PodcastDirectory.com's listings of the Background Briefing Podcasts

2010-02-07 The last 10 years

The decade since the millenium year has seen fast changes, terrible suffering and a communication revolution. China emerges as a superpower, Iraq and Afghanistan are open sores, Google pushes information frontiers and global warming bedevils political leaders. Reporter, from the BBC, Edward Stourton. (pictured)

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With a dramatic increase in cycling, comes a plethora of new safety issues on the roads. Doctors, politicians, planners and cyclists agree it will mean changing the way we design, govern and use our roads. Reporter Diane Martin.

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Searching for their own identity in a changing world, young Muslims in Australia face a plethora of backyard imams and internet sheikhs. Many are turning to simplistic and conservative interpretations. The emphasis can be on small rituals rather than the complex and subtle spirituality of Islam. It´s a phenomenon known in many religions. Reporter: Hagar Cohen.

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The law in Australia may not have caught up with modern medicine, and doctors and the authorities are caught between a rock and a hard place. So argues Dr Rodney Syme, who refers to himself as a Christian Humanist. He says the current situation for people who are terminally ill and in great pain is a scandal.

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Planning for happy cities, when you're also jamming in millions more people, is politically tricky. Urban planners say they can make better communities with more people, but the NIMBYs don't believe it. Like it or not, high density apartment living is around the corner. Reporter Ian Townsend.

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Copyright began 300 years ago, but now laws can't cope with the anarchy of new technologies. There's a battle between the law and the 'mashers', from the White House to the Australian Federal Court. Reporter, Oscar McLaren. Image by Omaz Z, file photo.

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Out of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, the National Integrity System was born, and is now used by governments and authorities in most countries around the world. The latest is Kurdistan. Corruption, like death and taxes, is inevitable. Ian Townsend explores ways in which it can be managed and minimised. Cartoon by Nicholson from The Australian newspaper: www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au.

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The oldest collection of jokes in the world, Philogelos: The Laughter Lover, is examined for the light it throws on humour today. Professor in classics at Cambridge University, Mary Beard tells a lot of the jokes.

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Behind closed doors all the vice-chancellors are arguing about which bits of the Bradley Report they like and will agree to take on. Can we fit in 30% more students, with many of them from disadvantaged backgrounds? What will be the mix of regulation and deregulation of universities? Reporter Stephen Crittenden.

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With a dramatic increase in cycling, comes a plethora of new safety issues on the roads. Doctors, politicians, planners and cyclists agree it will mean changing the way we design, govern and use our roads. Reporter Diane Martin.

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Hundreds of thousands of puppies are born every year, and many eventually end up in pounds, where most have to be put down. The vicious cycle involves unregulated breeders, pet stores, dog rescuers -- and the buyers who take in a puppy without thinking it through, then dump it. Reporter: Hagar Cohen. Kelly Kesper Kennels, January 2009This video was filmed at the Kelly Kesper Kennels in Victoria in January 2009 by Animal Liberation Victoria. [Duration: 3'44" 23.3MB]

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Planning for happy cities, when you´re also jamming in millions more people, is politically tricky. Urban planners say they can make better communities with more people, but the NIMBYs don´t believe it. Like it or not, high density apartment living is around the corner. Reporter Ian Townsend.

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China currently produces about 95% of the world's rare earths, which are metals which are essential to modern living and used all around us every day. In business it´s a volatile mix, with complex political alchemy for every government, including Australia. Reporter Stan Correy.

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Britain's secret intelligence service, MI6, has both changed history and been changed by it. Unprecedented access was gained by the BBC World Service to people who ran it, worked for it, and worked against it. Reporter David Whitty. For copyright reasons there will be no podcast or transcript of this program.

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Copyright began 300 years ago, but now laws can't cope with the anarchy of new technologies. There's a battle between the law and the 'mashers', from the White House to the Australian Federal Court. Reporter, Oscar McLaren. Image by Omaz Z, file photo.

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He´s over 80 and has written or contributed to 95 books. At one time he was the most cited living academic, a Vietnam activist and a thorn in the side of Reagan. Today he is also critical of 'the left' with dire warnings. Noam Chomsky is as astute and interesting as ever. Producer, Kirsten Garrett. Recorded at the Commonwealth Club, San Francisco

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With so many new communities in Australia coming from countries where there have been brutal wars, the likelihood of some people having suspicious backgrounds is high. Australia has no laws to deal with allegations concerning anyone who arrived before 2002. This leads to anxiety and unrest. Reporter, Hagar Cohen

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Out of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, the National Integrity System was born, and is now used by governments and authorities in most countries around the world. The latest is Kurdistan. Corruption, like death and taxes, is inevitable. Ian Townsend explores ways in which it can be managed and minimised. Cartoon by Nicholson from The Australian newspaper: www.nicholsoncartoons.com.au.

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It's a question no one has really been able to answer, though many try. A new fight for the answer is breaking out all over the place because readers are getting what they want on the internet, and copying stuff is really easy. Reporter Stan Correy. Download Extra Audio - Sir Keith Murdoch, 4th January 1937 Download MP3 Sir Keith Murdoch is giving a speech at the opening of radio station 3LK in Melbourne. Prime Minister Lyons was in attendance at the opening. This may be the only audio rec ...

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Feral deer numbers have exploded in many parts of Australia, and they´re chewing through farms and bushland. Farmers and environmentalists want them declared a pest and professionally culled. But in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania deer are protected for hunters wanting some sport. Tensions are rising. Reporter, Di Martin

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