The global financial crisis has hit Russia's oil and gas industries, the backbone of the economy, and ordinary Russians are starting to feel the pain. The World's Laura Lynch reports from Moscow.

Global financial crisis

Japan's Prime Minister Taro Aso announced a stimulus package today worth about 50 billion dollars. Part of the plan is to give the average Japanese family about 600 dollars in spending money. Anchor Katy Clark finds out more from New York Times journalist Ken Belson, a long-time Japan watcher.

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami is one of the most widely read novelists in the world. And hugely adored by his fans. The World's Patrick Cox tells us about the people who read and follow Murakami.

Our daily geography test.

For today's Geo Quiz we wanted to know how many miles it is from Guantanamo to Havana, Cuba. The answer is 500 miles. American Richard Fleming knows that personally. He walked from one end of Cuba to the other and chronicled the experience in his new book, "Walking to Guantánamo." Anchor Katy Clark speaks with him. And for our Global Hit we feature the music of the late Cuban musician Polo Montañez.

Patrick Chappatte, The International Herald Tribune

Time Change: Aislin, The Montreal Gazette

Today on The World: U.S. troops in Iraq conduct a census that takes more than just names - they're collecting iris scans and fingerprints; Pakistan's army battles Taliban militants inside Pakistan; and why more Latino families in the U.S. choose their home country as the final resting place for their loved ones.

U.S. soldiers are doing what no one's done in Iraq for many years -- they're taking a census. They're also collecting fingerprints and iris scans -- something you wouldn't see in a census done in the U.S. The World's Quil Lawrence has the story.

The BBC's Barbara Plett reports from the Pakistan border town of Loesam about fighting there between the Pakistan army and Taliban militants.