Twitter freedom, a zeitgeisty Chinese word, and Lakota immersion

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Question: what happens when a court gags a newspaper? Answer: The gag sags, 140 characters at a time. That’s what happened this month when microbloggers tweeted what The Guardian couldn’t report. Also, a group of Beijing and expat artists discover a Chinese word that seems to convey the state of China today; and the near-death – and possible rebirth – of the native American Lakota language, with an assist from a German rock star.

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Deployed in Afghanistan

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Britain will send 500 more forces personnel to Afghanistan but only if key conditions are met. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown says, they will be sent as long as they have the necessary equipment, if other NATO allies boost their troop numbers and more Afghan soldiers are trained. We speak with two veterans of the war in Afghanistan – one British, and one American in today’s show. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Audio slideshow: A father’s tribute to UK Trooper Jack Sadler who died in southern Afghanistan
• Background Brief: Taliban insurgency