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The World

Host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories that remind us just how small our planet really is. The World, the radio program, is heard each weekday on over 300 public stations across North America.

The China National Tobacco Corp. sells more cigarettes than any other company in the world — by far. Despite the fact that the Chinese government signed an international treaty to curb tobacco use 20 years ago, China Tobacco has helped keep the country smoking. That's the bottom line in a new investigative report published today by The Examination, a new nonprofit newsroom dedicated to investigating preventable health threats. Host Marco Werman speaks with the lead writer, Jason McClure.

A museum devoted to the history of battle tanks has become a surprise hit on YouTube, thanks to enthusiastic curators and a regular stream of fresh videos about these machines of modern warfare. Host Marco Werman speaks with Chris Copson from The Tank Museum in Bovington, England.

A major survey of 30 countries shows a growing number of millennials around the globe believe that democracy cannot deliver on the issues that matter most to them. The poll, conducted by the Open Society Foundations, found that only 57% of respondents aged 18 to 35 felt democracy was preferable to other forms of government, compared to 70% of those over the age of 56. Host Marco Werman speaks with Yascha Mounk, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, who writes about the rise of populism and the crisis of liberal democracy around the globe.

At the end of the month, Slovakia holds elections that could have ramifications for the European Union and the war in Ukraine. Up to now, Slovakia has been one of Ukraine's most staunch defenders. But topping opinion polls this week is the populist party Smer and its leader Robert Fico. The populist lawmaker has vowed not to send a single bullet to Ukraine. The World's Orla Barry reports.

Since the war in Yemen began in 2014, Western journalists have been telling the world about the fighting, the human toll and the geopolitical underpinnings of the conflict. Many reports, even today, contain no Yemeni perspective. A new project, launched by The New Humanitarian, a Geneva-based independent nonprofit newsroom focused on humanitarian crises, is inviting Yemenis from across the country and in the diaspora to talk about their Yemen, their experience of war and their daily lives. Host Marco Werman speaks with Nuha Al-Junaid, the Yemeni woman coordinating The Yemen Listening Project.

Bidets have become more of a regular bathroom fixture across the United States. The recent rise of the bidet followed the pandemic and the shortage of toilet paper that went along with it. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Michael Coren, a climate advice columnist with the Washington Post, about the international history of the bidet and the environmental advantages of deploying one in your bathroom.

The conflict in Sudan between rival armed forces continues to wreak havoc across the country. Academics are worried about the irreversible impact on Sudan's cultural heritage. Fighting has already led to the partial destruction of libraries, museums and other important heritage sites. An effort called the Sudan Heritage Project Initiative aims to protect it from further damage. The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

Eastern Libya is still struggling after it was hit by a massive storm from the Mediterranean earlier this week. The natural disaster left by Storm Daniel broke two dams in the city of Derna and washed away entire neighborhoods. The numbers are staggering with an estimated 10,000 people missing and more than 5,000 people confirmed to have died. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Malak Altaeb, a Libya non-resident scholar with the Middle East Institute, about how political chaos in Libya is exacerbating the rescue and relief situation on the ground.

Inua Ellams’ new play, "The Half-God of Rainfall" fuses Greek mythology and Yoruba folklore to tell a “Me Too” type of story. Ellams tells The World’s host Marco Werman that the work asks the audience to reimagine the gendered violence that permeates Greek mythology.

Superstar NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending injury last night. Many quickly blamed the artificial turf that Rodgers was playing on when he was injured. Artificial turf is frequently blamed for causing injuries, with natural turf being more favored in some quarters. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with John Trey Rogers, professor of turf grass research at Michigan State University, about the advantages and disadvantages of artificial turf and natural grass and how far back the debate goes.

Two huge tanks of local wine turned into a rushing river of red over the weekend in Portugal. The streets were impassable, replaced by a raging river of close to 600,000 gallons of red wine. The World's host Marco Werman explains what happened.

Andrew Funk, 43, spent months without a roof in Barcelona, Spain, piling up debt and burning all his bridges surfing from couch to couch. On the eve of his first night of rough camping downtown, he had an idea that has transformed the lives of hundreds of other homeless people there and now internationally: Homeless Entrepreneurs connects the homeless with jobs and business savvy as a first step toward getting them off the streets.

The fighting in Sudan between rival armed forces has now dragged on for 150 days. Both sides in this conflict are accused of serious human rights violations. So far, multiple international efforts at mediation have failed to bring about a lasting ceasefire. Experts warn that a broader civil war could be on the horizon. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

Now, for some long overdue recognition. Two asteroids have been named for a pair of trail-blazing female astronomers. They're two of the first professional women astronomers in Britain. The women died in relative obscurity. But the British Astronomical Association has decided it is high time to give credit where credit is due.

The so-called Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is projected to double the country's electricity supply and promises agricultural expansion. This has worried Egypt for years, and now that the dam is full and complete, the region confronts a new reality. The World's host Marco Werman talks with Hussein Amery, a professor of water politics and policy at the Colorado School of Mines.

Sheida Soleimani grew up hearing about her parents' political activism in Iran, and their eventual escape to the US to avoid persecution. Now, she's sharing their stories in a new exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. The World's Bianca Hillier met Soleimani at the museum to learn more.

Thousands of people have died in eastern Libya after the collapse of two dams near the city of Derna. Aid workers are struggling to evacuate survivors and help the injured, due to poor communications and washed-out roads. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

North Korean leader, Kim Jong-un arrived in Russia by armored train today. Trips abroad are rare for him, but he’s arrived in Vladivostok — in Russia’s far east — to meet President Vladimir Putin. The two are expected to hammer out an arms deal that could help Russia continue its war in Ukraine. The World’s Asia correspondent Patrick Winn is following the story and speaks with host Marco Werman.

