90.9 WBUR - Boston's NPR news station
Top Stories:
PLEDGE NOW
Here and Now with Robin Young
Public radio's live
midday news program
With sponsorship from
Mathworks - Accelerating the pace of engineering and science
Accelerating the pace
of engineering and science
Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Shiite Militias In Iraq: Savior Or Menace?

Andrew Hoskin tweeted this photo on Oct. 28, 2014, of workers in Baghdad filling a hole left by an ISIS suicide bomber. (Twitter)

Andrew Hoskin tweeted this photo on Oct. 28, 2014, of workers in Baghdad filling a hole left by an ISIS suicide bomber. (Twitter)

It’s been another deadly week in Baghdad. Nearly 200 people have been killed in a relentless campaign of violence waged by the Sunni militant group ISIS against Shiite neighborhoods and mosques.

West of Baghdad, Iraqi security forces say they have stalled the advance of the militants toward the capital and its crucial airport. But how are Baghdad’s seven million people coping with the menace from without and terror within?

The BBC’s Andrew Hosken reports that many Baghdad residents see the Shiite militias as saviors, but others worry these brigades of volunteers have grown ominously powerful.

Note: This BBC interview can be heard in the Here & Now podcast or with the WBUR app.

Guest

  • Andrew Hosken, BBC reporter currently in Baghdad. He tweets @Hoskea10.

Please follow our community rules when engaging in comment discussion on this site.
Robin and Jeremy

Robin Young and Jeremy Hobson host Here & Now, a live two-hour production of NPR and WBUR Boston.

October 28 Comment

Cooking With The Fruit Of Fall

Apples are abundant, but so are pears, pomegranates, persimmons and figs. Our resident chef shares six recipes.

October 28 2 Comments

The Mystery Of Michael Rockefeller’s Disappearance

A new book attempts to piece together what happened to the 23-year-old heir, who went missing in Dutch New Guinea in 1961.

October 27 Comment

Documentary Charts The Rise Of James Brown

The filmmaker, along with a trombonist and an ethnomusicologist, join us to discuss the late "godfather of soul."

October 27 18 Comments

What Happens When A School Pays Teachers $125,000 A Year

Higher teacher salaries may help students do better in school, according to a study that looked at a New York City charter school.