Newz of the World

This week we look at the reelection of Ecuador's president Rafael Correa and roll the dice if the report on "Blackmailed Gay Clergy" at the Vatican might be related to the Pope's recent resignation. Marks reports from a visit to a refugee church in Amsterdam this week, home to 127 refugees that the Dutch government wants to send home. We also discuss problems with Nuclear waste at Hanford (US) and Asse (Germany) and the general unsolved problems of the remains of Nuclear power production worldwide. We conclude with a brief look at the second anniversary of the Libyan revolution and point to another excellent NEWZ source: Informed Comment by Juan Cole.

This day we get in touch with all kinds of Higher Powers that reign our earthly being as God decides to let go his direct representative and sends lightning and meteorites to hit earth to make a point. We also look at the assassination of a Tunesian opposition leader that makes clear that Arab Spring revolution is far from over. Then we look at how companies and governments plan to look at us via social media and we present another Newz Source that delivers exactly what its name implies: breaking news.

This week our NEWZ attention is focused on the environment in places like Colorado where there is a hot debate over drilling on public land. While in the Brazilian state of Pará the world's 3rd largest dam is having a huge impact on everything. In the realm of science the EU Commission has awarded some big funds to major research projects. Reporters Without Borders has released a very grim 2012 report. And speaking of difficult conversations, Madge Weinstein released a special podcast on the Algerian Hostage Crisis which we talk about. The week's Newz Source is Der Spiegel International, listen to find out why!

This week we focus on some heated conflicts in Nothern Africa. After France has moved in to support the Maliean troops they are making quick progress retaking most of the towns and villages in Nothern Mali. But things might not be as easy from now on with the islamic fighters hiding in the desert. In Egypt we look at the return of violent public protest in the streets just in time for the second anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution. In other newz, we find that Cuba has a new Internet cable now but not yet pass along the packets to its citizens. The US is making headlines because they are about to allow women to join the front lines of their war zones. As a bonus for the dear listener of this fine show, we present the second NEWZ source: the electronic magazine Jadaliyya.

We start off this week by looking at the cruel hostage situation in Algeria that is a result of France joining the Mali conflict. From there we take a look at the prison situation in Afghanistan now that many foreign forces are gone and find that torture is widespread. A new study of US academic institutes presents research done on the overall health situation in the US and the state of the US health system in general (does not look good) and we take a peek on the upcoming elections in Israel where Benjamin Natanjahu is expected to continue his reign over the jewish country. Apart from just digging through the daily news flow we are also starting a new section on Newz of the World. From now on we will point out interesting newz sources for you to use and evaluate yourself and to explain where all our material is coming from and how it's being used, searched and extracted. Because we want you to become good citizen reporters too.

This week's newz kicks off with an update and a new rape case from northern India. Then we get into Northern Mali, as France takes action, who are the armed groups in the country? Aaron Swartz and his life's work remembered. The first ever Global Atlas for Renewable Energy has been launched. And with the beginning of the new year, the Netherlands has amended their new weed policy in ways that make us go.. hmmmm. All this and more on yet another memorable edition of Newz of the World!

After a long hiatus over the holidays we return to the stage with the first real NEWZ show after we covered Marks trip to Tunesia, Egypt and Lebanon in detail in the last two shows. This time we look at the rebel situation in Congo that still dominates the news from this central African state. Then we turn our eyes on Hugo Chavez who is supposed to begin his next term as president but is unable to do so because he is treated for cancer in Cuba. We look at Italy's ever revolving wheel of fortune for the next president after Mario Monti has stepped down. Finally Tim reports on the most recent 29th Chaos Communicaton Congress in Hamburg that Mark was unable to attend.

This week we feature another update from Mark's journey through Tunisia, Egypt, and Lebanon, this time with a special focus on the latest developments in Cairo and observations from Beirut. Since our last program things in the Egyptian capital have continued to stay interesting as protestors have been regularly surrounding the Presidential palace demanding he resign, while pro-government supporters and police have also converged on the site resulting in street battles that caused over 400 injuries and 6 deaths. What will happen next? Meanwhile after a visit to Lebanon our focus shifts to the social and political reality in that country and the pressure being felt from neighboring Syria. We also discuss the harsh reality for Palestinian and Syrian refugees in Lebanon. Mark shares what he learned about living conditions and civil rights while attempting to visit a refugee camp in Tyre. Next week we will return to our traditional NEWZ format with multiple topics and discussion.

We haven't been able to kick out a new episode for a while because Mark has been super busy on his trip to Tunesia, Egypt and Lebanon interviewing people and generally enjoying the strange atmosphere in the Mother of all cities: Cairo, the capitol of Egypt. We talk about the city, Egypt, the remains of the revolution and the current events regarding president Mursi trying to claim new power and the people's reaction to it. We also talk about the implications of the Gaza conflict on Egyptian politics and other interesting stuff happening.

This week's Newz has the added bonus of Tim reporting from Bogota, with an update about things he has seen and things going on in Colombia. Then its time for Hurricane Sandy aftermath stories courtesy of Mark's family and friends in NJ. Vote stealing is explored and UN observers will be back in the US next week. No agreement reached on protecting a chunk of the Antarctic, while a NYTimes piece tells the story of China's largest professional exodus in a decade. The Arab Artists trip begins now, updates coming on the next edition of Newz of the World.

This week we kick things off with the bizarro second US Presidential Election Debate. From there its on to constitutional struggles in Egypt.  Over in South America, Uruguay becomes the third nation to legalize abortion.  The people of Portugal take to the streets and surround parliament. While the EU agrees on a Eurozone Bank Supervisor arrangement.  Speaking of the Nobel Prize winning Union, we look back on the decision last week.  Looking ahead, Tim is Colombia bound!