On Monday, a military band in New York played at the commemoration marking 22 years since the 9/11 attacks. Every year at the memorial in lower Manhattan, all of the nearly 3,000 victims' names are read aloud. Among them, Alexander Filipov. The electrical engineer and church deacon from Concord, Massachusetts, was killed on American Airlines flight 11, the first plane to hit the twin towers that fateful morning. His son David Filipov is a journalist who went to Afghanistan soon after the attacks. He took a turn on "Stories From The Stage," to talk about how he's handled the death of his father.

Chile’s justice system is still struggling to hold accountable those responsible for violence during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Marcela Rios knows how difficult and often divisive the search for justice has been. She served as Chile's minister of justice until January of this year. Rios speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman about the search for common ground.

Fifty years after the 1973 coup in Chile that toppled the government of Salvador Allende and brought Gen. Augusto Pinochet to power with help from the US, people in Chile are deeply divided about what the coup anniversary means today. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

The bombing of Chile's presidential palace by the country's military on Sept. 11, 1973, marked the end of socialist President Salvador Allende's government and the beginning of the 17-year reign of right-wing authoritarian, Gen. Augusto Pinochet. Host Marco Werman tells the story of that day, and the role the US played in undermining Allende's socialist policies and popular support.

Tiara Darnell's restaurant, Blaxicocina, attracts Americans and Mexicans looking for cornbread, stewed oxtails and collard greens. It's said to be the only soul food joint in Mexico City, Mexico. The owner is an African American from Maryland who says she's been welcomed in Mexico City. She joins others who have moved abroad to get away from the racism in the US.

Last week, the US announced it was sending depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine's military in its fight against Russia's invasion. The weapons are expected to be used against Russian tanks, which are susceptible to these kinds of munitions. Ukraine's been on the receiving end of a lot of weaponry since Russia invaded in 2022. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Gustav Gressel, senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, about the effectiveness and costs of the weaponry Ukraine is receiving.

It was the kiss that shook the world of professional soccer. Three weeks ago, the president of the Spanish Soccer Federation, Luis Rubiales forcibly kissed Spanish star midfielder Jenny Hermoso on the lips at the Women's World Cup in Australia, causing an uproar. On Sunday, under pressure from just about everywhere, Rubiales finally resigned. But the story won’t end there. At least not for Rubiales. The World’s Gerry Hadden joins host Marco Werman to explain.

While the earthquake damaged parts of Marrakech, Morocco, claiming lives there, even more damage was dealt to small towns that dot the countryside further away from the city. Reaching them in the wake of the quake to deliver aid and save lives has been challenging. The World's Marco Werman talks with Néna Lardy, a French national who has been living in Morocco for 11 years and is driving through the mountains with other Moroccans and foreigners to deliver aid.

On Friday evening, a rare 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Morocco in the heart of the Atlas Mountains. More than 2,000 people are reported dead, with many more injured. Aid workers say rough terrain is making rescue efforts difficult. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

There are plenty of hazards that come with working in an inhospitable, subzero environment like Antarctica. For women working on research bases there, sexual violence is an added danger. In an exposé by The Associated Press, women working on the frozen continent say they are left to fend for themselves when dealing with harassment and assault. The World's Marco Werman spoke to the investigation's author, Nick Perry. He's a correspondent with the AP based in Wellington, New Zealand.

India's lunar mission to the south pole hopes to find frozen water. No ice yet but the Chandrayaan-3's moon rover has detected sulphur in the soil, as well as aluminum and iron and several other elements.

Foxes have played a role London's landscape for a century. But they're being increasingly seen as pests, who raid trash cans and cause fear and annoyance. Reporter Rebecca Rosman talks to a photographer and a historian who want to celebrate the foxes of London.

Ukrainian officials are calling Tuesday night’s attacks on Kyiv the biggest attack since spring. As the air war heats up, Ukrainians are mourning the loss of one of their most-famous fighter pilots, who died last week during a combat training exercise. His name was Andriy Pilshchykov, but he went by the call sign, Juice. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports.

In the early morning hours of Wednesday, military leaders in Gabon announced they seized power and put President Ali Bongo under house arrest. Bongo had just been declared the president in a flawed election. The World's Marco Werman speaks to Daniel Eizenga, a research fellow at the African Center for Strategic Studies.

One of Taiwan’s richest people now wants to be the island territory’s next leader. Terry Gou is the billionaire founder of Foxconn, a company best known for assembling Apple iPhones in China and elsewhere. Gou has announced a run for the presidency, promising that his business savvy will smooth over relations with Beijing, prevent a Chinese invasion and ensure that Taiwan doesn't become "the next Ukraine." The World’s Patrick Winn speaks with host Marco Werman.

Beginning in 2026, US prices of expensive prescription drugs may be coming down as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. A study by the Rand Corporation shows that Americans pay far more than patients in other countries. Host Marco Werman speaks with Andrew Mulcahy, one of the authors of the study that compared prescription drug prices worldwide.

As Chile approaches the 50th anniversary of the CIA-backed coup against democratically elected President Salvador Allende, prosecutors have confirmed prison sentences for seven soldiers implicated in the killing of iconic Chilean musician Victor Jara. The World's Marco Werman offers a remembrance of Jara's music.

