12/01/2009

Entire program – December 1, 2009

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments ⋅ Transcript

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Today on The World: American soldiers in Afghanistan anticipate President Obama’s new plan for the war there. Also, a history of military failures in Afghanistan. And a small English village turns an old phone booth – into a new library.

Kandahar update

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ 4 comments ⋅ Transcript

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President Obama is to send 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and deploy them within six months, US officials have said. Commanders on the ground want the reinforcements concentrated in Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan, including Kandahar and Helmand, the group’s opium-producing heartland. Ben Gilbert is reporting from an American base in Kandahar Province. Download MP3 (Photo of Marines in Helmand by Manpreet Romana/AFP/Getty Images)

New Beginning in South Africa’s AIDS battle

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ 3 comments ⋅ Transcript

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South Africa has the largest number of HIV-infected people on the planet. In a widely welcomed speech to mark World Aids Day, South Africa’s president, Jacob Zuma, pledged a new beginning. The World’s Jason Margolis has the story. Download MP3

BBC coverage
Health related coverage on The World

Phone booth library

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ 6 comments ⋅ Transcript

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One of Britain’s few remaining traditional red phone booths has been recycled into one of the country’s smallest lending libraries – stocking 100 books. Villagers from Westbury-sub-Mendip in Somerset can use the library around the clock, selecting books, DVDs and CDs. Marco Werman speaks with local resident Janet Fisher about the unusual library. Download MP3 (Photo: Bob Dolby)

BBC coverage
Westbury book exchange

Women of the Wall

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ 4 comments ⋅ Transcript

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A group called ‘Women of the Wall’ holds monthly prayer meetings at the Western Wall. Recently, a woman was arrested for wearing a prayer shawl and reading the Torah at the Wall. The group is pushing for more women’s religious rights within Orthodox Judaism. And it’s getting some in Israel really angry, as Linda Gradstein reports. Download MP3

BBC coverage
Women of the Wall homepage

History lessons in Afghanistan

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with cold-war scholar Mark Kramer, about historic failures by foreign military generals to tame Afghanistan.

British sailors held in Iran

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The World’s Laura Lynch reports on efforts to free five British sailors being held in Iran, after their racing yacht entered Iranian waters last week.

HIV positive soldiers

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The BBC’s Karen Allen reports on a unit of HIV-positive South African soldiers which is now being allowed to participate in international peacekeeping operations.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography puzzler.

Australia’s conservatives vow to derail climate legislation

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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Phil Mercer reports on the debate in Australia over a government proposal to create an emissions trading program to encourage consumers to choose renewable sources of energy. The proposal faces defeat in the Australian legislature, after the election of a new opposition leader who is against the program.

Climate Science: purloined emails and Antarctic melting

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Marco Werman tells of a scandal in Britain’s scientific community that is giving climate change skeptics a boost.

Azerbaijani border town – Geo Quiz answer

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The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is Astana, Azerbaijan. This city near the Caspian Sea is located on the Azeri-Iran border so it attracts plenty of Iranians who come across the border to shop for everything from sex and alcohol to fresh fruit and DVDs. Reporter Peter Savodnik talks with anchor Marco Werman about this border town nicknamed the “Tijuana of the Caspian”.

Sertab Erener and Demir Demirkan

By The World ⋅ December 1, 2009 ⋅ One comment ⋅ Transcript

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