Sachal Orchestra Puts Pakistani Spin on Dave Brubeck

Lahore-based Sachal Orchestra’s online-only release has topped the iTunes charts in the US and UK.

Explaining Japan’s disaster to kids and Russian beer to Americans

Japan has a whole lexicon of earthquake-related phrases. But the severity of this quake is expanding that lexicon. Also, a video explains the nuclear emergency to children with an analogy that kids understand all too well. In France, meanwhile, the government is battling news outlets over probes into the practices of some politicians. And American brewers are giving reviving a centuries-old type of beer, Russian Imperial Stout, and plundering Russian history to name the brews [...]

The vocoder, the linguistic robot and the Dead Rabbit

In this week’s World in Words, writer Dave Tompkins on how the sound-distorting vocoder morphed from a wartime security device into one of Hip Hop’s favorite toys. Also, English teachers in South Korea don’t come cheap. One Korean school is trying an alternative: a robot. Plus, new limits for foreign reporters in China, and the man who brought Jägermeister out of the forests of Saxony onto campus parties everywhere [...]

Global Political Cartoons: November 13 – 19, 2010

After nearly 20 years, the symbol of Burmese pro-democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi, is finally let out of her house; the woes of the Euro zone continue, but wait, here comes a diversion: a royal engagement!!!!

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Beatles albums on iTunes

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Apple has announced its iTunes music store will now be selling tracks by The Beatles, following an agreement with the band’s label. The World’s Marco Werman reminds us that the music of the Fab Four has long resided on iTunes – as covers by other artists. You just had to know who was covering them. Download MP3

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What’s on your iPod?

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As our resident Global Hit maestro, Marco Werman gets to meet some of world music’s biggest stars. He asks them a lot of questions, including this one: “What’s on your iPod?” The answers are always surprising, and always make for a great playlist. But that got us thinking. Why not ask fans of The World the same question? We did, and you responded. Clark Boyd chooses some of his favorite submissions, including Spain’s O’funk’illo. Download MP3

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