Hearing Voices - Radio Stories / Nancy Updike

Golden Apple 5-10am 9:32 Nancy Updike

One guy who comes in mornings to play his harmonica, another who at the age of 8, was the youngest butcher in Illinois. Conversations with customers, cooks and waitresses on the first shift, 5am-10am, of a Chicago diner. (Sharon and Jesus drawn by Jorge Colombo.)

Broadcast: Mar 30 2007 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life; Nov 17 2000 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: Labor

Private Sector 59:00 Nancy Updike

20,000 civilian contractors are part of the American forces in Iraq. They have been killed by roadside bombs, they were interrogating prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Ira devotes the whole hour this documentary on the lives of several: including a Boston policeman teaching Iraqis the trade, and a screener at Baghdad airport: private citizen on the payroll of an occupying power.

Broadcast: Jun 10 2005 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life; Jun 4 2004 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: Business, International, War

Private Sector 59:00 Nancy Updike

Award winner: Congrats to Nancy for winning the Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Award for Excellence In Electronic Media/Radio. 20,000 civilian contractors are part of the American forces in Iraq. They have been killed by roadside bombs, they were interrogating prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Ira devotes the whole This American Life hour this documentary on the lives of several: including a Boston policeman teaching Iraqis the trade, and a screener at Baghdad airport: private citizen on the payroll of an occupying power.

Broadcast: Mar 11 2005 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: War, Business, International, Public Affairs

Gaza Town in Middle Ground 4:37 Nancy Updike

A Gaza Strip town is caught between the Israeli army and Hamas. The town’s mayor says he doesn∂t have the power to stop militants from using his town as a staging area for attacks; he just wants to carry out his duties as mayor, but he’s having problems even doing that. The conflict has the town’s tax revenues dwindling -- the citizenry is refusing to even pay taxes -- and is making it hard for city hall to provide basic services.

Broadcast: Dec 1 2003 on APM Marketplace Subjects: War, International, Politics

Photo of new Jewish settlements in the West Bank

Dror’s Mission 21:07 Nancy Updike

Dror Etkes of Peace Watch has taken it as his personal mission to document the spread of Israeli settlements in the West Bank: every shack, mobile home, housing cluster, bypass road and town. Settlement growth is something many people would rather keep quiet. The U.S. has repeatedly called for construction to stop. Dror Etkes is a reluctant activist. He initially had no interest in making this his life’s work.

Broadcast: Nov 21 2003 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: War, Politics, International, Public Affairs

Red Cross Leaves West Bank 5:30 Nancy Updike

The biggest food assistance program in the West Bank is being shut down. The International Red Cross plans to stop its delivery of food and vouchers to some 300,000 people by the end of this month, claiming Israel has the resources to provide food in the occupied territory.

Broadcast: Nov 13 2003 on APM Marketplace Subjects: Health, War, International

Young Palestinians on the New Prime Minister 4:42 Nancy Updike

Palestine’s new PM is Abu Mazen. Four Palestinian youth in Jerusalem consider the recent change in Palestinian leadership and the effect -- if any -- it will have on their lives. [transcript]

Broadcast: Sep 11 2003 on NPR Day to Day Subjects: Politics, International, Public Affairs

Nasser’s News 19:49 Nancy Updike

One journalist’s question: how do I keep these kids from joining Hamas, or doing a suicide bombing? His answer: create an incredibly popular TV program where he translates the Israeli newscasts into Arabic live, every night, in real time. Language, he says, can be a bridge to peace. A report on the complicated mission of Palestinian journalist Nasser Laham.

Broadcast: May 30 2003 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: Politics, Public Affairs, International

Life Indoors- Palestine 14:49 Nancy Updike

Life under curfew in Ramallah can be, among other things, intensely boring. Sam Bahour, a Palestinian who was born and raised in Ohio, came back to the West Bank in 1995, when peace seemed possible, to help build the Palestinian state. Now he can’t leave his house.

Broadcast: Aug 1 2002 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: International, Politics, Public Affairs, War

What’s A Moderate? 15:09 Nancy Updike

What if a new Palestinian leader came on the scene who was neither part of the corrupt autocracy of the Palestinian Authority, nor part of fundamentalist, suicide-bombing Hamas? We follow possible future Palestinian political candidate Mustafa Barghouti, a doctor who’s well known for setting up clinics.

Broadcast: Aug 1 2002 on PRI/WBEZ This American Life Subjects: Public Affairs, Politics, International