Marco Werman speaks with former UN weapons inspector David Kay about North Korea's nuclear weapons program and how its development may have been influenced by US policies over the years.

It's been over five years since U.S. forces went to war against the Taliban. And instead of Afghanistan growing more secure in that time, the country appears to be spiralling deeper into violence. What to do about the situation in Afghanistan was the subject of hearings today before the Senate Armed Services Committee. The World's Katy Clark reports.

We hear the song chosen by Israelis to represent their country in the upcoming Eurovision song contest. It's about nuclear annihilation and it's called "Push the Button." The song was inspired by anti-Israeli comments from Iran's president and by Iran's growing nuclear program.

Correspondent Matt Gutman profiles an Israeli-Palestinian comedy troupe that's promoting peace by breaking taboos. Jokes about suicide bombers, the ultra-orthodox, and the Zionist conspiracy have been well-received in Israel...but not so much in the West Bank.

Today's answer is Mount Meru. Radio producer Karen Given sends us an audio postcard of her journey up the mountain.

Anchor Lisa Mullins speaks with top Scottish bagpiper Allan MacDonald about the news that playing in a Scottish bagpipe band could be hazardous to your hearing.

Where in the world will we go today?

The World's Matthew Bell reports on the apparent turn-around in US policy toward Iran and Syria. The Bush Administration has been refusing to consider talking to officials from those two countries for months. But yesterday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the United States was willing to take part in a meeting that included Iran and Syria which is being organized by Iraq.

Anchor Lisa Mullins tells us more about the psychology of the global trade in stocks, with help from Werner de Bondt, a professor of finance at DePaul University in Chicago.