The Taliban and the United States agreed Tuesday to hold peace talks, starting later this week. The aim is to negotiate an end to the fighting in Afghanistan.

Brazil is commonly referred to as an “emerging economy,” along with countries like China and India. But has Brazil’s economy already emerged? As Brazil’s economy has steadily grown for a decade, life has gotten better for the lower classes. More and more Brazilians, have refrigerators, washers and cars. But other gauges of a middle class life are harder to acquire, like access to higher education.

Today’s Geo Quiz features an Irish city that has hosted a summer horse racing festival going back as far as the 1860′s. The races and festive atmosphere will again attract visitors this July from all over the world including loyal Geo Quiz listener Eamonn Burke who’s introducing the tradition to his daughter this summer.

Sports betting is huge is Australia. It’s so big that it’s become part of televised prime-time sports. You even see bookies giving odds during the play-by-plays. Australia’s prime minister says it’s got to stop, and she’s given the gambling industry an ultimatum.

Guest DJ Tom Schnabel recommends two new releases for us Tuesday. First, there’s the new album by Chinese singer Sa Dingding. Then, we play a track from Korean vocalist Youn Sun Nah.

A French Polynesian island is home to a soccer team playing in the Confederations Cup in Brazil this week. This team of underdogs are facing some of the world’s best in an international soccer tournament. Can you name it?

The northern city of Tripoli has seen clashes that echo what’s going on in Syria. In some cases, the fighting in Tripoli pits one neighborhood that supports the Syrian government against one that backs the Syrian rebels.

In Friday’s Geo Quiz, we’re looking for a Canadian city, where Mike Hallatt has opened up a store dedicated to reselling Trader Joe’s popular products.

The White House announced Thursday it now has credible evidence that the Assad regime has used chemical weapons against opposition rebels.