The US military helped tens of thousands of Afghans evacuate when the Taliban took over the country. But two years later, the ones that made it to the US face an uncertain future. Afghans, including those who served in the military, came into the country on humanitarian parole, which is temporary. KJZZ's Alisa Reznick says the long wait for asylum means they remain in limbo.

The US finished pulling out its forces from Afghanistan two years ago, not long after the Taliban retook the capital. The withdrawal was violent and chaotic. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Chris Kolenda, a retired US colonel and Afghanistan veteran, to reflect on the withdrawal and the lessons learned from it.

How do you weigh an ant? What does it take to size up a giraffe? The London Zoo weighs all 14,000 of its animals each August, from tiny insects to its largest mammals. Zookeepers have just completed their annual task. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Jessica Fryer, the lead keeper for penguins and flying birds at the London Zoo, about how the animals were weighed, and why it’s important.

In his latest album, “Kyiv Eternal,” Ukrainian sound artist Heinali blends electronic music with audio recordings from the city before the Russian invasion. Using day-to-day sounds like birds chirping at the botanical garden, or bus drivers calling out destinations, Heinali has created a time capsule of prewar Kyiv.

Hurricane Idalia is expected to make landfall in Florida on Wednesday. Coastal communities along Florida's western coast are preparing for a Category 3 hurricane, with wind speeds reaching up to 125 miles per hour. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Gabriel Vecchi, a climate scientist at Princeton University, about the reasons behind the intensification and how this is becoming much more common.

At least seven people are dead after a protest led by a pastor marched through a gang-controlled suburb of the capital. Human rights groups are blaming the pastor for taking protesters into such a dangerous situation, and the police for not preventing it from happening. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Zimbabwe's main opposition party today called for a new election, rejecting the result that President Emmerson Mnangagwa won in last week's balloting. A spokesman for Citizens Coalition for Change party asked Zimbabwe's neighbors to intervene, as host Marco Werman explains.

Disturbing video published on Tuesday by The Guardian newspaper shows the conditions people are facing in one of Libya’s migrant detention centers. The Nigerian woman said to be recording the video walks the camera over to the body of another woman in the middle of a room crowded with people and bedding. The World's host Marco Werman spoke to Sally Hayden in Dublin. She's the author of the recent book, “My Fourth Time, We Drowned,” which looks into the conditions faced by migrants in Libyan detention centers.

Drinking water in some parts of San Diego has been testing positive for E. coli. The source is likely south of the border. Houses without permits are not connected to Tijuana's municipal sewer system so raw sewage flows north to San Diego. KPBS reporter Gustavo Solis reports on the growing problem on both sides of the border.

Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as "Hemedti," who leads the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, announced a plan for a "Sudan reborn." It proposes the kind of democratic government he's undermined in the past. Meanwhile, his rival, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads Sudan's national military, is going abroad for talks in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Singer and Eurovision winner Jamala is coming for her first major stateside tour and raising money and awareness for Ukraine. Jamala, a Crimean Tatar, is one of Ukraine's most recognizable and unique musicians. The World's Daniel Ofman shares her story.

This summer, we've been stepping back from the news to bring you Stories From The Stage. These are produced by our partners at the GBH TV Network - WORLD. They're tales from ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. Today's story is told by Polish teacher Ewa Chrusciel. She's been finding out what immigrants take with them when they leave their homes.

Next month, Chileans will mark the 50th anniversary of the CIA-backed coup that ushered in 17 years of military rule. They’re calling on foreign governments to release all documents related to their role in the putsch. In recent days, the US State Department has declassified two coup-related daily briefings that landed on President Richard Nixon’s desk. But Chile's ambassador to the US, Juan Gabriel Valdés, tells The World’s Marco Werman that Chileans want more.

The government of Syria thought it had crushed the popular uprisings that began in 2011. But in the past week, two major cities in the government-held areas in the south have seen mass demonstrations against the government. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports on what has led to the unrests.

France is spending close to $200 million to destroy millions of gallons of wine that remain unsold. Host Marco Werman speaks with Olivier Gergaud, professor of economics at Kedge Business School in Bordeaux, France, about the reasons behind this culling of the iconic French product, how it's to be done, and how this bodes, long term, for growers and vintners in the European wine capital.

On Saturday, incumbent President Emmerson Mnangagwa, was declared the winner of the country's presidential election. Mnangagwa commended Zimbabweans for peacefully exercising their "sacred" right to vote. But electoral observers and opposition leaders say the election had serious issues. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

The World's Marco Werman catches us up on the fast-moving drama that has engulfed Spanish soccer. The scandal was touched off by a very public kiss that the president of the Spanish soccer federation forced on a star player as the team celebrated winning the Women's World Cup last weekend.

When COVID-19 hit, Barcelona's booming tourist industry tanked. Now, the visitors are back in bigger numbers than ever. They're rekindling the economy but, as The World's Gerry Hadden reports, a lot of locals had gotten used to having Barcelona to themselves.

US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo is in Beijing on Monday for talks with her Chinese counterpart. She signaled that the US wants a strong Chinese economy that engages with Washington. The meeting comes as China continues to struggle with deflation and slowing growth. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, about China's continuing struggles, its economic relationship with the US, and what it can do to dig itself out.

In Russia, Vladimir Putin has been his country’s leader for more than two decades. Over those years, he’s consolidated power and has taken control of the entire political system. Yet even as Russia continues to plunge deeper into authoritarianism, the country still hosts elections. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports on upcoming regional elections in Russia.

For 23 years, the Quito-based hip-hop group Mugre Sur has created music to denounce harsh realities in Ecuador: corruption, racism and social injustice. They mix rap with popular Ecuadorian music, and perform wearing costumes. In this profile for The World's Planet Hip-Hop series, Gisele Regatao reports on how the group is responding to Ecuador’s current political turmoil.

