NPR People: Koppel on the News Podcast

Ted Koppel says the global efforts to draw attention to China's human rights record as the Olympic torch continues its rounds is working. But, he says, as far as bringing real change in Tibet is concerned, the protests surrounding the torch are doing little.

China is struggling to produce enough energy to keep fueling its remarkable pace of economic growth. That means that coal mines throughout China are pressed to bring millions more tons of coal to the surface even as the government vows to shut unsafe mines.

What exactly is the U.S. mission in Afghanistan? And what are the presidential candidates' policies concerning the region? NPR Senior News Analyst Ted Koppel looks at the conflicts in the region during the past two centuries and what they mean for America's current foreign policy.

President Bush appealed to Saudi leaders this week to increase the flow of oil — to help to keep prices under control. It's a ritual for U.S. presidents — and one that NPR Senior News Analyst Ted Koppel says is almost obsolete.

According to this week's National Intelligence Estimate, Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program four years ago. President Bush reacted to the report by saying it confirms that pressure on Iran has worked, and Iran is still dangerous.

According to this week's National Intelligence Estimate, Iran suspended its nuclear weapons program four years ago. President Bush reacted to the report by saying it confirms that pressure on Iran has worked, and Iran is still dangerous.

NPR Senior News Analyst Ted Koppel comments on the balance between making good business choices and having a backbone in dealing with the Chinese. Koppel says the Chinese these days don't like Americans dictating to them, and they are flexing their mouths and muscle more than previously.

America's close relationship with Pakistan's President Gen. Pervez Musharraf recalls another ally: the Shah of Iran. It's nearly 30 years since the fall of the Shah and the rise of an Islamic state hostile toward the United States. It's still not clear whether the U.S. put too much pressure on the Shah.

Traveling through the industrial, fast-growing city of Chongqing in central China, NPR Senior News Analyst Ted Koppel is examining the connections between Chinese workers, business and consumers and their U.S. counterparts.

The U.S. security firm Blackwater USA has come under a great deal of fire from Iraqi authorities after some of its operatives were blamed for a shooting that cost civilian lives. But the truth is, the company will be needed even more if a drawdown of U.S. troops occurs.