U.S. Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, 1st Battalion 5th Marines temporarily occupy a house after arriving in an overnight air assault near the Taliban stronghold of Nawa in Afghanistan's Helmand province Thursday July 2, 2009. (AP)

Marines Storm into Southern Afghanistan

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The first major operation of the new counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan is underway. About 4 thousand Marines fanned out across the poppy fields and valleys of Afghanistan’s Helmand province just after midnight local time in an operation called “Strike of the Sword.” We touch base with Rob Watson, the BBC’s defense correspondent in London.

America: The Untold Story

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Did you know that the first Protestants to come here seeking religious asylum were French Huguenots, who beat the Pilgrims by decades?  The first European-born American was a baby boy named Snorri, born one thousand years ago?   And the first trans-continental trek was by Cabeza de Vaca, centuries before Lewis and Clark?  We reprise our conversation with Tony Horwitz, author of the book “A Voyage Long and Strange: Rediscovering The New World.”

Sports with Bill Littlefield

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We take a look at Wimbledon, the Tour de France, and the rest of the world of sports with “Only a Game” host Bill Littlefield.

Energy Secretary Profile

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President Obama’s energy secretary faces a fight against Big Coal in his effort to stop or at least curb global warming.  So says journalist Jeff Goodell, who profiles Steven Chu in the new issue of Rolling Stone.  Goodell, author of “Big Coal: The Dirty Secret Behind America’s Energy Future,” joins us for a conversation about the challenges Chu faces.

• Listen to our 2006 interview with Jeff Goodell about Big Coal

Singer-Songwriter Freedy Johnston

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When he hit the indie music scene in the early 1990s, Freedy Johnston quickly earned critical acclaim.  His 1992 release “Can You Fly” was called a “perfect album” by New York Times critic Robert Christgau, and Johnston’s 1994 follow up recording “Perfect World” earned him the “singer-songwriter of the year” award from Rolling Stone magazine.  After a long hiatus, Johnston is back with a new collection of original songs called “Rain On The City.”

Music from the Show

• Arcangelo Corelli, “Sonata in A Major”
• The Wee Trio, “About a Girl”
• Paul Simon, “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover”
• Led Zeppelin, “Fool in the Rain”
• Freddie Hubbard, “Little Sunflower”
• Massive Attack, “Future Proof”
• Freedy Johnston, “Bad Reputation”
• Freedy Johnston, “Dolores Was Her Middle Name”
• Freedy Johnston, “Responsible”
• Freedy Johnston, “Perfect World”
• Freedy Johnston, “Don’t Fall In Love With A Lonely Girl”
• Freedy Johnston, “Venus Us Is Her Name”
• Freedy Johnston, “Central Station”
• Freedy Johnston, “Rain On The City”