An update on the Gulf oil spill. Debating Prop. 17- who would the car insurance initiative benefit? Pesticides linked to increased ADHD risk. Iran agrees to send enriched uranium to Turkey. And, growing up through the Arab-Israeli conflict from 1956-1978.
Gulf of Mexico oil spill containment efforts continue
BP engineers have made some progress slowing the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico using underwater robots to insert a narrow tube into the leak site, and pumping oil to a surface ship. The news comes amid reports that enormous oil plumes and dispersants are endangering coral reefs and sea animals. How far-reaching is the damage so far? And with liability caps in place, who will ultimately foot the cleaning bill?
Guest:
Jim Tankersley, LA Times and Chicago Tribune Washington reporter. He just returned to DC from Houston where he was covering the Gulf Oil spill
Steven Mufson, Energy Correspondent for The Washington Post
Prop 17: Who would the car insurance initiative benefit?
It's a low-profile measure on the June ballot, but Proposition 17 could have a direct impact on your auto insurance bills. If it passes, California insurance companies will be allowed to give what are known as "persistency discounts" to new customers who have had continuous or nearly continuous auto insurance coverage. Proponents say it would increase competition, lower rates and be good for consumers. Critics argue the initiative, sponsored primarily by Mercury Insurance, would legalize surcharges of up to $1000 per person for customers who’ve had a lapse in coverage. So would it mean rate hikes or dips for motorists?
Guests:
Mike D’Arelli, Executive Director, Alliance of Insurance Agents & Brokers, representing Yes on 17
Harvey Rosenfield, Founder, Consumer Watchdog (formerly The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights), representing No on 17. He is also the author of Prop 103
Pesticide exposure linked to ADHD
A new study just released from Harvard University School of Public Health found that children with higher levels of the pesticide malathion in their urine had a greater risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The findings draw from a wider sample of the United States population with low levels of exposure to the pesticide, with researchers speculating that most exposure in children came through food. What are the biological effects of these potentially dangerous pesticides, and what are the ways to reduce contact with them?
Guest:
Marc Weisskopf, Assistant Professor of Environmental Health and Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health; lead author of the study
Susan Kegley, Senior Scientist with Pesticide Action Network
Iran nuclear deal: ploy or progress?
Iran announced today that it has agreed to a deal to ship over 2000 pounds of low enriched uranium to Turkey. While the terms of the agreement mirror a deal with the West that fell through last fall, the amount of uranium now likely represents a smaller fraction of Iran's stockpile, as the country has continued uranium enrichment since then. It was estimated last fall that Iran would be giving up two-thirds of its enriched fuel- the same amount is now estimated as less than half of its stockpile. Is this a step forward in nuclear relations, or a deceptive move by Iran?
Guest:
Jim Walsh, International Security Expert at the Center for International Studies, at M.I.T.
Growing up amidst the Arab-Israeli conflict
In his new memoir Crossing Mandelbaum Gate, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Kai Bird melds his personal history growing up in the Middle East with the political turmoil of the Arab-Israeli conflict from 1956 to 1978. As a child he lived through the Suez War of 1956, and later the June 1967 War and the Black September hijackings of 1970 that led to the Jordanian Civil War. His narrative chronicles how all of these events led to the rise and fall of subsequent political movements and how he navigated between people and cultures while surrounded by seemingly endless struggles.
Guest:
Kai Bird, author of Crossing Mandelbaum Gate: Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978 (Scribner)