This week the Newz team begins back in Venezuela to discuss what happened with the elections over the weekend. From there we go over to Brazil where the first Black Supreme Court President has been appointed. Some terrible news from Nigeria where students were massacred last week. While up near the Syrian border, the US Military is concerned about chemical weapons and has deployed a force to Jordan. Following up on the South African Mining Strikes, workers have rejected the latest offer from the major gold companies. And finally today, it is Nobel season, so Tim and Mark are making their Peace Prize predictions.

This week Mark reports in from Stockholm as we start off with the escalating Turkey-Syria conflict. Over in the Balkans, Serbia bans another gay pride celebration. A man named Capriles is challenging Chavez in the Venezuelan presidential election this weekend. While this past week the world watched as the Georgian Dream party beat President Saakashvili's party. Finally today we look at a new bomb detecting gate coming to an airport near you very soon.

This week we look at a recent arrest of a man named Basseley said to be connected to the infamous Mohammed-George film. Followed by a discussion of the delay in deployment of multinational force for Mali. Meanwhile on the main stage in NYC, the Israeli PM shows off a bomb diagram. In Portugal a recent court ruling sets a major precedent that file-sharing for personal use is not a crime. And what about local news habits and preferences? - We look at a recent PEW survey.

We start this week in newz with the aftermath of the video protests and some new related developments including the withholding of big money to Egypt. Hans Blix, respected expert best known from the Iraq sanctions days is making headlines with his criticism of the Iran-sanctions strategy. Suspicion as Shell and Gazprom cancel arctic drilling and exploration for 2012. USAID pulls out or gets kicked out of Russia. And around the world Chinese people are protesting Japan's purchasing of Senkaku islands. Finally we wrap it up with a big thanks as the crowdfunding goal for Egypt and Tunisia has been reached!

This week the Boyz of Newz get into the infamous so-called film that has sparked violence in the Middle East. Then come the results of the latest elections in the Netherlands where the far-right in no longer trending. Looking east it looks like Bulgaria will not be building a new nuclear power plant, much to Russia's chagrin. We're excited about peace talks between the Colombian government and the FARC which begin next month in Oslo. Speaking of excitement, after 35 years in space, Voyager 1 may soon leave our solar system. And finally, Mark unveils a kickstarter mission to do a podcast series with celebrated podcaster Christopher Lydon in Egypt and Tunisia this November.

This week Tim is on the road with Indiana Jones so we start off with trouble in the amazon where conflicting reports say illegal miners have committed some terrible crimes. Over in Portugal another round of big austerity measures are announced including a proposal to shut down public broadcasting. The White House meanwhile has opened the door to drilling in the Arctic as the Democrat Party convention comes to a close. The World Bank has released a report on Morocco citing extreme unemployment among youth as the prelude to another arab spring revolt. Finally a disagreement between Wikipedia and Phillip Roth brings back the looming issue of an ongoing decline in editors and administrators for the book of knowledge. Mark has big news coming up, tease tease.

While the rest of the world is busy finding solutions for the big problems, an actor in America is talking to a chair and creating a new meme, therefore making it impossible to ignore for the Newz of the World team. In other newz, we discuss the death of Ethiopian leader Meles Zenawi and the interesting project in Libya where former prison inmates become the guards of their old torturers. We look at a study that analyzes the shift in employment in the US and we review a less invasive method for retrieving oil that could replace the problematic fracking. Finally we discuss vegetables from space, freshly mutated by cosmic rays by beloved China. Bon appetite.

Today on the program we jump into Mexican health news as that nation's healthcare reform has been declared a success. Over in Burma the government has taken the healthy step of ending censorship of local media. In Russia, Pussy Riot was sentenced to 2 years, Kasporov may get 5, and zombies were arrested in Omsk. We help spread the word about Swedish hacker documentary Hackitat. Australia expands their contreversial welfare card program. And major Dutch pensions lose millions of dollars from having invested in facebook stocks.

The program was almost back to normal, but then Mark messed up his audio settings and this week we get newz plus some shaky sound on his side. Despite these setbacks this week we start with Olympics talk. From there its bad news from Iran with the latest twin earthquakes. This month also marks the beginning of deep sea mining around the world, starting in Papua New Guinea. In the US one wealthy white guy has chosen another wealthy white guy as his Vice Presidential candidate. Commerzbank of Germany takes itself out of the food speculation game. Rival unions in South Africa continue their violent clashes while the mining sector is also in an odd state. Uruguay is set to become the first country to both produce and distribute marijuana legally. And to wrap it all up we discuss the call for more debate or disagreement on the program. Hooray!

After taking their respective vacations the Newz of the World duo is back and this week we start with the latest defections and battles in Syria. Then we get into the shootings in the US over the past weeks. Drug dealers are re-appearing on the streets of the Netherlands while a UK bank is accused to laundering money together with Iran. Pussy Riot is on trial and up on Mars there's a new Rover in town and we're very curious about it.

As the high point of the summer draws near, Tim and Mark get into the restarting of a nuclear reactor in Japan. While Europe gets closer to a continent-wide patent system, down in Timbuktu an extremist militia has decided that ancient treasures must be destroyed. The CEO of Exxon pleads poverty. Same-sex marriage will be legalized in France next year. Former Brazilian president Lula da Silva appears in a documentary worth checking out. Peter Sunde appeals to the people and asks for a pardon.

After a slightly larger interval we continue our newz discussion program with Tim still in Berlin and Mark having moved to Portugal to help out with things. Today we discuss Syria shooting down turkish planes, Paraguay toppling its president due to failure to maintain social harmony, Brazil's impressive track record with renewable energy, North Carolina going nuts and Egypt having a new president. We finish off by looking at a nice little project trying to help endangered languages.

