Julian Assange, Wikileaks and Press Freedom

Guest: Ed Carter, Professor of Media Law, BYU

You may have seen the video footage of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange being dragged out of Ecuador’s embassy in London last week. London police say they arrested Assange on behalf of United States authorities for charges related to the massive leak of classified military documents and diplomatic cables Wikileaks published in 2010. Human Rights Watch says prosecuting Julian Assange sets a dangerous precedent and could encourage other countries to crack down on investigative journalists exposing government abuse. On the other hand, the Washington Post’s editorial board and other major news outlets say Julian Assange is not a journalist or hero of the free press.

 

Revisiting the Wells Fargo Scandal

Guest: Kenneth H. Thomas, President of Community Development Fund Advisors in Miami

The CEOs of America’s biggest banks were in Washington last week trying to convince skeptical lawmakers that they learned their lessons from the global recession bailout fiasco and can truly be trusted to act responsibly a decade on. Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America were all at the hearing. Wells Fargo –the fourth largest bank in the country –was notably absent, because it’s CEO Tim Sloan had just resigned. Sloan had only been in charge for two years –after taking the reins from another CEO who was forced to step down after revelations of widespread fraud at the bank. At this point, Wells Fargo may need more than a fresh face in the corner office to repair its reputation.

 

And Action! Life as a Movie Extra

Guest: Daniel Watts, Top of Mind Student Producer and Researcher

It’s ironic that for all the glitz and glamor in Hollywood, most of the jobs aren’t really that glamorous. Being an “extra” on a film or TV show fits that category. But lots of people think that’s the gateway to stardom. First, you’re a faceless member of a crowd scene. Then you get to walk in front of the camera and your face is visible. Then you’ll get speaking line or two and presto! –you’re getting cast for big roles. But what if being an extra is exactly the wrong way to get famous? And actually, makes you less likely to get the starring role you dream of?

 

How America Got Hooked on Sugar 

Guest: Cristin Kearns, Assistant Professor, University of California, School of Dentistry, San Francisco

Do you know how much of the packaged food we eat has sugar added? Seventy-four percent! Even if you cut all candy and soda out of your diet, you’ll still be getting a lot of added sugar in stuff you’d never suspect. This is partly because Americans are conditioned to love the taste of it, but also because the companies that manufacture sugar have been very, very savvy over the last 50 years at promoting their product as natural and not bad for you. 

 

The Nile Project Brings Countries Together With Music 

Guest: Mina Girgis, Co-Founder and CEO of the Nile Project

The Nile is the longest river in the world and it’s also the most complicated water conflict in the world. There are 11 countries that depend on the Nile stretching from the lush equatorial center of Africa up to the arid Northern Coast. Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania are just a few of the countries locked in a decades-long disagreement over the Nile’s flow. And the conflict is complicated by the fact that these 11 countries have very different cultures, languages and economies.

 

A Refugee’s Story

Guest: Sohail Wahedi, PhD Candidate in Law, Erasmus School of Law in University Rotterdam

Forty years ago, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, sparking the first big wave of refugees leaving the country. After that war came a civil war and then the US invasion against the Taliban and throughout that time, millions of Afghans have been forced to flee their homes. They are the second largest refugee population in the world, after Syria.