Philip Reeves

Alex Ferguson: A Legendary Manager For An Iconic Franchise

Philip Reeves — Wed, 08 May 2013 15:33:00 +0000

The resignation of veteran Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson is an event causing ripples that go way beyond the island where the Scotsman spent his long and illustrious career.

Walk into a bar pretty much anywhere from Buenos Aires to Bangkok, mention Ferguson or his star-studded team of Red Devils, and you can be sure of a lively conversation — and perhaps a heated argument.

Ferguson's name is not always greeted with warmth, especially by supporters

For Some Britons, Thatcher's Death Provokes Celebrations

Philip Reeves — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 15:14:00 +0000

A young man is parading the streets of the city of Glasgow with a slogan daubed onto the back of his black leather jacket in big, freshly painted white letters. "We're havin' a party," it declares. "Thatcher's dead."

In what was the coal belt of northern England, a burly former miner lights up an enormous cigar and takes a satisfied puff.

Margaret Thatcher's Life And Legacy In Britain

Philip Reeves — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:03:00 +0000

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

On a Monday, it is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm David Greene.

Britain and the world are reflecting this morning on the life of Margaret Thatcher. The former British prime minister has died at the age of 87. Britain's current Prime Minister David Cameron remembered her this way.

(SOUNDBITE OF SPEECH)

PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON: As our first woman prime minister, Margaret Thatcher succeeded against all the odds. And the real thing about Margaret Thatcher is that she didn't just lead our country. She saved our country.

Britain Goes After Pot Growers With 'Scratch And Sniff' Cards

Philip Reeves — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:35:00 +0000

For many years, across the world, the extraordinarily powerful noses of dogs have been successfully used to help detect crime.

Now, in Britain, moves are under way to recruit humans to perform the same subtle work.

Police are encouraging the British to step out of their homes, raise their nostrils aloft, and see if they catch the whiff of wrongdoing wafting from the next-door neighbors.

Visitors to these crowded islands are often charmed by the small redbrick terraced houses that are in every town and city.

But law enforcement agencies here say the attics and backrooms of some of these

A Rough Guide To The Papal Conclave

Philip Reeves — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:08:00 +0000

The stage is now set for the opening act of one of the more spectacular and intriguing theatrical dramas on the planet: the election of a pope.

In Rome, TV camera crews have set up their positions on big platforms overlooking St.

The Hermit Pope Who Set The Precedent For Benedict XVI

Philip Reeves — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:24:00 +0000

Beneath a glass coffin, wearing a pontiff's miter and faded vestments of gold and purple, there lies a tiny man with a wax head.

This represents an Italian priest who, until this month, was the only pope in history to voluntarily resign.

His name is Celestine V.

Celestine became pope at 84, some seven centuries ago, after a long and self-punishing career as a hermit.

Though a celebrated spiritual leader, and founder of a new branch of the Benedictine order, his papacy lasted just over five months.

British Outrage Grows As Horsemeat Pops Up In More Foods

Philip Reeves — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 12:47:00 +0000

They like riding them. They like racing them.

A Dash Of Olive Oil May Preserve Decaying British Cathedral

Philip Reeves — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:24:00 +0000

The British have some stunning cathedrals, and York Minster, in the north of England, is one of the most magnificent of all.

Construction on it began 800 years ago, and a mere 2 1/2 centuries later, work was complete.

The result was one of Europe's largest Gothic cathedrals and one that's had a rough ride through history: It's been pillaged and looted, and damaged by devastating fires and lightning strikes.

Today, there's another threat: acid rain. As a result, the cathedral's stones are decaying.

British scientists and archaeologists have teamed up to try to find a solution.

On Multiple Fronts, Russian Jews Reshape Israel

Philip Reeves — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 20:43:00 +0000

Many signs are in the Cyrillic alphabet. The men and women sitting in the cafes are speaking Russian. The shops sell vodka, black bread, pickled herring and Russian-brewed Baltika beer. You have to pinch yourself to remember where you are.

This scene, with all its echoes of the former Soviet Union, is not in St. Petersburg or Vladivostok, or anywhere else in that vast sweep of bleak northern lands.

Young Gazans Brave Fear To Welcome Hamas Leader

Philip Reeves — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 16:40:00 +0000

Tens of thousands of people turned out for a mass rally in the Gaza Strip on Friday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Hamas, which governs Gaza. The guest of honor was the leader of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal.

This is Meshaal's first-ever trip to Gaza, and it's been seen as a political milestone in Hamas' attempt to gain wider acceptance in the region.

Gaza is a small, very crowded strip of land that is full of young people.