Philip Reeves

Margaret Thatcher's Life And Legacy In Britain

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

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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.

Exiled Russian Oligarch's Death Launches Probe

Philip Reeves — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 08:47:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And police in Britain are piecing together the final days in the life of a Russian oligarch named Boris Berezovsky. They hope this may shed light on his sudden death this last weekend. Berezovsky used to be one of the wealthiest and most powerful men in Russia. Then he fell out with the Kremlin and sought asylum in Britain. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.

PHILIP REEVES, BYLINE: No history book about the collapse of the Soviet Union is complete without the name of Boris Berezovsky.

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.

Nightmare Details Emerge After Siege In Algeria

Philip Reeves — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 08:41:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

President Obama took the oath for a second term yesterday, on January 20th, as the Constitution requires. The public ceremony takes place today at the Capitol, and we'll have live coverage all day long.

MONTAGNE: We're learning more about the siege at a natural gas plant in the Sahara Desert. Militants in Algeria took many hostages - hundreds. Algerian forces quickly retook the plant.

A Dash Of Olive Oil May Preserve Decaying British Cathedral

Philip Reeves — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 22:19:00 +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.