Drug-related violence is up in Vancouver, British Columbia. Canadian police officials say it's a ripple effect of Mexico's drug war. Cartels in Mexico are too busy to send drugs up to Canada -- and that has local gangs in Vancouver fighting over what's left. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out more from Pat Fogarty, superintendent with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The BBC's Dan Collyns reports from Peru on the renewed fight against the Shining Path guerrilla movement. The Maoist rebels had been defeated years ago by the Peruvian government. But income from drug trafficking has given the Shining Path a new boost.

Peruvian soldiers

Fighting the 'Shining Path'

The World's Matthew Bell reports on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's meeting with Russia's foreign minister today. The U.S. is trying to push the "reset" button on U.S.-Russian relations.

BBC interview with Secretary Clinton

North Korea's rhetoric is heating up again -- accusing the US of wanting to start a nuclear war. Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out more from Korea expert David Kang.

North Korea's strategic arsenal

Correspondent Kelly McEvers tells us about a new wave of novel-writing in Saudi Arabia that's centered on breaking conventional taboos. The spike in risqué Saudi literature follows the success of the racy novel, Girls of Riyadh a few years ago.

Our daily geography quiz.

For our Geo Quiz we wanted to know the birthplace of the astronomer Johannes Kepler. He was born in Weil der Stadt in southern Germany in 1571. NASA is launching a space mission named after Kepler tonight. The World's David Leveille reports.

Anchor Lisa Mullins meets Irish singer songwriter Lisa Hannigan. She grew up outside of Dublin, but her music was shaped by North American artists like Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Nina Simone.

Two podcast exclusive interviews this week, folks. We hear about Herdict, a new tool that anyone can use to help track what websites are being filtered globally. Also, text messaging and data collection on the front lines of health, development and human rights work. Plus, one Belgium university trials an on-line voting system. Meanwhile, Italians try to give up text messaging for Lent. Good luck!

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As finance ministers from African countries gather in Tanzania for an IMF summit, the BBC World Service has a week of special programs looking at the effect of the global economic crisis on Africa. Reporters are investigating the cut flower business in Zambia, tourism in Senegal, and the value of remittances sent home by Africans abroad - among other stories. And the BBC teams are blogging as they go.