Dozens killed in Baghdad attacks

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Truck bombs and a barrage of mortars have killed at least 75 people and hurt at least 310 in central Baghdad in the deadliest series of attacks in months. There have been no official accusations about who is behind the attacks, or claims of responsibility. Photo by Muhannad Fala”ah/Getty Images. >>> Watch BBC video from Baghdad.

Ethnic rivalries shape Afghan vote

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Fresh violence has erupted in the Afghan capital, Kabul, on the eve of the country’s presidential election. Explosions and gunfire were heard as troops battled and killed three attackers who raided a bank close to the presidential compound. The World’s Jeb Sharp will have a pre-election update. Photo by Paula Bronstein/Getty Images. >>> View a graphic on Afghanistan’s ethnicities.

Afghanistan’s precarious moment

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On our history podcast this week, The World’s Jeb Sharp looks at the history of warlordism in Afghanistan after the return of the notorious Uzbek leader General Abdul Rashid Dostum. We consider the legacy of Afghanistan’s civil strife and its regional and ethnic politics and the implications for this week’s elections. AP Photo/Darko Bandic. >>> Click here to subscribe to Jeb’s “How We Got Here” podcast.

Mon dieu! French oysters under attack

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It’s been a tough summer for France’s oyster farmers. The farmers, and their bivalves, are being battered by everything from bureaucrats to bacteria. And true to French tradition, the farmers are threatening strikes and protests if the government doesn’t do something. The World’s Gerry Hadden reports. Photo: David Monniaux/Wikimedia Commons. >>> Read more about the illness plaguing French oysters.

European peace picnic’s 20th anniversary

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This peace demonstration, known as “The Pan-European Picnic,” was held on the border between two European countries on August 19, 1989. In the run-up to August 19th, the organisers of the Pan-European Picnic had distributed pamphlets advertising the event. The 20th anniversary is celebrated today. We’ll tell you more about what’s planned later on the program. By the way, we’re looking for the name of those two countries for today’s geography quiz!

Entire program – August 19, 2009

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Today on The World: Baghdad is hit with the deadliest wave of violence since the US troop withdrawal from Iraqi cities, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says he’ll appoint women to his cabinet for the first time, and a picnic that helped break down the wall.

Explosions in Baghdad

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Baghdad was pummeled by five explosions today in the deadliest violence since US troops withdrew from the city on June 30th. The targets were mainly government buildings. Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Washington Post reporter, Ernesto Londono.

The Afghan vote

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The World’s Jeb Sharp examines the influence of Afghanistan’s ethnic and regional loyalties in tomorrow’s presidential election.

Health concerns for Afghanistan’s children

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Half of Afghanistan’s children are chronically malnourished, according to the World Health Organization. The BBC’s Hugh Sykes reports from a Kabul hospital.

The gay lifestyle in Beirut

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Being gay or lesbian in the Muslim Arab world isn’t easy. But as Ben Gilbert reports, Lebanon’s capital Beirut has a vibrant gay and lesbian social scene.

Apology campaign for British Nazi code-breaker

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There’s a campaign under way in Britain to press the government to issue an apology in the case of Alan Turing. Turing is considered the father of the modern computer and contributed to the defeat of Germany during World War Two by cracking secret Nazi codes. Turing committed suicide in 1954 after being prosecuted for being homosexual. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out more about the campaign from Richard Gill, a professor of mathematical statistics at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands.

Ahmadinejad to appoint female ministers

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President Ahmadinejad is having a hard time governing in the wake of the disputed presidential election. There have been objections to his choices for cabinet ministers. Now he’s announced he wants to appoint two women ministers. If they’re approved, it would mark the first time since the Islamic revolution that women have been chosen to be part of Iran’s government. The World’s Laura Lynch reports.

Fraud found in Dole banana lawsuit

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Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with Steve Stecklow, investigative reporter for the Wall Street Journal, about bogus evidence that’s been introduced in lawsuits that Nicaraguan peasants have filed against the fruit and vegetable company, Dole.

French produce workers threaten strike

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These are tough times for fruit and vegetable producers in France. And, true to French tradition, they’re threatening strikes and protests if the government doesn’t do something. The World’s Gerry Hadden has the story.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography puzzler.