Morning Edition is your perfect morning companion: gentle, but straightforward, explaining the vagaries of international diplomacy, reporting weather and even recommending the best film in town.

What can citizens of our modern world learn from traditional societies? Author Jared Diamond discusses that question, which he explores in his latest book. Plus: City Comptroller John Liu on his State of the City address; a preview of the 113th Congress and Washington's Sandy aid package; sexual assault protests in New Delhi; and a new book explains how to think like Sherlock Holmes.

Fresh Air is one of the most popular programs on public radio, breaking the "talk show" mold, and Gross is known for her fearless and insightful interviews with prominent figures in American arts, politics, and popular culture.

Reporters scour the globe for the most direct and compelling information, from the spread of AIDS in India to the inexplicable fluctuations of the Brazilian economy.

Reporters scour the globe for the most direct and compelling information, from the spread of AIDS in India to the inexplicable fluctuations of the Brazilian economy.

Singing "Happy Birthday To Yo" is the traditional way to mark the passage of another year, but the song is protected by copyright. Hear about the quest to create a new, royalty-free birthday song. And Missy Higgins performs live in the studio.

For this New Sounds, composer and founder of the new music group Newspeak, David T. Little, joins John Schaefer to present selections from his hour-long multimedia one-man opera, “Soldier Songs.” The work is in three acts, which explore the perceptions of war throughout the character’s life; Youth – where war is a game, Warrior - where war is reality, and Elder - which is more of a philosophical approach to war.  Games are at the heart of the work, as evidenced by the accompanying visuals - realistic-looking video game imagery by an animator.