The Chinese government claims it's making serious efforts to clean up pollution. But as this horrifying report shows, much of their 'success' has involved simply moving their toxic industries out of sight. "We have no choice: we only have this river," Wu Zhuliang tells us from his remote farm. His family's reliance on the river, which runs yellow with pollution, is lethal. His son was recently diagnosed with two types of cancer and died. The water from Wu's river was found to have levels of chromium, "200 times higher than the national standard". Often the most toxic industries are simply moved to rural areas where regulations are lax. Chinese farmers are now four times more likely to die from liver cancer than the global average.
SBS
(Ref: 5527)
USA - Attack of the Drones
- 26' min 06'' sec [23 April 2012]
They can move together in swarms, build towers, dance, throw and catch, assess targets and soon will even make their own decisions. Both in war and at home, drones are developing fast and gaining control.
The US air force are now training more 'desk pilots' than traditional pilots, raising concerns that war is becoming "just a big computer game", allowing pilots to kill a few Taliban fighters and then go home for dinner. Nathan Wessler, a civil rights lawyer, strongly argues that the US using drones to kill targets in countries like Yemen despite not being in a state of war with them could lead to serious repercussions. "It is really a dangerous precedent. The technology of drones is not that complicated and there are dozens of nations developing it." And as incredible footage in this report shows, these robots are advancing quickly. Soon drones will be able to independently find targets and decide to attack. Has an uncontrolled new arms race already begun?
KRO
(Ref: 5494)
Syria - Helping Hands
- 9' min 30'' sec [6 June 2012]
As the conflict rages on in Syria, there's no let-up to the killing of civilians. Thousands are now risking their lives to escape to countries like Turkey and Lebanon, many of them with horrendous injuries.
In the face of atrocities like the recent Houla massacre, thousands of refugees are streaming across the border from Syria into Turkey and Lebanon. The injured say it's simply not safe to seek treatment in their homeland. "All the hospitals are under Syrian control. We don't dare go there", says one man. One of the doctors helping the refugees is Syrian-born Australian, Dr Tamer Kahil, who says he just couldn't sit back and do nothing and flew to Turkey to provide medical aid. "What is happening in there is beyond belief". Patient after patient is brought to him, suffering lost limbs, gunshot wounds and the scars of beatings and torture, some requiring complicated surgery and years of rehabilitation. As Syria's death toll continues to climb, the flood of refugees escaping the bloodshed shows no sign of slowing down.
SBS
(Ref: 5537)
Europe - Wiki Whacked
- 26' min 12'' sec [10 October 2011]
Assange's lawyer battles to reopen extradition case
Since Julian Assange's trial began his organisation has fallen apart. This report uncovers the story behind Wikileaks' dramatic and chaotic descent into crisis. Is this the end for the whistleblower?
From exposing multinationals dumping of toxic chemicals, MI5 secrets and the US government's dirty laundry; all were fair game to Wikileaks when the whistle-blowing organisation was at its prime. US political heavyweights accused Assange of terrorism, arguing he should be treated as "an enemy combatant".His defence barrister, Geoffrey Robertson, explains, "Of course extradition is partly a political decision and with an extremely right wing Swedish Government that owes a lot to America, he is a lot more vulnerable". After over 500 days of house arrest, Assange now cuts an isolated figure. "By releasing all this information he's created a complete hellhole for his life." Is it game over for Wikileaks and its controversial leader?
ABC Australia
(Ref: 5314)
Turkey - Skeletons in the Closet
- 27' min 55" sec [6 June 2012]
The climate in Turkey is tense as an expanding civil rights movement, the Enlightenment, calls for justice for thousands of political killings and disappearances. We examine the unsolved crimes and state silence.
Thousands of Turkish civilians still hunt for loved ones lost during the dirty war. For the first time in decades the military is on the defensive, as General Evren recently went on trial. For Nilgun Turkler, who's father was murdered in the 1980 coup, "the most important thing is that those who have tortured and killed are found and punished". But following the recent arrest of journalists exposing these crimes, it seems the old troubles may not have gone so far away.
ORF
