Morning Edition on The News And Ideas Network

Octogenarian Rivals Race To Top Of Mount Everest

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:25:00 +0000

An 80-year-old Japanese mountain climber has become the oldest person to reach the summit. But that record may not last. His 81-year-old Nepalese rival plans to make the ascent again next week.

New Jersey Officials Wrap Up 'Operation Swill'

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 11:19:00 +0000

The target: bars trying to pull a fast one. They charge for good booze, but actually pour the cheap stuff in the glass. Authorities caught 29 bars — 13 of those TGI Fridays.

Attackers Hack To Death Man On London Street

Renee Montagne — Thu, 23 May 2013 09:16:00 +0000

Authorities in London are investigating what British Prime Minister David Cameron says is likely a terrorist attack. On Wednesday, two suspects brutally attacked a man near a London military barracks.

Director Lin Shifts The Identity Of 'Fast & Furious'

editor — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:51:00 +0000

The movie Fast & Furious 6 hits theaters tomorrow. It is director Justin Lin's fourth film in the franchise, and is far different from his very first film, Shopping For Fangs, which starred a young John Cho and became a cult classic among Asian-American indie film fans.

Or is it so different?

The action-packed, billion-dollar movie franchise follows a crew of daredevil street racers who go from being criminals to heroes.

When Will Fed Officials Ease Off The Accelerator?

John Ydstie — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:48:00 +0000

Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke told Congress Wednesday that the central bank is not ready to scale back on economic stimulus. But he suggested the Fed may start to pare back bond purchases if the economy picks up momentum. Stocks fell following Bernanke's remarks.

Obama Speech Expected To Touch On Drones, Guantanamo

Dina Temple-Raston — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:44:00 +0000

On Thursday, President Obama is expected to explain how the fight against al-Qaida has changed, and how the U.S. will adapt its counter-terrorism policies to the evolving threat. The president will speak at the National Defense University.

IRS Official's Silence Riles House Committee Members

Peter Overby — Thu, 23 May 2013 08:38:00 +0000

On Wednesday, Lois Lerner, the IRS official overseeing the tax-exempt organizations office, refused to testify during a hearing on Capitol Hill, and was attacked by some Republicans on the House committee. Her brief appearance was the beginning of a five-hour session marked by angry outbursts and allegations of political motives.

Obama Group's Climate Push Puts President Under Scrutiny

Ari Shapiro — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:06:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biUc0D6_UPA

Sick Inmates Dying Behind Bars Despite Release Program

Carrie Johnson — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Prison is a tough place, but Congress made an exception nearly 30 years ago, giving terminally ill inmates and prisoners with extraordinary family circumstances an early way out. It's called compassionate release.

But a recent investigation found that many federal inmates actually die while their requests drift through the system.

One of them was Clarence Allen Rice.

Rice operated a leasing company in Iowa for decades.

Living In Two Worlds, But With Just One Language

Michele Norris — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:05:00 +0000

NPR continues its conversations about The Race Card Project, where NPR Host/Special Correspondent Michele Norris asks people to send in six-word stories about race and culture.

Scientific Tooth Fairies Investigate Neanderthal Breast-Feeding

Adam Cole — Wed, 22 May 2013 23:47:00 +0000
When it comes to weaning, humans are weird.
Our closest relatives, chimpanzees and gorillas, breast-feed their offspring for several years. Some baby orangutans nurse until they are 7 years old.
But modern humans wean much earlier. In preindustrial societies, babies stop nursing after about two years. Which raises the question: How did we get that way?

Microsoft Unveils Its New Xbox One

Laura Sydell — Wed, 22 May 2013 15:04:00 +0000
Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
The wait is over for many Xbox fans. Yesterday, Microsoft unveiled its next generation Xbox gaming console. It's called Xbox One. It's the first major revamp of the gaming system since 2005.

Oklahoma's Gov. Fallin On Life-Saving, Recovery Efforts

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 13:29:00 +0000
Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
And I'm David Greene. We now know the tornado that struck the city of Moore, Okla., on Monday was an EF5, with winds over 200 miles an hour. That designation is the strongest possible rating for a tornado. Federal, state and local teams are on the ground this morning, cleaning up debris and tending to survivors.

Drummer Waits For Gas, Uses Time Along Highway To Practice

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Linda Wertheimer. A drummer in Baltimore pulled off the interstate yesterday, out of gas. So he pulled his drum kit out of the trunk and sat up on the shoulder and played along with traffic. When a state trooper pulled up, drummer boy explained he was just biding his time until help arrived, practicing his chops. He got away without a ticket and with the gift of gas from the highway department. Rock on. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

'Morning Edition' Listeners Get Their Feathers In A Bunch

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Good morning, I'm David Greene.
Well, our wings have been clipped by some listeners. Yesterday, we told you about how some scientists in Canada saw their research crops destroyed by geese. We used the term Canadian geese. Listeners like Frank Cohen said we got that wrong.
FRANK COHEN: They're not Canadian geese. They're Canada geese because they don't hold passports, as far as I know, and it's not a nationality. It's a species name
GREENE: OK, we learned our lesson. It is still Canadian bacon though, right? You're listening to MORNING EDITION.

Court Rules Vacation Rental Site Illegal In New York

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Here's some news for travelers. If you can't afford or don't want to pay the price for a hotel room, maybe you've used the cheap lodging site Airbnb. If so, you have to take New York City off your list. The popular website has suffered a major setback in court.

Boy Scouts To Decide Whether To Admit Gay Youth

Kathy Lohr — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm David Greene.
LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:
And I'm Linda Wertheimer.
This week, Boy Scouts of America officials will meet in Texas to consider changing the group's longstanding ban on gay members. The first round of voting starts tomorrow.

Parking Industry Tries To Make Your Life Easier

Kenny Malone — Wed, 22 May 2013 12:26:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Finding a parking space, probably not at the top of the list of things you like to do. Well, experts in parking think they might be able to change that. One key, they say, is for developers to think about the parking experience when they're designing malls or apartment complexes, instead of just treating it as an afterthought.
This came up in Florida this week, at the International Parking Institute's annual conference. Reporter Kenny Malone, from member station WLRN, was there.
KENNY MALONE, BYLINE: Let's go ahead and address this head-on.

Why Apple (And Lots Of Other Companies) Wound Up In Ireland

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:07:00 +0000
Apple was criticized in a Senate committee hearing Tuesday for using complex accounting to minimize the corporate taxes it pays.

West Bank Businesses Seek Growth Amid Uncertainty

editor — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:04:00 +0000
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry heads back to Israel and the West Bank on Thursday for more talks on restarting peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. When he was there last month, he walked away with at least one agreement — to improve the West Bank economy.