Special Reports
Rebuilding Liberia
The West African nation of Liberia suffered through an on-again, off-again civil war for 14 years from 1989 to 2003. The country was economically devastated: Roads were destroyed, sewage and water largely ceased functioning, and electricity was knocked out throughout the entire country. A generation of young people, many of whom were child soldiers, never received a formal education. Many were psychologically traumatized by a brutal and at-times bizarre war. The World’s Jason Margolis spent two weeks in Liberia to examine the challenges of rebuilding a war-torn nation.
The murder of albinos in Tanzania
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The East African country of Tanzania is known for its natural beauty and relative stability. But recently it’s become known for something quite macabre — the killings and mutilations of members of Tanzania’s albino population. They’re spurred by a lucrative trade in albino body parts for witchdoctor rituals. The World’s Jeb Sharp reports from Dar es Salaam. Download MP3Soccer World Cup 2010
The eyes of soccer fans from around the world are on South Africa in June and July. The United States is one of 32 teams competing for the FIFA world championship in tournament hosted by an African nation for the first time. Find all of our World Cup coverage here.
Personal soundtracks to war
This Memorial Day week 2010, we’re bringing you a look at the music US soldiers are listening to in Iraq on their iPods or personal music players. The selections were collected by correspondent Jake Warga who was embedded with the 3rd Infantry Division.
Life in Southern Africa
Laura Lynch recently traveled to Zimbabwe and South Africa to document life in the region. It was her first trip back to Zimbabwe since the controversial elections in 2008 when she was one of a handful of Western journalists allowed in the country to cover what became a gripping story of the struggle for power inside the troubled country. From South Africa Laura reported on the state of the nation just weeks before it is about to play host to the world’s greatest sports event, the soccer World Cup.
The view from Greece
For years, Greece spent more than it had. This month, the inevitable happened. Greece’s bills were about to come due and the country didn’t have enough money to pay them off. At the last minute, the European Union and the International Monetary Fund came to the rescue with loans. The World’s Gerry Hadden has been reporting from Greece on the repercussions of the debt crisis and the country’s efforts to deal with it.
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 MP3Harpist Tomoko Sugawara
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For today’s Global Hit, we’re going to hear the sounds of a long-lost instrument. It’s an instrument that’s featured in near- and far-eastern religions, and even played a part in what’s often called the world’s first novel: The Tale of Genji, from Japan. And now it’s back, on an album called Along the Silk Road by harpist Tomoko Sugawara. The World’s Alex Gallafent has our story. Download MP3Guam people ponder their identity
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Thousands of people recently demanded that US forces be moved off the Japanese island of Okinawa, something Washington is loathe to do. But there are plans to move some Okinawa Marines to Guam. Guam is a US territory, but as Mary Kay Magistad reports, plans for the military build-up there have ignited soul-searching about just how American people there feel. Download MP3 (Photo: Mary Kay Magistad)Protecting Beijing’s Raptors
Birds of prey still streak Beijing’s skies. But their numbers are dwindling. Reporter Ari Daniel Shapiro has this story about Beijing’s raptors and the people who watch out for them. (Photo: Liu Meng Rong, Zhang Yong & Liu Hai Yong)
Animation made in South Africa
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The World’s Laura Lynch profiles a young South African woman who’s studying to become one of the new generation of animators in what is hoped will be a successful indigenous animation filmmaking industry. (photo: Laura Lynch) Download MP3South Africa’s soccer burden
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The World Cup soccer tournament opens in South Africa in seven weeks and South Africans are psyched. 360,000 foreign spectators are expected to bring their enthusiasm – and money – to South Africa. But some South Africans view the World Cup as a burden that has made their lives worse. We’ll learn why from The World’s Laura Lynch. Download MP3Recycled trash to fuel Haiti
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Before the recent earthquake, Haiti was no stranger to natural disasters. In recent years, thousands of people have been killed by floods and landslides. To understand why the toll is so high, one need look no further than the country’s bald mountains. Haiti has lost about 97 % of its forests. And the main culprit is the nation’s most popular cooking fuel: charcoal. Reporter Amy Bracken looks at one effort to provide a tree-saving alternative: briquettes made from trash. Download MP3 (photo: Amy Bracken)Juan Gabriel’s music school
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When the Mexican border city of Juarez is in the news, it’s almost never for a good thing. One of the city’s biggest problems is a lack of social institutions that prevent young people from being recruited into organized crime. This was an issue one of Juarez’s most famous artists – Juan Gabriel – noticed 22 years ago when he founded a music school for boys. Reporter Monica Ortiz Uribe visited the school. Download MP3 (Photo:Monica Ortiz Uribe)Living with South Africa’s foreign workers
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As South Africa prepares to host the World Cup in just under two months, it’s promising a warm welcome for tourists from around the globe.But the welcome mat isn’t out for everyone – particularly foreign workers from countries like Zimbabwe. The World’s Laura Lynch reports. Download MP3 (Photo: Laura Lynch)
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