As more banks get bailed out and football madness rages across Europe, Tim and Mark are back to pick through the news of the week. We start with the massively under reported financial scandal involving Swiss financial firms in Portugal. Over in Pakistan negotiators have left the table as they can't seem to make an agreement on re-opening NATO supply routes to Afghanistan. Dilma is proud of the rainforest while Tim tries to find a country equal to the size of the amount of forest that has been lost. Are cooperatives the answer to the financial turmoil of our time? What about storify- is this tool useful for journalism in the future? Lots of questions to be answered, and of course we end it all by playing with a chart with odd colors and graphics.

This week's newz features Mark in a panic room somewhere in Amsterdam. We discuss Greece's inability to pay the power bill as well as Canada's torture policy. Officials in South Sudan have stolen $4bn this year according to the cowboy hatted president. Is IKEA cutting old growth wood in Russia? We round it all off with an American twitter survey fun and a review of the latest comment discussion.

Another exciting week full of NEWZ has passed and it is your beloved newz team that again comes together to discuss, explain and complain about what the world has coming to. This week we take a look at most recent events in space exploration by commercial endeavors, discuss the latest development of the crisis in Syria, discuss penis paintings of South African prime ministers and talk about the EU pretending that white is black and natural gas is a "green". Finally we discuss the fact that Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf copyright is about to expire and what Germany does about that.

As Newz marches on, Tim and Mark suffer the effects of a heatwave and a hoarse throat. In other newz: The US Senate won't give Pakistan part of its $1 Billion. The perplexing math of the Lord's Resistance Army. A breakdown of the student protests in Quebec. Juan Cole's Egyptian election analysis. And a France update about presidents, partners, cyclists and journalists. We end by shamelessly plugging our recent talks at re:publica 12.

So it us again after Mark's trip to Berlin to see and speak at re:publica 12 we are finally where we belong: in front of our screen reading the Newz to you. Among those this week: the arrest of Sea Shepherd mastermind Captain Paul Watson in Germany; victims of NATO attacks on Libya speaking up; the Netherlands being the first to bring net neutrality to law in Europe; the arrest of one of the leaders of Joseph Kony's LRA. To sum it up we ramble a bit more about building sizes and measurement styles around the world.

It's our 1st of May Newz of the World so Tim and Mark are setting fire to the latest headlines and throwing around world events. We start with the re-awakening of the occupy movement that is being called for in 125 cities around the world. Over in France we are days away from the second round of presidential elections, which reminds us of LePen stories from previous French elections. Afghanistan and the US have signed an agreement for activities after 2014. As the first few episodes of Julian Assange's new show are out, we talk about the good, bad and the weird of this non-aligned style program. Lastly a listener suggestion regarding EU maritime regulation.

This week Charles Taylor goes down for aiding war crimes in Sierra Leone while back in Liberia a nation gets confirmation on what it already knew. Greg Palast has evidence that BP execs destroyed evidence showing they knew the Deepwater Horizon could blow. The ruling coalition of the Netherlands has fallen, now we can enjoy some temporary government action. Sending your data to the cloud? - Greenpeace has set their sites on data centers powered by dirty energy. Mark is pleased to see the One World Trade Center will become the tallest building in New York this coming week. Underwater cable-mania continues, we look at two new maps and why they are cool. Tim reveals his curiosity for the infamous Pitcairn Island, where the internet just got boosted up to 512kbps (actually in June officially).

We keep coming back to certain topics but continually bring up new ones too but more than anything we appreciate alert listeners who not only find the errors but also report them. So we put in some feedback in as it allows us to talk more about North Korea, our most favorite dictatorship. Apart from that we ramble on about the UN and Syria on their never ending quest to find common ground and we report on India's successful embarking into the cold war of the 21st century. We take a closer look at recent and upcoming developments around Africa's Internet connectivity and recommend others join the debate around Cory Doctorow's comments on the "war on computing".

This week North Korea is back on the newz list as their rocket hits the sea and the boy-president makes his first speech. Then we go to US politics where Santorum has announced he's out of money so Romney can be the candidate for the Republican party. The big stories for this week come from Africa where along the border between Sudan and South Sudan, an oil dispute is raging. While in Malawi the continent's second-ever female president,Joyce Banda, was sworn in. Over in the west there is more bad news this week as Guinea-Bissau's executive branch has been arrested by a military coup. Back in Germany the pirate party is once again turning heads and making headlines, what will become of this rising star of party politics?

We kick off this week's newz with an attempt at understanding the different parties and elements involved in the recent coup in Mali. From there its back to Syria where the former UN Secretary General has struck a peace deal that has yet to be respected by either side. Meanwhile its a new day in Burma, thats what many are thinking as Aung San Suu Kyi's party makes significant gains in the recent election. Paypal rolls out another weapon in their arsenal of alternative financial tools, this time its about swiping. And to round out the week, the admittedly pathetic but mildly amusing Consumerist award for worst American company.

This week Tim and Mark poke around the internet to try and understand what is happening with religion and Cuba following the Pope's visit. While back in Europa, Lithuania has made a new deal with a Hitachi to build a "next generation" nuclear plant - oddly inspiring an idea to visit Stendal. The Chinese company ZTE recently made big sale to Iran for some internet surveillance equipment, as we look at some other names that have sold or almost sold similar items to the Ayatollahs. A new documentary about Occupy has been released on Al Jazeera, one year since this global phenomenon, we reflect on the images and actions, as well as the possible legacy. Following up on last week's Foxconn-Mike Daisy debacle, the second most powerful Tim in the world is visiting the production facilities, while we share some slightly more informed opinions one week later. In a related story we get an update about the FairPhone project, to hear what the latest is from the quest to build more ethical mobile devices. Note: Tims audio track contains some annoying clicks we couldn't get rid of during editing. We apologize for the inconveniences.

