Entire program – August 25, 2010

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Today on The World: Mexican officials are investigating the discovery of 72 bodies in a ranch near the border city of Matamoros; Also, a historian sees parallels between the mosque controversy in New York, and World War II-era efforts to block Buddhist temples in the US; Plus, a glimpse at how Chinese officials try to put their spin on foreign coverage of their country.

Dozens of bodies found in Mexico

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Mexican troops say they have discovered 72 bodies at a ranch in the north of the country. The bodies were found after a shoot-out with suspected drug cartel gunmen in which three gunmen and one marine were killed, the military said. More than 28,000 people have died in drug-related violence in Mexico over the last four years. The BBC’s Julian Miglierini is following the story from Mexico City. (Photo: Lorne Matalon) Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Lorne Matalon’s Mexico coverage on The World
• FAQ Mexico’s drug violence
• Mexico’s drug war (2008 slideshow)

Buddhism and Islam in America

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Heated rhetoric continues to swirl around the proposal to build an Islamic community center a few blocks from the World Trade Center site. Historians say this sort of debate has many precedents in American history. Scott Kurashige sees a parallel between the current controversy and efforts to block Japanese immigrants from building Buddhist temples in the decades surrounding World War II. (flickr image: Jukka Vuokko) Download MP3

• BBC coverage of Cordoba House controversy
• A Muslim professor on what it means to be a Muslim in the US
• Baseball in Japanese internment camps (2008)

Palestinians and the State of Israel

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The Obama administration is launching a new round of Middle East peace talks next week in Washington, but expectations are low. One of the potential obstacles is the Israeli demand that Palestinians recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. The World’s Matthew Bell reports reports from Jerusalem. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Relaunching direct Mideast talks

Steep challenges facing Mexico

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There’s deep pessimism about the prospects for stopping the drug violence in Mexico anytime soon. The World’s Jeb Sharp reports.

• Jeb Sharp’s ‘How We Got Here’ podcast

Chinese government takes journalists on the road

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The World’s Mary Kay Magistad reports on what it’s like to be a foreign journalist on a Chinese government-organized reporting trip. Download MP3

• Read Mary Kay’s blog

Remembering Samantha Smith

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25 years ago today, 13-year-old Samantha Smith died with her father in a plane crash in Maine. When she was 10, Samantha Smith made international headlines when she wrote a letter to the Soviet leader Yuri Andropov and he wrote back. He invited her to visit, and she did. Anchor Marco Werman recalls the story with the BBC’s Lina Rosovskaya.

Where is home for young Palestinians

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The right of return is an essential idea for Palestinians who became refugees after the creation of Israel. But a younger generation of Palestinians has grown up in other countries, and some say they don’t want to go back to a land they’ve never known. Correspondent Lina Sinjab reports from Damascus.

Geo Quiz

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The World’s daily geography challenge.

Geo Answer: Saving a nomadic language

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Correspondent Anna Boiko-Weyrauch reports on efforts by some Tuaregs in the west African country of Mali to preserve their traditional language. Mali is the answer to today’s Geo Quiz.

• Geo Quiz Archive

Addis Acoustic Project

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The Addis Acoustic Project is the subject of today’s Global Hit. The jazz ensemble is trying to revive songs that were popular in Ethiopia during the 1950s and 60s but with new arrangements.