Olympic marathon runner Feyisa Lilesa is Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group. As he crossed the finish line to win a 2016 silver medal, he crossed his raised arms in an act of defiance against the Ethiopia's treatment of his people. We talk about his protest with Oromo activist Seenaa Jimjimo. Plus, we discuss the struggles of Muslims and people of color living in Western-styled democracies and unsafe water in Colombia.

On today's show:  As a Saudi Arabia-led coalition launched military strikes on Yemen’s capital of Sanaa, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in support of Houthi rebels in control of the city. The conflict has killed over 6,500 people. We get the latest.  Have events on the world's political stage this summer signaled the end of democracy as we know it?

On today's show: The Burkini is a swimsuit that opened up possibilities for Muslim women to enjoy the beach, while not violating their religious traditions for dress. After a series of terrorist attacks, French cities like Nice and Cannes have banned the clothing. We talk about the controversy with Dr. Farid Hafez of the University of Salzburg.  We discuss the new film Kubo and the Two Strings with the film's director. Global citizen Nari Safavi gives us his picks for the weekend.

On today's show:Just after the one year anniversary of the Iran nuclear deal, we evaluate how well both sides are keeping their promises.While American companies continue to dominate the tech startup market, several other tech hubs are making a name for themselves in Central and Eastern Europe.Historian John Schmidt walks us through the coup against Gorbachev and the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union.

On today's show:Russia claimed it foiled a terrorist attack by Ukrainian government forces and Ukraine denies the plot.Uber was unable to win over the Chinese market. After $2 billion in losses, it sold its remaining shares to local rival Didi. The Olympics in Rio are winding down, but you can still enjoy some new Brazilian music.

On today's show: An Imam and his assistant were murdered over the weekend in Queens. We discuss Islamophobia and Trump's latest speech advocating ideological tests for immigrants with Ahmed Rehab of the Chicago Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.  We also get a human rights update on the Rio games from Dave Zirin of The Nation magazine.

Twenty teams are competing in handball at the 2016 Olympics, but it's not the handball with which most Americans are familiar. Team handball is fast and explosive. It's played on an open pitch a little larger than a basketball court. And it plays like a combination of hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. Sports journalist Stefan Fatsis tells us about the high-speed world of team handball, the game's global popularity, and why many Americans have never heard of it. 

Governments around the world engage in cyberhacking and cyberespionage. The U.S. and Israel collaborated on a malicious worm called "Stuxnet" to disrupt Iran’s nuclear program. Likewise, Iran has a malware program called “Droidjack,” which installs spyware on the computers of people like Syrian opposition activists.  Ron Deibert is the director of The Citizen Lab, a research watchdog group that investigates and tracks how governments use the internet and cyberspace for abuse. He tells us about targeted digital attacks, which he calls “a silent epidemic.”

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has created such a climate of fear and intimidation that hundreds or thousands of people have turned themselves into authorities because they feel prison is safer than being in public. Human Rights Watch has condemned Duterte’s methods. We talk about his presidency with Phelim Kine, deputy director in Human Rights Watch’s Asia Division. 

On today's show: The Philippines' President, Rodrigo Duterte, has threatened to personally kill suspected drug dealers and drug users. We take a closer look at the presidency of the man nicknamed "the punisher."  We discuss cyberhacking and cyberespionage in the war in Syria.  Plus, a newbie's guide to Olympic handball.