Weekend Edition Saturday
Sat., 8 a.m. on WAMU 88.5; Sat. 10 a.m. on WAMU-3
From civil wars in Bosnia and El Salvador, to hospital rooms, police stations, and America's backyards, National Public Radio's Peabody Award-winning correspondent Scott Simon brings a well-traveled perspective to his role as host of Weekend Edition Saturday.
Afghanistan-Bound, Americans Pretend To Be There
November 21, 2009 - While President Obama weighs his options on Afghanistan, one thing is clear: The U.S. is beefing up its civilian presence there. The aid effort has been hobbled from the start, and many experts consider it a weak link in the struggle to build a stable society in the conflicted country. Deputy Secretary of State Jack Lew insists that the U.S. is now recruiting the right kind of people, but before those people head to Afghanistan, they get trained to work with the military at a base in Indiana. NPR's Michele Kelemen travels with Lew to see how civilians are getting ready.
Inappropriate Touch Offends European Sports Fans
November 21, 2009 - France and Ireland are at war! Not on the battlefield, on the football pitch. A hand touched the ball during a soccer match and started a dispute that's resonating throughout the sport. Host Scott Simon gets NPR's Tom Goldman to tell us more.
'Army Strong' Now Means Mental Fitness Too
November 21, 2009 - The Army has always trained its soldiers to be physically strong. With its Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program, it's aiming to make soldiers and their families psychologically strong as well. Host Scott Simon speaks to the program's director, Brigadier General Rhonda Cornum.
Blues Man Joe Bonamassa, Real-Life Guitar Hero
November 21, 2009 - Blues musician Joe Bonamassa started playing with BB King when he was 12 years old. He's performed on stage with Eric Clapton and averages about 200 shows per year. His new DVD is called Joe Bonamassa, Live From the Royal Albert Hall. Host Scott Simon speaks with Bonamassa about living with the blues and how he got his nickname, "Smokin' Joe."
One Job The Stimulus Has Definitely Saved
November 21, 2009 - The Web site Recovery.gov lists the jobs the Obama administration claims to have saved or created. NPR's Brian Reed searched around the site and found a company where the government helped save one of those jobs. And it wasn't in manufacturing or technology.
Week In Review With Daniel Schorr
November 21, 2009 - This week, the Senate faced a crucial vote on health care. The Obama administration fended off criticism over Sept. 11 trials in New York, and Hamid Karzai was sworn in for another term as president of Afghanistan. Host Scott Simon reviews the week in the news with NPR Senior News Analyst Dan Schorr.
