Pakistan Court Charges Prime Minister Gilani with Contempt

In Pakistan, the Supreme Court is charging the country’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani with contempt of court after Gilani refused to obey a court order.

Earworms: Tunes That Stick in Our Heads

How often does a tune intrude on your thoughts and plays and replays in never-ending loops? Scientists call these intrusive musical thoughts “ear worms.”

Philippines Wary of China’s Stance in the South China Sea

China’s big appetite for energy is expected to double over the next quarter-century. It already imports more than half of its oil and natural gas, and it’s looking to the resource-rich South China Sea, claiming almost the whole thing as its own. But Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines also have claims there.

Syrian Composer Malek Jandali’s Arab Spring Inspired Song

Anchor Marco Werman talks to Syrian composer Malek Jandali who based some of his recent compositions on the brutal events of the Syrian revolution.

Israeli Settlement Ordered Demolished

Israel’s settlements in the West Bank have long been a point of contention with the Palestinians. Now, a legal ruling to demolish one of those settlements could prove to be a test case for many more.

Looking Back on the Career of Designer Eiko Ishioka

The World’s Alex Gallafent looks at the career of Eiko Ishioka, a Japanese designer who won Oscar and Grammy awards for her work.

Norwegian All-Girl Band Razika

In the Global Hit today, our DJ contributor Marius Asp chooses a Norwegian group Razika. The band formed in 2005 debuted its first album Program 91 last year.

Dating and Morality in Pakistan in Wake of TV Host Maya Khan’s Firing

A TV show is also making headlines in Pakistan. The show’s anchor was fired for producing a program in which she raided a public park in Karachi, hounding young dating couples and questioning their morality.

Mayra Andrade: A New Musical Star for Cape Verde

Mayra Andrade is often compared to the late, great singer Cesária Évora. She’s certainly one of Cape Verde’s brightest musical stars with a voice that sounds like steel swaddled in soft cotton.

Desert Island Discs After 70 Years

The BBC radio program “Desert Island Discs” turns 70 this weekend. Each week, a different guest, or castaway, shares his or her musical selections with the audience. The World’s Lisa Mullins has more.

Grappling With a Post-Soviet Identity

Host of a Russian history program says his series, titled Kto my? (Who Are We?), is about Russians understanding themselves.

Blue King Brown: Indigenous Activists and a Best-Selling Band

Though Aboriginal communities have felt marginalized for centuries in Australia, their activism doesn’t typically grow as heated as it did in Canberra Thursday. Marco Werman profiles Blue King Brown, an example of indigenous activists in Australia who are a best-selling band.

Below, Blue King Brown

Kosher Phones For Britain’s Orthodox Jews

Orthodox Jews in Britain aren’t afraid of modernity, but they are worried about the negative influences it can have on young people. Rabbis there have now sanctioned a “kosher” phone that blocks the internet and text messages.

Burns, Haggis and Highland Dancers – A Postcard From Scotland

We’re in Scotland for the Geo Quiz, in the city where Robert Burns started to make a name for himself in the late 1780′s, and where his portrait now hangs in the Scottish National Gallery.

Concerto ‘Tahrir for Clarinet and Orchestra’ Inspired by Egyptian Uprising

The piece is the first movement of what will become a concerto in three movements.