Entire program – June 3, 2010

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Today on The World: Israel rejects international calls for an independent investigation into the flotilla attack; then South Africa’s winemakers face a feisty threat to their vineyards; and a Russian rocker stands up to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on national television.

Turkey buries its Gaza flotilla dead

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Emotions are running high in Turkey at funerals for nine activists, all Turkish or of Turkish origin, killed in Israel’s raid on the Gaza aid flotilla. The bodies were flown from Israel to Istanbul, along with more than 450 activists, to a heroes’ welcome. Israel has said there is no need for an international inquiry into the incident, insisting its own will meet the “highest international standards”. Marco Werman speaks with the BBC’s Bethany Bell in Istanbul. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Aid deliveries into Gaza
• In pictures: Funerals in Turkey

Volunteers begin Mars500 isolation

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Six men were locked into a simulated space capsule today, at the start of an eighteen-month-long experiment to imitate a space-flight to Mars and back. The experiment, which is taking place in a warehouse in Moscow, will test whether humans can cope with the isolation and claustrophobia they’d experience during a real mission. Jeb Sharp reports. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Alex Gallafent on planned Mars mission
• Mars500 experiment

Venezuela’s gas guzzlers

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In many parts of the world, fuel economy has become the gold-standard for cars. But not in Maracaibo, Venezuela, where old gas guzzlers are still prized for their sturdy frames and powerful engines. The World’s Marina Giovannelli brings us the story of one such car and its loving owner. Download MP3 (Photo: Marina Giovannelli)

• Photo of Mr. Lopez and his green Chevy Impala
• Venezuela’s sinking town

Baboons in the vineyard

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Many of the tourists venturing to South Africa for the World Cup will probably be sipping on South African wines. The wine industry has been booming since the end of apartheid also ended sanctions that crippled most vineyards. But now there’s a new threat. Wild baboons, it seems, have developed a taste for pinot noir, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc – the grapes, that is! Laura Lynch has the story from Cape Town. Download MP3

• Laura’s photos from the vineyard
• Laura’s stories from Southern Africa

Music Heard On Air for Thursday, June 3, 2010

Tunes spun on The World between our reports for June 3, 2010. Artists featured are Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder, David Poore, Lord Newborn, Nguyen Le, Vox, and Jonathan Richman and The Modern Lovers.

Turkey’s Jews

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Muslims and Jews in Turkey have a long history of friendliness. But that relationship is being tested by the public anger at Israel for the attack on the Gaza flotilla on Monday. From Istanbul, Matthew Brunwasser reports.

Witness to Israeli raid

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Lara Lee, a US-based Brazilian filmmaker who was on board one of the aid ships off the coast of Gaza when it was raided by Israeli forces.

Beneath Guatemala sinkhole

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with geo-scientist Timothy Bechtel, about the massive sinkhole that swallowed an intersection and a three-story factory in Guatemala as the country was hit by Tropical Storm Agatha.

Video: Giant Guatemala City sinkhole

US lawyer imprisoned in Rwanda

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Minnesota lawyer Peter Erlinder is sitting in a Rwandan prison today — accused of denying Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Eric Janus, dean of the William Mitchell College of Law, where Peter Erlinder teaches.

Weapons shipment to Mexico seized

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Dallas-based Mexican journalist Francisco Trujillo, who’s been following the ongoing story of how small weapons shipments from the US are getting into Mexico and into the hands of drug cartel members.

Personal soundtracks to war: Specialist Bowers

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For our Geo Quiz today follow the Tigris River. The Green Zone in central Baghdad now called the International Zone – is well known.
It served as the hub for American operations in Iraq. And while it’s now controlled by Iraqi security forces, it’s still home to the US embassy that overlooks the Tigris River. Download MP3

Yuri Shevchuk and Vladimir Putin

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Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Russian journalist Seva Novgorodsev about a heated public exchange between a well-known Russian rock star and Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. The topic was freedom of speech in Russia.