To kick off another hair-raising week of news we start off with Mark reporting this week from Tbilisi, Georgia about what the latest newz is from the old republic. In the latest dispatches from North Korea, nuclear inspectors are invited to visit, but the young leader also plans to launch a satellite to celebrate his father. The Australian government, meanwhile, makes a bold move introducing a big new tax on all mining companies. Mike Daisy might have a sweet boy's name, but this week we learned his apple story was not big in terms of truthiness. Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Christian Church died this week. An interesting man, with an impressive life, and fantastic headgear. In keeping with our commitment to newz updates, we also bring you an update on MegaKim, as well as uncle Kony and the 2012 campaign.

Kony Kony Kony, its the name that is all over the social media world, including Newz of the World! But what happens when the online campaign world goes head to head with the world of warlords? One year after the Fukushima disaster, 52 out of 54 Japanese nuclear power plants have been deactivated. How does a country with an immense need for power go from 1/3 nuclear to almost no nuclear in one year? Far-right Dutch political icon and MP Geert Wilders is encouraging people to report their East European neighbors via a website. How does Europe react to having groups of its citizens being targeted as potential criminals? In what continues to be a worrying situation, journalist and author Michael S. Moore has been in captivity in Somalia for over a month now. What are the options when a friend or a colleague gets kidnapped by pirates or criminals of the most notorious kind?

Young Kim Jung-un probably doesn't like his haircut, but thankfully that didn't stop North Korea from agreeing to a new food for no-nucs deal with the US. While the largest Union in the UK is threatening massive strikes during the summer Olympics this year. We're less than 24 hours from the Iranian parliamentary election where the opposition is in jail and it has become a question of who's the coolest conservative in town. Then comes the case of LinkedIn and the legal issues the service has brought to current and former employees who are legally obligated to not keep their clients/contacts. And finally we get back into some Koran burning and whats going on behind the scenes in Afghanistan. All this and possibly more on this fresh edition of Newz of the World!

This week on Newz of the World we start off with election news and make our way to porn. First on the list is Yemen, as presidential elections have been announced but unfortunately there is only one candidate. In Pakistan meanwhile, a new law declares domestic violence a crime punishable by jail time or a fine. Previously if a husband beat a wife there was no legal basis for the police to take action. Animal lovers may rejoice at the news that the first successful lab grown meat was announced this week. Paving the way for the inevitable animal-free burger Tim is not looking forward to eating. Always ahead of the curve in the world of technology, a recent report looks at how a growing number of woman are now in charge of some of the major internet porn companies. Finally this week we bring you another edition of Notes from America, where bridges, roads, tunnels and power systems seem to be crumbling and few people seem to notice. Will 2012 be the year of another bridge collapse? We hope not, which is why we talk about it all in this edition of Newz of the World!

As Mark is still on a trip through the US our schedule is a bit rocky but we've again managed to put together a show that takes a look at what's going on in the world. First we look at Greece that has passed the austerity plan that was forced on them by the EU while facing strong opposition on the streets by the people. Canada is about to launch a new data retention law and continues to baffle the world as the country still ranks high in perceived mental sanity but seems to be doing anything to combat this impression. Then we look at the USA, where Sarah Palin gets mic checked and the Americans seem to think they are facing a war with Iran less than 10 years after being duped into a war in Iraq. Looking into the future we report on ESA's successful launch of the new Vega space rocket and discuss the current situation of (inter-)national space programs.

As Clint Eastwood and President Obama announced this week, it's halftime in America. Fortunately, Tim and Mark are here to report on the second half, this week bringing you a transatlantic newz podcast. We start the rundown with Syria, where this week over 200 people were killed by government forces, part of the ongoing repression of those demanding the president resign. And while people are killed in the streets of Homs, we look at what role Russia plays when it comes to the international response. While back in Moscow the big story continues to be tens of thousands of protestors out in force against Putin and election fraud, demanding change. Then comes the story of the American Auto Industry which is the subject of a surprising amount of ads, political speeches and one very ominous Clint Eastwood Chrysler Commercial. Someone got punched in the face, and we're getting to the bottom of it here on Newz of the World!

One year after the massive demonstrations that toppled a dictator and changed a nation, Tim and Mark are back to examine the media and read the fine print. Europe's own SOPA, known as ACTA, is the new target of frustrated netizens. Meanwhile the FBI is looking for someone to build them a social media monitoring application. And while the authorities try to track our interactions, Reporters Without Borders has been tracking the world's press, as they announced the good news and the bad news via their Press Freedom Index for the past year. From revolutions to censored tweets - whatever happens, the events of the past week will surely be written about in the history books; digital history textbooks that is. A beautiful future for the students of tomorrow? Newz of the World investigates.

Not since the royal wedding have so many people been talking about PIPA. This week saw the massive international outcry over the proposed anti-piracy bill before the US congress. We also also watched a ship captain sail his way into a massive humanitarian and ecological fail. In Central America its a case of military power gone wild, while in Budapest the conservative government is carrying out its own constitutional obscenity. Just when you thought matters couldn't get any worse, Doctors Without Borders is abandoning ship in Somalia! What does it all mean? - Newz of the World will throw you a media-life preserver.

After a week of surprising and some less than impressive developments around the world, Tim and Mark are back to dissect some of the stuff spit out by the news machine. Over in Afghanistan, the US military has a new Abu Ghraib embarrassment on their hands, with a new video of Marines urinating on dead bodies making headlines. Meanwhile another government on the other side of the world is engaging in some shocking behavior, the Canadian Federal Government is now arguing that thousands of same-sex marriages carried out since 2004 are actually illegal. Then comes the filtering, as the Dutch government tells ISP's to block The Pirate Bay, the Chilean government seems to have created a new filter for history books. What will become of the Pirate Bay and what's the difference between uncle Pinochet's dictatorship and his regime? All this and you never know what else, on this latest rundown by Newz of the World.

