Music Heard on Air for May 10, 2010

Tunes Spun On The World Between Our Reports For May 10, 2010. Artists featured are Alien Chatter, Mario Grigorov, Tor Dietrichson, Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Lord Newborn.

World Books Interview: Nino Ricci and ‘The Origin of Species’

In this ambitious and provocative novel Canadian writer Nino Ricci looks at how the ideas of Charles Darwin shape the consciousness of Alex, a graduate student in Montreal during the 1980s who is trying to use evolutionary theory to make sense of his wayward life and floundering literary studies.

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

Entire program May 7, 2010

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Today on The World: Political uncertainty in Britain — after parliamentary elections that yielded no outright winner. Also, a former ethnic Albanian rebel is arrested for alleged war crimes in Kosovo. Plus, allegations that the Pentagon is misdiagnosing some war veterans in order to deny them disability benefits.

UK election results in hung parliament

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After an inconclusive general election in Britain and no party with an overall majority for the first time in almost 40 years, moves are under way to put together a new government. The opposition Conservative party emerged as the largest in the new parliament, and its leader, David Cameron, has said an agreement is needed fast, and that he is making a big, open and comprehensive offer to share power with the Liberal Democrats. Marco Werman talks with Laura Lynch in London. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• What is a hung parliament
• BBC election on Twitter

US veterans ‘denied benefits’

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Thousands of soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan are reportedly being denied military medical benefits, apparently because Army doctors diagnosed them with a pre-existing condition. Over the last few years, investigative journalist Joshua Kors has been writing about the care American servicemen and women receive, particularly as they’re discharged. Marco Werman talks with Kors. Download MP3

• Read Joshua Kors’s articles
• The Nation
• US Dept of Veterans Affairs

The ordeal of Ukrainian Nazi slave laborers

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When the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union, they seized millions of Ukrainians and sent them back to Germany as slave laborers. When the laborers who survived went home after the war, they were treated as Nazi collaborators. Reporter Brigid McCarthy met a 76-year-old former slave laborer in Kiev (Image of Inessa Merchevska by Brigid McCarthy) Download MP3

Private militias in the Philippines

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On Monday, voters across the Philippines head to the polls for national elections. But many are concerned about the potential for violence. In recent weeks, 12 local political leaders have been gunned down, allegedly by members of politically connected “private armies.” Phillip Martin reports from General Santos City on the island of Mindanao. Download MP3

• View pictures and read Phillip’s story
• BBC coverage

Tech Podcast: “Loudening” the electric car…

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Sure, this little all-electric Tesla Motors sports car is an eye-catcher. But is it an ear-catcher? Will pedestrians hear it in time to get out of its way? In this week’s podcast, we’ll hear one professor’s arguments, and ideas, for “loudening” the electric car. Also, trash converted to charcoal in Haiti, and a trip into Russia’s computer criminal class. We’ll also talk about DVD piracy problems in Spain. (Photo courtesy of Tesla Motors)

• Download this episode (25:27)
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• Read more about this episode

Germany votes to bail out Greece

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Today Germany’s Lower House of Parliament approved a controversial 38 billion dollar bailout loan to Greece. The bailout is deeply unpopular among Germans, but today’s vote brings the European Union one step closer to providing a massive rescue package to Greece before the May 19th deadline. The World’s Gerry Hadden reports.

Kosovo war crimes suspect arrested

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War crimes investigators have arrested a former ethnic Albanian rebel for alleged war crimes committed during the 1998-1999 Kosovo war. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with investigative reporter Michael Montgomery about the case.

• Michael Montgomery’s reporting on Kosovo
• Horrors of KLA prison camps revealed

DNA study shows Neanderthal link to modern humans

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Host Marco Werman speaks with Harvard geneticist David Reich about his new revelation that Neanderthals interbred with modern man.

Injured soldiers compete in warrior Olympics

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The first ever athletic competition geared toward wounded, ill, or injured military veterans will be held next week in Colorado Springs, home of the US Olympic Committee Training Center. Reporter Andrea Chalfin tells the story of how the idea of the Warrior Games got started.

Geo Quiz and Answer

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For today’s Geoquiz we are looking for a beautiful Swiss Valley that’s abuzz with helicopters transporting avid skiers looking for snow to higher ground. The answer is the Lauterbrunnen Valley. The BBC’s Imogen Foulkes takes us there to find out how residents feel about the post-ski-season sound of hovering helicopters.

• Geo Quiz archive

Mbemba Mama

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We end today’s program with a track off Richard Bona’s new CD, “Ten Shades of Blues.” The song is called Mbemba Mama, a tribute Bona says to all mothers.

Music Heard On Air for Friday, May 7, 2010

Tunes spun on The World between our reports for May 7, 2010. Artists featured are Talvin Singh, The Motet, Shankar, Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni ba, Harouna Samake, The Cure, and Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder.