WAMU-FM: WAMU: The Kojo Nnamdi Show Podcast

YOUR TURN: This week brought more arrests in the Boston bombing plot, a rare public appearance from Syria's president and questions about the Maryland prison system after charges were made against 13 guards alleged to have aided a gang operating in and from a Baltimore jail. It's your turn to weigh in on these stories and other headlines that have been capturing your attention. (52 min.)

A FRONTLINE FIGHTER IN PEDIATRIC HIV: In early March, the HIV community was stunned by a headline it had waited more than two decades to see: a baby in Mississippi had been "functionally cured" of the HIV virus. The medical team behind the research was led by Dr. Deborah Persaud, a virologist at Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore. Kojo talks with Persaud about what her research means for HIV treatment locally and globally, as well as how her career brought her from Guyana to the peak of pediatric medicine. (24 min.) TIME FOR THREE: They've been described as a classically trained trio with a garage band mentality. With two violins and a double bass, they bend genres, incorporating jazz, pop and bluegrass into their music. We hear from Time for Three, young musicians who aim to introduce their distinctive classical sound to new audiences. (25 min.)

COMPETITION FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS AND FACILITIES: From lacrosse to soccer, football to ice hockey, recreational sports leagues for children and adults are thriving in our region. The result is stiff competition for a place to play. We explore the growing demand for athletic fields and facilities, and examine local efforts to balance the needs of sports leagues, school teams and individuals for limited public resources. (52 min.)

VIRGINIA ETHICS INVESTIGATIONS: Virginia law doesn't require elected officials to disclose gifts given to their family members, but Gov. Bob McDonnell is facing questions about a donor picking up the $15,000 catering bill for his daughter's 2011 wedding. The FBI is currently looking into the relationship between Virginia's first family and the donor, the CEO of Star Scientific, a nutritional supplement company, and some are calling for ethics reform in the Commonwealth. A reporter covering the story brings us up to speed on the players involved and possible fallout. (16 min.) HOW PIZZA EXPLAINS THE WASHINGTON REGION: Pizza is one of the Washington region's most popular and most versatile foods. Restaurants across the area are winning acclaim for boutique-style pies, satisfying customers and restaurant critics alike. But some lament that the scene is becoming less accessible, and that affordable, family-style restaurants are falling by the wayside. We explore the craft of making great pizza and what our pizza scene says about the region as a whole. (38 min.)

GAME CHANGER? AN AMERICAN MALE ATHLETE COMES OUT: Professional basketball player Jason Collins on Monday publicly declared his homosexuality, becoming the first active player on a major American sports team to do so. Collins was a Washington Wizard at the end of the regular season and is now a free agent. He says he didn't set out to be a trailblazer but wants to start a conversation about inclusiveness for gay athletes. Kojo explores how Collins' revelation is likely to change the atmosphere for men and women in professional sports. (22 min.) HEALTH INSURERS GEAR UP FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: Under the still-controversial Affordable Care Act, health insurers are gearing up to enroll previously uninsured individuals, beginning in October. In preparation, the region's biggest insurance company wants to raise premiums for those people, saying they're likely to be in poor health and need expensive care. But the law's advocates are crying foul. Kojo examines what the influx of new customers will mean for insurers and what the options will be for consumers. (27 min.)

DIGITAL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF AMERICA LAUNCHES: Public libraries have long played a central role in American communities. The Digital Public Library of America aims to follow in that tradition as an online database of the nation's collective history and culture. We'll look at how the newly-launched online library builds off the work of public libraries, museums and archives and creates exciting new possibilities for researchers, programmers and curious minds. (52 min.)

BANGLADESH: CHEAP CLOTHES, DEADLY FACTORIES: The South Asian nation of Bangladesh has risen rapidly within the global garment industry to become the world's second largest exporter of clothing. European and American companies have been attracted by some of the lowest wages in Asia. But two recent deadly accidents in Bangladeshi factories — including a building collapse that killed more than 300 people — have raised questions about the true cost of cheap clothes. Kojo explores the global clothing economy. (23 min.) "PAYBACK: THE CASE FOR REVENGE": Revenge is a powerful motivator. It's fueled violence, war and vigilantism across human history. But this most basic impulse also makes many Americans uncomfortable, particularly with regards to our judicial system. One legal scholar argues that "justice" and "revenge" are intertwined, and victims would be better served if there was more focus on the latter. Kojo explores the complexities of the emotion, where it's appropriate and how it might be effectively deployed. (26 min.)

