Entire program – February 3, 2010

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A London university studies whether Muslim students are becoming radicalized while going to school there; also, a bombing near a girls school in Pakistan kills three American soldiers; and Vancouver hopes to experience something called the Olympic “halo effect.”

Pakistan blast kills American soldiers

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Three US soldiers were among 10 people killed when a bomb blast hit a convoy near a school in north-west Pakistan. Three schoolgirls were among the dead while 70 people were injured in the explosion in Lower Dir. The US embassy said the military personnel had been training Pakistan’s Frontier Corps in counter-insurgency. Marco Werman gets the latest from the BBC’s Mark Dummet in Islamabad. Download MP3 (AP Photo: Sherin Zada)

• BBC coverage
• On The World: America’s third war
• US embassy in Islamabad

Radicalized at a British university?

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The alleged attempt to blow up a US airliner on Christmas Day sent a shock through the security system. Prosecutors say Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (pictured) tried to detonate a bomb sewn into his underwear. Abdulmutallab’s former London university is now launching a review into whether he became radicalized there. The World’s religion editor Jane Little reports. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• ‘Jet bomber’ case
• Religion coverage on The World

Olympic Buzz

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The Olympics are just nine days away. It took seven years of planning and preparation to get ready for 17 days in February, then the Paralympics to follow. But people involved with the Games are hoping the Olympic glow will last a lot longer than just a few weeks. Their rosiest projection: A flawless Games will bring in an extra 4 million visitors to British Columbia over the span of two decades. Jason Margolis has more. Download MP3 (Photo credit: © VANOC/COVAN)

• Vancouver coverage by The World’s Jason Margolis
• Vancouver 2010 homepage
• Global Economy podcast

Sydney’s new water factory

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One of the world’s thirstiest major cities is getting a taste of things to come. Starting this winter, residents of Sydney, Australia are getting some of their drinking water from a brand new desalination plant. The plant was built after years of erratic rainfall. Phil Mercer reports from Sydney. Download MP3

• Phil Mercer’s BBC article from December 2009
• Australia.gov: Water for the Future

Al Qaeda defectors

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with former 9/11 Commission counsel Michael Jacobson about his study on people who defect from Al Qaeda. Jacobson is now with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

• “Terrorist Dropouts: Learning from Those Who Have Left”
• Jacobson’s article on FP.com

Rebuilding Haiti’s job market

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The BBC’s Nick Davis reports from Haiti on efforts to create jobs in the quake-stricken nation. Many say job creation is a key part of Haiti’s recovery from last month’s devastating earthquake.

The science of a shootout

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It’s a standard feature of old Hollywood westerns. A shootout between a good guy and a bad guy. The bad guy reaches for his gun first. And he loses. But why? It certainly makes a good story, but now there’s some science to back it up – kind of. The World’s Alex Gallafent reports.

• Tom Feilden: The gunfighter’s dilemma

Iran launches research rocket

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Iran announced today that it has launched a research rocket into space. What makes this launch unusual is the passenger list. The rocket is carrying a mouse, two turtles, and about a dozen worms. The announcement of the Iranian launch came two days after President Obama made clear his intention to scrap NASA’s back-to-the-moon program. John Pike is Director of GlobalSecurity.org. That’s a defense information website based in Alexandria, Virginia.

Geo Quiz

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Where will our Geo Quiz take us today?

Geo Answer

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For our Geo Quiz we wanted the name of a Russian city on the Black Sea that was chosen to host the next Winter Olympics after Vancouver. The answer is Sochi.

Ludmilla Petrushevskaya

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For decades, the writer Ludmilla Petrushevskaya was banned in the Soviet Union. She wrote stories about domestic despair and Soviet censors demanded optimism. Petrushevskaya’s writing was just too dark, but today she’s a living legend in Russia. She recently visited New York City and sang for an audience of Russian émigrés. Kiera Feldman reports. Download MP3

• The Fountain House by Ludmilla Petrushevskaya