Laura Lynch recently traveled to Zimbabwe and South Africa to document life in the region. It was her first trip back to Zimbabwe since the controversial elections in 2008 when she was one of a handful of Western journalists allowed in the country to cover what became a gripping story of the struggle for power inside the troubled country. From South Africa Laura reported on the state of the nation just weeks before it is about to play host to the world’s greatest sports event, the soccer World Cup.
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Those looking for signs of hope in Zimbabwe won’t get it from the International Monetary Fund. It’s just released a report painting a gloomy picture of that country’s economy. There have been some gains in Zimbabwe since the formation of the so-called unity government a year ago. But as The World’s Laura Lynch reports from Harare, they’re more than matched by the problems that still plague the nation. Download MP3 (photo: Laura Lynch) Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
As South Africa prepares to host the World Cup in just under two months, it’s promising a warm welcome for tourists from around the globe.But the welcome mat isn’t out for everyone – particularly foreign workers from countries like Zimbabwe. The World’s Laura Lynch reports. Download MP3 (Photo: Laura Lynch)Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Zimbabwe marks its 30th anniversary of independence on Sunday. And the same man who became the leader of the new nation is still in charge today. Back in 1980 Robert Mugabe was cheered as a hero, now he is reviled by many of his own people who have watched their nation descend into violence and poverty under his rule. The World’s Laura Lynch takes a look at the country’s fractured politics through the lens of soccer. Download MP3For today’s Geo Quiz, we’re looking for the country whose President is named Goodluck. Actually Goodluck Jonathan is the “acting president” and commander-in-chief of its armed forces.
The World’s Carol Hills reviews the week’s news through political cartoons. This week pop culture icons in trouble: Google goes to jail, Abbey Road studios are up for sale, Toyota’s image is in tatters, and it turns out the shape of a hot dog actually matters.
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A new report out today documents Robert Mugabe’s alleged campaign of organized sexual violence against opposition supporters during the 2008 elections in Zimbabwe. The World’s Jeb Sharp reports. Download MP3
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A year ago, inflation in Zimbabwe was a mind-blowing 231 million percent. (And that was before the government stopped bothering to update the figure!) A new government came to power in February and life has much improved. The Zimbabwe dollar, or Zim dollar, is gone. But that has spawned problems of its own.
Stories from Zimbabwe and other parts of Africa, Bangladesh, India and Peru on Part II of this two-part podcast about econonics and business in the developing world.
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The BBC returns to Zimbabwe with a special day of live broadcasting from the African country. The ‘Africa Have Your Say’ program comes from Chitungwiza, a ‘Soweto-like’ township outside Harare. It happens to be the hometown of host Farayi Mungazi. Marco Werman talked with him. Download MP3Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
Download MP3South Africa’s new president Jacob Zuma is meeting with leaders in Zimbabwe in an effort to end the political infighting there and help repair the shattered economy. Anchor Jeb Sharp finds out more from reporter Andrew Meldrum.
“An Elegy for Easterly” is a vibrant collection of stories that artfully combines humor and horror in its depiction of the struggle to survive in Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe.
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For our Geo Quiz, we asked you to name one of the official residences of the British royal family. It’s the largest inhabited castle in the world. The answer is Windsor Castle, in Windsor, England. Windsor is also the setting for William Shakespeare’s comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor. The play is getting a new [...]
South Africa’s next president will also need to deal with troublesome neighbor Zimbabwe. South Africa has some diplomatic pull there. We speak with Harrison Nkomo, a Zimbabwean human rights lawyer.
The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Two of Zimbabwe’s leading protest poets, Comrade Fatso and Outspoken, grew up on the streets of Harare. They speak with anchor Marco Werman about their hip-hop street poetry.
