2009 August | PRI's The World - Part 16

Archive for August, 2009

Russia’s reckless drivers

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ 7 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Last year, an estimated 35,000 people died on Russian roads. Eleven hundred of those people were killed on the streets of the capital, Moscow. So, what is it that makes getting into a car in the former Soviet Union such a gamble? Cell phones? Texting while driving? Drinking? The answer might surprise you. Jessica Golloher reports. >>> What’s the worst place you’ve ever driven? Post a comment.

The Guca festival

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

With all the talk of the 40th Woodstock anniversary, we’re going to take note of another festival that has been celebrating music every year since the sixties. The Serbian town of Guca: it’s slowly getting back to normal today, a week after it was invaded by close to 150,000 people. Guca’s usual population is 20,000.

Entire program – August 14, 2009

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Today on The World: Secretary of State Clinton concludes her 11-day tour of Africa with a stop in Cape Verde; A new film explores a fictional meeting between two men whose real lives were forever altered by the troubles in Northern Ireland; And a dry monsoon in India has farmers there worried about their livelihood.

Clinton ends Africa tour

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finished up her 11-day tour of Africa today, after a final stop in Cape Verde. The World’s Jeb Sharp reports that the trip was strong on rhetoric but not especially ground-breaking in terms of policy.

US supports Somali government

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ 2 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Robert Patterson, U.S. Counselor for Somali Affairs, about Washington’s support for Somalia’s fragile transitional government.

Cape Verdeans on Clinton

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Anchor Marco Werman gets a take on Secretary of State Clinton’s visit to Cape Verde from Cape Verdeans living in Boston. See photos and watch a video.

Five Minutes of Heaven

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The film “Five Minutes of Heaven” explores the aftermath of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The movie involves the fictional meeting of two men whose lives were deeply altered by a 1975 murder. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with the film’s director, Oliver Hirschbeigel. Read more and watch the trailer.

US senator in Myanmar

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Brian Joseph of the National Endowment for Democracy, about Senator James Webb’s trip to Myanmar for a meeting the country’s military leader. The visit follows the Burmese government’s sentencing of opposition Aung San Suu Kyi to another 18 months of detention.

Dry monsoon in India

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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The current monsoon season has not produced enough rain in India. Tinku Ray reports from Delhi on what the consequences could be.

Geo Quiz

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Our daily geography puzzler.

Reckless Russian drivers

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Jessica Golloher reports on Russia’s attempt to crack down on dangerous drivers. The country’s traffic fatality rate per 100-thousand people is almost twice that of the US.

Geo answer

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with University of Alaska entomologist Derek Sikes. He’s among those searching for new signs of life on Kasatochi, a volcanic island that is part of the Aleutian chain. An eruption there last year incinerated the island’s plants and animals.

Global Hit

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Anchor Marco Werman takes us to the small Serbian town of Guca, population about 20,000 — except when the annual Trumpet Gathering festival is underway. This year it attracted more than 150-thousand people.

The U.S. Healthcare Debate Viewed From Abroad

By Jason Margolis ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments ⋅ Transcript

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What does the rest of the world think of the U.S healthcare debate? Some American critics of healthcare reform are suggesting the U.S. will end up with a bureaucratic and inefficient system, which they say would be like Britain. How do Brits feel about this label? Also aging doctors in Japan and the recession in Europe is over! (Maybe.)

A lively volcano

By The World ⋅ August 14, 2009 ⋅ 6 comments ⋅ Transcript

vol150 Alaska’s Aleutian Island chain is home to some of the world’s most dangerous volcanoes, including the one we’re looking for in today’s Geo Quiz. This particular volcanic island roared to life a year ago.

That was bad news for the plants and animals living there. But scientists report signs of life on this volcanic moonscape.