WBEZ's Worldview

On the pontiff's final day, Worldview quizzes listeners on papal history. Immigrants from the Philippines struggle for equality. We examine viral videos from around the world. Syrian doctors react to heightened U.S. aid for the rebels.

Iran meets with global leaders. Egypt's opposition calls for a boycott of parliamentary elections. A reverend in Ireland strives to resolve decades of tension between Protestants and Catholics. 'Global Notes' looks at Tony Sheridan, the Beatles and rock and roll in Hamburg, Germany.

Park Geun-hye was inaugurated as South Korea’s first female president on Monday. Human Rights Watch reveals possible abuses by Mexico's former leadership. Italy's elections see a narrow victory for the left, but a spectacular showing for an upstart movement.

People often assume that the best way to dispose of unused pharmaceuticals is to flush them down the toilet or pour them down the drain, but the EPA and FDA backed off this recommendation for almost all drugs (exceptions are listed on the FDA website). Medicines are among the thousands of “chemicals of emerging concern” that the EPA and the scientific community now monitor in our drinking water. Jerome McDonnell and Kate Sackman from the EcoMyths Alliance discuss the pros and cons of flushing medicines with Olga Lyandres of the Alliance for the Great Lakes and Commissioner Debra Shore of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.

The March 1 deadline for the budget sequester is just around the corner, and defense cuts loom large. An art show in Indianapolis showcases the revolution in Syria. Worldview finds out why flushing unused pharmaceuticals is no longer the best way to go.

The Eastern European nation of Bulgaria doesn't often make international headlines but now it's front page news. Six former heads of the Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet appear in a new documentary and a Somali researcher takes a look at the role of women in politics in Africa.

Since 2005, citizens of Bil’in, a Palestinian village located near the West Bank, have held weekly, non-violent demonstrations against the building of the Israeli separation wall through the community’s agricultural lands and the encroachment of illegal settlements. We’ll talk with Iyad Burnat, head of the Bil’in Popular Committee and a leader in the Bil’in village’s non-violent resistance movement. Emad Burnat, Iyad’s brother, is up for an Academy Award this weekend for his documentary on the movement, 5 Broken Cameras.

On Wednesday, the White House outlined a new strategy on cybersecurity. Security expert Bruce Schneier tells Worldview what he thinks of the policy proposals. Then, Worldview speaks to the brother of an Oscar-nominated Palestinian documentary filmmaker and Chicago gardeners trade resources.

A Pakistani journalist tells Worldview about the plight of his ethnic group. Earlier this month, a former Tibetan Buddhist monk became the 100th person to kill himself through self-immolation, Worldview examines why self-immolation is on the rise. Plus, Morning Shift host Tony Sarabia introduces Worldview to a French composer of film scores.

When Joey Feinstein was riding through North Dakota on his bike, he encountered a farmer staring across his land. He told Joey, "It's changing out there." The farmer was speaking about the state of our climate. For our new EcoHeroes segment, Joey tells us how his life changed that day and how he went on to create Climate Cycle - its mission is to inspire students to green the planet.

Ben Zygier was a Mossad agent who killed himself two years ago after being secretly held in Israel’s most secure prison. The Israeli government maintains that Zygier fed details about his missions to Australian security services. The Israeli-Australian Zygier was known only as "Prisoner X" until a week ago, when Australian television identified him and claimed that he worked as a spy. We’ll talk with blogger Richard Silverstein about the strange twists and turns of the story.

Worldview surveys the strange and fascinating story of Israel's "Prisoner X." The founder of a new political party in Italy explains why he quit the party just days before the election. In our first Eco Heroes segment, Worldview meets two activists using bicycles to raise awareness on climate change.

Chicago’s Peace on Earth Film Festival (POEFF) celebrates independent films on themes of peace, nonviolence, social justice and an eco-balanced world. This year’s Fest runs March 7th-10th at the Chicago Cultural Center. Festival Founder Nick Angotti will tell us about his “Dialogue for Peace” program. It ran 15 films, and included discussion at various Chicago area schools and educational institutions. We’ll also talk with a student and former teacher from one school using the films to promote environmental sustainability. WBEZ is a media sponsor of the Peace on Earth Film Festival.

The United Nations identifies people suspected of war crimes in Syria's brutal civil war. One college professor discusses his research into sex trafficking on the Internet. In France, school reform measures are prompting debate. A film festival focusing on peace and nonviolence comes to Chicago.

Belgian filmmaker Bavo Defurne’s North Sea Texas tells the story of a gay 15 year-old boy who falls in love for the first time. The film is set in 1960’s Belgium. Defurne says the movie isn’t a “coming out” film, but rather a typical love story. Defurne and Worldview film contributor Milos Stehlik join us to discuss the movie.