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American Trains


Flying with Confidence

An excellent chef among us

Thanksgiving is nearly here. Guess who made these tarts. Sorry, pies.

Travel Trends

The Marian Finucane Show is an Irish radio programme, presented by Marian Finucane.
The programme previews the newspapers of the day and continues on with interviews, human interest stories, consumer and lifestyle news as well as panel discussions on issues of the week.

Today travel writer with the Irish Times - Joan Scales joins Marian to talk about travel trends

The Kite Runner author: Khaled Hosseini

Are you into the story yet?
Meet Khaled Hosseini, the writer. Listen to his story and learn about the background to The Kite Runner.

(You may want to skip the first 6 minutes. It's just the intoduction)

The American woman who cost a king his throne

What was the big scandal in Britain in 1936?
Watch the video and find out.

Documentary: Afghanistan - the unknown Country (part 1/5)

For a decade and more, one country has dominated the news headlines more than most - Afghanistan. Mention this country and what comes to mind? Probably Taliban and terrorism, burkas and beards. But Afghanistan is much more. Beyond the headlines of war, there is another country where ancient traditions endure and a new country is emerging, says Lyse Doucet.

1. Afghans celebrate their new year, Nawroz, on 21 March, the first day of spring. Thousands travel to the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif to welcome in Nawroz, a pre-Islamic festival. Local strong men raise a great Janda, an Islamic banner, to herald the beginning of spring and the start of the new year. If it is lifted in one smooth motion, it is seen as a good omen for the months to come. (You have to hold on to something when you live in a country that has already survived more than 30 years of war.)

2. Afghanistan would like its national game, buzkashi, or goat-grabbing, to be an Olympic sport. Regarded as the world's wildest game, it involves riders on horseback competing to grab a goat carcass, and gallop clear of the others to drop it in a chalked circle. It has been played on Afghanistan's northern steppe for centuries. The game used to be the sport of rich rival warlords but is now also financed by Afghan mobile phone companies and private airlines. But it is still not a sport for the faint-hearted, and women should not apply.

3. Poetry is a cherished part of Afghan culture. Afghans have told their stories in verse for more than 1,000 years. Thursday night is "poetry night" in the western city of Herat - men, women and children gather to share ancient and modern verse, listen to traditional Herati music, and enjoy sweet tea and pastries long into the night.

4. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the poster boy for legions of young Afghan men. Photographs of a muscled Arnold in his prime hang from the walls of hundreds of body building centres across the country. Some Afghans say the action-star-turned US governor looks like an Afghan.

The Kite Runner

This is the book we're going to read this term.