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Archive for November, 2009
Global Political Cartoons: Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2009
Afghan President Hamed Kharzai has the last laugh in this week’s cartoons. He literally thumbs his nose at the rest of us. Meanwhile, President Obama tries to keep the embattled president on message. And, the H1N1 flu is living up to its pandemic image. It’s everywhere!
How Happy is the Economy?
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The U.S. recession is over! (Technically speaking by one measure.) That’s because the nation’s gross domestic product is back in positive territory. But for the 10 percent of Americans who are out looking for work, it sure doesn’t feel like much of an economic recovery. Should GDP be the bar by which we judge economic health? And what about measuring a nation’s economic prowess by Big Mac sales? Many have argued that the mark of economic progress, or the triumph of American capitalism depending on your vantage, is when a nation serves up McDonald’s. By that argument, what does it say about a nation when its golden arches disappear?
The stress of treating combat stress
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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Tulane University trauma expert Charles Figley about the kind of work that the alleged Ft. Hood shooter, Major Nidal Malik Hasan, did. Hasan is an Army psychiatrist with a specialty in treating combat stress.
Discussing the Goldstone Report
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The UN endorsed a controversial report yesterday that accuses Israel and Hamas of war crimes in Gaza. On that same day, the report’s author, Judge Richard Goldstone met in a public forum with a former Israeli ambassador to discuss the report’s accusations. Correspondent Amy Bracken reports from Waltham, Massachusetts.
Mentoring Afghan police
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Earlier this week an Afghan policeman turned on five British soldiers and killed them. It’s not the first time that the people being trained to take over security in their country have attacked the very ones who provide that training. Retired Captain Doug Beattie says he twice encountered situations that made him question the loyalty of his Afghan allies. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with him.
Winning the trust of Afghans
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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with US Army Major James Gant about his experience navigating tribal loyalties in Afghanistan in order to help the secure their support for Allied troops there.
Geo Quiz
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Our daily geography puzzler.
Geo answer
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A Swiss company called Solar Impulse is in the very early stages of mounting what it hopes will be the first solar-powered flight around the world. For today’s Geo Quiz, we asked just how long a flight that would be if the flight plan circled the earth at the equator. The answer is 24,901 miles…or approximately 25,000 miles.
Music Heard on Air for November 6, 2009
Tunes Spun On The Word Between our reports for November 6, 2009. Artists featured are Calamus, Bela Fleck, Moriba Koita, Justin Adams, Juldeh Camara, Jonthan Richman and The Modern Lovers, Mady Kouyate.
Understanding Chinese, birds and Glaswegians
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We select our top five language-related stories from the past month. Among them: Some birds develop distinct dialects based on the decibel levels of their habitats; Companies doing business in Glasgow are offered interpreters to translate the local dialect; And Chinese expats do battle over which script U.S. schools should use to teach Chinese – traditional characters, favored in Taiwan and Hong Kong, or simplified characters, used in mainland China.
Night Witches, Hostage Crisis, Pakistan
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Who knew there were Soviet women combat pilots in WWII? The BBC’s Lucy Ash tells us how she came to know some of these women and produce a radio documentary about their lives and exploits. Also, we revisit the Iranian hostage crisis of 1979. Hard to believe it’s been 30 years since the 444-day ordeal began. And we try to understand the complicated motivations of Pakistan’s military leaders by looking back at how Pakistan was formed and what its early years were like. Lots to chew on this week, much of it riveting.
Tech Podcast 266: The Strange Case of Blogger Hossein Derakhshan
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The centerpiece of this week’s podcast is a look at the strange case of Iranian-Canadian blogger Hossein Derakhshan. He was jailed a little more than a year ago after returning to Iran. We hear about the twists and turns his life has taken in recent years. We also hear about some new research on Persian blogs, and about the world’s smallest FM transmitter! Oh, and a guy who has most of his life recorded digitally…and loves it.
Entire program – November 5, 2009
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Today on The World: Swine flu hits one of the world’s most isolated indigenous tribes; A new study out suggests most young Americans literally aren’t fit enough for the military; and the roots of Pakistan’s battle with itself.
Pakistan’s Taliban challenge
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The Pakistani army has been reporting heavy clashes between its troops and Taliban fighters. The battles are part of a ground offensive in the volatile tribal region of South Waziristan. The US has been providing military assistance, a fact many in the Pakistani military are not prepared to admit openly. The World’s Jeb Sharp looks at the complicated motivations of Pakistan’s armed forces in this conflict. Download MP3 (Photo: Nicolas Asfouri/AFP/Getty Images)
Predator strikes in Pakistan
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At least four suspected militants were killed when a US drone fired two missiles in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region, security officials said. The area is a known haven for al-Qaeda and the Taliban, but Pakistan has publicly criticized drone attacks, saying they fuel support for the militants. Marco Werman talks with Ahmed Rashid, the author of many books about Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Central Asia. Download MP3
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