Playing for Change

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Our Global Hit today is about a musical project called “Playing for Change.” It’s a truly global, multi-media project that started a few years ago.

Ecuadorian chocolate

For today’s Geo Quiz we make our way to a city in the heart of Ecuador. The city were looking for is a good launch pad for an excursion into the Amazon rainforest.

Entire program – October 19, 2009

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Today on The World: The latest on Pakistan’s offensive against Taliban militants; Also, India’s offensive against Maoist rebels; Plus, an art exhibit in China that artist say reflects the haphazard way the country is developing.

Pakistan military ‘battles Taliban’

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The Pakistani army has said it has pushed deeper into South Waziristan as it battles to wrestle control of the region from the Taliban and al-Qaeda. On the offensive’s third day, the army said it had captured important strategic heights in the mountains. Up to 100,000 civilians have fled the conflict zone, according to the army. We get an update from the BBC’s Aleem Maqbool. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Pakistan’s Waziristan challenge

Power sharing in Afghanistan?

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Afghanistan might be heading toward a power sharing agreement between the two leading presidential candidates, incumbent Hamid Karzai and former foreign minister Adbdullah Abdullah. The model has been tried in other nations but the results were mixed, as The World’s Matthew Bell reports. Download MP3

• FAQ Afghan election
• Marco Werman’s interview with Dr Abdullah
• Matthew Bell’s ‘American Influence’ podcast

India’s Maoist insurgency

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India is preparing to strike at Maoist rebels. The 40-year-long Maoist insurgency has claimed more than 600 lives just this year. The BBC’s Tinku Ray traveled to a village in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh. It used to be under Maoist control but the government has taken it back. Download MP3

• BBC coverage

Mideastern Harleys

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Harley Davidson has hit some hard times, the company just reported an 84% slide in 3rd quarter profits. So it’s looking to wealthy customers overseas to expand its market. Places like the Middle East. Earlier this month, more than 200 Harley bikers came together in Lebanon for one of the biggest motorcycle tours the region has ever seen. Ben Gilbert reports from Beirut. Download MP3 (photo: Ben Gilbert)

• Ben Gilbert’s photos from Lebanon
• Lebanon hog tour
• Harley Davidson

No Ibrahim prize

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The World’s Alex Gallafent reports on the controversy surrounding this year’s Ibrahim Prize for excellence in African leadership. The award is supposed to a former democratically-elected African head of state. But the award committee decided there was no candidate worthy of the honor this year.

Slapdash art in China

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The World’s Mary Kay Magistad reports on an art exhibit in Beijing that the artists say is a commentary on how China is developing – in haphazard or slapdash fashion.

Iran enters nuclear talks

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with BBC security correspondent Jonathan Marcus about the ongoing nuclear talks with Iran. There’s concern that Iran may be backing away from a proposed deal to ship its enriched uranium to other countries for further processing.

Government vs. media in Turkey

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The World’s Aaron Schachter reports that Turkish authorities have charged the country’s largest media group with tax evasion and slapped the company with a record fine. Some critics say it’s a brazen attempt to stifle Turkey’s media. Other say the country’s media moguls are getting what they deserve.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography quiz.

Geo answer

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The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is Greece and Malaysia. Approximately 1 out of every 5 people in those countries owns a moped or motorbike. For today’s Geo Quiz, we asked you to name the countries with the highest per capita use of motorcycles and mopeds. About 1 out of every 5 people in Malaysia and Greece rides a moped or motorbike. Streets in Thailand and Italy are also crowded with motorbikes. But Malaysia and Greece are the answers to our Geo Quiz.

Global Hit

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Anchor Marco Werman introduces us to Colombian band Bomba Estereo who do to cumbia what the Rolling Stones did to the blues: they rock it out.

Bomba Estereo

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Anchor Marco Werman introduces us to Colombian band Bomba Estereo who do to cumbia what the Rolling Stones did to the blues: they rock it out.