We look at how to measure progress and set backs in Afghanistan and Pakistan; continue yesterday's conversation about pilot programs to let students test out of high school after 10th grade and go on to community colleges; discuss the best sports movies for non sports watchers; look at the diplomatic implications of the president's recent meeting with the Dalai Lama; and talk with one of the translators of a Taliban memoir about understanding the mindset of the people we're fighting in Afghanistan.
It's been one week since NATO and Afghan forces began their offensive in Marjah, Afghanistan. In that time, much of the Taliban has fled the region and key leaders have been caught. But will controlling the city help defeat the Taliban in the long run?
President Barack Obama complicated U.S./China relations by hosting the Dalai Lama at the White House yesterday. The meeting was not a state visit and the fact that it took place in the Map Room rather than the Oval Office means that the conversation was more symbolic than official. However, the White House drew strong criticism from China just for hosting the Dalai Lama.
Iraq's elections, scheduled for March 7, have already led to a spike in violent attacks throughout the country. Now, in Washington, there's concern that Iran is attempting to influence those elections.
For all the people out there who couldn't care less about the Olympics, NASCAR or the Super Bowl, but are forced to live in a world where everyone else does, this week's movie segment is for you. The topic: sports movies for people who hate sports.
Yesterday, we talked about high schools in eight states that are considering an initiative to let students place out of their senior year in high school and enter community college. It sparked a heated debate among listeners on the merits of the program, so we revisit the issue with a psychology professor and an expert in early graduation.
A Valentine's Day message made out of cow manure tops our good week list, while Kevin Smith gets a nod for having a rough time on a Southwest Airlines flight when he was booted off for being too fat. In conjunction with The Week magazine, we take a look at who had a good week and who had a bad week and as always, we take your suggestions.
With the fighting this week in Marjah, Afghanistan, the military focus has narrowed towards pushing out the Taliban and implementing a functioning government in the region. But after more than eight years of war in Afghanistan, how well does the U.S. understand the Taliban?
The assassination of Hamas official Mahmoud al-Mabhouh last month in a Dubai hotel room has been compared to the plot of a cheap spy novel. Bad costumes, security footage, and Interpol all make for a good thread.
Malcolm X was assassinated 45 years ago this weekend. Earlier this year, WNYC Radio unearthed a 1960s interview between the civil rights leader and a reporter named Eleanor Fischer. On this somber anniversary, we consider Malcolm X’s legacy through the rediscovered tape, which has not been heard since the 1960s. We also speak to two people whose lives were profoundly affected by his leadership.
The Obama administration announced a $1.25 billion settlement yesterday, resolving a decades-long fight by thousands of black farmers who say the Agriculture Department discriminated against them in loan programs. At times, this discrimination forced them to lose their farms.
We look at how to measure progress and set backs in Afghanistan and Pakistan
Devastating Tornado in Oklahoma City, What James Rosen Case Says About Freedom of the Press, Syrian Conflict Deepens
Why We Stay When We Know We Should Leave
The IRS Scandal: The Criminal Investigation, Afghanistan and the Struggle to Walk Away, Does Medicare Part D Care About Safety?
Tornadoes Tear Through the Midwest
Oklahoma City Tornado: 200 M.P.H. Winds, EF-4 on Fujita Scale
The show is a co-production of WNYC Radio and Public Radio International, in collaboration with New York Times Radio and WGBH Boston.
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