The beginning of every new year brings reflection about the recent past and the typical desire to push forward with something new and exciting. It should therefore be no surprise that it is on this occasion, at this pivotal juncture in the history of the world, that we personal media creators and observers of all things life- should join forces and produce a new program focusing on events unfolding throughout the globe. Newz of the World, a curious and critical look at the information we have about the world around us. In this inaugural episode your hosts, Tim Pritlove and Mark Fonseca Rendeiro, introduce the previously mentioned concept and aim of this program. We then look back at 2011 and the news stories that captured a great deal of attention and in many ways can be tied together using common threads such as: global protest, arab spring, occupy, the financial crisis, the fukushima nuclear disaster, the growing DIY movement, and innovative efforts to design a better future. A mix of news review, personal reflection, and teaching ourselves along the way - we're kicking off this new endeavor under the title that took on new meaning in 2011 - MIC CHECK!!

So it looks as if the US elections are finally decided and although Trump will still use the last days of his presidency to cause maximum harm to the institutions and continues to claim fraudulent elections in order to secure donations from his base, Joe Biden will in fact be the next president of the USA and the farce that the Trump presidency has been will finally be over end of next January. We discuss what the relationship of Trump and the GOP will be in the future, what the cabinet of Joe Biden will be like and if there is a chance the democrats get control of the US senate.

So here we are for another instalment of Newz of the World in which we again look at the fallout of the US elections at a stage where finally the president starts accepting the outcome without publicly conceding or changing tone. But we look at the upcoming cabinet appointments of the Biden administration, the candidates of the upcoming senate election runoffs in Georgia and the role the of the Supreme Court. We also widen our view a bit and talk about Poland and Hungary's role in the EU and the disaster that is going to be the final step of Brexit and the end of the year.

The curse is broken and Trump is defeated. At least that's what the numbers are telling us but everybody knows that this won't be the end of the process and we are looking for some weird and probably even entertaining or scary weeks until the new president of the United States will be sworn in. Tim and Mark discuss what happened, have a good time laughing about the weirdest press conference ever and wonder what the implications of this election will be on the US and the rest of the world.

So it's election time and Mark and Tim come together for a last view on what might happen in the coming days in terms of the US presidential and the Senate race and how we and what the aftermath might look like. No predictions because in the end we are just as scared as you and have no clue what will happen.

We are getting closer to the the US Presidential and Congress elections and so we are going to look at what Trumps COVID-19 infection might do to the race, what the state of the Senate race is and how the Supreme Court hearings might influence things. We also spend some time on looking at Kamala Harris' role as a vice presidential candidate and if she might be the successor to Joe Biden if he wins and now and refuses to do a second term. We also look at the North Korean Workers Party and the new and old conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Here we go again and we continue to look at US policitics primarily. The US is mourning the loss of Supreme Court judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg which was also an icon of the left. And of course the Republicans are now trying to fill the open seat ahead of the elections. We explain what's going on and what this is important (or not). We briefly discuss the embaressing situation of the refugees on Lesbos and how we deal with the Corona reality.

So we're back! After a super long break of almost four years we decided to continue this podcast in one way or another. Certainly not on a weekly basis but the upcoming US elections are going to be something we want to comment on at least in the coming months to get a grip on what the world is going to face and what the implications are going to be for all of us.

After ages we have met in Berlin to at least give a few impressions of this crazy year. So we go through a list of countries that made newz this year eventually ending with the USA where we try to find words for something where it seems impossible to find words for.

Still not on a weekly schedule but steadily improving, that's us: another newz show focuses on the world's events and we have again collected a lot of interesting stories this week.

After having summarised the events in the time we couldn't bring you the NEWZ in our last show, today we are back on track, covering the most recent events and tragedies. Though the tragedies are numerous, there are also good news to report. Have a listen!

So it's been a while and we're sorry to have let you waited so long, dear listeners. But here we are again with season 2 of the Newz of the World. We browse Wikipedia's history records to summarise what has happened since we left you and try to get a grip on what was important, interesting and noteworthy.

As the summer sun warms Europe, US air strikes hit northern Iraq. Israel and Gaza continue to be unable to reach a cease fire. In eastern Ukraine all reports indicate that government forces have separatists surrounded. Nigeria has declared a state of emergency as the Ebola outbreak becomes a global crisis. Meanwhile in southeast Asia 2 former Khmer rouge leaders are found guilty of crimes against humanity. On the business side of things, General Electric has successfully acquired the energy component of Alstom. This week's NEWZ Source is Bloomberg.com for the financial side of international news.

This is the first time Newz of the World is inviting a correspondent to the show to get a better look at things. We are welcoming Daniel González from Bogota to join us for the first time to talk about all things Columbia and other South American aspects. In addition to this focus, we are touching the tragic end of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 and the developing story of the war between Israel and the Gaza strip. Unfortunately, our connection with Daniel was quite flaky so that the show might lack a certain flow as we had to deal with dropouts and breaks, but the managed to produce a proper result that leaves out most of the interruptions.

This week Mark reports from beyond the ring of Moscow. We look at that state of the city, infrastructure, and more. In Eastern Ukraine clashes and an air strike have left governments pointing fingers at each other. Over in Iraq the Kurdish Army has taken several key oil fields. More death and destruction surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict. Doctors Without Borders, meanwhile, have released a rare critical report about global relief organizations. Lastly today, the EU Commission says goodbye to Barroso and hello to President Juncker.

As the World Cup heads towards the quarter final round, another infrastructure collapse occurs in Belo Horizonte. Meanwhile a new investigative report shows the Brazilian weapons industry is booming thanks to big domestic security spending. Over in Norway the government has announced it will close its online voting experiment. Down in Papua New Guinea a court has ruled that Palm Oil Companies must get out of town. A prestigious human rights award goes to an Egyptian lawyer who has been jailed by the last three presidents. Visualizations using NASA satellite information show how in many US cities the air has gotten cleaner over the past 10 years. A run on the banks in Bulgaria has led to EU Commission intervention. And finally this week's NEWZ Source: Science Magazine's Weekly Podcast.

