Entire program – April 6, 2010

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Today on The World: Deadly explosions in Baghdad, as Iraq’s political deadlock continues; Also, the Obama Administration rethinks the role of nuclear weapons in national defense; How abortion and gay marriage have gone from “off-limits” to hot button political issues in Mexico.

Three bomb attacks hit Baghdad

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BBC Video: The attacks left scenes of devastation

At least twenty-eight people have been killed in a number of explosions in the Iraqi capital Baghdad. More than ninety people are reported to have been wounded. Blasts follow a series of coordinated car bomb attacks two days ago in which more than forty people were killed. Violence continues during post-election vacuum. The BBC’s Jim Muir reports. Download MP3

• BBC: Baghdad Shia areas hit by blasts
• BBC video: Jim Muir reports from Baghdad

Obama’s shift on US nuclear weapons policy

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The Pentagon released its official policy review on US nuclear weapons policy today. And the Obama administration says it signals a shift away from Cold War-era thinking. The World’s Matthew Bell reports. Download MP3

• Read the Nuclear Posture Review (pdf)
• Foreign Policy: Nuclear Posture Review (or Nuclear Public Relations?)

Cyber espionage in China

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Here’s another high-stakes activity going on in China. Computer espionage. A China-based cyber-spying ring was exposed this week. It’s members hacked into computers belonging to India’s Defense Ministry. They obtained all kinds of information — from detailed accounts of Indian missile systems — to a year’s worth of the Dalai Lama’s personal e-mails. But someone was spying on the spies. For the past eight months, Canadian and US computer security researchers have been shadowing the hackers online. Download MP3

• Read Investigating Cyber Espionage 2.0

Swedish town lobbies for nuclear waste facility

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In Sweden residents of two communities actively lobbied to have a nuclear waste repository built in their neighborhood. Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Jacob Spangenberg, mayor of the winning town … Osthammar.

Elections in Britain

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Campaign season officially started in Britain today. The parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 6th. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his ruling Labor Party face tough competition from David Cameron and the Conservatives. The World’s Laura Lynch reports from London on the major issues weighing on voters’ minds.

Tax laws around the world

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In advance of April 15th, anchor Marco Werman talks with Foreign Policy Magazine’s Josh Keating about some of the world’s strangest tax laws.

A death in Liverpool

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Two women in Liverpool were arrested at the airport for allegedly trying to bring a dead man onto a Berlin-bound flight. They claim they thought he was resting. Anchor Marco Werman has details.

China’s own debt woes

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In the second part of our series on China’s real estate bubble, The World’s Mary Kay Magistad looks at why China’s government wants to keep the bubble inflated.

Geo Quiz

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Our daily geography puzzler.

Abortion and Gay Rights: Mexico’s New Hot Button Issues

Abortion and gay rights have traditionally been “off-limit” topics during political campaigns in Mexico, a country that is 90-percent Catholic. But that’s changed since Mexico City legalized both abortion and gay marriage. Mary Stucky reports from Mexico City.

Geo answer

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The answer to today’s Geo Quiz is the Cuban province of Matanzas, home to the Elian Gonzalez — the boy at the center of an international custody dispute. Ten years after US authorities sent him back to Cuba, a Cuban government website has released photos of the teenager posing among Cuban army soldiers in Havana. Anchor Marco Werman finds out more from the BBC’s Michael Voss in Havana.

See photos

Kabul Dreams

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Anchor Marco Werman introduces us to Afghanistan’s one and only rock band. The three members of the band “Kabul Dreams” got together about a year ago. Now they have dreams of going global.