Andrea Crossan
No Arab Spring for Algerians Going to the Polls
Algeria is holding parliamentary elections. The North African country’s military-backed government describes them as the most open and transparent for decades. But Algerians aren’t rushing to the polls, according to Financial Times correspondent Borzou Daragahi.
Dissident Deal: Chen Guangcheng to be Allowed to Leave China to Study
Blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng has been given permission to study abroad. The US says it expects China to move quickly to allow the legal activist, Chen Guangcheng, to travel.
Chen’s Fight Against Forced Abortion Draws Support From US Activists
Chen Guangcheng has been persecuted in China for his work pressing for an end to forced abortions and sterilizations under China’s “one-child” policy. And that work has helped Chen gain support in the US.
Health Fears For Mali’s Refugees
There’s confusion and uncertainty in the West African state of Mali. Members of the military who staged a coup five weeks ago say they fought off an attempt by troops loyal to the ousted president to seize back power.
Blind Chinese Dissident Chen Guangcheng Escapes House Arrest
Human rights campaigners in China say the prominent dissident lawyer, Chen Guangcheng, has escaped from house arrest. Chen, who is blind, had been under house arrest since his release from jail in 2010.
Soviet-Style Bureaucracy: One Woman’s Battle to Get Her Clothes Dry Cleaned
The Soviet Union was a bureaucratic nightmare. Even the smallest task involved piles of paperwork and forms to fill out. Even now in modern-day Russia, that’s still the case if you want to get clothes dry cleaned.
Canadian Community Reacts To Murder Of Gay Activist
Raymond Taavel was murdered on Tuesday in the Canadian city of Halifax when he tried to intervene in a fight outside of a bar.
Who Believes in God? New Global Survey on Religion
A new report examines how deeply people in different countries believe in God, and how their belief has changed over time. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with report author Tom Smith, of the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.
Breivik Trial: How Multicultural is Norway?
Right-wing extremist Anders Breivik said at his trial on Tuesday that Norway’s capital, Oslo, is a “multicultural hell”. He said some neighborhoods in Oslo have become no-go zones for anyone but Muslims. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Daniella Van Dijk-Wennberg, of Oslo’s Intercultural Museum, about diversity and tolerance in Norway’s capital.
British Wonder Kid: Singer/Songwriter Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran, at just 21-years-old, is already a household name in the his native England. He’s had a number one album in the UK. And a top 5 hit song. Now, he’s in the US to introduce his flavor of folky pop to American listeners. Anchor Marco Werman is joined in the studio by singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran.
Bahrain Hunger Striker’s Family Appeals For His Release
Bahrain’s majority Shiites staged street protests last year seeking a greater political voice. That protest movement was crushed by the Gulf kingdom’s ruling family. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja was one of those protesters. And he was jailed for life just two months ago for his participation. Al-Khawaja has been on a hunger strike ever since.
German Nobel Laureate Günter Grass Banned From Israel Over Poem
Israel has barred German author Gunter Grass from entering the country.The move is in response to a poem by Grass that accuses Israel of being a threat to world peace and compares Israel’s nuclear potential to Iran’s. The poem was published in a German newspaper last week. It ignited controversy in both Germany and Israel. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Israeli journalist and historian Tom Segev.
Sarajevo: Grief Over Bosnia War Anniversary
Residents of Sarajevo marked the twentieth anniversary of the start of Balkan civil war on Friday. The siege of Sarajevo was one of the most brutal episodes of the wars that accompanied the break up of Yugoslavia. For almost four years in the early 1990s, the Bosnian capital suffered continuous shelling and sniper attacks.
UK Terror Suspect Babar Ahmad Awaits US Extradition Ruling
Babar Ahmad is a terrorism suspect wanted by the US for allegedly running websites that raised money for terrorists. In 2004, Babar Ahmad was arrested in Britain on a US extradition warrant and he’s been in a UK jail ever since. Next week the European Court of Human Rights is expected to decide if Ahmad can be extradited to the US.
Boston College in Court over IRA Tapes
A US appeals court has heard arguments over recorded interviews with former members of the Irish Republican Army. The interviews were part of an oral history project at Boston College.
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