This week we catch up with the ongoing battles in Iraq and the growing Iranian and US involvement. In South America Argentina is on the verge of defaulting on its debt payments. The Pakistani Army has launched an offensive in North Waziristan, displacing tens of thousands of residents. Julian Assange marks 2 years living in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Vice Magazine uncovers more alarming information about the ongoing Fukushima disaster. In Bolivia, the G77 met to discuss issues of poverty, development, and more. This week's NEWZ Source: Forbes.

We kick off this week's program with an update regarding Boko Haram in Nigeria. From there it is Estonia that had an interesting story on the topic of anti-spying tactics. Modi is the big winner in India, along with the BJP. Assad had his own election which when combined with other developments tell a significant story about Syria today. European Elections came and went, were things as dramatic as the press indicates? 25 years later, Tiananmen Square is remembered, particularly through photos. This week's NEWZ Source: OpenDemocracy.net.

At the top of the news pyramid today is a major mining accident in Soma, Turkey. While over in Eastern Ukraine, two more regions have voted for independence. The Algerian president, despite failing health and remaining largely invisible, has won a 4th term. Climate scientists say El Niño will be here any day now. Credit agencies are patting Portugal on the back as that country steps out of the financial recovery program. And we finish today with some reflections on this year's Re:publica conference.

We start this week in Egypt where members of the Muslim Brotherhood have been sentenced to death. Over in Turkey the Secret Service has been granted new sweeping powers. A new report on the US Military in Africa shows a vast array of exercises and projects on the continent. More developments in the case of the Korean ferry sinking. Some solar developments on the continent of Europe. Facebook gets further into the news business. And finally this week's NEWZ Source: Le Monde Diplomatique.

After a brief hiatus we start the news roundup with the capsizing of a ferry in South Korea. While back in Eastern Europe the conflict has now shifted to Eastern Ukraine. Following the third anniversary of Fukushima, the people of Taiwan have rallied against the use and development of nuclear energy in their country. The Boko Haram militants have struck again in Nigeria as the government struggles to protect schools in the Northeast. Our latest film recommendation is called The Unknown Known and you might not smile but there is something amazing about this documentary.

While many governments continue to play diplomatic games over the Crimea, we look at the fiscal costs. The US changes its agreement on internet domains, or so it seemed. UNHCR releases its asylum statistics for 2013. A beloved Afghan journalist is murdered along with his family. A detailed discussion of Bitcoin and the Mt. Cox trouble. Ethiopia is well on their way to building the largest dam on the Nile. This week's NEWZ Source: The Daily Beast.

This week we start with some unavoidable big story updates, as both the Ukraine and Russia talk tough in the lead up to Sunday's Crimea referendum. In Turkey there have been confrontations in several cities between police and protestors following the funeral of a teenager mortally injured in last year's clashes. Still no information on what happened to the missing Malaysian Air flight to Beijing. An analysis of Cyprus one year since the bank bailout. Japan plans to turn on their nuclear reactors again. And finally an op-ed from some internet heavyweights about combatting censorship worldwide. Our NEWZ Source this week: the MIT Techonology Review.

As the world's media goes into full gear over Ukraine-Russia standoff, we look at the timeline of events. Uganda has now passed some of the worst anti-gay laws in the world. Israel admits yet does not admit to destroying another weapons convoy heading to Lebanon from Syria. Smaller parties in India unite to form an alternative to the big 2 in the upcoming election. Boko Haram militants attack a boarding school in Eastern Nigeria. This week's Newz Source is the Poynter Institute.

This week Mark confesses a love affair with the Winter Olympics, especially curling. Mass protests in Venezuela leave several dead and another cable station is taken off the air. North and South Korea hold rare talks. A young new PM is about to be appointed in Italy. The Indian general election campaign has begun. This week's NEWZ Source: The 545, for all your Indian election information.

This week we delve into the 1,000 pages of the newly passed US farm bill. Down in Peru they're expanding the Camisea gas project. A mother seeks answers from the Syrian government representatives in Geneva. The UN World Food Program has published images and brief descriptions of what has happened in South Sudan. Another good collection of images from the Typhoon Haiyan aftermath in the Philippines. As the Olympics kick off the Kremlin puts pressure on another opposition media channel. Our Newz Source for this week, The Ecologist Magazine.

This week kicks off with a big update and discussion about Dubai as Mark approaches the end of the Dubai Taxi Project journey. Some Egyptian voters turned out and voted yes to a constitution. Protests continue in the Ukraine. Argentina has adopted new policies for online shopping in an effort to save their economy. Georgia claims that Russia has expanded their border by 11 KM as the Olympics approach. In honor of the Dubai journey, this week we feature 7 Days Dubai as our Newz Source.

This week we kick off 2014 by looking at a few nations that could be extra busy in a bad way this year. In Iraq the government prepares an assault on out-of-control Fallujah. In Israel thousands of African migrants take to the streets to protest a new law. Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh have ended despite violence, a boycott from all opposition parties and the international community. Meanwhile Latvia has become the 18th country to join the euro. And something strange is going on in Tokyo as Tuna prices plunge despite dwindling global stocks. Our NEWZ Source this week is a recently created organization finding ways to fund stories from post Haiyan Philippines. Finally today the plane is fueling up as the Dubai Project takes off in a matter of hours. For those who haven't heard it yet, Tim and Mitch are guests on the latest edition of CTRP recorded at 30C3.

As the world said goodbye to Mandela last week, some strange gifts came out of the ceremony. Putin has pardoned his nemesis along with several other high profile prisoners. South Sudan is reeling after what the president calls a coup attempt. Reporters Without Borders releases their 2013 Press Freedom Index with some interesting trends. In Chile the latest presidential election has brought back former president Michelle Bachelet. A group of 7 EU nations have agreed to form a drone producing club starting in 2020. And this week's NEWZ Source is the EUObserver.

