tagged w/ Uganda
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From temperate England to tropical India, the cycle of the seasons is fundamental to life. But lately they seem to have changed their patterns, with profound consequences.
In the Indian state of Orissa, the black-headed oriole is the messenger of spring. It appears in the villages in January to greet the season’s start and flies away to the forest in March, signalling its end. Richard Mahapatra’s mother used the oriole’s fleeting appearance to teach her son about the natural rhythms of the world. “People like my mother remember six distinct seasons,” says Mahapatra, an environmental writer who now lives in New Delhi. After spring (basanta) and summer (grishma) came the rainy season (barsha). Between autumn (sarata) and winter (sisira) came a dewy period called hemanta. Each season lasted two months and the appearance of each was marked by religious festivals. “She had precise dates for their arrival and taught me how to look for signs of each.”
Damselflies gathered thickly a week before the rains began. Markers of the monsoon, they did not cluster at other times. The open-billed stork alighted on the tamarind tree on Akshaya Trutiya, a festival which usually fell in April or May and traditionally marked the start of the agricultural year. Farmers said that if you forgot the day, the bird would remind you, so predictable was its arrival. In the Mahapatra family’s garden, the nesting of bats in the peepal tree marked the onset of winter; when the tree flowered, it was midsummer.
Lately the heralds of the seasons have become unreliable. Spring is no longer a distinct season. Instead of six periods of equal length, there are two, a brief rainy season and a burning eight-month summer. Winter is a mild transition between the two, and spring, autumn and hemanta have been relegated to little-noticed interludes of a mere week or so.
http://moreintelligentlife.com/content/john-parker/dance-birds-wisdomFrom temperate England to tropical India, the cycle of the seasons is fundamental to... more
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Uganda police are investigating after a marijuana plantation was uncovered in the garden of a convent.
A regional police chief told the BBC that plants covering one acre had been found and uprooted in the southern Masaka district.
Two nuns and two porters have been questioned.
One of the nuns has been quoted by local media as saying the marijuana was used to treat farm animals, such as pigs.
Southern regional commander Emmanuel Muhuirwe told the BBC News website that only the porters had been arrested - not the nuns.
He said the nuns had been questioned because the garden was part of the convent.
But he said no-one had been charged yet and the porters have been released on bail.
Commander Muhuirwe also dismissed reports in Uganda's New Vision newspaper that the nuns had been angry that the police had entered the convent without permission, pointing out that the garden was separate from the convent building.Uganda police are investigating after a marijuana plantation was uncovered in the... more
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Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda to trace the influence of American evangelical leaders on a proposed law that could make being gay punishable by death. The episode "Missionaries of Hate" airs on Wednesday, July 14 at 10/9c.
Vanguard, airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda to trace the influence of... more
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Despite our recent DDoS attacks, we managed to squeak out a feature release for the site last Tuesday. Unfortunately, the DDoS attack resumed shortly after.
“For the love of Pete, tell me what was in the release!!”
While this wasn’t a huge release (those are being reserved for later this month), we were able to sneak a few improvements in that you may have already noticed. Here’s the rundown:
Facebook “Like”
Those of you with Facebook accounts will find that sharing Current TV with your friends just got easier. Have you met the Like button yet? Chances are, you’re already familiar with it on Facebook, and now we’ve implemented Like buttons on all of our content, too. Have you told your friends about Mariana Van Zeller’s recent Vanguard documentary “Missionaries of Hate” yet?
Make sure your Facebook account is connected to your Current profile, then visit the “Missionaries of Hate” page and click the “Like” button to share it with your friends and family on Facebook. Go ahead. Try it out. I’ll wait for you here.
Popularity and Voting Updates
A few weeks ago, we discovered a few kinks in our popularity-scoring algorithm thanks to a few cases where stories were pushed onto the homepage to prove a point. Your message was heard loud and clear, and I’m happy to report that we’ve deployed a couple of notable tweaks to the system that should vastly improve things going forward.
First, your red votes will factor in more prominently going forward. For those of you familiar with gaming mechanics, our voting system needed to be re-balanced to better account for red votes. No longer!
So, fire up your voting fingers. Vote up. Vote down. Vote often. Your votes help determine what belongs in the popular stories feed, so if something looks old, out of place, or you just don’t think it’s as important as other stories out there, you know what to do.
But wait, there’s more. We’ve received a plenty of feedback from our community about the ability to push stories into popularity based upon multiple comments from a very few people on a thread. It goes something like this:
Person 1: I think this is great.
Person 2: @Person 1 -- I disagree!
Person 1: @Person 2 – Well, I disagree with your disagreement!
