Swine flu endangers Amazonian tribe

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Swine flu has hit one of the largest isolated indigenous groups in the Amazon. The government in Venezuela has sealed off part of the country to stop swine flu devastating the Yanomami tribe of Indians. Seven members of the tribe have been killed and a thousand are believed to have caught the flu. Survival International is London-based indigenous rights group. We speak with Fiona Watson, research and field director for Survival International, about the situation. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Survival International – The movement for tribal peoples

The post-communist generation

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For some living in what was once the Eastern Bloc, the anniversary of bringing down the wall brings little cause for celebration. The last twenty years have brought freedom but also hardship and uncertainty – especially for the youngest generation who have grown up without Communism. Laura Lynch visited a high school in Budapest, Hungary. Download MP3

• Laura Lynch’s story on the first breach of the Iron Curtain in 1989
• Susan Stone reports how young Germans remember East Germany
• The World’s Gerry Hadden revisits the former East German border
• The World’s Alex Gallafent on owning a piece of the Berlin Wall

Night Witches

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We take you back to World War II for today’s Geography Quiz. We’re looking for the first nation to put female pilots into combat. This nation had three regiments of female pilots, and during the war they flew more than 30,000 missions. Their enemies called them the Night Witches, and they are the subject of a new documentary by the BBC’s Lucy Ash. Download MP3

• Night Witches radio documentary
• Night Witches Audio Slideshow
• Lucy Ash on the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent
• Video footage of the Night Witches

Ukraine takes drastic measures against swine flu

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Ukraine’s government is responding aggressively to swine flu. But as Brigid McCarthy reports from Kiev, its aggressive stance may be more about politics than prevention.

Overweight Americans and national security

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A study released today in Washington warns that young Americans are increasingly unfit to serve in the military. The primary reason is they’re overweight. The World’s Katy Clark reports.

U2 behind a wall in Berlin

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The group U2 is performing a free concert in Berlin tonight to mark 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Ironically, another wall is going up for the performance. Anchor Marco Werman explains.

Fashion week in Pakistan

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Anchor Marco Werman has news of an event presenting a different picture of Pakistan. That’s Pakistan’s Fashion Week.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography puzzler.

Music Heard on Air for November 5, 2009

Tunes Spun On The Word Between our reports for November 5, 2009. Artists featured are Mario Grigorov, Ali Farka Toure, Ry Cooder, Ceu, Hamid Ekawel, Karsh Kale, Hassan Hakmoun, Ustad Sultan Khan, T. Ria, Staff Benda Bilili.

Panama! 3

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We’re going to hear a little music from Panama for today’s Global Hit. Specifically music recorded between 1960 to 1975. It’s from a CD is called Panama 3. It’s part a three CD collection of historic music from Panama released by Sound Way records. We hear from music critic Tom Schnabel.

Entire program – November 4, 2009

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Today on The World: Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah refuses to join the government and says he’ll continue to demand corruption reform, Germany reacts in anger at GM’s decision not to sell its European subsidiary Opel; and how a picnic in Communist Hungary played a role in bringing down the Iron Curtain.

First breach in the Iron Curtain

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Before the Berlin Wall fell in November 1989, Hungary tore down its barbed wire. Hungary’s prime minister didn’t ask permission in Moscow. He just told Soviet President Gorbachev it was a done deal. Hundreds would escape to the West in a single day. The World’s Laura Lynch went back to Western Hungary. Download MP3

• Hungary’s role in the 1989 revolutions
• 1989: Europe’s revolution
• The World’s Gerry Hadden revisits the former East German border
• The World’s Alex Gallafent on owning a piece of the Berlin Wall

CIA agents guilty of Italy kidnap

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An Italian judge has convicted 23 Americans – all but one of them CIA agents – and two Italian secret agents for the 2003 kidnap of a Muslim cleric. The agents were accused of abducting Hassan Mustafa Osama Nasr, known as Abu Omar (pictured), from Milan and sending him to Egypt, where he was allegedly tortured. Marco Werman talks with John Radsan, who served as the CIA’s assistant general counsel from 2002 to 2004. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Central Intelligence Agency

Karzai rival continues criticism

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Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s main presidential opponent Abdullah Abdullah, who dropped out of the run-off election, today questioned the legitimacy of the Karzai government. The World’s Aaron Schachter reports.

Iran anniversary

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Today is the 30th anniversary of the Iranian hostage crisis: on Nov 4th, 1979 Iranian militants seized the US embassy in Tehran. Today, an official rally in Teheran marked the anniversary, but opposition supporters staged a demonstration of their own. Anchor Marco Werman talks with Robin Wright, author of “Dreams and Shadows: The Future of the Middle East.” Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Dreams and Shadows: book info