Beginning this spring, some poor school children in the south African nation of Zambia will no longer have to walk long distances to school. They're getting specially designed bikes courtesy of a Chicago foundation. The group started four years ago. It's called World Bicycle Relief. Reporter Jay Field has the story.

Host Lisa Mullins speaks with Pakistani author and journalist Ahmed Rashid about relations between the U.S. and Pakistan. They also discuss the importance of Pakistan's move to close a major supply route into Afghanistan as part of its offensive against militants in the region.

Arab countries have condemned Israel's offensive in Gaza. But there's been little in the way of action from Arab governments. One exception is Lebanon, which today declared a national day of mourning in support of the Palestinians in Gaza. The Lebanese government is also pledging a million dollars in food and medical aid. Here's more on the Arab reaction from The World's Aaron Schachter in Beirut.

The World's Quil Lawrence is on a hillside on the outskirts of Gaza City. He tells host Lisa Mullins he can see the long range missiles Palestinians are lobbing into Israel, as well as the smoke rising from Israeli airstrikes inside Gaza.

Gaza conflict

Today on The World: how Pakistan's closing a key U.S. military supply route is affecting relations between Washington and Islamabad; why a number of young Somali men have disappeared from Minnesota; and we look back at China's 2008 -- a year full of important highs and lows for the Chinese.

The World's Marco Werman looks back at some musicians who died in 2008.

For today's Geo Quiz we were looking for the name of the acquisition that brought a slice of southern Arizona and a corner of New Mexico into the United States. It's known as the Gadsden Purchase, after James Gadsden. He was the US diplomat who negotiated and signed the deal in Mexico City on this day in 1853.

Berlin's oldest multicultural radio station is going off the air. Correspondent Thomas Marzahl reports from Berlin.

Our daily geography puzzler.

The World's Katy Clark reports on the humanitarian aid situation in the Gaza Strip as Israeli air strikes targeted the Hamas-controlled area for the fourth straight day.