Chechen terrorists crossed a new line over the weekend, when a hostage-taking at a school in Beslan, in southern Russia, ended in the loss of some 500 lives--nearly half of them young children. The killings have been denounced worldwide. They've also led critics to ask some hard questions. Are Russian security forces up to the challenge? Will President Putin try to excuse Russia-s record of human rights abuses in Chechnya as part of the war on terrorism? What will be the cost of increased security measures on Russian democracy? In the aftermath of recent terrorist attacks, guest host Sara Terry examines the Russian political landscape with journalists and historians as well as defense, policy and terrorism experts in the US and Russia. (An extended version of this segment was originally aired earlier today on
To the Point.)
- Making News: Genesis Capsule Crash Lands
As scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena watched in dismay, the Genesis space capsule crash-landed in the Utah dessert. It was carrying with it a fragile collection of solar wind particles. It is unknown whether the precious research survived. Veteran NASA observer Donna Shirley explains what went wrong and what scientists hope to salvage from the discovery mission.
Guest host
Sara Terry is an award-winning writer and photographer, who has written for the Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, Fast Company, Rolling Stone and the Boston Globe. Her current photo-documentary project is
Aftermath: Bosnia's Long Road to Peace.
