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Alfonso Cuarón & Laura Cantrell

Who is Oscar? (Hint: his real name isn't Oscar.) This week, we reveal the man who inspired the Academy Awards' iconic gold statue. Kurt Andersen talks with filmmaker Alfonso Cuarn, who explains why the astounding special effects in his movie Gravity (up for 10 Oscars) take second place to Sandra Bullock's performance as an untethered astronaut. The director of the disturbing and singular documentary The Act of Killing takes us into the minds of Indonesian paramilitaries. Plus, Laura Cantrell performs the songs of country legend Kitty Wells live in the studio.

Studio 360

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Cuarón's Gravity & Untitled Film Stills

Kurt Andersen speaks with a poet who is translating new poems coming out of wartime Syria. Alfonso Cuarn explains why the astounding special effects in his new film Gravity take second place to Sandra Bullock's performance as an untethered astronaut. In American Icons, we look at Cindy Sherman's remarkable faux film stills that predicted the selfie as we know it. And Bill Callahan sings us to sleep with songs from his new record Dream River.

Technology

The Midcontinent Rift could have split North America apart a billion years ago. Why didn't it?

Media

The very real science behind 'The Expanse'

Arts, Culture & Media

Studio 360 Goes to the Oscars

Oscar Nominations Can’t Help But Please, Disappoint

Jordanians in Amman, the capital, protest against the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza with signs of solidarity.

Israel-Hamas war

‘We have cried tears of blood’: Jordanians protest Israel-Hamas war amid security, humanitarian concerns

The warning labels are found on a number of Israeli, American and European products.

Jordanians boycott American companies seen as pro-Israeli

China cut graphite imports to the US, worrying EV carmakers. Can Canada come to the rescue?

Ukraine

The Ukrainian counteroffensive and what’s next

Yair Yifrach works with a client at his gun shop, just outside of Jerusalem.

Israeli civilians are buying lots of guns. Not everyone is feeling safer. 

An Israeli flag on the surrounding wall of the West Bank Jewish settlement of Migdalim near the Palestinian town of Nablus, Oct. 25, 2021.

US places rare visa travel restrictions on Israeli settlers implicated in West Bank violence

Environment

Spanish island dumps diesel for wind, water and sunshine

'We saw an immediate drop': Jordan's tourism industry is suffering amid the Israel-Hamas war 

Ghana officially commenced oil production in commercial quantities in 2010.

Climate Change

COP28: African nations resist fossil fuel phaseout, citing economic realities

Human rights

American journalist detained in Russia

Science

A zero-gravity cup lets astronauts get a handle on their coffee

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