The COVID-19 pandemic was declared over in May this year, but a recent rise in cases and the spread of new variants is raising questions about what may be next. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Dr. Eric Topol, director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, about a rise in new cases, concern about new variants, the state of vaccine production, and the potential impact of a new wave of infections in the colder months.

Rare is the parent who doesn't have to battle their children to get off their screens. Beginning on Friday, the EU's Digital Services Act will force the largest digital platforms to make it easier to report questionable material, and stop the targeting of vulnerable groups. But it won't limit screen time. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry examines the addiction that many users to have to their digital devices, and what we know about the impact on mental health.

A year ago, nearly a third of Pakistan was underwater after major flooding. The floods damaged roads, houses and public infrastructure. And more than 1500 people lost their lives. It was the worst natural disaster in the country's history. The World's Carolyn Beeler caught up with Syed Murtaza Ali Shah, a district commissioner of the Dadu District, to find out how the rehabilitation process has progressed a year later.

The music of superstar Nigerian musician Burna Boy has been playing across the US all summer. From Detroit to New York. In recent years, Burna Boy has been on the ascent, smashing music records and selling out stadiums around the world. His newest album, released today, is a nod to that success. The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi tells us more.

Soccer Federation President Luis Rubiales had been expected to resign on Friday after intense pressure following his forced kiss of a Spanish women's team player at the World Cup in Sydney. Instead, Rubiales said he was the victim of a "witch hunt by false feminists." FIFA and a Spanish Sports Court are investigating and Rubiales' fate remains unclear. From Barcelona, The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Now under new leadership, Turkey's central bank made a surprising move this week to raise benchmark interest rates to 25%. The hike is part of a major reversal of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan's unorthodox economic policies that are credited with fueling runaway inflation in the country. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from a market in Istanbul, where the economy has had real impacts on people's daily lives.

Greece's wildfires continue to burn. In some cases, asylum-seekers there are living in the forests for fear of being deported to Turkey and reversing any potential asylum claims. The World's Carolyn Beeler talks with Andrew Geddes, director of the Migration Policy Centre, about the dangerous dilemma these people face.

Racers gathered in London to embark on a race across Europe using trains and buses, from checkpoint to checkpoint along the way. In a seemingly improbable turn of events, the race, which lasted dozens of hours, had a tight finish, separated by only a minute. The World's Marco Werman talks to Eleanor Parker and Bram Houtenbos, the two who vied for the win, about how the race went down.

There's been a lot of attention on how African countries like Zimbabwe and Democratic Republic of Congo supply minerals that are crucial for creating the renewable batteries that go into electronic vehicles. But in countries like Kenya, there's a growing effort to bring more of those vehicles to the streets. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports from the capital Nairobi.

Paramilitary groups such as Russia's Wagner Group either own or operate gold mines in Sudan, Mali and the Central African Republic, with proceeds going to fund the groups' activities. Host Marco Werman speaks with Marcena Hunter of the Global Initiative on Organized Crime about Wagner's role in the African gold trade, and how the group's mining activities might be affected should Wagner's founder, Yevgeny Prigozhin, have died, as Russia has claimed.

The Japanese utility Tepco began the process of releasing wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi power plant into the Pacific Ocean. The IAEA says the process is safe but neighboring China and South Korea are concerned. The World's Marco Werman has this update.

The number of children living with only one parent, usually the mother, is growing worldwide, according to the UN. Many of these single-parent families live in poverty, and aren’t getting any child support. The situation is particularly bad in Latin America, where combination of a patriarchal culture and weak laws allow for many fathers to skip their financial obligations, and get away with it. The World’s Tibisay Zea has the story of one woman in Mexico who’s trying to change that.

Scientists are reporting that last year was a very bad year of breeding for the emperor penguin. Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey say it's likely no chicks survived in 4 out of 5 emperor penguin colonies in one region of Antarctica. Loss of sea ice is to blame, as host Marco Werman explains.

Yellowknife in Canada’s Northwest Territory evacuated the majority of its residents last week after the city was threatened by wildfires. The World’s Marco Werman caught up with the mayor of Yellowknife, Rebecca Alty, about what the fire situation is now and what the city looks like following the evacuation of it residents.

Vietnam's government wants TikTok to stop circulating videos it labels "useless" in their country. As in most one-party authoritarian states, it doesn't take much to get censored in Vietnam, but so far TikTok has had free rein. Officials are hoping to change that. But as The World's Patrick Winn reports, roughly half of all Vietnamese citizens are on TikTok, making an outright ban quite unlikely.

One day after a jet dropped out of the sky north of Moscow, reportedly killing Wagner mercenary group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and his top commanders, rival private militias are jockeying to fill the vacuum. Wagner expert Kimberly Marten, a professor at Barnard College, surveys Russia’s private militia scene with The World’s Marco Werman.

A new documentary premiering on Wednesday in Austria examines how the country's ties to Nazism are remembered. Director Günter Schwaiger looks at the controversial repurposing of the house in which Adolf Hitler was born. The Austrian government has decided to turn it into a police station. Schwaiger tells host Marco Werman that instead of deterring neo-Nazis as intended, it's what Hitler would have wanted.

A Nicaraguan judge has ordered the seizure of the country’s most important Jesuit university, the Central American University in Managua. It’s the latest in the government's continued crackdown on Catholic clergy and church-affiliated institutions. But why is the Nicaraguan government at war with the Catholic Church? From Nicaragua and Costa Rica, Michael Fox reports on the roots of the conflict.

