Renee Montagne

Voters Cast Ballots In Iran's Presidential Election

Renee Montagne — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 09:22:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

In Syria's ally Iran, people are voting for president today. It is Iran's first presidential election since the stunning vote in 2009. Back then, a surprisingly early declaration of victory for President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad sparked a wave of protests, followed by years of government repression. This time around, six candidates are contending for power amid widespread skepticism about the election, and intensive security on the streets.

MORNING EDITION's Steve Inskeep has been reporting from Iran. He's on the line with us from the capital, Tehran.

Gamers Converge On L.A. For Electronic Entertainment Expo

Renee Montagne — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 09:53:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

The biggest players in the video gaming are gathered here in Los Angeles this week for E3, the industry's annual trade show. Gamers have been anticipating the unveiling of new products from Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo and other companies.

NPR's Laura Sydell has spent the past few days with zombies, assassins and one little plumber.

May's Unemployment Rate Expected To Hold Steady

Renee Montagne — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 08:46:00 +0000

The Labor Department on Friday reported a jobless rate of 7.6 percent as employers added 175,000 jobs and more people began to look for work last month. That's up from April's rate of 7.5 percent.

Food Entrepreneur Is A New Bread Of Afgahn Business Owner

Renee Montagne — Mon, 27 May 2013 08:43:00 +0000

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

MORNING EDITION's Renee Montagne has been in Kabul, a place she knows well. It's her ninth trip to Afghanistan since 2001. This time, she's reporting on a new generation in Afghanistan: young people born after the Soviet invasion, which set in motion more than three decades of conflict. These young Afghans will be the ones shaping their country after 2014. That's when U.S. and Allied combat operations are set to end and foreign aid and support is expected to dwindle.

Select Young Afghans Chosen As Commandoes In Training

Renee Montagne — Fri, 17 May 2013 09:14:00 +0000

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

All right, through much of this week, we've been hearing from young Afghans on the future of their country after NATO troops withdraw in 2014. Yesterday, our colleague Renee Montagne met with the American general who commands coalition forces in Afghanistan. They traveled to a special forces base where young Afghan men - and a few women - are being trained.

(SOUNDBITE OF HELICOPTER)

RENEE MONTAGNE, BYLINE: Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford was making what's called a battlefield circulation.

Younger Generation Poised To Lead Afghanistan's Future

Renee Montagne — Tue, 14 May 2013 08:49:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne, in Kabul, Afghanistan.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

And I'm Steve Inskeep, in Washington, with David Greene.

Renee's been in Afghanistan as the United States prepares to substantially draw down its presence in that country, which puts the focus on the Afghans who will try to run the country next.

Cyprus Proposes Exempting Smaller Deposits From Tax

Renee Montagne — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:38:00 +0000

The government of Cyprus is trying to ease fears over a proposed tax on bank deposits. Newly proposed legislation would exempt savers with smaller accounts. It's part of a bailout plan for that Mediterranean country, negotiated with the E.U. and IMF over the weekend.

E.U. Bailout Tax Sparks Bank Run In Cyprus

Renee Montagne — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 08:46:00 +0000

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne. Stock prices are dropping around the world this morning, reacting to turmoil in the Mediterranean country of Cyprus. It's a domino effect that started on Saturday, when European officials approved a bailout of that country's biggest banks. The bailout requires customers to pay a tax on their deposits, and banks have already taken steps to freeze some of their customers' money. That proposal sent people rushing to their ATMs, to get their money out.

Benedict XVI Leaves The Vatican, Headed To Retirement

Renee Montagne — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:04:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

We're hearing this morning that Pope Benedict has left the Vatican. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli is covering the first papal retirement in 600 years, and she joins us now from Rome. And Sylvia, describe the scene for us there.

SYLVIA POGGIOLI, BYLINE: Well, it was a very emotional scene as Benedict first left all his close aides and employees and officials at the Vatican and then he went to the helicopter pad and has taken off. And I can't help but say this, but we see him now on pictures of Vatican TV flying into the sunset.

Sequester Politics In The News

Renee Montagne — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 11:13:00 +0000

Usually when we come up to the edge of one of these deadlines there are 11th-hour negotiations, and the two parties manage to swerve away from the precipice at the last minute. What about this time?

Pope Benedict XVI To Resign Feb. 28

Renee Montagne — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:00:00 +0000

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

Surprising news this morning from the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI has announced he is resigning at the end of this month. It is an unprecedented departure in modern times. The last time a pope stepped down, it was 1415, the Middle Ages. At 85 years old, Benedict said he was no longer up to the physical demands of the papacy. We've got NPR's Sylvia Poggioli on the line now live from Rome.

Politics In the News

Renee Montagne — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:38:00 +0000

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DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. Good morning. I'm David Greene.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

President Obama is taking his campaign against gun violence to the country, beginning today with a trip to Minneapolis and a visit to that city's police department. Many police organizations favor tougher gun laws. The president leaves behind a new Congress that's getting down to business. And consuming most of lawmakers' time: the budget and the deficit.

Joining us, as she does most Mondays, is Cokie Roberts.

Latest Jobless Rate Forecast To Hold Steady

Renee Montagne — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 11:28:00 +0000

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne. More signs today of a slow, slow economic recovery. The Labor Department reports the economy added 157,000 new jobs last month. The unemployment rate ticked up slightly, to 7.9 percent. To tell us what's behind these numbers, we're joined by NPR business correspondent Yuki Noguchi, and also our White House correspondent, Scott Horsley.

Politics And The Economy

Renee Montagne — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 11:29:00 +0000

The government is set to make additional cuts to spending, including defense, this spring, unless lawmakers agree on an alternative plan to address the deficit. So far, there's little agreement in Washington about the optimum size or shape of government spending.

Smaller Crowds At Capitol, But 2009's Enthusiasm Persists

Renee Montagne — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:55:00 +0000

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RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Steve, thanks very much. Now let's go just beyond the capital building, into the National Mall. That's where NPR's Ailsa Chang is. And she's between the Capitol, as I understand it, Ailsa, and the Washington Monument, right there in the thick of things.

AILSA CHANG, BYLINE: That's right. Well, not so thick. People are beginning to arrive. But the crowd is nowhere near as large as it was in 2009. There are swaths of empty grass that you can still see. What's most evident to me now is just the way people are dressed.