Person 2: @Person 1 – OK, but your disagreement with my disagreement is disagreeable to me!
Person 1: @Person 2 – Sir or Madam, PLEASE validate my disagreement with you!
This exchange continues on for 40-50 comments, and the next thing you know the story is ranked in the top 10 popular stories on the homepage. Not cool, right?
Well, we’ve now implemented a new addition to comment scoring that will factor for this sort of thing. We would like to see stories containing a wide spanning discussion, with input from a variety of people via comments and votes, not just the back-and-forth between a select few.
So there you have it! We are already working on the next couple releases which plan to include revamped profile pages, new activity streams, and Twitter integration.
Stay tuned!Despite our recent DDoS attacks, we managed to squeak out a feature release for the... more
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Uganda is almost 90 percent Christian, and American evangelicals such as Rick Warren, Benny Hinn and Joyce Meyer are hugely popular. An American-led conference in March 2009 promoted the idea of a "gay agenda" and may have introduced Ugandan religious and political leaders to many of the anti-gay ideas that are now widely held. Mariana interviews David Bahati, the member of Uganda's parliament who introduced the anti-gay bill, and Pastor Martin Ssempa, who is angry that Rick Warren has condemned the proposed law.
In "Missionaries of Hate," correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.Uganda is almost 90 percent Christian, and American evangelicals such as Rick Warren,... more
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The leader of Uganda's anti-gay movement is Pastor Martin Ssempa, a skilled and savvy showman who uses press conferences with international media and church services to present his sermons on the evils of homosexuality. He shows hard-core gay pornography and has a young woman testify to being seduced into being a lesbian by activists.
In "Missionaries of Hate," correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.The leader of Uganda's anti-gay movement is Pastor Martin Ssempa, a skilled and... more
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Mariana meets gay Ugandans who, despite having been arrested, attacked or publicly outed, continue to try to maintain their normal lives. Representatives from Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) talk about how they must move their organization's location every three months to avoid violence. They also attribute the rise in anti-gay attitude is linked to the March 2009 conference led by American evangelicals. Then, at a gay-friendly bar in Kampala, Mariana talks with a small group of Ugandans about how they navigate everyday life as gay people amidst so much fear.
In "Missionaries of Hate," correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.Mariana meets gay Ugandans who, despite having been arrested, attacked or publicly... more
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About a third of Uganda's domestic income relies on foreign aid, delivered by the same aid workers whom anti-gay movement leader Martin Ssempa and others have blamed for seducing their children into homosexuality. The country's proposed anti-gay legislation has been widely condemned internationally, especially in the U.S., where Secretary of State Clinton and President Obama both denounced the bill at the annual National Prayer Breakfast. Uganda's president, Yoweri Museveni, is also feeling pressure to oppose the measure, which in turn prompts Ssempa's group to organize mass demonstrations of popular support.
In "Missionaries of Hate," correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.About a third of Uganda's domestic income relies on foreign aid, delivered by the... more
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Whether the proposed Ugandan bill passes as originally proposed -- including a death penalty provision for "repeat offenders" -- or in a slightly less severe form, everyone agrees that Uganda's anti-gay climate is here to stay. Many of anti-gay movement leader Martin Ssempa's strongest supporters are young college students, and gay activists are pessimistic about their chances of convincing neighbors to show simple compassion. Mariana interviews Rev. Scott Lively, an American who helped begin the "pro-family movement" in Uganda. Despite his opposition to use of the death penalty, Lively calls the bill "the lesser of two evils." Lou Engle, another U.S. religious leader, has also taken up the call for Uganda as "ground zero" in Africa's attempts to resist homosexuality.
In "Missionaries of Hate," correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.Whether the proposed Ugandan bill passes as originally proposed -- including a death... more
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In a revealing and personal commentary, correspondent Mariana van Zeller goes behind the scenes of "Missionaries of Hate." From emotional interviews with gay Ugandans to a disturbing encounter with Pastor Martin Ssempa, Mariana opens up about her 10 days of intense shooting for this story.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.In a revealing and personal commentary, correspondent Mariana van Zeller goes behind... more
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In this exclusive, extended interview with Defend the Family's president, Scott Lively, Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller asks Lively about his role in bringing the "pro-family" movement to Uganda, his quarrel with Uganda's proposed death penalty clause, and his frustrations with Rick Warren and the "wimp factor" of the American evangelical movement.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.In this exclusive, extended interview with Defend the Family's president, Scott... more
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An exclusive, extended interview with David Bahati, the Ugandan member of parliament who introduced the anti-gay bill calling for use of the death penalty. Correspondent Mariana van Zeller asks Bahati about his reaction to President Obama's and Rev. Rick Warren's condemnation of the bill, how he would respond if had a gay family member, and his belief that Uganda may have been chosen by God to fight this "spiritual battle."
