PRI's The World - with Host Marco Werman
Amazing scenes are unfolding at Nelson Mandela's memorial in Johannesburg. The World's newsroom focuses today on decoding the historic gathering of world leaders -- from the meaning of a handshake to the tenor of a speech. To get at the real buzz inside South Africa we turn to talk radio host Redi Thlabi. And we'll hear from the Guardian's Chris McGreal about the voices who laud Mandela now but supported apartheid back then.
Meanwhile, a classic American icon revs up for overseas markets. Ford hasn't sold the Mustang, its signature muscle car, outside of the US since 1979. But now, Ford is hoping to tap into American lore -- and tap into lucrative foreign markets in the bargain. Clark Boyd, who owned a Mustang back in the day, will have this week's Sideways Glance -- our regular segment on stories that make us do a double-take.
The World's Rhitu Chatterjee is now reporting from her native India. And elephants are on her mind. When Rhitu was a kid, she'd see them in the streets and just about everywhere. Not so much now, partly because of new animal welfare laws. Rhitu tells us more.
And for our show ender, Marco Werman brings back South African talk show host Redi Thlabi to tell us about the kind of song she's missing in the tributes she's hearing. For Redi, it's the sort of live acapella music that used to break out spontaneously when Nelson Mandela entered a room. We offer "Y'Zinga" by the Robben-Island Prison Singers. Definitely worth a listen..