Entire program – December 11, 2009

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Today on The World: A closer look at America’s not-so-secret drone war inside Pakistan. Also, a ruling on food labeling in Britain highlights the divide between Israelis and Palestinians. Plus — why some say Ontario’s aggressive renewable energy plan could help the earth, but harm people.

The drone war

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At least three suspected militants have been killed in a US drone attack in north-western Pakistan, officials say. The area is a major sanctuary for al-Qaeda and Taliban militants. Pakistan has publicly criticized drone attacks, saying they fuel support for the militants. The US military does not routinely confirm drone attacks, but the US armed forces and CIA in Afghanistan are the only forces capable of deploying drones in the region, analysts say. Noah Shachtman of Wired magazine is just back from the region. Download MP3 (Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• BBC coverage
• Wired.com: U.S. Military Joins CIA’s Drone War in Pakistan
• Podcast: Listen to a longer version of our interview with Noah Shachtman
• Marco Werman talked with Ahmed Rashid about drone attacks (Nov 5)
• Jeb Sharp on the controversial US drone strikes (Jun 18)

Ontario’s green energy plan prompts back wind

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Earlier this year, Ontario adopted a sweeping green energy plan that could make it a world leader in phasing out polluting sources of electricity. The plan paves the way for what supporters hope will be a massive expansion of solar, geothermal and wind power. But the province’s headlong rush toward renewables is roiling some rural communities, which fear massive wind farms will harm their economies and possibly their health. Anita Elash reports. Download MP3 (Photo: flickr.com/photos/canadagood)

• Listen to Anita’s Elash’s report: “Ontario’s green energy plan”
• Environment coverage on The World

And You Shall Know Us by the Trail of Our Vinyl

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On this first night of Chanukah, Marco Werman talks with Roger Bennett, co-author of And You Shall Know Us By the Trail of Our Vinyl about his work saving decades of American Jewish music from obscurity. Download MP3

• Slideshow of album covers
• And You Shall Know Us By The Trail of Our Vinyl
• Roger Bennett’s Idlesohn Society for Musical Preservation
• Amazon book information

Venezuela’s “socialist” toys

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The Venezuelan government has invested $1.4 million in toys to sell them at a 70% discount at their big “Socialist Toy Fair”. BBC Mundo’s Anahí Aradas checked out the merchandise in Caracas, Marco Werman talks with her. Download MP3

• BBC Mundo story (en español)

Protest minaret in Switzerland

For the Geo Quiz we’re looking for a Swiss city on the shores of Lake Geneva. The owner of a shoe store company there is protesting a recent vote that bans the construction of minarets. Guillaume Morand speaks to anchor Marco Werman about why he had a minaret built at the company’s headquarters. (AP Photo/Keystone, Laurent Gillieron)

• Jane Little on the Swiss minaret ban (Nov 30)
• PBS Newshour: Swiss minaret ban prompts neutrality questions
• Europe’s press says Swiss ban sends wrong signal
• Pomp It Up shoes

Israeli politics

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The World’s Aaron Schachter reports on concerns by right wing groups in Israel that some international aid is going to help left wing groups who are vocal critics of the Israeli government.

Palestinian food gets its own label

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The British government says produce from the West Bank that’s sold in British supermarkets may now be labeled as “Palestinian produce” because the land is not within the internationally recognized boundaries of Israel. That move has prompted an angry outcry from Israeli officials.

Women on Italian TV

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Correspondent Megan Williams reports on a campaign by Italian businesswomen Lorella Zanardo to change the way women are portrayed as sex objects on Italian television programs.

EU pledge to climate fund

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The European Union has pledged 10-and-a-half billion dollars over three years to help developed nations deal with climate change. Now it’s looking to other big polluters — like the US and China — to make a contribution. The World’s Gerry Hadden reports.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography quiz asks listeners to name the OTHER big city on the banks of Switzerland’s Lake Geneva.

Music Heard on Air for December 11, 2009

Tunes Spun On The Word Between our reports for December 11, 2009. Artists featured are Praful, Jesse Cook, Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Oki Dub Ainu Band, Hassan Erajji, Zelal feat. Cem Yildiz.

Tech Podcast 270: Drones in Afghanistan and Pakistan

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On this week’s podcast, we kick off with an extended version of an interview with Noah Shachtman of Wired.com. Noah’s just back from checking out the drones that are currently flying over Pakistan and Afghanistan, and he’s got a lot of interesting things to talk about. We’ll also take a trip into space to hear about a new NASA telescope, and about Sapporo’s “Space Barley” Beer.

• Download the tech podcast
• Noah’s blog: Danger Room
• Subscribe to the tech podcast on iTunes
• Donate to the tech podcast

Death and denial in Nigeria

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A harrowing report has been filed by Caroline Duffield, the BBC’s correspondent in Lagos, Nigeria. The bodies of young men are literally piling up in a hospital in the town of Enugu, and have been for months, it has been alleged. Nigerian police say the men, many of whom are untraceable, were thiefs and armed robbers. But the family members of some who can be identified are disputing the claims. Download MP3

• Read Caroline Duffield’s online story
• Amnesty International: Nigerian police “kill at will”
• Nigeria’s police say Amnesty brutality claims are unfair

North Korea’s strategic arsenal

North Korea says it will continue to co-operate with the United States on ending its nuclear program and agrees that stalled talks need to resume. The country’s foreign ministry said Pyongyang would work with Washington to “narrow remaining differences”. In June, the UN Security Council voted to impose tougher sanctions on communist North Korea, following a nuclear test carried by the North Koreans in defiance of previous UN resolutions.