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.An exclusive, extended interview with David Bahati, the Ugandan member of parliament... more
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Mariana live tweeted the east coast premiere of "Missionaries of Hate." Here are a few extra tidbits and links she offered during the show.
+ Pastor Ssempa [has] spoken at Rick Warren's church and in the US congress. His services held at Makarere university are always packed, mainly with young people. His services Sat night are held at the university's swimming pool.
+ Long Jones is very religious, and one of the first places he took us to was to the church he attends every sunday.
+ Video of Lively at March 2009 conf - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amVnWtpR1is
+ Bahati, the creator of the bill, was educated in the UK and has also attended Rick Warren's church in California.
+ Rick Warren's video message about anti-gay bill in Uganda: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jmGu9o4fDE
+ Anita Bryant also talked about the recruitment of children by homosexuals...in the 70's. [More here.]
+ Gerald was super brave to talk to us about being a homosexual out in the open.
+ This paper, the Red Pepper, outed almost all the gay ppl we intrvwd.
+ Rep. Tammy Baldwin is the only out lesbian in the US Congress
+ There'll be election in Uganda next year, so Pres. Museveni is in a tough spot, having to choose between pasing bill + losing foreign aid...Or not passing it and losing public support.
+ This rally [with Ssempa and Bahati] lasted 6 hours...no joke.
Follow Mariana on Twitter, and look after the jump to watch the YouTube videos she linked to.
Mariana live tweeted the east coast premiere of "Missionaries of Hate."... more
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Tonight, we’re excited to premiere the first of an all-new slate of stories I believe need to be shared with the world. Our team has traveled far and wide, at home and abroad, to bring you these documentaries.
For previous fans and viewers of Vanguard, you’ll notice a couple changes this time out. Our season will consist of six episodes, but we’ve bumped up each show to a full hour. Our hope is to be able to dive even deeper into each and every story we take up.
Tonight, Mariana van Zeller investigates the influence American evangelicals may have had in shaping one of the harshest anti-gay laws ever proposed, in Uganda.
The story begins last March, when three American evangelical Christians preaching sexual "reorientation" took their message to Uganda to speak about how gays are threatening Bible-based values. Our show, “Missionaries of Hate,” looks into whether these evangelicals may played a role in the introduction of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill of 2009, which would make homosexuality illegal, punishable by life in prison or death. This bill was introduced one month after the missionaries spoke in Uganda.
In the coming weeks, Vanguard will investigate the epidemic of rape on Native American reservations, the dangers of defecation and the plight of the toiletless, the black market trade in soccer players, PTSD-influenced homicides, and we’ll explore why Americans are turning to jihad.
I hope you follow along on our adventures and investigations.
I’d love to hear from you throughout the season, just send me an email at feedback@current.com, Attention: Adam.
Tonight, we’re excited to premiere the first of an all-new slate of... more
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Correspondent Mariana van Zeller was first inspired to pursue a career in journalism while watching TV news in her native Portugal. In this exclusive Vanguard extra, she talks about making her way from Europe to New York City's Columbia University, working side-by-side with her husband, producer Darren Foster, and why people continue to underestimate her.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.Correspondent Mariana van Zeller was first inspired to pursue a career in journalism... more
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As California marked its inaugural Harvey Milk Day, celebrating the gay rights icon, and cities across the U.S. began to commemorate Gay Pride Month, I couldn’t help but remember an interview I recently conducted in Uganda, the east African nation that is home to proposed legislation that would make being gay a crime punishable by life in prison or, in some cases, death.
“I was shocked the other day when I was watching this American movie ‘Milk,’” said Sylvia Tamale, dean of law at Makerere University in Uganda, referring to Gus Van Sant’s 2008 biopic. “I was shocked to see that the arguments put forward by the proponents of anti-homosexuality sentiments were exactly the same, almost word for word. These arguments are not new at all that Ugandans are using to justify the anti-homosexuality bill.”
I met with Tamale while filming the documentary “Missionaries of Hate” for the new season of Current TV’s Vanguard. While I was in Uganda, the campaign to push through the controversial anti-gay bill was reaching a fever pitch, with backers of the legislation drumming up support by holding mass rallies and marches condemning homosexuality.
Just as it was during the life and times of Harvey Milk, the movement against homosexuality in Uganda is being led by a group of conservative Christian evangelicals. And the arguments they’re using are an echo of Anita Bryant and the Save Our Children campaign.