We start today's newz with Nelson Mandela having passed away at the age of 95. While in the Central African Republic, French soldiers arrive just after over 100 people are killed in street battles. Thai protests ramp up in the week leading up to the King's birthday. Demonstrations in Ukraine continue calling for the government to step down. Iran and the International Community have reached a very historic agreement on the nuclear issue. The Swiss continue to discuss the issue of executive pay via the ballot box. This week's NEWZ Source is the Atlantic magazine. And finally a look ahead to the 30C3 this month in Hamburg.

This week we look again at the damage and recovery after Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Poor nations walk out in protest at Climate Summit in Warsaw. Aid begins to arrive for Somali cyclone victims. The Russian government has released more of the arctic 30 activists. While the Dutch government in suing Russia over its treatment of the Greenpeace activists. Over in Congo, a German pacifist now leads a new kind of UN Peacekeeping force in Congo. This week's NEWZ Source is Jurist.org, a massive collection of information about court cases from around the world. Lastly, a big thank you and update as the Dubai Taxi Driver project has now hit its funding goal.

A super typhoon destroys parts of the Philippines as the world scrambles to help with rescue and recovery. While the outgoing government in Bangladesh formally recognizes Hijras as a separate gender. The Israeli cabinet approves the destruction of a Bedouin town ahead of a supreme court decision. Over in California, an Oakland school will be the first of its kind to have a gunshot detection system. And new research shows that the Montreal protocol accidentally helped slow global warming. This week's NEWZ Source: Climate Central. Lastly today, Mark has a new project on kickstarter entitled "The Dubai Taxi Driver", read all about it.

This week we start with the breaking news that Israel has bombed military bases in Syria. While in Bulgaria authorities are unable to cope with the influx of Syrian refugees. Cambodia and Thailand promise peace regardless of who the international court declares as the owner of the Preah Vihear temple. Over in Brazil a new law may soon get passed that would further restrict abortion in some unprecedented ways. Our NEWZ Source for this week is a great source for science, environment and technology news, Fast Company.

We kickoff this week's newz rundown with the latest on the Moscow riots. Which reminds us of the issue of asylum seekers in Germany and throughout Europe as more tragedies take place at sea. There's a new state in India, now over two months old, it is still inspiring protests. The US government was shut down, but now it is opened again- for now. Cuba has announced an end to the 19 year old convertible peso, next up- a unified currency. Latest graphs and charts on Japan's problematic apathy towards sex, relationships and kids. This week's newz source: The Worldviews Blog published as part of the Washington Post.

Today we begin by taking the plunge into German politics following the latest election. Then we look at the well dressed friendly new president of Iran. In Sudan oil prices and budget problems are causing mass protests. While in Myanmar the kids are getting more and more digital. NYC's air is cleaner than ever. NEWZ Source this week: The Bangkok Post.

This week we review the Syria situation once more now that the UN has published its report on the use of chemical weapons. In our ongoing series on elections we talk about the impressive outcome for the current leader of Rwanda. Mark discusses aspects of a longer article about the effects of US military aid on Colombia. We look at the situation of Thai rubber farmers with dwindling rubber prices on the worlds markets and on the effects the spending cuts on the greek health care system. Last but not least we look this mysterious sovereign wealth fund of wealthy Norway and provide another NEWZ source for you: In These Times.

The mostly human team of Newz of the World has intrepidly clicked and filed the most exciting pieces of journalism and is ready to present it to you, dear listener. We are starting of with the always popular reporting on the popular vote which has been cast in Australia, Norway and Moscow (among others) and we of course also share our views, insights and questions about the most recent diplomatic turns in the crisis around the war in Syria. After pointing to the recent fate of a journalist personally known to Mark, we point you to some excellent entertainment provided by South Africa's latest news channel that specializes in "sunshine journalism" and disfunctional presentation skills. As an alternative not only for South Africans we also mention the latest extension to the Al Jazeera network, the "Al Jazeera America" channel that focuses on the US public.

This week we begin with an update as Syria intervention is debated in Europe and North America. The UN reports that Zimbabwe will need food aid this winter. Venezuela, meanwhile, is facing its own food shortages. In an effort to handle radioactive water in Fukushima, an ice wall will be built. Renewable energy in Germany getting cheaper despite the political debate that rages on. Report shows that the poorest of Costa Rica actually live some of the longest lives in the world. Dennis Rodman is back in North Korea to hang with the young leader. Newz Source for this week is Clean Technica, for those who want information about sustainability and alternative energy.

This week it is a question of if and what kind of intervention will take place in Syria. The French president warns of big trouble in the Central African Republic. Every student in Liberia fails the University entrance exam. Putin in ladies underwear painting is confiscated by police. Zuckerberg unveils internet.org. And Shafiur Rahman's breathtaking Beggars of Bangladesh photos. NEWZ Source for this week is an internet classic, slate.com.

This week we start off with the massive story of possible chemical weapons use in Syria. From there we go over who benefits from US Military Aid to Egypt. South Sudan faces their biggest crisis ever as a very young nation. In Poland the plan is to build two illegal coal power plants. While over in Russia a man has outsmarted the bank by writing his own terms of service. Our NEWZ Source of the week is the oldest think tank in Washington DC. Rounding off today we get into the messy world of encryption and email.

We're back after a lovely hacker camp experience with a quick rundown of the event. The big news this morning is out of Mali where presidential election results are in. Last week two Turkish pilots were kidnapped in Beirut in connection with the Syrian conflict. The US Attorney general has announced a big plan to reform prisons and sentencing. Cannabis policies in the US and elsewhere in the world continue to open up. Hollande says no fracking for France as long as he is in charge. Australian politicians say Papua New Guinea is a dangerous gateway for refugees. And finally, Elon Musk has a rapid transit solution for California.

