Lorne Matalon’s Mexico Stories

Lorne Matalon has been reporting from Mexico for The World since November 2007. He has covered the Mexican ‘war on drugs’ from the frontlines, going on patrol with the Mexican armed forces. Lorne also covered immigration and economic stories from south of the border. He has also reported from Venezuela for The World.

Global Political Cartoons: Nov 21-25, 2009

Some unexpected images in this week’s cartoons: Oprah’s a saint, Silvio Berlusconi’s a rock star, Israeli settlements are freezing, and the most ubiquitous image on television is a pig.

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Global Political Cartoons: Oct 31 – Nov 6, 2009

Afghan President Hamed Kharzai has the last laugh in this week’s cartoons. He literally thumbs his nose at the rest of us. Meanwhile, President Obama tries to keep the embattled president on message. And, the H1N1 flu is living up to its pandemic image. It’s everywhere!

>>> Click here to start the cartoon slideshow

Swine flu endangers Amazonian tribe

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Swine flu has hit one of the largest isolated indigenous groups in the Amazon. The government in Venezuela has sealed off part of the country to stop swine flu devastating the Yanomami tribe of Indians. Seven members of the tribe have been killed and a thousand are believed to have caught the flu. Survival International is London-based indigenous rights group. We speak with Fiona Watson, research and field director for Survival International, about the situation. Download MP3

• BBC coverage
• Survival International – The movement for tribal peoples

Ukraine takes drastic measures against swine flu

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Ukraine’s government is responding aggressively to swine flu. But as Brigid McCarthy reports from Kiev, its aggressive stance may be more about politics than prevention.

Swine flu spike in England

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The World’s Aaron Schachter reports on a spike in swine flu cases in Britain. The government has set up a hotline to diagnose cases without visiting a doctor.

Swine flu hits Argentina

A health emergency is in effect in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, following the latest outbreak of the H1N1 swine flu. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out more from reporter Richard Reynolds.
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Entire program – June 26, 2009

Today on The World: The global impact of Michael Jackson – we go to China, India and London to look back at the King of Pop; then a look at what health experts are up against as the swine flu hits Africa, and Afghanistan’s version of “American Idol”…a massive hit there…now the subject of a [...]

Swine flu hits Africa

The World’s Andrea Crossan reports from Nairobi, Kenya on worries over the swine flu hitting Africa. Just under 10 cases have been confirmed in sub-Sarahan Africa. But health experts are concerned about the disease spreading in the continent’s crowded slums. Listen

Swine flu hits high up in Canada

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with CBC reporter Patricia Bell about an outbreak of swine flu that’s hit the Inuit population in the Canadian territory Nunavut. Bell herself is a suspected flu case and is under quarantine in Nunavut’s territorial capital. Listen

Vodafone Wireless Winners, UK DNA Database, Swine Flu Questions Answered, and Airplanes!

On this week’s Technology Podcast, we hear about some wireless technologies that could improve lives across the globe. Check out the cell phone that’s been modded into a microscope! We also take an in-depth look at Britain’s DNA database, and the political ruckus that it’s causing. You sent your swine flu questions in, so we take 15 minutes and try to answer some of them. And we finish with another competition — Airbus wants to fly more efficiently, and is asking for help. The finalists include one team that wants to fly gaggles of planes in an inverted “V” formation…like geese. Listen

Two Stories from Mexico, Global Health Care Costs, and Precious Gems in Afghanistan

On this week’s Global Economy Podcast, we go digging for precious gems in Afghanistan. Could emeralds and rubies spell sustainability and success for Afghanistan’s economy? Also, we hear how one Mexican restaurateur dealt with the swine flu outbreak, and how many Mexicans are dealing with a credit card crunch. Finally, we compare US health care costs with those in other countries. Listen

Swine Flu Touches Mexican and Egyptian Economies, Paying Chinese Workers to Smoke, and Ireland’s Horse Breeding Business

This week, the impact of swine flu on the Mexican and Egyptian economies. Also, one Chinese county toys with the idea of paying workers to smoke, and then quickly abandons it when there is international outrage. Fiat’s CEO Sergio Marchionne, and Ireland’s struggling horse-breeding industry. Listen

Mexico’s economy suffers from swine flu (3:30)

Mexico’s finance minister estimates that the swine flu is going to cost the country’s economy more than two billion dollars. The World’s Lorne Matalon speaks with a number of Mexicans about how the outbreak may not have hurt their health, but it certainly hurt their wallets.

Egypt’s pig slaughter (4:30)

In Egypt, the government has responded to the swine flu outbreak by ordering the slaughter of all of the country’s pigs. Residents of one Cairo slum say the move will do nothing to protect Egyptians from the virus, even as it destroys their livelihood. Aya Batrawy reports from Cairo.