"I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children,” Bryant said in 1977. “Therefore, they must recruit our children.”
More than 30 years later, our cameras were rolling as Ugandan pastor Martin Ssempa brought a young woman to a press conference to testify about how she had been allegedly recruited to be a lesbian. “American money...is being used to seduce our children into homosexuality,” Ssempa said. “This bill is in response and desire to protect our children.”
The connection, while decades apart, is perhaps not so surprising if you believe those who trace the current anti-gay campaign in Uganda back to March 2009. That’s when three American evangelicals were invited to speak at a conference in the country about how Africans can protect themselves from homosexuality. Being gay in Uganda was never easy. But according to many local gay and human rights advocates, it was that conference where the depiction of homosexuality as predatory by nature gained currency in Uganda.
From there, local politicians and pastors—many with long-standing relationships with American Christian groups—took this notion and ran with it. Ssempa, as you’ll see in the documentary, went so far as showing hardcore gay porn in church in order to demonstrate the “sickness” of homosexuality.
It’s been more than three decades since Harvey Milk’s assassination, but the battle he led continues and is now open on new fronts. “I believe that the Christian fundamentalists in the US have found fertile ground in Africa to fight their battles,” Tamale told us. “Obviously they are not making a lot of the headway in the U.S., and they can very easily find allies here to fight their wars on the continent.”
Even after Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill drew the ire of international human rights organizations and governments around the world, another American evangelical, Lou Engle, traveled to Uganda to hold a rally with many of the leaders of Uganda’s anti-gay crusade.
Despite their best efforts, the anti-gay bill is still wavering in Ugandan parliament. Few now believe it will pass in its current form. But the public campaign to push it through created one of the most hostile environments for gays in the world today.
Yet even in this extremely charged climate, we managed to find gay men and women, activists and ordinary citizens who were willing to speak openly about their struggle.
“Admitting I’m gay is no longer a shame to me,” explained Long Jones, a gay man we met in Kamapala who had already been jailed, beaten and blackmailed because of his sexual orientation. “I’m not afraid because this is the opportunity that most people are getting to know that we really exist.”
Vanguard’s season premiere, “Missionaries of Hate,” will air on Current TV on May 26 at 10/9c. Watch a trailer for the episode after the jump.As California marked its inaugural Harvey Milk Day, celebrating the gay rights icon,... more
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This week has brought more troubling news from Africa about anti-gay efforts: A Malawi gay couple is now facing 14 years in prison for holding a symbolic wedding ceremony.
I recently returned from Uganda, where a bill was introduced that would make homosexuality a crime punishable by life in prison or, in some cases, death.
While reporting on this story, I spoke with many of the politicians and religious leaders responsible for the anti-gay campaign in the country. And most, if not all of them told me how they believed that Uganda would set an example for other nations.
“We think that God may be using this country of Uganda to provide leadership in the area of moral issues where the world needs it most,” said Ugandan Member of Parliament David Bahati, who authored the bill.
Bahati and other backers of the legislation told me how they have already received several calls from politicians all across Africa who have been inspired by Uganda’s proposed anti-gay legislation.
Homosexuality is already illegal in 38 African countries—just as it already is in Uganda—but that hasn’t stopped backers of the bill from trying to make it even more so, and the penalties even harsher.
Vanguard's "Missionaries of Hate" premieres on Current TV Wednesday, May 26 at 10/9c. Watch a trailer for the episode after the jump.This week has brought more troubling news from Africa about anti-gay efforts: A... more
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Current's flagship news show, Vanguard, is exploring Uganda's dangerous antigay bill and the American religious figures who have pushed it toward fruition.
Correspondent Mariana van Zeller traveled to the African nation to uncover the roots of the proposal.
Check out a preview of the episode, which will air May 26 at 10 p.m. EasternCurrent's flagship news show, Vanguard, is exploring Uganda's dangerous... more
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Correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the growing influence of American religious groups has led to a movement to make homosexuality a crime punishable by death. As an anti-gay movement spreads across the continent, gay Africans and their families face an increasingly uncertain future of isolation, imprisonment or even execution.
"Vanguard," airing weekly on Current TV Wednesdays at 10/9c, is a no-limits documentary series whose award-winning correspondents put themselves in extraordinary situations to immerse viewers in global issues that have a large social significance. Unlike sound-bite driven reporting, the show's correspondents, Adam Yamaguchi, Kaj Larsen, Christof Putzel and Mariana van Zeller, serve as trusted guides who take viewers on in-depth real life adventures in pursuit of some of the world's most important stories.
For more, go to http://current.com/vanguard.Correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Uganda, where many question whether the... more
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