Entire program – January 29, 2010

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Today on The World: Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair defends his decision to go to war in Iraq; Also, the debate over a tax on carbon emissions in France; And China considers banning dog and cat meat from restaurant menus.

Blair denies covert deal with Bush on Iraq

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Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair has denied striking a “covert” deal to invade Iraq with George W. Bush at a private meeting in 2002 at the President’s ranch in Texas. Blair told the Iraq inquiry in London there was no secret about what was said – that Saddam Hussein had to be dealt with and “the method of doing that is open”. Laura Lynch has been watching the inquiry. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Marco Werman speaks with former Iraqi Prime Minister Allawi
• Timeline: Tony Blair on Iraqi WMD
• Tony Blair’s closest aide defends choices on Iraq

Haiti’s logistical nightmare

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Relief workers, doctors and military troops continue to work hard to help earthquake survivors in Haiti. But conditions there remain extremely difficult. There are reports of hospitals and clinics running out of medicine, and then there’s the still-frustrating work of delivering food and water to survivors. Marco Werman speaks with Wall Street Journal reporter Christopher Rhoads about the logistical nightmare of distributing aid in Haiti. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Christopher Rhoads’s article in the Wall St Journal
• ‘Convoy to Nowhere’ slideshow

Avatar in the Amazon

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If there were ever a place that came close to the magical world of Pandora in James Cameron’s new film Avatar, it would probably be the Amazon. There may not be butterflies that look like flying squid, but in the Amazon can you eat giant worms and lemon flavored ants for dinner in a forest that is home to both the jaguar and the pink dolphin. Reporter Melaina Spitzer joined a group of indigenous leaders from the Amazon in Ecuador’s capital Quito, to see Avatar on the big screen in 3D. Download MP3

• Watch a video of the indigenous leaders going to see Avatar
• Official Avatar website

Phoenix

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French pop and rock has been mostly ridiculed in the US. Phoenix is different – the success of the French band may be due to the fact they were influenced by the right musical role models. Lead singer Thomas Mars tells Marco Werman, when his older brother came back from the US, he played Thomas an album by Prince, and informed him that everything else he was listening to was garbage. Download MP3 (Photo: Adelaide Chen)

• Video: Phoenix live on Letterman
• Phoenix homepage
• Global Hit archive

Science Forum with Darwin’s descendant

This month the movie Creation opened in theaters around the US. It tells the story of Charles Darwin’s life in the months before he published his groundbreaking theory of evolution. The film is based on a book written by his great great grandson Randal Keynes (pictured). The World’s science correspondent, Rhitu Chatterjee talked with Keynes about the process of turning his book into a film. Listen to that interview and post your own questions for Keynes on our latest Science Forum.

• Creation – the movie
• The World Science
• Science Forum

World Books Review: Diary of Some Bad Years

One of literature’s greatest living authors, J. M. Coetzee, writes his own posthumous fictionalized biography, in which he airs his deepest fears that no number of awards or marriages or friends can ever fully dispel the universal human certitude that one is a talentless fraud and an unlovable misanthrope.

• Subscribe to the World Books podcast via iTunes
• Bill Marx’s Arts Fuse blog

The Sandwalk

The Sandwalk is your first clue for today’s Geo Quiz. The Sandwalk is a walking path where Charles Darwin used to stroll…

Former Iraqi leader on pre-war intelligence

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Ayad Allawi, Iraq’s interim Prime Minister from 2004 to 2005, about pre-war intelligence on Iraq, and his own party’s role in its gathering. Download MP3

Sarkozy not giving up on carbon tax

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy is pushing for a carbon tax to help fight climate change. But A LOT of people are pushing back. If passed, France would become the FIRST major world economy to institute such a tax. The political battle could define Sarkozy’s presidential legacy. The World’s Gerry Hadden has the story.

Egypt’s blocks Gaza border

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Linda Gradstein reports that Palestinians in Gaza are upset that Egypt is building a wall to block border tunnels and the smuggling of goods into Gaza.

Egypt celebrates soccer win

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with The World’s William Troop about Egypt’s semi-final win at the Africa Cup of Nation against rival Algeria, and about other soccer news.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography quiz.

China considers ban on dog and cat meat

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There’s a debate in China over a proposed measure that would ban dog and cat meat from restaurant menus. Anchor Marco Werman finds out more from Grace Gabriel of the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Geo answer

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For today’s Geo Quiz, we’re looking for the name of Charles Darwin’s home, where he worked on his groundbreaking theory of evolution. The answer is Down House. The building features in a new film about Darwin. Anchor Marco Werman finds out more from The World’s Science Correspondent Rhitu Chatterjee.