Underreported from WNYC's The Leonard Lopate Show

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Underreported: Women Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia Aug 23, 2007

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Approximately 2 million women from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and other countries work as migrant domestics in Saudi Arabia. They are routinely underpaid, overworked, confined to the workplace, or subject to verbal, physical, and sexual abuse. And two Indonesian women were recently killed by their employers. On the second part of Underreported, Nisha Varia of Human Rights Watch speaks with Leonard about her recent trip to Saudi Arabia where she interviewed some of these domestic workers, and how the Saudi government should reform immigrant sponsorship laws.

Underreported: Darfuri Women’s Stories, As Told By Mia Farrow Aug 23, 2007

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Mia Farrow, actor and UN Goodwill Ambassador, feels so strongly about ending the atrocities in Darfur that she recently offered her own freedom in exchange for that of an imprisoned Darfuri rebel. Ms. Farrow just returned from another trip to Chad, where she met with Darfuri women in refugee camps. On the first part of Underreported, she tells us about the women that begged her to tell the rest of the world their stories, in the hopes that hearing about the horrific abuses they've lived through would urge the rest of the world to bring an end to the atrocities in Darfur.

Underreported: The Darker Side of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Aug 16, 2007

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Energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs are catching on as stores like Wal-Mart and Home Depot encourage their customers to make the switch. But inside each bulb is about 5 milligrams of toxic mercury. On the second part of Underreported, Leonard will be speaking with Lisa Rainwater, policy director at Riverkeeper, to find out whether that mercury offsets the environmental benefits of using the bulbs, and what lawmakers and retailers are doing to help customers safely dispose of their used compact fluorescents.

New Yorkers can drop off their used compact fluorescents at special drop-off sites around the city. For more information, go to NYCWasteLe$$ website. IKEA is also accepting used CFBs for recycling.

Underreported: Conservation, Big and Small Aug 16, 2007

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Which is more effective: large-scale conservation practices or smaller, more localized organizations? Large international NGOs like The Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund have contributed a lot to global conservation efforts. But some scientists and policymakers worry that conservation is being corporatized, at the expense of local programs and leadership. On the first part of this week’s Underreported, Leonard speaks with Dr. Mary Pearl, President of Wildlife Trust, and Jon Paul Rodríguez of the Center for Ecology of the Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Investigations. They're co-authors of a recent article in Science magazine, which you can download here from wildlifetrust.org.

Underreported: Uighurs in the USA Aug 09, 2007

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Alim Seytoff, General Secretary of the Uyghur American Association talks about the Uighur Diaspora here in the United States, and what Uighur-Americans are doing to influence Chinese politics.

Underreported: China’s Uighurs Aug 09, 2007

Show notes

China's Uighur people are Turkic Muslims from Central Asia, and the Chinese government has a long history of discriminating against them. Uighur separatists have been calling for an independent state since the 1940s. Since 9/11, a rise of Islamic fundamentalism among China's Uighurs has resulted in further religious repression. On today's Underreported, Blaine Kaltman, a sociologist and author of Under the Heel of the Dragon: Islam, Racism, Crime, and the Uighur in China; and Sharon Hom, Executive Director of Human Rights in China, join us to talk about the conflicts and mutual suspicion between the Uighurs and China's government.

Under the Heel of the Dragon is available for purchase at amazon.com

Underreported: El Salvador and the “Suchitoto 13” Aug 02, 2007

Show notes

On the second part of Underreported, Mike Ring, Former National Director of US-El Salvador Sister Cities, joins Maj Fiil to talk about the case of the “Suchitoto 13.” These 13 anti-privatization protesters, including one journalist, were arrested on July 2 during a nonviolent protest in Suchitoto. They were subsequently detained under a new anti-terrorism statute, and it remains to be seen if the charges will stick or if the government will see the folly of its response.

Underreported: El Salvador’s Water Issues Aug 02, 2007

Show notes

Across Latin America, governments have been privatizing water resources, usually amid protests and always with mixed results. The argument for it is that private companies will invest in much-needed infrastructure, but the result is often even lower quality water, no major infrastructure improvements, and prices that hurt the poorest citizens. On the first part of this week’s Underreported, Maj Fiil, Director of The Water for All Project at Food & Water Watch, joins us to discuss El Salvador’s plans for the privatization of their water resources.

Underreported: Kosovo Jul 26, 2007

Show notes

Kosovo is still a Serbian province, although it has been under UN and NATO administration since 1999. Although the country is relatively stable, there is a general economic recession, high unemployment, poverty, and repression of civil liberties. And the situation is particularly dire for women. On the first part of today's Underreported, Hamide Latifi, Director of Women for Women International’s Kosovo chapter, will discuss her efforts to support and empower women in Kosovo.

Underreported: An Independent Kosovo? Jul 26, 2007

Show notes

On the second part of Underreported, we’ll speak with Patricia DeGennaro, Associate Professor of International Affairs at New York University, about why Russia has recently blocked a United Nations Security Council resolution endorsing independence, and what will happen as a result.

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Underreported from WNYC’s The Leonard Lopate Show

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