On Wednesday, London’s city government marked the UN’s Day for Remembering the Transatlantic Slave Trade and Abolition. Judge Patrick Robinson from the International Court of Justice gave the keynote address and called for reparations. It follows a report by the Brattle Group that puts into numbers how much the UK owes for its role in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The World’s Marco Werman spoke with Coleman Bazelon, an economist with the Brattle Group, about the report and how much the UK actually owes.

Digestion and waste from cows, in other words belching and farting, is responsible for a worrying amount of greenhouse gas emissions every year, possibly up to 15% of global emissions. Ireland with its strong dairy farming industry, is facing up to the fact that having so many cows may be detrimental to the country's climate goals. The Irish government is now considering a radical solution as our Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

When Tropical Storm Hilary made landfall in Baja, California, last weekend, it had people in Tijuana, Mexico, worried about infrastructure. With nearly 2.3 million residents, it's Mexico's second-largest city. But Tijuana has failed to keep up with that growth over decades. KPBS reporter Gustavo Solis reports.

The makeshift chairlifts that bring kids to school in remote, mountainous regions of Pakistan are a local solution to a common problem: the scarcity of roads and buses. Arifa Noor, a columnist for the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, in Islamabad, talks with The World’s Marco Werman about how and why the jerry-rigged transport system sprung up.

The International Chess Federation, known as FIDE, is responding to widespread criticism of its new policy to bar transgender women from playing in women's tournaments for two years. FIDE says its announcement last week is meant to give the organization time to set further policy, as host Marco Werman explains.

The Chandrayaan-3 space mission culminated with a moon lander slowly dropping down to the moon's surface, where it landed. The south pole of the moon has never been explored. The World's Marco Werman talks to Namrata Goswami, an expert on India's space program and space policy, about how the mission played out.

Yevegeny Prigozhin, the leader of the Wagner mercenary army is reported dead in a plane crash near the city of Tver, just north of Moscow. Earlier this summer, Prigozhin led an armed mutiny in southern Russia. At the time, he was trying to oust the military leadership within Russia’s Ministry of Defense. Marco Werman is joined by The World’s Daniel Ofman.

Chinese from all walks of life are mourning the death of Isabel Crook, the daughter of Canadian missionaries who joined the Chinese Communist Party, threw in her lot with Mao Zedong’s rural revolution and undertook groundbreaking anthropological work in remote China. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Carl Crook, Isabel’s son, about his mother’s life and legacy.

Folks who follow track and field know Sha'Carri Richardson as an exceptional sprinter. On Monday night, in Budapest, Hungary, the 23-year-old American proved it by winning the 100-meter World Athletics Championships in record time. Host Marco Werman has the details.

This month, the International Chess Federation announced that it would no longer allow transgender women to compete in women's chess tournaments. The policy has met with strong criticism, including from Jennifer Shahade, a two-time US women's chess champion. She explains her opposition to the policy to host Marco Werman.

Human Rights Watch says Saudi border guards have opened fired on hundreds of African migrants trying to cross the border from Yemen into Saudi Arabia. The report said the guards have killed hundreds of people people, including children. The World's Shirin Jaafari has the story.

On Tuesday, in South Africa, the BRICS summit is in full swing. BRICS stands for Brazil Russia India China South Africa, an economic bloc of countries billed as five major emerging economies collectively representing 40% of the world’s population. Two topics on the agenda at the summit: Adding new members and challenging the US dollar. Host Marco Werman speaks to Pádraig Carmody, professor at Trinity College Dublin.

Zimbabwe has Africa's largest reserves of lithium, a key ingredient in producing solar panels and rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles. The country is therefore a big player in the transition to a clean energy future. But under a new law, foreign countries who extract minerals in Zimbabwe are now required to process them in-country to provide jobs to Zimbabweans. That puts China in a very favorable position as it is already heavily invested in many mines in Zimbabwe. Marco Werman speaks with William Tobin, assistant director at the Global Energy Center of the Atlantic Council, to find out the implications of this advantage for China.

On Wednesday, Zimbabweans will take to the polls to vote for their next president. It's expected to be a repeat showdown between incumbent president Emmerson Mnangawa — known as the “crocodile” — and opposition leader Nelson Chamisa. Observers are saying this election is marred by violence and intimidation against the opposition and its supporters. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

Canada and big tech are not getting along right now. Canada just passed a new media law ordering tech companies like Google and Meta to pay news publishers for news content on their sites. In response, Meta's blocked access to news content on Facebook and Instagram for Canadian users. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Ahmed AlRawi, associate professor at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, about the response from Canada's government to Facebook's decision, and how Canadians can manage to stay informed amid raging wildfires affecting the country.

Back in May, Thai voters picked a young progressive politician to become prime minister. But the military powers that be were unwilling to give him a shot as government leader. So, they paved the way for Srettha Thavisin to be named Thailand's new prime minister on Tuesday. Interestingly, he's from a party that has long promised to stand up to the country's military elites. But now, his party is entering a power-sharing arrangement with military-backed parties. Host Marco Werman gets the latest from The World's Patrick Winn in Bangkok.

The Panama Canal uses a series of locks to raise the water level and carry ships across from one ocean to the other. But that requires lots of freshwater. It's running low in Panama. The World's Marco Werman talks with Matt Vick, a trade and customs specialist at the Institute of Export and International Trade in the UK, about what's going on at the canal and what it means for the global economy.

