bbc World Service podcasts

Presented today by Peter Okwoche. *More repercussions in Sudan following the weekend's rebel attack near the capital. *In Malawi senior members of the opposition are arrested for allegedly plotting a coup. *And, an eyewitness account of political violence in Zimbabwe.

To mark the 20th anniversary of his assassination, Nick Maes looks at the life of Chico Mendes, the highly significant green activist who helped to galvanise the race to preserve the Amazon. Nick investigates what Chico Mendes achieved and gains exclusive access to his family.

Télécoms Sans Frontières is still trying to get into Burma, and charging your mobile phone from a rickshaw battery. Just some of the stories this week on Digital Planet with Gareth Mitchell and Bill Thompson.

China earthquake / Bush flies to Isreal / Burma 11 days on

Peter Day hears about some up and coming companies from developing parts of the world that may have a lot to teach established players. Producer: Caroline Bayley Editor: Stephen Chilcott

What are the lessons of 50 years ago - of Chairman Mao's great leap forward - for modern China, with its surging economic growth? We look at whether centralised control poses threats to one of the world's most successful economies?

Is it time to bypass the generals and get aid to the people of Burma without permission from Burma's government?

Over 7600 feared dead in Chinese quake / Burma aid increases.

Presented today by Peter Okwoche. *The Kenyan government launches a half billion dollar appeal to resettle displaced people. *A prominent Sudanese politician is arrested over his alleged role in Saturday's rebel attack on the capital. *And, an important witness at the UN backed tribunal for Rwanda goes missing.

In the third part of this series on international crime, Misha Glenny is in South Africa where since the end of Apartheid, personal security has become almost a national obsession; the number of private security firms has mushroomed.

Burma crisis / Lebanon violence / Sorghum is good

An academic who believes that the world’s health will never improve if trade is put first. Could the horse tranquiliser ketamine work as a new treatment for depression? How to prevent the spread of HIV from mothers to babies in Russia. And we hear from Malawi where half of all children have stunted growth due to malnutrition.

The Instant Guide is the programme that gives you the background information to a story in the news. Somali civilians are at the mercy of armed groups who kill, rape and kidnap with impunity, according to an Amnesty International report. They say government troops, as well as their Ethiopian allies are out of control in Somalia. This week's programme looks at who holds power in Somalia and why the groups are fighting with such dire consequences.

The Interview this week has its oldest ever guest in the shape of the British writer Diana Athill. And as she enters her nineties she has turned her thoughts to the difficult topics of old age and dying. She talks to Carrie Gracie about the best times of her life and her approach to the final years.

In Business Daily - The price of rice remains high, but not as high as it was. So is the food crisis on the way out? Or have prices been too low for too long? Will the market come to rescue us?

Give us the help but keep your aid workers, Burma tells the world. Do you feel happy that the supplies you've helped to pay for are now in the hands of a military junta? Also, mad or bad? Is confessing to mental illness any defence for the actions of Josef Fritzl? And should atheists and people of faith sit down and learn from each other? The Catholic church here says they should..

UN resumes Burma aid / Hezbollah controls West Beirut / Czech boygirl

Presented today by Peter Okwoche.*Senior trade union officials arrested in Zimbabwe.*Kenya's 90-member cabinet meets for the first time.*About 2000 Kenyan refugees are being moved to permanent camps in Uganda.*And should Africa's uranium producers consider building nuclear power plants?

Mangroves protect villages from extreme weather, the duck-billed platypus genome is sequenced, metals made in space, new predictions for the history of the Sahara desert, and the technological frustrations of climate prediction. All on Science in Action with Jon Stewart.

Do you enjoy winding people up? Find out more about the term 'wind up' in this week's Real English.