OFFSHORE WIND: Hundreds of offshore wind turbines generate power across Europe, but here in the U.S. ambitious offshore wind projects have stalled in the face of local opposition and regulatory hurdles. This year, one long-planned offshore wind farm is slated to move forward off Cape Cod. Maryland also recently approved legislation to develop a project off the coast of Ocean City. We explore the future of offshore wind in America. (52 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR: Washington voters keep a longtime Democratic activist on the D.C. Council. Montgomery County gives its bag tax policy second thoughts. And Arlington County pushes forward with a streetcar project, despite being rejected for federal funding. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

THE POLITICS HOUR: A D.C. lawmaker turns to a private law firm for help writing a school reform bill. Activists in Maryland join forces with the National Rifle Association to challenge the state's new gun bill in court, rather than through referendum. And Virginia's presumptive Republican nominee for governor decides against mounting a campaign to repeal the commonwealth's new transportation plan. Join us for our weekly review of the politics, policies and personalities of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. (52 min.)

THE LOCAL & NATIONAL POLITICS OF GUN CONTROL: The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected several gun measures crafted in the wake of last year's school shootings in Newtown, Conn. The defeat of the legislation reflects the complicated politics of gun control at both the federal and local levels. Kojo explores the political dynamics of the debate, with a focus on Virginia — which is still reeling from the Virginia Tech shooting that took place six years ago this week. (14 min.) DOCUMERICA:1970S PHOTOS OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY: Best known as the decade of disco and bell-bottoms, the 1970s also saw the birth of the modern environmental movement. A new exhibit at the National Archives explores Documerica, a photography project launched in the early '70s by the newly-created Environmental Protection Agency. Modeled on the famous Depression-era photography of the Farm Security Administration, the EPA hired photographers to capture images of environmental pollution, but also the trends and cultural shifts of that decade. (36 min.)

PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND THE LEGACY OF GIDEON VS. WAINWRIGHT: It's been half a century since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that criminal defendants must be given a lawyer, even if they can't afford to pay. Today, about 80 percent of criminal defendants rely on a public defender. But many public defenders face crushing caseloads that make it hard to give adequate time and energy to each client. Kojo explores representation for indigent defendants and asks what overworked public defenders mean for the criminal justice system. (52 min.)

TECHNOLOGY, EMERGENCY RESPONSE & THE BOSTON BOMBINGS: The bombings at the Boston Marathon on Monday tested the capacities of both modern technology and emergency response networks. Some of the early lessons from Boston are applicable to other cities that routinely stage large events in public spaces. Kojo explores the intersection of technology and emergency response. (19 min.) D.C. TOASTS: THE BLACK MIXOLOGY CLUB: Prohibition provides an interesting perspective on the history of racial discrimination in the United States. A number of African-American bartenders saw their craft as a gateway to the middle class in an era when many doors were closed to black workers. Kojo talks with historians and mixologists who are now unearthing the stories — and the recipes — behind that generation of African-American bartenders. (31 min.)

PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND THE LEGACY OF GIDEON VS. WAINWRIGHT: It's been half a century since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that criminal defendants must be given a lawyer, even if they can't afford to pay. Today, about 80 percent of criminal defendants rely on a public defender. But many public defenders face crushing caseloads that make it hard to give adequate time and energy to each client. Kojo explores representation for indigent defendants and asks what overworked public defenders mean for the criminal justice system. (52 min.)

THE FALLOUT OF THE ATTACK ON THE BOSTON MARATHON: Federal and local authorities in Massachusetts continue to investigate the explosions at the Boston Marathon. In Washington, law enforcement agencies are boosting security around landmarks and Metro. Kojo explores local and national reactions to yesterday's events in Boston, and connects with a journalist from Washington who reported on the scene after running the race. (11 min.) MARK MAZZETTI: "THE WAY OF THE KNIFE" : The mission of the CIA and its role in national security has been a subject of debate from the earliest days of the clandestine agency. Today the agency is central to counterterrorism operations, as more focus is put on drone strikes and other targeted strategies. Reporter Mark Mazzetti gives us a look at some of the personalities shaping the agency as it faces questions about controversial tactics. (38 min.)