This week in the aftermath of the Quebec train accident the energy debate gets louder in North America. In Qatar the Taliban office seems to be closed as peace negotiations with the Afghan government are also stalled. Former French President Sarkozy is on facebook asking for donations to save his UMP party. The Russian Security Service is budgeting tens of thousands of dollars for typewriters. A Saudi Arabian ballistic missile site shows capabilities for reaching Israel or Iran. And lastly this week, the Chinese government is accusing GlaxoSmithKline of bribery to keep drug prices high. This week's NEWZ Source is an old standby for military news, Jane's.

Today's NEWZ of the World comes to you on the first morning of a new government in Egypt as Morsi is removed by the military. While in Europe the big news has been Snowden's flight plans and the NSA's EU spying practices. In Turkey a court has ruled to stop the development plans for Gezi park. Over in Iraq there has been a wave of violent attacks this week, some of the worst in recent history. And finally, in space news, the Russian Proton-M rocket crashed during takeoff calling into question the future of the Russian space program. This week's NEWZ Source is the Columbia Journalism Review.

After an unexpectedly long pause of four weeks we are back! Did we miss anything? Oh yeah, a hell of a lot. And so begins the long road of playing catch up with the NEWZ. So we talk about the whistleblower case of Edward Snowden and the newly erupting diplomatic war between the US and Ecuador. We also cover (in review) the events at Gezi Park in Istanbul where the turkish society is shouting for freedom from a repressive culture put out by prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdo?an. We also track the path of resistance to Brazil where an outpouring of protests is obviously making much more of an impression to the government than in Turkey. We also look at Latvia that is about to join the Euro and Croatia that is about to join the EU. In Colombia the FARC is still alive and turning to Gold instead of drugs to fund their activities. Finally the US is making a bold move towards allowing gay marriages across the country due to a new ruling of the Supreme Court. Finally we present you our latest NEWZ source: the Breuel blog.

On today's edition of Newz of the World we begin in Lebanon where Syrian war related violence broke out this week. In related news, the EU embargo on supplying weapons to the Syrian rebels has now ended. Over the weekend there was a worldwide protest against Monsanto, with a particularly large turn out in Mexico where people around the country and demanding the government halt the expansion of GMO corn use. Concern has been expressed by Egypt and Sudan as Ethiopia pushes forward with its Millennium dam project that will divert at least part of the Nile's flow. Just as it seemed former Guatemalan leader Rios Montt was convicted of genocide, the Constitutional Court as overturned the verdict and ordered a do-over. In the world if Vine videos the DMCA has been issuing take-down notices to the 6 second video application insisting those with concert footage are copyright infringements. This week's Newz source is the Latin American Monitor, an initiative of the Christian Science Monitor.

This week we look at Saudi Arabia's big plunge into nuclear energy. UN releases first undersea mining guidelines for licenses to be issued in 2016. Nigerian president declares operations against Boko Haram a success. Motherboard story reveals who makes money on private prisons in the US and how they are tied to pension funds. This week's NEWZ source: Motherboard by Vice Magazine.

After a few weeks off Tim and Mark are reviewing some of the major stories that we missed recently starting with the factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed 1100 people. In Libya there have been various protests against the government and militias related to a new law regarding former Qaddafi government workers. The US continues to debate getting involved in Syria and what their involvement should be. Over in Pakistan the latest elections have brought back the once ousted Nawaz Sharif as president. Iceland's latest votes have kicked out the center left, brought on the center right, and set back hopes of a new constitution. In keeping with politics, Flattr and Piratebay cofounder (and friend of this show) Peter Sunde has announced he will run for European Parliament in 2014 as a member of the Pirate Party in Finland. Our NEWZ Source for this week is a very old and very useful scientific research magazine - NATURE.

This week Mark and Tim are looking at various newz around the world: Human Rights Watch has published a report accusing the Syrian government of war crimes. Close by in Lebanon a "power ship" is extending daily power supply of the country by two hours a day. The Malian government announces elections to be held this year. Novartis loses a drug patent case in India. The US supreme court ist about to decide if the Human Genome can be patented at all. Facebook guy Mark Zuckerberg starts a political action group in the US. We close by providing another NEWZ source: opensecrets.org and giving an update on upcoming travels and talks by Mark and Tim.

Unlike the rest of the internet today, we at Newz of the World are sticking with the facts, mostly. Starting with the riots in Myanmar that have killed dozens and displaced tens of thousands. Meanwhile a very complex list of proposals is being disputed for the Southern European gas pipeline route. Doctors in the UK say a new health policy that starts today will dismantle the public healthcare system. Down in Egypt, divers were caught snipping cables in the Mediterranean. Today's Newz Source is a one stop shop for policy and society news on the European Union level: Euractiv.com.

A rebel coup has sent the President of the Central African Republic into exile. While the IMF and the EU agree to a deal to bailout Cyprus. Old Guatemalan strong man Rios Montt faces a genocide trial for his actions in the 80's. We wonder if even with the new constitution, Robert Mugabe might be President when he is 100 years old. Riot police in Rio carry out more evictions as part of World Cup and Olympic preparations. And our NEWZ source of the day is the mighty Arms Control Wonk.

People in the Vatican City went nuts last night as Pope Frank #1 was unveiled. Meanwhile we catchup on the death of Hugo Chavez and the cult of personality syndrome in Venezuela. Kenya counted up their ballots and declared a new president, while China skipped the ballots and declared Jinping the new guy in charge. Dennis Rodman went to North Korea and made many Americans angry (or frustrated as they couldn't understand a word he says). PRX launches a new media storage system for the internets. And our featured Newz Source for today is an audio podcast: The World.