Morning Edition

Monday - Tuesday 5:00a - 8:30a, Wednesday - Friday 5:00a - 8:00a
Steve Inskeep and Renee Montagne
Elaine Baumgartel

Waking up is hard to do, but it's easier with NPR's Morning Edition, bringing the day's stories and news to radio listeners on the go.

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Around the Nation
5:14 am
Fri April 20, 2012

N.J. Gov. Christie Challenges 'New York Post' Story

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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Books
5:08 am
Fri April 20, 2012

'China Hand': John Paton Davies Place In History

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 8:49 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

When John Paton Davies died, he left some unfinished business. His daughter, Tiki Davies, knew he had signed a contract to write a memoir but never finished it. One of her sisters had a carbon copy of the manuscript, which Tiki Davies started typing into a computer.

TIKI DAVIES: What was interesting to me about retyping it is that it's very much in his voice. He was very funny and an elegant speaker as well as a writer. And so I felt as though I had him back for the couple of months I did this.

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Around the Nation
4:55 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Boston Landmark, Fenway Park, Turns 100

The home of the Red Sox may be a Boston landmark but it also holds a place in baseball history. The big green wall in left field is known as the Green Monster. Some fans are paying more than $1,000 to sit on top of the Green Monster when the Red Sox play Friday night.

Remembrances
4:46 am
Fri April 20, 2012

The Band's Levon Helm Dies Of Cancer At 71

Drummer and singer Levon Helm was a founding member of The Band. Helm and his group played as a backup band for Bob Dylan in the 1960s. Later the band became famous enough to simply be called The Band.

Movies
4:40 am
Fri April 20, 2012

'Marley' Has Great Music, Remarkable Personal Story

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 1:25 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Any documentary about a singer-songwriter can provide great music, but with "Marley" you also get a remarkable personal story. We have a review from our critic Kenneth Turan.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

KENNETH TURAN, BYLINE: Bob Marley, who was only 36 when he died in 1981, could be a dusty musical footnote by now. Instead, the enormous popularity of this transcendent reggae superstar shows no sign of going away, and "Marley," a moving and authoritative new documentary, explains why.

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Middle East
4:33 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Video Asks Asma Assad To Help Stop Syrian Conflict

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 4:46 am

Earlier this week, two women took a new approach to raising awareness about Syria's crackdown. The wives of the British and German ambassadors to the United Nations appealed directly to Syria's first lady with a video on YouTube. The narrator calls on Asma Assad to "stop being a bystander" — and to stop her husband and his supporters from continuing the conflict.

Middle East
4:22 am
Fri April 20, 2012

EU Increases Humanitarian Aid To Syrian Refugees

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 4:46 am

More refugees are fleeing the fighting in Syria. Lynn Neary talks to European Union Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response Kristalina Georgieva about what officials are doing to help the internally displaced, and those who have fled to neighboring countries.

Business
3:02 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Federal Reserve Delays Enforcement of Volker Rule

Originally published on Tue May 15, 2012 2:31 pm

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Some other news. The Federal Reserve and other banking regulators have granted banks a two-year grace period to come into compliance with the Volcker Rule. That's one of the provisions of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill passed a couple of years ago. It restricts American banks from making trades that put the bank and depositor funds at risk.

But as NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports, regulators are struggling to iron out the details.

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Business
3:02 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Google, Oracle Locked In High-Stakes Patent Battle

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 6:16 am

Two billionaires took the stand this week — both named Larry. Google's Larry Page and Oracle's Larry Ellison have very different styles and personalities. And that came across in court.

Business
3:02 am
Fri April 20, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 5:24 am

Vegetarians and others were highly distressed after finding out that Starbucks uses a red coloring in some of its drinks that's made from crushed bugs. An online protest campaign delivered thousands of angry emails to Starbucks headquarters.

Election 2012
3:02 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Romney Points To Obama's Failed Promises

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 4:46 am

One day after President Obama delivered a speech on the U.S. economy in Lorain County, Ohio, Mitt Romney went there Thursday to respond to the president. Romney is chasing the president to accuse the incumbent of failing to live up to his campaign promises.

