Food and Water

It’s Earth Day today. A perfect opportunity to talk about one of my favorite subjects, food. Make no mistake, we’re in a global food crisis right now, says Peter Timmer of Stanford University. I used Prof. Timmer in a story that aired today on the soaring cost of food around the world.

Peter Timmer knows a lot about rice in Asia and he’s good at breaking down the complexities of the food crisis in an understandable way. Here’s an interesting Q&A with Timmer from the Center on Global Development website. The BBC has some great videos about the global rice supply, including more on the Indian rice distribution system.

Now, water. My colleague, Julia Kumari Drapkin looked into the issue of “carbon negative” water. Take a little trip to Fiji. Or, just drink out of that Boston tap. Julia also did a taste test with some discerning drinkers. Here’s the story and video too.

Rice in the Middle East

Condoleeza Rice is in Bahrain today and Kuwait tomorrow to meet with top officials from Iraq and most of its neighbors. The full range of issues Washington would like to address is long one. But the top two priorities appear to be debt relief and the establishment of permanent diplomatic missions from Arab states in Baghdad. Here’s the news story I put on the air today.

I talked with Middle East expert Kenneth Pollack today. Caught him on his cell phone while he was at the airport, so the quality is a little rough. But he makes an interesting point about the question of how Iran looms over the meetings Rice is having with Arab officials this week.

Blog Right

Just came across some opposition research on conservative blogs from the Village Voice. I’m a babe in the woods when it comes to the blogging arts, so I found this amusing as I poke around for inspiration… things to aspire to.

Zimbabwe Independence Day

Robert Mugabe is defiant in the face of calls to release the results from the March 29th elections. BBC Online’s story has some audio of Mugabe’s speech today and video from Allan Little’s interview with Morgan Tsvangirai.

Here’s my radio story from today.

Read more about Zimbabwe at a crossroads here.

WEP08 Episode 6

Set aside your bitterness. Get in touch. Episode 6 of The World’s Election 2008 is ready. Texas A&M’s Mike Desch takes a look back at the Petraeus & Crocker testimony on Capital Hill; Joseph Stiglitz on the long-term cost of the Iraq war; MIT’s Jim Walsh on Iran’s nuclear program; and Indonesians who knew him as “Barry.”

Please enjoy.

Are they serious?

If you were not one of the 10 million or so people who watched the Clinton – Obama debate last night in Philly, here’s one of the most interesting segments of audio. Thanks to ABC News. This runs about 12 minutes and covers two questions: Iraq and Iran.

Here’s my story that aired on The World today… on the debate and the politics of the Democrats’ pledge to pull out of Iraq regardless of what US military commanders have to say about it.

Pope Benedict Goes to Washington

Pope Benedict the 16th started his six-day US visit on Wednesday. He met with clergy sex abuse victims on Thrusday and celebrated mass at Nationals stadium in Washington. Here’s the story I did for The World on day one of the trip, focusing on president Bush’s welcome and the upcoming UN speech.

Read more about Pope Benedict’s visit to the US here.