Weekend Edition Sunday premiered on January 18, 1987, and was the last of NPR's major newsmagazines to hit air. Since then, Weekend Edition Sunday has covered newsmakers and artists, scientists and politicans, music makers of all kinds, writers, thinkers, theologians and all manner of news events. Hosted originally by Susan Stamberg, the show has been anchored by Liane Hansen since 1989.
Recent Stories
Most people visit the beach for its natural beauty. But reporter Nancy Cohen of member station WNPR in Hartford, Connecticut, introduces us to a woman who visits the beach for its trash.
The H1N1 flu virus is now the dominant influenza virus around the globe, according to the World Health Organization. The agency has declared the swine flu outbreak a pandemic, with nearly 500,000 confirmed cases and over 6,000 deaths reported worldwide. Host Liane Hansen speaks with the WHO flu specialist Dr. Anthony Mounts about the spread of the virus and the global response.
In 1964, a music agent bought a ship, anchored it offshore in the North Sea, and turned it into a radio station for the rock-starved British. Director Richard Curtis' new movie, Pirate Radio tells the story of the motley crew of DJs at sea. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Curtis, whose work includes Love Actually, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral.
The state is known for its "Aloha Spirit" — a diverse mix of friendly people living on an island paradise. The rainbow of cultures its residents brag about is no exaggeration, but some say that beneath the veneer of geniality are deep-seated ethnic and racial tensions between the island's white community and native Hawaiians.
Losing your car keys, forgetting an anniversary, leaving water running in the bathtub; there are countless ways our memories can fail us. But when you put your mind to it, your brain can do amazing things. Take, for example, Ben Pridmore. He just won the World Memory Championships, held Saturday in London. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Pridmore, who had to memorize hundreds of numbers, dates and even decks of cards in order to prove his mental prowess.
President Obama is in Shanghai Sunday on his first visit to China. The formal agenda includes trade relations, security issues, human rights and climate change. He's hoping to win China's help in efforts to stop nuclear programs in North Korea and Iran. The huge trade imbalance between the two countries is also likely to be a topic. Host Liane Hansen talks with NPR's Louisa Lim.
Funerals are being held this weekend for some of the 13 people killed in the Fort Hood shootings. Among them is a service for 62-year-old Mike Cahill, whose family and friends are gathering in Cameron, Texas. Nathan Bernier of member station KUT reports.
At the end of October, President Obama signed a bill into law which will increase the budgets of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities by $12.5 million each. Host Liane Hansen speaks with NEH Chairman Jim Leach about the increased funding and how he views the role of the humanities in today's political life.
Anne Rice doesn't write about vampires anymore, but in her latest book she turns her attention to another supernatural being: angels. Host Liane Hansen talks with Anne Rice about contemporary vampire fervor and her novel, Angel Time.
This week, the Senate is expected to release its version of health care overhaul legislation. Questions remain about what a Senate bill will look like. One issue will be whether it includes government-sponsored health insurance, also known as the public option. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Republican governor Jim Douglas of Vermont, who chairs the National Governors Association. He says Vermont's own state-initiated reforms could serve as a model for national changes in health care policy.
Host Liane Hansen answers letters about last week's ginger recipe contest — and offers some instructions on getting juice from ginger root.
For centuries, home has been a transient notion for the ethnic community known as the Garifuna. Pushed around the Caribbean region for centuries by various colonial powers, many sought safe haven in New York City beginning in the 1940s. They've kept coming in small waves, but have maintained a low profile — until now.
Alexis Puentes' father was so particular about his children's musical education that he controlled the music Alexis listened to. As Alex Cuba, he filters his father's musical influence through the likes of Ray Charles. Here, he performs songs from his new album.
Until earlier this month, Rhode Island was the only place in the country where prostitution was legal across an entire state. A new law has closed the loophole that legalized prostitution if it took place indoors, but it's also fueling concerns that victims of the sex trade are being put at even more risk.
Many families are living with what one researcher calls "financial fragility." That is they're just one job loss — or even one car breakdown — away from tumbling into real financial trouble.