NPR Story
2:42 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Faces New Legal Threats

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 4:46 am

Rupert Murdoch's British newspaper division is accused of phone hacking and bribing police officers. That scandal has already cost the company hundreds of millions of dollars. Now News Corp. is fending off media reports that a specialized unit engaged in industrial espionage on behalf of the company's global satellite and cable TV operations.

NPR Story
2:42 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Examining Media Coverage Of The Trayvon Martin Case

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 4:46 am

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

The Florida judge in the case of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed teenager Trayvon Martin in February, set bail this morning of $150,000. Zimmerman took the stand during the hearing and told Martin's parents that he was sorry for the loss of their son. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder, but he claims self-defense. Cable TV news channels carried the bail hearing live.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

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NPR Story
2:42 am
Fri April 20, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 5:18 am

Nokia gave its new Lumia smartphone a splashy launch this month. The phone runs on a new Microsoft operating system and is a key part of the Finnish company's efforts to regain market share. But on Thursday, Nokia admitted that its new phone isn't connecting with consumers.

Books
1:25 am
Fri April 20, 2012

The St. Cuthbert Gospel: Looking Pretty Good At 1300

Originally published on Fri April 20, 2012 9:04 am

How much would you pay for a very rare book?

The British Library in London has just paid about $14 million to purchase Europe's oldest intact book, known as the St. Cuthbert Gospel. It's a copy of the Gospel of St. John, thought to have been produced in northeastern England sometime during the seventh century.

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Law
5:18 am
Thu April 19, 2012

Dutch Entertainer Sued Over Magic Trick

A Dutch magician has threatened to tell the secret behind one of Penn & Teller's most famous bits. In this shadow illusion, an untouched rose falls apart as Teller cuts at the shadow with a knife. Teller tried to make the offer disappear by paying the Dutchman the $3,000. When that was refused, Teller sued.

Around the Nation
5:04 am
Thu April 19, 2012

Is Nakedness Protected Political Speech?

John Brennan of Portland, Ore., was going through airport security when he was pulled aside for a closer look. So he removed all of his clothes, saying it was an act of protest. Facing charges, Brennan argues he was "nude but not lewd."

Business
2:42 am
Thu April 19, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 3:53 am

The $760 million factory is part of Ford's plan to double its production there by 2015. The new factory should up Ford's production in China to 1.2million cars — about half of what it produces in the U.S.

Business
2:42 am
Thu April 19, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 3:58 am

Amazon has acquired the rights to publish all 14 of the classic James Bond novels. More than 100 million Bond books have been sold worldwide. But this deal is just for North American publishing for the next decade.

Around the Nation
2:42 am
Thu April 19, 2012

Secret Service Forces Out 3 Agents

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 4:24 am

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION, frpm NPR News. I'm Lynn Neary.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep, good morning.

The Secret Service scandal has now cost three men their jobs. The government says they were involved in misconduct in South America, and they are leaving the agency. Agents, as well as military personnel, allegedly hired prostitutes in advance of President Obama's recent trip to Colombia.

NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson has been following this story. She's in our studios. Good morning.

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Asia
2:42 am
Thu April 19, 2012

Avalanche May Alter Himalayan Combat Zone

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 3:44 pm

In the chill of the world's highest combat zone lies the prospect of warmer relations. Pakistan's army chief said Wednesday that there's a need to resolve the conflict that has Indian and Pakistani troops facing off at frigid altitudes of up to 20,000 feet in the Himalayan Mountains. An estimated 3,000 Pakistani soldiers have died from the atrocious weather conditions since deployments on the Siachen glacier began in 1984.

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Sports
2:42 am
Thu April 19, 2012

NBA Playoff Preview

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 5:39 am

There is one more week left in the lockout-shortened, action-packed NBA regular season. Chicago, Miami and Oklahoma City head toward the finals with strong records — as do the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs.

