11/04/2009

Entire program – November 4, 2009

By The World ⋅ November 4, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment ⋅ Transcript

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Today on The World: Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah refuses to join the government and says he’ll continue to demand corruption reform, Germany reacts in anger at GM’s decision not to sell its European subsidiary Opel; and how a picnic in Communist Hungary played a role in bringing down the Iron Curtain.

First breach in the Iron Curtain

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Before the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Hungary tore down its barbed wire. Hungary’s prime minister didn’t ask permission in Moscow. He just told Soviet President Gorbachev it was a done deal. Hundreds would escape to the West in a single day. The World’s Laura Lynch went back to Western Hungary. Download MP3

CIA agents guilty of Italy kidnap

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An Italian judge has convicted 23 Americans – all but one of them CIA agents – and two Italian secret agents for the 2003 kidnap of a Muslim cleric. The agents were accused of abducting Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, known as Abu Omar (pictured), from Milan and sending him to Egypt, where he was allegedly tortured. Marco Werman talks with John Radsan, who served as the CIA’s assistant general counsel from 2002 to 2004. Download MP3

BBC coverage
Central Intelligence Agency

Karzai rival continues criticism

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s main presidential opponent Abdullah Abdullah, who dropped out of the run-off election, today questioned the legitimacy of the Karzai government. The World’s Aaron Schachter reports.

Iran anniversary

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Today is the 30th anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis: on Nov 4th, 1979 Iranian militants seized the US embassy in Tehran. Today, an official rally in Teheran marked the anniversary, but opposition supporters staged a demonstration of their own. Anchor Marco Werman talks with Robin Wright, author of “Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East.” Download MP3

BBC coverage
Dreams and Shadows: book info

Religious leaders promise climate action

By The World ⋅ November 4, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Global religious leaders gathered in England to urge–and offer–commitments to combat climate change. The World’s Jane Little reports.

A glimpse into the Persian blogosphere

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Persian language bloggers, both inside and outside the country, have been weighing in on the day’s events in Tehran. Those bloggers are the subject of some new research carried out by The BBC World Service Trust and a Persian social media website called Balatarin. Marco Werman hears more from The World’s technology correspondent Clark Boyd. Download MP3

Orchestre Poly-Rythmo de Cotonou

By The World ⋅ November 4, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Even though the music business continues to suffer economically, record labels are still releasing lots of old music that’s been re-mastered and tweaked so it sounds fresher than ever. Columbia is about to re-issue everything Miles Davis recorded for them. 70 CDs in total. But I want to talk about the music of an old band that few people in the west have ever heard of: “Orchestre Poly Rhythmo de Cotonou.” We hear more today about Orchestre Poly Rhythmo de Cotonou. Download MP3

German anger over GM’s decision on Opel

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General Motors has decided not to sell its European subsidiary, Opel. And that has the German government fuming. Reporter Brett Neely has the story from Berlin.

Touring the Carter Museum

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In 1922, British archaeologist Howard Carter stumbled upon one of the most famous finds in Egyptology — the tomb of Tutankhamun. Today Carter’s house by the Valley of the Kings was opened as a museum. The BBC’s Yolande Knell went on a tour of the new museum.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography puzzler.

Geo answer

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Producer Mariana Schroeder sent us an audio postcard from Jamaica — the answer to our Geo Quiz. She stopped in for lunch at roadside stand manned by a 26-year-old cook named Omar. His specialty is Jerk.

Fourteen walls

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israel-barrier150 Two decades after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the world is still plagued by barriers dividing countries, towns, and families. The desire to contain illegal immigration or violent conflict is often used to justify them. The BBC’s Spanish website BBC Mundo presents 14 such walls, we talk with the project’s editor, Juan Carlos. (Audio available after 5PM Eastern)

BBC Mundo (en español)

The Larsson inheritance

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larsson-book150 The family of Swedish crime author Stieg Larsson, who died before his “Millennium” trilogy became a cult hit, has offered Larsson’s partner a settlement to end a dispute over his inheritance, the Swedish daily Svenska Dagbladet reported. The “Millennium” trilogy has become a worldwide phenomenon. Marco Werman speaks with Swedish journalist Martin Jönsson about the controversy in today’s show. (Audio available after 5PM Eastern)