Morning Edition

Community Surprised Okla. Tornado Death Toll Wasn't Higher

Hansi Lo Wang — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Monday's tornado in Moore, Okla., killed 24 people and caused an estimated $2.2 billion worth of damage. As the community reflects on what happened, one question is: How did so many manage to survive such devastating destruction?

Lifelong Oklahoman Kristi Freeman has seen her share of tornadoes, but she says the twister that tore through her neighborhood Monday was something else.

"This tornado was like a monster. It was like something that was alive. It destroyed your peace, your comfort," she says.

NYC Mayoral Candidate Uses Wrong Skyline On His Homepage

Fri, 24 May 2013 11:01:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Good morning. I'm David Greene. Some photos on Twitter ended Anthony Weiner's congressional career. The latest online image, not quite as damaging. Weiner launched his campaign yesterday to be mayor of New York City, and a gorgeous city skyline showed up on his homepage: the skyline of Pittsburgh, my home town. I'm honored if the Web designer is impressed with our city's skyline.
Still, it's pretty embarrassing for a New York mayoral candidate, although I guess Weiner has been through worse. It's MORNING EDITION.

Germany's Beer Makers Come Against Fracking

Fri, 24 May 2013 10:56:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
Good morning, I'm Renee Montagne.
Fracking may have met its match in Germany, where beer makers have lined against it. Fracking, of course, is a way of bringing up natural gas by pumping water and chemicals into the ground. Germany's powerful beer industry is concerned fracking would pollute groundwater. Half of Germany's 1,300 brewers have their own wells and say the pure water is the essence of their famous beers. And if there's one thing Germans take seriously, its beer. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Iranian Council Declares Ex-President Rafsanjani Unfit To Run Again

Peter Kenyon — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:34:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
Iran's Guardian Council does not hesitate to use its power. That's the legislative body that vets political candidates for their commitment to the Islamic Revolution. Perhaps, no surprise in the upcoming presidential election, voters are able to choose from a very narrow range of candidates - all of whom support the regime. All the high-profile or independent candidates have been eliminated by the Guardian Council.

Wash. State Bridge Collapses, 3 People Injured

Martin Kaste — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:34:00 +0000
The collapse sent people and vehicles into the water Thursday night. Authorities say there were no fatalities. The bridge, about an hour north of Seattle, lost its northernmost span — taking out all lanes in both directions.