Pakistan to learn how to get to Sesame Street

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Sesame Street is seen in 30 different versions around the world. Beginning this summer, with the help of USAID, Pakistani kids also get the chance to fall in love with Elmo. Download MP3

War costs for Afghanistan; Helmand dam project halted; CIA “black sites” in Lithuania

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This episode of The World’s American Influence podcast gets into the costs of the war in Afghanistan; the background to a huge reconstruction project that’s been in hold, the Kajakai dam in Helmand province, Afghanistan; and finally, Lithuania comes clean on the two CIA-run “black sites” that were located outside the capital, Vilnius. Download MP3

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Afghan dam project in peril

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Kajaki Dam project in Southern Afghanistan is a symbol of US involvement in the country going back to the 1950s. In recent years, the project has been a priority for international development efforts, but the Taliban insurgency has put the success of the dam at risk. Washington’s foreign aid agency USAID has now put the Kajaki project on hold amid security concerns. Matthew Bell has the story. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• USAID in Afghanistan
• Background Brief: Taliban insurgency

DDT use provokes political battle in Uganda

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The pesticide DDT, long banned in the United States, has made something of a comeback in Africa. DDT can be an effective weapon against malaria. The U.S. government, and the World Health Organization are encouraging African countries to use the insecticide, and say it is safe when handled properly. But in the East African nation of Uganda, DDT has provoked a fierce political battle. Reporter Alison Hawkes traveled to northern Uganda.