Last year, nearly half a million people applied for a green card to permanently live and work in the United States. The process costs thousands of dollars and in some cases, can take years. But what if there were no yearslong backlogs, or lengthy visa-processing times? From the reporting organization Feet in Two Worlds, Danya AbdelHameid has the story of a pair of artists in the US who created hand-drawn, cartoonish green cards that have inspired new thinking about the meaning of the document. Find the original report here.

In 1916, Russian forces swept into modern-day Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to enlist Central Asians to fight for Russia in World War I. The Russians killed an estimated 15,000 people who resisted, and some 100,000 more people died trying to flee to China. More than a century later, the episode still isn't talked about much because of pressure from Russia to literally erase it from the history books. Levi Bridges reports from Kyrgyzstan on what it means to remember this painful passage in the country today.

Six months after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and northern Syria, a clear pattern has emerged in the hard-hit Turkish province of Hatay. While Turkish citizens who lost their homes have largely been able to move into temporary homes in converted shipping containers, nearly all Syrian refugees are still living in tents. Approximately 1 in 4 residents of Hatay are Syrian, and as The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports, disparities in housing and other aid are placing them in an increasingly risky situation.

In Ecuador, there was a peaceful snap presidential election this past weekend amid an unprecedented security crisis that have left three politicians assassinated in less than a month. An establishment leftist and a millennial businessman are headed to runoff on Oct. 15. Host Marco Werman speaks with reporter Tibisay Zea about the recent political security crisis in Ecuador.

Russia’s first lunar mission since 1976 was expected to make moonfall. Instead, Russia’s space agency reported that the remotely operated lunar lander dubbed Luna-25 crash-landed on the surface over the weekend. That leaves India's lunar mission still in the race. To learn more, host Marco Werman spoke to Benjamin Silverstein. He’s a research analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and joins the show from Washington.

Bernardo Arévalo upset Guatemala’s political establishment by clenching his country’s presidency this weekend. But he faces a tough task ahead. Political analyst Alvaro Montenegro in Guatemala City and The World’s Marco Werman discuss whether the new leader can take on the elite and bring back exiled judges and prosecutors who questioned corruption.

After major struggles on the pitch and off, Spain's women's team made history with its first-ever World Cup victory. As The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona, supporters are hoping their win leads to greater equality in professional soccer.

An enormous cargo vessel carrying containers from China to Brazil left port with new sails to assist its journey. They're called "wind wings." Harnessing wind power is one strategy that can reduce fuel use and emissions. The World's Marco Werman talks with John Cooper, the CEO of BAR Technologies, which designed the sails used in this technology's maiden commercial voyage.

Eradicating the swirling gyre of plastic trash in the Pacific Ocean has been the longtime goal of one nonprofit group called Ocean Cleanup. On Monday, in Victoria, British Colombia, the group took a big step forward in their effort to haul plastic out of the ocean using retrofitted fishing trawlers and specialized nets. Host Marco Werman talks with the head of Ocean Cleanup, Boyan Slat, about the 120,000 pounds of plastic his group just pulled out of the Pacific Ocean.

Harold López-Nussa thrilled audiences at his Montreaux Jazz Festival debut in 2005. Since then, the fiery Cuban pianist has released a string of acclaimed Latin jazz projects. Host Carol Hills samples music from his latest album, “Timba A La American,” and a bitttersweet ballad inspired by his life in Cuba, which he composed after relocating to France.

This summer, we've been stepping back from the news to bring you "Stories From The Stage." This series is produced by our partners at the GBH TV Network WORLD. They're tales from ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. Like Praveen Sahay. Originally from India, where he was a police officer, Sahay was sent to Mozambique in 1994 as part of the UN peacekeeping force overseeing the country's first multi-party elections.

Japan is set to begin releasing nuclear wastewater in the Pacific Ocean at the end of August. It's part of a plan to decommission the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant after it was destroyed by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011. But the fishing and tourism industries in east Japan are concerned that people will believe the water is contaminated, and stop buying Japanese fish, or coming to the seaside resorts to eat it and swim. Thisanka Siripala reports from Soma, Japan, on how the wastewater release could impact local communities.

In Nicaragua, a court ordered the government of President Daniel Ortega to seize Central American University, a school operated by the Jesuits, a Catholic order. The court called the school a “center of terrorism." The World's Carol Hills speaks with Cindy Regidor, a journalist from Nicaragua with the news organization, Confidencial. She joined the show from San José, Costa Rica, and said this is one of many acts of "revenge" the authoritarian government in Nicaragua has taken against the Catholic Church.

The Parliament of the World's Religions describes itself as the largest and most inclusive global interfaith event. The history of it goes back to the late 1800s. This year, members of many different faiths around the world convened to talk about confronting what they see as an existential threat: the rise of authoritarianism. The World's Amanda Lichtenstein went to check it out.

Hip-hop is now half a century old and, for decades, rappers have used the art form to condemn abusive police practices. That spirit has since spread globally. In Myanmar, rappers are considered the artistic arm of a revolution to bring down the ruling military through armed rebellion. Rap Against Junta is a collective of lyricists who work under pseudonyms and change locations frequently, lest they're caught with recording gear or hard drives full of anti-government rhymes. Their purpose: articulating the anger Myanmar people feel towards the junta, which seized power in 2021, crashing the economy and sparking an uprising. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

Britain's National Health Service is known as a model of free health care for UK citizens. But as the public institution celebrates its 75th year, patients face long wait times at doctor's offices and hospitals in order to access that free care. Some say the system just needs more funding. Others argue that British patients need to pay for at least a part of their medical care, or for private companies to play a greater role in the system. Rebecca Rosman reports from London on the status of the NHS, including a conversation with the person who was the first baby born under the national health system.

