Saturday mornings are made for Weekend Edition Saturday, the program that wraps up the week's news and offers a mix of analysis and features on a wide range of topics, including arts, sports, entertainment, and human interest stories. The two-hour program is hosted by Peabody Award winner Scott Simon.
Drawing on his experience in covering 10 wars and stories in all 50 states and seven continents, Simon brings a humorous, sophisticated and often moving perspective to each show. He is as comfortable having a conversation with a major world leader as he is talking with a Hollywood celebrity or the guy next door.
Weekend Edition Saturday has a unique and entertaining roster of other regular contributors. Marin Alsop, conductor of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, talks about music. Daniel Pinkwater, one of the biggest names in children's literature, talks about and reads stories with Simon. Financial journalist Joe Nocera follows the economy. Howard Bryant of ESPN.com and NPR's Tom Goldman chime in on sports. Keith Devlin, of Stanford University, unravels the mystery of math, and Will Grozier, a London cabbie, talks about good books that have just been released, and what well-read people leave in the back of his taxi. Simon contributes his own award-winning essays, which are sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant.
Weekend Edition Saturday is heard on NPR Member stations across the United States, and around the globe on NPR Worldwide. The conversation between the audience and the program staff continues throughout the social media world.
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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth says the U.S. killed the leader of Tren de Aragua in coordination with Venezuela.
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A $111 billion merger of Paramount and Warner Brothers Discovery got the green light from the Trump administration, though several states are raising anti-trust concerns.
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Some of the 18 cruise ship passengers in quarantine after a deadly hantavirus outbreak have had a tough time in isolation.
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SpaceX had an enormous IPO on Friday, but is it really worth the price?
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NPR's Elissa Nadworny speaks with former Senate parliamentarian Alan Frumin about the president's calls to remove his successor, Elizabeth MacDonough.
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The United States opened its 2026 World Cup with an impressive 4-1 victory over Paraguay. It was the most goals the U.S. had ever scored in a World Cup match.
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Senator Tommy Tuberville is facing a residency challenge that could prevent him from running for governor of Alabama.
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Jose Alvarado, the only Knicks player born in New York City, lived in public housing in South Williamsburg. Fans there speak of him as a legitimate "homegrown star."
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President Trump heads to France for the G7 as the war in Iran continues to dominate global discussions.
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NPR's Elissa Nadworny and sportswriter Howard Bryant discuss the NBA Finals and the World Cup.