urgent since Roe vs. Wade was overturned.
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  The U.S. economy has been sending some mixed signals lately. Consumers say they're less confident, but they keep spending more money. It's a lot for the Federal Reserve to puzzle over.
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  NPR's A Martinez speaks with Oona Hathaway, professor of international law at Yale University, about how International Criminal Court arrest warrants might affect the war in Gaza.

Every weekday for over three decades, Morning Edition has taken listeners around the country and the world with two hours of multi-faceted stories and commentaries that inform, challenge and occasionally amuse.