Former Afghan diplomat, Abduljamil Bais is resettling with his family in Canada. This follows a harrowing journey for Bais, his wife and three kids through South and Central America. Early this year, Abduljamil was stripped of his status as an Afghan diplomat based in Iran. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Bais about his new life in Canada and how he made it over he Southern border into the US.

Leaders from ECOWAS states gathering in Accra, Ghana, say they are prepared to intervene in Niger militarily, if all diplomatic overtures fail. Actually launching an intervention, however, is another complicated story. The World's Carol Hills talks with Olayinka Ajala, a senior lecturer in politics and international relations at Leeds Beckett University, about the military discussions and strategic outlook ahead.

Ecuadorians will take part in a snap election this weekend in a tense political atmosphere. The country is grappling with a recent wave of unprecedented violence that has seen three politicians assassinated in less than a month. As The World’s Tibisay Zea reports, these crimes have left many people in Ecuador wondering if elections will bring any change at all.

Ukraine says it’s disappointed in Israel, for a few reasons. The government in Kyiv has long complained about Israel’s refusal to sell Ukraine advanced anti-missile technology to defend itself from Russian attacks. But more recently, Ukrainian officials have expressed frustration with Israel’s treatment of Ukrainians in Israel. Kyiv is reportedly considering canceling visa-free travel for Israelis. And then, thousands of Ukrainian refugees living in Israel recently lost access to health care funding. That raises questions about the future for Ukrainians who’ve relocated to the Jewish State since the Russian invasion. The World’s Matthew Bell was recently in Israel, and spent some time with a Ukrainian mom from Odesa, now living in Jerusalem.

Neuroscientists have, for the first time, reconstructed a recognizable song from brainwave recordings. Researchers at UC Berkeley took data from a study of 29 epilepsy patients whose brain activity was measured while listening to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 1." Host Carol Hills speaks with neuroscientist Ludovic Bellier, lead author of the study that reconstructed the music from the data and showed which parts of the brain process melody and rhythm. The paper, "Music can be reconstructed from human auditory cortex activity using nonlinear decoding models," was published this week in PLOS Biology.

During a hot summer like this one, eating ice cream is one way to cool down. While popular flavors these days include vanilla, in 18th-century Britain, tastes were a bit different. A popular flavor was “brown bread.” This summer, the flavor was resurrected for visitors to try at 13 historical sites across England. The World's Carol Hills spoke to food historian Annie Gray. She joins us from Cambridgeshire, England.

It was known as Britain's wonkiest pub. The Crooked House set in a former coal mining region in the West Midlands was a local tourist attraction. Earlier this month a mysterious fire tore through the pub. Two days later it was demolished without permission. Pub owners across England say the demise of the Crooked House is a cautionary tale about the loss of British heritage and the UK government needs to step in and take action. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

The leaders of South Korea and Japan will meet with President Joe Biden at Maryland’s Camp David, a rural retreat for US presidents, on Friday. Biden is bringing together President Yoon Suk-yeol of South Korea and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to discuss how they can cooperate more on security matters. But that won’t be easy. The World’s Patrick Winn says simply getting the two leaders to spend a day together is a breakthrough.

Fighting that began in April between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has created a humanitarian crisis, forcing 4 million people from their homes. The International Office of Migration reports that delivering aid to them is hindered by the fighting. Host Carol Hills speaks with Peter Kioy, IOM Sudan chief of mission, about the challenge of delivering aid in an expanding civil war.

Wednesday's Women's World Cup semi-final game ended in defeat for Australia. Even so, the Matildas became part of the nation's identity, bringing millions of eyes to women's sports. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports from Sydney.

Two human rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of human right abuses committed by Customs and Border Protection agents against migrants at the US southern border. In most cases, no one has been held accountable. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Climate engineer William Gagnon is a resident of Yellowknife, the capital of Canada’s Northwest Territories. This week, the entire population of his city was ordered to evacuate due to wildfire danger. Gagnon tells The World’s Carol Hills that although he’s studied climate change for more than a decade, he’s astonished by the speed of the fires approaching his city.

In the two years since the Taliban retook control in Afghanistan, independent journalism has gone either underground or into exile. Host Carol Hills examines the state of press freedom in Afghanistan today with Afghan journalist Zaki Daryabi, who fled Kabul in 2021 and continues his work as editor of the investigative newspaper Etilaatroz from an office just outside Washington, DC.

In 2020, the South Korean film “Parasite” made history at the Oscars when it became the first non-English language film to win best picture. But before “Parasite,” there was a different Korean film occupying the international cinematic landscape. It’s a 2003 movie called “Oldboy” and a remake of it opens in theaters on Wednesday for its 20th anniversary, as Fabian Garcia found out.

This coming school year, high school students in Russia will receive new history textbooks. They offer a rewritten rendition of Russian history that reflects the Kremlin’s narrative about the war in Ukraine. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports that they’re part of a wider effort by the state to tighten control over the flow of information.

Gabon has agreed to a deal with Bank of America and The Nature Conservancy to refinance $500 million in national debt toward marine conservation efforts in the country. Deals like these are known as debt-for-nature swaps and they are becoming an increasingly popular way to encourage climate commitments. But, as The World's host Carol Hills learned from Dennis Essers, it's not entirely clear yet what impact they have on the environment. Essers is an economist with the National Bank of Belgium and a researcher at the University of Antwerp.