Books
1:28 am
Thu April 19, 2012

'Boys On The Bus': 40 Years Later, Many Are Girls

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 8:15 am

The news business has changed a lot in recent years, and that's especially true of political news. But when you ask about a book that captures what it's like to report on a presidential campaign, one decades-old classic still rules: The Boys on the Bus by Timothy Crouse.

The rough-and-tumble account of the reporters who covered President Richard Nixon's re-election against George McGovern back in 1972 is part of a Morning Edition series on political history.

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Music Interviews
5:29 pm
Wed April 18, 2012

Anoushka Shankar: A Sitar Player In Andalusia

Credit Harper Smith
"There's a very primal, emotional response I feel when I hear flamenco," sitar player Anoushka Shankar says. "It's quite in the belly in a way."

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 6:41 am

Anoushka Shankar is the daughter and protege of the renowned Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, who is credited with introducing Indian classical music to Western audiences. Now, Anoushka Shankar carries on this tradition in more ways than one. On her new album, Traveller, she goes back in time to make the connections between India and Spain.

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Around the Nation
4:15 am
Wed April 18, 2012

Jamie Moyer Makes Major League Baseball History

Originally published on Wed April 18, 2012 5:50 am

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep with congratulations to Jamie Moyer. At age 49, the pitcher won a game in the major leagues. Many of today's baseball players were not even born when Moyer's career started. He never threw the ball very hard, but won with patience and control. This year, he made the Colorado Rockies and pitched seven innings last night against San Diego for a five - three win. Some pitchers throw a 95 mile an hour fastball. Moyer's was 78. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

Around the Nation
4:00 am
Wed April 18, 2012

Roof Of Seattle's Space Needle Goes Retro

Originally published on Thu April 19, 2012 11:52 am

Transcript

LYNN NEARY, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Lynn Neary. The Seattle Space Needle is going retro. Built for the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, the Space Needle was meant to be a beacon of the future. At first, it was not universally well received. Prince Charles even scorned the landmark's original color. But to celebrate its 50th anniversary on Saturday, the Space Needle's sloped roof is being repainted that same shade. Some call it sienna. Designers call it Galaxy Gold. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.

Middle East
3:27 am
Wed April 18, 2012

Egypt's Banned Candidates Vow Not To Go Quietly

Originally published on Wed April 18, 2012 6:48 am

Egyptian election officials upheld their ban of nearly half of the presidential candidates running in next month's contest. Among them are two leading Islamist candidates and the intelligence chief for former President Hosni Mubarak. The decision radically alters the race for a post that will shape Egypt's political landscape.

Minutes after official news outlets announced the election commission ruling, candidate Hazem Abu Ismail took to the airwaves to denounce it as a conspiracy.

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Asia
3:21 am
Wed April 18, 2012

Beijing Tries To Control Growing Political Scandal

Originally published on Mon September 17, 2012 12:10 pm

China is gripped by a tale of murder, betrayal, flight and intrigue that threatens the stability of the entire nation. At its heart is the death of a 41-year-old British businessman in a hotel room in the city of Chongqing last fall. The scandal has brought down a high-flying Chinese politician, Chongqing's party secretary Bo Xilai, and his wife, with China's state-run media hinting at their corruption and abuse of power.

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Business
2:42 am
Wed April 18, 2012

Business News

Originally published on Wed April 18, 2012 5:50 am

At Citigroup's annual meeting Tuesday, 55 percent of shareholders voted against big paychecks for the firms top executives. Citigroup's latest pay package saw the CEO take home some $25 million, despite dwindling share values. The vote is not binding, but analysts call it historic.

Business
2:42 am
Wed April 18, 2012

The Last Word In Business

Originally published on Wed April 18, 2012 5:50 am

At an NBA meeting last week, team owners floated the idea of slapping corporate logos on team uniforms. The New York Times reports three prototypes are being considered. In one, the team name is completely replaced by the name of a sponsor.

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