07/21/2009

Entire program – July 21, 2009

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments ⋅ Transcript

Today on The World: A delay in President Obama’s plan to close the Guantanamo prison camp; Also, how water shortages can encourage more cooperation between Israelis and Palestinians; And what’s on the menu for the world’s top private chefs?
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Mumbai attacks trial

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

The lone surviving gunman from Mumbai attacks last November has been telling a court in India about his recruitment in Pakistan. Rand Corporation analyst Christine Fair tells host Lisa Mullins that Indians are wondering whether those who planned the attack in Pakistan will face trial.
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Closing Guantanamo

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

A White House task force on closing Guantanamo is being delayed by six months. Does that mean Barack Obama’s vow to close the detention camp by early next year is in jeopardy? The World’s Matthew Bell reports.
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Concerns about Venezuela

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

A group of Venezuelan opposition leaders are in Washington for talks with the head of the Organisation of American States, about their concerns over the state of democracy in Venezuela. Correspondent Will Grant reports.
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The world’s private chefs gather

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

The private chefs who serve the world’s presidents, prime ministers, and kings are members of an exclusive club called the “Club of Leaders’ Chefs.” The 25-member club is in Italy today for their annual meeting. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out what’s on the agenda…and on the menu…from Mark Flanigan, private chef to Queen Elizabeth.
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Cafe just for smokers

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Correspondent Akiko Fujita tells us about a cafe in Japan that caters exclusively to smokers…and has anti-smoking advocates fuming.
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This text below is a phonetic transcript of a radio story broadcast by PRI’s THE WORLD. It has been created on deadline by a contractor for PRI. The transcript is included here to facilitate internet searches for audio content. Please report any transcribing errors to theworld@pri.org. This transcript may not be in its final form, and it may be updated. Please be aware that the authoritative record of material distributed by PRI’s THE WORLD is the program audio.

LISA MULLINS: Now after partaking of fine cuisine, some folks like to have a smoke. Of course, those folks are finding fewer and fewer cafes and restaurants that allow them to light up. Here’s an exception to the “No Smoking” trend though, Akiko Fujita takes us to a cafe in Japan, where smoking is not only allowed, it’s required.

AKIKO FUJITA: A “smokers only” sign greets visitors at Tokyo’s Café Tobacco.

[SOUND CLIP]

AKIKO FUJITA: The counter where customers order their daily cup of coffee isn’t any different from a local Starbucks, but walk upstairs and you smell the customers puffing away. A giant ceiling fan sucks in the smoke as

Water Struggle Unites Palestinians & Israelis

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

The Middle East is running out of clean water. Israeli and Palestinian leaders don’t want to talk about it. But grassroots organizations say they have no choice. Correspondent Linda Gradstein has the story, in the second of her two reports on the Middle East’s growing water crisis.
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Climate change and water supply

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with New Yorker writer Elizabeth Kolbert about how climate change is likely to exacerbate problems of water supply.
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Geo Quiz

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Our daily geography puzzler.
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Century’s longest solar eclipse

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Tomorrow morning, the longest total solar eclipse of this century will begin. People will only be able to see it in Asia. Reporter Bill Marcus is awaiting the big show in Shanghai.
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Geo answer

By The World ⋅ July 21, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

Today’s Geo Quiz asked for the name of the place where a key battle between the English and the French took place during the Hundred Years’ War. The answer is Agincourt in northern France. Now the service records of the 250-thousand medieval soldiers who fought in that battle are online. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Professor Ann Curry, one of the scholars responsible for the project.
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