United States airstrikes killed 22 people in a hospital in Kunduz, Afghanistan that was run by an international aid group, Doctors without Borders. The aid group had given their exact location to the U.S. military, Afghan forces and the Taliban in an effort to avoid being targeted by mistake. Doctors without Borders is calling this act a war crime and the United States is calling this a mistake. Listen to hear about both sides of this issue, and debate your students’ point of view on what constitutes a war crime.
Story Length: 3:18
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September 7, 2021
5:58
The U.S. war in Afghanistan is over. Evacuation flights recently ended, stranding people unable to reach the airport, including many Americans and the Afghan partners who fought with them against the Taliban over many years. U.S. troops had invaded Afghanistan and ousted the Taliban from power 20 years earlier, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. Now, the Taliban has regained control of the country and the U.S. is concerned that terrorist activity could resume. Listen to hear about the final, frantic days of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, and learn what the new relationship between America and Afghanistan might look like.
Read MoreAugust 24, 2021
7:17
The Taliban recently took control of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital city, and Afghans, Americans, and others are desperately trying to flee the country. The U.S. military has had a presence in Afghanistan for the past 20 years after forcing the Taliban from power, but President Biden recently announced a troop withdrawal. The Taliban responded by quickly recapturing most of the country, and many people fear retaliation and a return to repressive rule. Listen to the head of a government watchdog organization discuss what went wrong in Afghanistan, the lessons to be learned, and how the conflict in Afghanistan parallels past American wars.
Read MoreOctober 5, 2015
2:08
Russia and the U.S. are conducting airstrikes in Syria, with the agreed target of ISIS. However, Russia has launched 20 airstrikes on other targets besides the terrorist group. The U.S. Defense Secretary said the strikes were expected, but to some, the targets may be a surprise. Russia is said to have targeted rebels who oppose Syrian President Assad, a Russian ally but no friend of the United States. The Defense Secretary said this development may prolong the civil war and drive Syrians toward ISIS. With both Russia and the U.S. conducting air operations in the same country, errors or mistakes are likely. This week, Russia and the U.S. will hold talks to make sure both sides’ pilots do not harm each other during the bombings. Listen to hear more about this developing conflict.
Read MoreFebruary 5, 2015
3:56
People often play video games to escape reality or fight pretend wars. Journalists are combining video games and news to flip this reality - bringing real images of war to viewers through the virtual reality of video games. From the Syrian Civil War to conflict over oil, listen to learn how virtual reality is being used to generate empathy and support deeper understanding of existing conflicts and complex systems.
Read More