BBC Producer Rushdi abu Alouf speaks from Gaza with anchor Katy Clark about the temporary re-opening of the Gaza border as tensions rise between Hamas and Israel.

After the East German communist regime fell in 1989, German authorities began to open records compiled by the Stasi secret police. But some former Stasi officials and informants are now suing, saying the revelations violate their privacy. Brett Neely reports from Berlin.

The holidays can be a lonely time. And some cultures are more prone to feelings of loneliness and isolation than others. Anchor Katy Clark speaks with a loneliness expert, John Cacioppo, director of the University of Chicago's Center of Cognitive and Social Neuroscience.

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the tsunami that roared across the Indian ocean. It killed more than 230,000 people. The most devastated region was the Indonesian province of Aceh. People around the world donated generously to help survivors there, especially children. But as Jocelyn Ford reports the neediest children in Aceh these days are NOT tsunami survivors.

Illyas (left) and Nurliza both lost their fathers in the conflict photo: Jocelyn Ford

Fadli (left) has taken in four children of his foreign comrades and is paying for their education photo: Jocelyn Ford

A British company discovered massive oil reserves off Ghana's coast last year. The prospect of greater prosperity has excited many Ghanaians. But others fear the new wealth will bring new problems. The World's Laura Lynch reports.

Our daily geography puzzler.

Today's answer is China. The country is sending its navy to the coast of Somalia to conduct anti-pirate operations there. The World's Matthew Bell tells anchor Katy Clark that it's the first time in 600 hundreds years that Chinese ships will venture into east African waters.

Today's Global Hit features a singer from Norway who grew up in a Muslim immigrant community there. For Deeyah - as she's known - success came early...but it was followed by harassment and threats from her own community. Reporter Andrea Smardon has her story.

Today on The World: Israeli air-raids continue on the Gaza Strip; Fifty years after the Communist takeover in Cuba, Cuba becomes an after-thought in US foreign policy; and religion blooms in what was the world's first official "atheist state."

The Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip continued into its third day with air raids on Hamas targets. Palestinian doctors say at least 315 Palestinians have been killed since Saturday and more than one thousand have been wounded. Anchor Katy Clark speaks with New York Times correspondent Taghreed El-Khodary in Gaza.

Gaza conflict