They call it debt relief, but it is not as simple as it sounds. As the elite club of G8 nations meets and the people protest outside, more plans are being laid out to squeeze developing nations in ways that are rarely reported about in the mainstream. My guest on this podcast is Ceri Dingle of Worldwrite, an education charity that challenges stereotypes and lies on issues like debt relief.
We talk about:
– What Worldwrite does
– How it views the G8
– Debt relief and what happens to countries that “get it”
– Live 8, Bono, and the real result of such campaigns
– Difference between development aid from western countries and China
– The prospect of new and worse conditions for debt relief
– The Film: Damned by Debt Relief
– A Debt Relief Quiz to see if you can spot the truth
– What should be done with the G8 summit
Also my recommendation, watch G8-TV for video directly from the streets
The typical mainstream discussion about global warming contains mostly conversations about political deals, automobile usage, and where they’re putting a new wind farm. Yet one area that rarely gets written about is that of the shipping industry, where most of the world’s goods are transported. What kind of pollution risks does the industry bring and what are ship designers saying about it? Damian Tatum joins me from New Orleans to discuss this and more.
COmmon Dreams Article on CO2 emissions from shipping
Friends of the Earth Press Release also related
We Discuss:
– What ships are built on the gulf coast
– What kind of pollution to ships generate
– Who regulates the ships
– Are there steps that ship designers are taking to address climate change needs
– Why isn’t it discussed?
– Is there need to worry
– What Companies are involved
– Will the public get concerned?
The name UNIFIL doesn’t often appear on page one of the mainstream newspapers. For many it was last summers invasion of southern Lebanon that caused the media to even mention that there was an international force wedged between Israel, Lebanon, Hezbollah, given the task of ensuring that all sides respect a peace agreement.
Thomas Milo had a very unique roll as one of the only Arabic speakers stationed with the Dutch battalion of UNIFIL back in 1979. We sat together in his kitchen in Amsterdam and he explained what it was like to work everyday between rocks and a hard place.
Links:
UNIFIL website
WIKIPEDIA on UNIFIL
We Discuss:
– What is UNIFIL
-What armies were involved
– The Dutch role and controversy of deployment
– His studies and initial involvement with UNIFIL
– Meetings with the PLO
– The First Suicide bomb belts
– The Senegalese zone
– What progress was made?
– Israeli’s lose patience
– Lebanese reaction and approval
– First kids with Stones, the orgins
– Original Improvised Explosive Devices
– Israeli military Tactics
– Lessons for Soldiers in Iraq
– Response to Americans who criticize peacekeepers as ineffective
In an effort to shed more light on the situation that people are living in New Orleans today, this program focuses on the survey conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation. By going door to door in some of New Orleans hardest hit parishes, they found out what issues and problems are the most troubling for people. If you don’t take the time to read the survey (which I recommend) this podcast will hopefully give you an overview.
Audio, text, and charts all available at KFF.org
Excerpt from Free Speech Radio News
Issues Covered include:
-The survey process
-door to door versus phone
-reception by residents
-Healthcare access
-Employment
-Housing
-Finances
-The Future
-Statements by PRes and Vice Pres of KFF
-The return to normal?
Since blogging began we’ve seen people throughout the world, jailed for writing their opinions. And while many countries claim to be democratic and free, many bloggers have experienced quite the opposite. Today on the program, with the help of Mary, we talk about the case of Monem and the free Monem Campaign.
Useful Links:
Mary’s Blog
Free Monem site
Reporters Without Borders Petition
We Discuss:
-Who Monem is
-His work
-The Muslim Brotherhood
-The Arrest
-Other jailed bloggers in Egypt
-Danger of Torture and mistreatment
-Campaign’s focus and strategy
-Answering the critics
-Media and Violence
-Tools for helping free a blogger in Egypt
He has been traveling and writing about Afghanistan since before most western media decided it was important. He has seen first hand what is going right and what is going wrong in the battle to create present day Afghanistan. Journalist and Author Jason Burke joins me.
His book, On the Road to Kandahar
We Discuss:
-His visits there during Taliban rule
-The three different phases
-Situation in various villages
-What people need from government
-If the military left?
-Soldier’s relations with the public
-Who’s doing business in the country
-Military commitments from Europe and North America
-Working as a journalist there
-Media’s commitment to Afghanistan