Music Heard on Air for May 17, 2010

Tunes Spun On The World Between Our Reports For May 17, 2010. Artists featured are Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Zelal, Cem Yildiz, Bassekou Kouyate, Ngoni ba, Nguyen Le, Tor Dietrichson, Fania All Stars.

Music Heard on Air for May 14, 2010

Tunes Spun On The World Between Our Reports For May 14, 2010. Artists featured are Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Reggie Msomi’s Hollywood Jazz Band, Gipsy Kings, Nguyen Le, Ensemble FizFuz.

World Books Podcast: Eshkol Nevo’s novel “Homesick”

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When it was published in Israel in 2004, Eshkol Nevo’s novel “Homesick” tackled a taboo topic in his homeland. The story, which is set in a small neighborhood outside of Jerusalem, includes a sympathetic look at a Palestinian construction worker who becomes obsessed with entering the home his family was evicted from in 1948. To Nevo’s surprise, “Homesick” became a best-seller and is now assigned reading in high schools and universities around Israel. An English translation of the book (by Sondra Silverston) is now available from Dalkey Archive Press. World Books editor Bill Marx spoke to Nevo about his novel’s surprising reception in Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East. Download MP3

• Subscribe to the World Books podcast via iTunes
• Bill Marx’s Arts Fuse blog

Rural “red shirt” protesters

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The “Red Shirt” protesters in Bangkok, Thailand say they represent the poor. Many are from the country’s poorer regions in rural northeast Thailand. Simon Montlake went there to learn what is fueling the deadly political tensions in the capital.

Entire program – May 14, 2010

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Today on The World: The roots of Thailand’s political unrest; Also, two bombings heighten the tension in economically-stricken Greece; Plus, new outbreaks of polio have experts rethinking their war on the disease.

Saving Mohammed

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While he was on active duty in Iraq, Major David Howell of the Michigan National Guard met Mohammed, then an 11-year-old boy who had suffered burn injuries in a house fire as an infant. The major arranged to have Mohammed come to Michigan for a year for medical treatment. Howell tells anchor Marco Werman how the year went. Download MP3 (Image: Michigan State U)

• Video: The story of Mohammed
• Video: Saving Mohammed
• Michigan State University: MSU Today

The roots of Thailand’s protest movement

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Thailand’s anti-government movement has been clashing violently with the police and soldiers. The unrest reflects a political dispute that goes back several years. The World’s Matthew Bell reports on the political roots of the current chaos. Download MP3 (flickr photo: Honou)

• Staying power of Thailand’s red-shirts
• In pictures: Bangkok unrest

Pakistani radio in Texas

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Texas is home to one of the fastest growing Pakistani communities in the United States. In the Dallas area alone, there are at least three places on the radio dial where you can get news and music in Urdu. And on two popular South Asian talk shows, the Pakistani-American hosts address the problem of Muslim extremism. Shomial Ahmad listened in. Download MP3

• Radio Hot Pepper

Mc Yinka

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Greeks today are grappling with the aftermath of two bombings. No one has claimed responsibility. But authorities suspect left-wing groups opposed to recent drastic government spending cuts. Now a sense of malaise and uncertainty has settled over the country as it tries to climb out of debt. But The World’s Gerry Hadden found one local musician who’s trying lift people’s spirits. Download MP3

• Mc Yinka’s My Space page
• Mc Yinka’s Facebook page
• Gerry Hadden’s Greece stories

Lizard extinction and oil in the deep ocean

In the science podcast we’re looking at a new study suggesting the world’s lizards are increasingly threatened by climate change. And a scientist on board a research vessel tells us what he’s seeing around the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

• Download our science podcast
• Science Magazine: erosion of lizard diversity
• World Science

Talking Travel: Revenge of the Icelandic volcano

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If we here on the Talking Travel podcast never hear the phrases “volcanic ash cloud” and “travel chaos” again, we’ll be happy. Unfortunately, if Eyjafjallajökull’s got anything to say about it, we’re in for a rough few months ahead. Maybe even more. In this episode of our podcast, Lonely Planet’s Tom Hall discusses the sheer scale of travel chaos caused by the volcano, and whether or not the ongoing eruptions, and disruptions, should make you switch your summer travel plans. (Photo by Boaworm via Wikipedia)

• Download this episode of Talking Travel (14:47)
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View from Bangkok

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks about today’s unrest in Bangkok with Michael McAuliffe, a Canadian journalist in Bangkok who’s covered Thai politics for years.

Bombings in Greece

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Two bombs exploded in Greece in the last 24 hours. Two people were injured. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with the BBC’s Malcolm Brabant to find out if there’s a connection to the country’s economic crisis.

How countries collect taxes

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The World’s Jason Margolis describes some of the methods used by countries around the world to get their citizens to pay taxes.

Polio reappearing

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The battle to eradicate polio is suffering some major setbacks, including new cases in Russia and Tajikistan. The World’s Katy Clark reports that some experts are now rethinking the war on polio.

Also, listen to David Baron’s story: Eradicating Guinea worm disease.