Former UN envoy criticizes Taliban arrests

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The UN’s former envoy to Afghanistan, Kai Eide, has strongly criticized Pakistan’s recent arrest of high-ranking Taliban leaders. Eide told the BBC the arrests had completely stopped a channel of secret communications with the UN. Pakistani officials insist the arrests were not an attempt to spoil talks. Jason Margolis reports. Download MP3

• BBC interview with Eide
• Taliban conflict
• Richard Holbrooke on the fight against the Taliban

British Airways cabin crew strike to go ahead

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A strike by British Airways cabin crew will go ahead after talks between the airline and the Unite union collapsed. A three-day strike begins on Saturday, with a four-day strike scheduled to commence on March 27. BA’s CEO Willie Walsh said the strike was “deeply regrettable” while Unite’s joint general secretary Tony Woodley claimed that BA “ultimately wants to go to war with this union”. Laura Lynch reports from London. Download MP3

• BBC coverage

Paralympic Games in Vancouver

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The Vancouver Winter Olympics may be over but athletes from around the globe are still competing in British Columbia, this time in the Paralympics. Rick Hansen is following the Games in Vancouver. He’s a former Canadian Paralympian and an activist for people with spinal cord injuries. Jeb Sharp talks with him. Download MP3(Photo: Nicholas Wolaver)

• BBC coverage
• Rick Hansen Foundation
• Rick Hansen videos

Touch screen production proves toxic

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Touch screens on high-tech gadgets may be fun to use, but making them is another story. Kathleen McLaughlin is a reporter with Global Post based in China. She’s found that in at least one Chinese factory that produces touch screens, workers were exposed to a toxic solvent that violated local codes and was used without proper safety equipment. Host Jeb Sharp speaks with Kathleen McLaughlin. Download MP3 (Photo: Mikael Häggström)

• Global Post: Kathleen McLaughlin’s series “Silicon Sweatshops”
• Photo Gallery: Silicon Sweatshops
• The World: Lead recycling in Senegal
• The World’s Technology Podcast

Tech Podcast: Wikileaks, Hactivism, and Four Views of the ‘Net

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This week’s Technology Podcast highlights some of the material the BBC has been producing as part of its special series of reports, called SuperPower, on the Internet. We’ve got an interesting and in-depth look at the website Wikileaks, as well as a report on the rise on online activism, or “hacktivism” as some call it. You can also hear a series of four short opinion pieces from some big digital thinkers on the future of the global Internet.

• Download this episode of the Technology Podcast
• Subscribe to the Tech Podcast via iTunes
• Subscribe to the podcast via RSS
• More links and pictures from this episode

Entire program March 19, 2010

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Today on The World: A former U-N official says the arrests of Taliban commanders have halted secret talks aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan; Also, immigrant activists gear up to keep immigration reform on the national agenda; Plus, they’re still competing for gold in Vancouver — we’ll get an update from the Paralympic Winter Games.