Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with filmmaker Jon Bowermaster who's just returned from a trip along Africa's Indian Ocean coast. He describes some new precautions ships are taking as they prepare for the voyage through the pirate-infested waters of the Gulf of Aden.

We hear about the remarkable life of Sitara Achekzai. She was born and raised in Kandahar -- a city known as the birthplace of the Taliban. Sitara served as a local legislator in Kandahar, where she was a vocal proponent of women's rights. Earlier this month, she was shot and killed outsider her home.

Sitara Achekzai (Photo: Paula Lerner/Aurora Photos)

In today's Geo Quiz, we're looking for a large body of salt water in eastern Canada that freezes over in the winter -- and later becomes a maternity ward for harp seals.

The answer to our Geo Quiz today is the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off the coast of Quebec, Canada. The World's Jeb Sharp visited the pack ice off the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence -- to check on how the harp seal population is doing there.

Watch the audio slideshow

'Encounters' homepage

Jeb Sharp's harp seal documentary for 'Encounters'

The BBC's Emma Jane Kirby reports that the psychological profile of President Nicolas Sarkozy has become the focus of much public attention in France.

The World's Marco Werman reports on Mexican DJ and music executive Camilo Lara, and how he has to adapt his musical business during Mexico City's swine flu emergency. Camilo Lara also offers some musical suggestions for Mexicans to keep their spirits up.

Today on The World: Mounting concern around the globe about the swine flu -- we'll explore what different countries are doing to help stop the virus; Also, Spain's soup kitchens get new visitors as those recently unemployed reach out for help; Plus, Germans will soon witness a live performance of "It's Springtime for Hitler" when the Broadway hit "The Producers" opens in Berlin for the first time.

Today, many parts of the world are concerned about the same thing: swine flu. The World's Lorne Matalon has the latest from the hardest-hit country so far -- Mexico.

Global swine flu outbreak

The World's Mary Kay Magistad reports that China is taking steps to prevent an outbreak of swine flu there.

Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with epidemiologist Richard Wenzel about a 1976 swine flu outbreak in the United States -- and how the fight to contain and treat it then compares with authorities are facing today. Dr. Wenzel diagnosed some of the earliest swine flu cases in 1976.