Welcome to the second hour of the Civic Media Spotlight. This is Nite Lite with Pete Schwaba and Greg Bach.

Pete and Greg start things off with a conversation that hits close to home, talking with Chris Knopf from Friends of the Boundary Waters about the ongoing fight over mining near the Boundary Waters Wilderness. Knopf lays out the concerns pretty clearly—there’s a Chilean company looking to move forward with mining that could bring sulfuric acid pollution into one of the most pristine areas in the country. He also talks about the growing pushback, with support coming from both sides of the aisle and a broader Midwest coalition focused on protecting clean water.

Then the show takes a turn internationally. Dartmouth scholar Golnar Nikpour joins to break down modern Iran beyond the headlines. She talks about the country’s deep cultural history, its complicated political system, and how its prison system has evolved over time with influences from around the world. The conversation also touches on the realities of war, including the devastating bombing of a girls’ school.