Archive for October, 2011


Activists Seek War Crimes Charges Against Mexican President

Mexican lawyers (Photo: Shannon Young)

Shannon Young reports on plans by a group of Mexican lawyers that are seeking to have Mexico’s president, other government officials and several top drug cartel leaders investigated for war crimes. The lawyers say they will file a formal complaint with the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

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Prosecuting Latin America’s Former Dictators

General Videla (Photo: Archivo Gráfico de Clarín/Wiki Commons)

Several Latin American countries have taken important steps to prosecute their former dictatorships for crimes against humanity.

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Egyptian Blogger Jailed By Military Court

@alaa twitter image

Egyptian blogger and activist, Alaa Abd El Fattah, has been jailed for 15 days. He’s accused of inciting violence.

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No End in Sight for Thai Flooding

Residents in Bangkok’s suburbs continue evacuating as flood waters flow through the streets.

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American Dancers at the Bolshoi Theatre

Julian MacKay (center) is one of the the youngest Americans ever admitted to the Bolshoi Academy (Photo: Teresa Khan)

The world famous Bolshoi Theatre reopened over the weekend to much fanfare. For years, it has attracted Americans trying to make it big in ballet.

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UNESCO Admits ‘Palestine’ As Full Member

UNESCO

The Palestinian Authority is calling the decision a symbolic victory because what they really want is full membership in the United Nations.

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Bangkok Residents Skeptical Worst of Floods is Over

Residents leave a flooded Bangkok neighborhood. (Photo: Irwin Loy)

Thailand’s government says the worst of the flooding there is over. But people who live in submerged parts of Bangkok say they don’t trust the government’s pronouncements.

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Filipino Workers in Japan: Economic Migrants or Victims of Sex Trafficking?

Illicit Flirtations book cover

Every year, thousands of Filipino women travel to Japan. They work in so-called hostess clubs in Tokyo. But according to the US government, they are victims of sex trafficking.

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What the Future Will Hold for 7th Billion Baby

A baby has been born in the Phillippines, becoming the "seven billionth" person in the world. (Photo: BBC)

It’s official. There are seven billion of us on the planet. The United Nations estimates we reached this milestone on Monday October 31, 2011. The UN didn’t want to single out any specific newborn as the seven-billionth person. It said all children born on October 31st should get a share of the honor. Several countries went ahead and declared their seven billionth baby, though. The Philippines was the first to do so. The baby is Danica May Camacho — born around midnight in the capital, Manila. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks to reporter Sunshine de Leon in the Philippines about what baby Danica’s future might be like.

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New Dolphin Sanctuaries in Asian Mangrove Forest

Sundarban mangrove (Photo: V.Malik/Wiki Commons)

For our Geo Quiz, we are looking for a thick swamp. No, not the Everglades but a large mangrove forest in South Asia, along the coast of eastern India and southern Bangladesh.

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Who is Francisca Valenzuela?

Francisca Valenzuela performing at the Austin City Limits 2011. (Photo: Francisca Valenzuela Facebook)

Francisca Valenzuela was the only singer from Chile invited on stage to sing with U2 at the band’s March concert there. So who is she? Reporter Betto Arcos introduces us to her.

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PRI’s The World: 10/31/2011(Thailand, Egypt)

Latest edition of The World.

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Denmark: Two Musicians, Two Perspectives

Gudrun Holck (Photo: April Peavey)

My first full day at The World Music Expo (WOMEX) is complete. Toward the end the day I met two fascinating and dynamic female musicians [...]

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Corporate Spelling Experiments and Fear of a Chinese-Speaking Planet

city_sentral_logo_with_strap_colour

Corporations love to tinker with spelling, often with disastrous consequences. Also, a film explores fears about Chinese.

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Global Population to Reach Seven Billion

Dhaka, Bangladesh (Photo: Nir Nussbaum/Flickr)

On Monday, there will be seven billion people on the planet. That’s according to the latest estimates by the United Nations Population Fund.

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