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PRI’s The World

Latest Edition: Jan. 26, 2012

Farms, Factories, and a Dangerous Nitrogen Overload

Nitrogen is abundant on earth and necessary for life, but scientists warn that humans are overloading the environment with harmful forms of the element.

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Mandela Media Stakeout Angers Locals

Residents of a small village of Qunu in South Africa are outraged by the discovery of surveillance cameras belonging to Western media outlets set up outside the home of Nelson Mandela.

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Blue King Brown: Indigenous Activists and a Best-Selling Band

Though Aboriginal communities have felt marginalized for centuries in Australia, their activism doesn’t typically grow as heated as it did in Canberra Thursday. Marco Werman profiles Blue King Brown, an example of indigenous activists in Australia who are a best-selling band.

Below, Blue King Brown

Video: Julia Gillard rescued from Aborigine protesters

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Kosher Phones For Britain’s Orthodox Jews

Orthodox Jews in Britain aren’t afraid of modernity, but they are worried about the negative influences it can have on young people. Rabbis there have now sanctioned a “kosher” phone that blocks the internet and text messages.

Slideshow: Kosher Phones

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Considering Independence For Scotland

The Scottish government is looking at a possible exit from Britain, it has scheduled a referendum on independence for 2014.

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Burns, Haggis and Highland Dancers – A Postcard From Scotland

We’re in Scotland for the Geo Quiz, in the city where Robert Burns started to make a name for himself in the late 1780′s, and where his portrait now hangs in the Scottish National Gallery.

Video: Sandy Brechin on accordion

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Guatemala Looking to Cash in on 2012 Doomsday Theory

People in Guatemala, the Maya heartland, are not buying the doomsday tale, though some so hope to cash in on it.

Blog: Mayan Predictions for 2012

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Concerto ‘Tahrir for Clarinet and Orchestra’ Inspired by Egyptian Uprising

The piece is the first movement of what will become a concerto in three movements.

Concert Video: "Tahrir for Clarinet and Orchestra"

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Fending for Themselves in Cairo’s Imbaba Neighborhood

Perhaps no other place represents the “divide and conquer” mentality more than Imbaba, a down-and-out neighborhood in Cairo. Now, residents are doing for themselves what the government never did.

Egypt - Protest and Popular Revolt

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Composer Mohammed Fairouz’s Orchestral Take on the Tahrir Square Uprising

Mohammed Fairouz - Tahrir - Merkin Hall Performance featuring David David Krakauer (Photo: YouTube Screen Shot)

Wednesday marks the anniversary of the start of the Egyptian uprising in Tahrir Square. Arab American composer, Mohammed Fairouz, who’s writing a concerto called “Tahrir for Clarinet and Orchestra.”

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Balance Tips to China’s Cities

Wangfujing Street in Beijing (Photo: Wiki commons)

China has passed a milestone, that more Chinese now live in cities than in rural areas. This sounds impressive from one angle, that just over 10% of Chinese lived in cities when the Communist Party came to power in 1949, and not quite 19% when economic reforms started in 1979. [...]

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Americans Prevented from Leaving Egypt

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, whose son is one of several Americans being kept from leaving Egypt. (Photo: Washington State DOT)

Several US citizens have been banned from leaving Egypt – including Sam LaHood, son of US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Lisa Mullins gets more on the story from New York Times reporter David Kirkpatrick.

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Child-Trafficking Ring Preys on Young Mexican Women

Photo: Esparta Palma/Flickr

Authorities in Mexico say they’ve broken up an illegal international adoption scam. It involved destitute young Mexican women who were told their babies had been selected for an anti-abortion photo shoot. Reporter Franc Contreras tells host Lisa Mullins that couples from Ireland had traveled to Mexico hoping to adopt the stolen children.

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Julian Assange to Host TV Show in Russia

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (Photo: Espen Moe)

Assange’s new TV show was announced this week on Russia’s state-run English-language TV news channel “RT.”

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Cyber Tycoon Wanted for Internet Piracy Arrested in New Zealand

Kim Dotcom, founder of file-sharing website Megaupload. (Photo: Andreas Bohnenstengel/Wikipedia)

Dotcom is the man behind a website called “Megaupload,” which the FBI alleges has carried out massive worldwide online piracy.

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Navy SEAL Team Frees Hostages In Somalia

US Navy SEALs exit a C-130 aircraft during a training exercise. (Photo: US Navy/ Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Anthony Harding/Released)

An American and a Danish aid worker kidnapped in Somalia three months ago have been freed in a rare US military raid.

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State of the Union: Spotlight on Trade with China

President Obama delivers the State of the Union address (Photo: Pete Souza)

Among the many issues President Obama highlighted in last night’s State of the Union address was trade with China. He announced the creation of a Trade Enforcement Unit that will look into unfair trade practices in places like China.

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