Mythical creatures once filled many childhood lores, but have faded over time with the increase of technology. At the Loch Ness Center in Scotland, a group of researchers and “monster hunters” are preparing for a weekend-long search with this new technology to find the mythical Loch Ness monster. Emilie Lumina of the Loch Ness Center joins The World’s host Carol Hills to talk about the center’s latest endeavor — and how it’s getting people from around the world involved.

In the Israeli occupied West Bank, olive trees are much more than a source of food. They are a symbol of nationality and connection to the land. Historically, the trees have been targets of destruction by Israeli settlers. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports that a new initiative called “Treedom for Palestine” aims to increase the number of olive tree farms in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with the hope of turning a polarized land into a prosperous one.

In Colombia's capital city Bogota, pedestrians need to watch out for loose slabs of pavement that they can trip on, or wobbly tiles that get their feet wet or splash dirty water on them. But some activists have started trying to shame the city into making repairs more quickly by covering the broken spots with pink paint and black "x's." From Bogota, Manuel Rueda reports on the mixed reactions, and the results they're getting.

For Spain and England, all of their hard work and passion during this summer's Women’s World Cup has been worth it. The teams will face off in the championship match on Sunday, early in the morning for US viewers. The World's Bianca Hillier has been covering the action since day one and previews the final.

Russia continues to target Ukraine's grain infrastructure following the breakdown of a grain deal between the two nations. Today, Russian drones attacked Ukraine's grain silos along the Danube river. Despite this, a cargo ship carrying grain did manage to leave Ukraine along a newly created maritime corridor. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Alina Polyakova, president and CEO of the Center for European Policy Analysis, about Ukraine's grain exports under threat, as well as the current status of Ukraine's counteroffensive.

Shakespeare's plays are being edited in Florida because their sexual content has been deemed inappropriate for teens. But it's the Bard's depictions of race that give others pause when teaching and performing his works. Scholar Farah Karim-Cooper at the Globe Theater in London has a new book attempting to reconcile the racism in Shakespeare's plays with what he has said about race. Jeff Lunden reports.

The earthquakes that killed more than 59,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria six months ago produced enough rubble to cover 40 square miles, according to estimates by the United Nations. That's twice the size of Bermuda. Though the rubble contains asbestos, heavy metals and other toxic contaminants, it's being dumped near tent cities and environmentally protected areas. The World's Durrie Bouscaren investigates.

They’ve blocked highways and airport runways, disrupted sporting events, and even tried to deface renowned works of art. It’s all to raise awareness about the global impact of climate change. But in the last few months, governments across Europe have started taking more drastic steps to crack down on climate activists, as The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

A judge in Montana sided with young people who argued that the state had violated their right to a “healthful environment” by promoting fossil fuel use. Lisa Vanhala of University College London tells The World’s Carolyn Beeler that climate change litigation is gaining momentum globally.

Spanish soccer fans are celebrating their victory this morning over Sweden in the Women's World Cup, a win that puts them in the finals this weekend. But Spain's trip to soccer's biggest tournament has not always been so celebratory, as host Carolyn Beeler explains.

Guadalupe Maravilla made the journey from El Salvador to the US when he was just 8 years old. Experiencing civil war back home, in addition to a two-and-a-half month trek, led to trauma that he says manifested as cancer in his mid-30s. Now, he helps lead sound baths to help other immigrants with similar experiences heal. The World's Bianca Hillier went to one and reports from Boston.

An airstrike on a crowded town square in Ethiopia’s Amhara region on Sunday left at least 26 people dead. Amhara has seen fierce fighting in recent months between local militiamen and government forces over efforts to disband the militias. It is Ethiopia's worst crisis since a civil war in the northern Tigray region ended in November. Carolyn Beeler speaks with Kjetil Tronvoll, a professor of peace and conflict studies at Oslo University College in Norway.

The British government has arrested and charged three Bulgarian nationals with spying on behalf of Russia's intelligence services. The suspects were detained in February on suspicion of violating UK laws around sharing sensitive information. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with Philip Ingram, a former British military intelligence officer, about Russia's extensive spy network in the United Kingdom and what can be done to stop foreign spies from gaining sensitive information on the UK or other Western nations.

Today marks the second anniversary of the 2021 Taliban takeover of the Afghan capital Kabul. Since then, the group has transformed the country into a place where women have very few rights and many are struggling to make ends meet. The World's Shirin Jaafari spoke with a helicopter pilot who was serving in the Afghan military as the Taliban seized control of the country.

Earlier this year, more than 200 political prisoners jailed in Nicaragua were taken from jail in the middle of the night and flown to Washington, DC. President Daniel Ortega had them rendered stateless and stripped them of their property. The exiles have been granted temporary protected status in the US. Reporter Rae Solomon, from KUNC in Summit County, Colorado, met with one of the men making the mountains his new home.

Seven high-profile democracy activists in Hong Kong had part of their sentences thrown out today. They were convicted two years ago over one of the city's biggest pro-democracy rallies in 2019. The Court of Appeal's judgement read that just because they were at the front of the procession, didn't mean they actually organized it. As host Carolyn Beeler explains, their convictions for taking part in the rally were upheld.

The Raba'a massacre occurred exactly a decade ago today in Egypt. The Egyptian military cracked down on supporters of former President Mohamed Morsi, resulting in close to 900 deaths. Morsi had been removed in a military coup the month prior, following protests against his rule. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke with Amr El Afifi, a research manager with the Freedom Initiative, about the massacre and how the violence from a decade ago is understood as a turning point in Egypt's recent history.

Throughout Mexico, agave plants are used to make distillates like tequila, mezcal and bacanora, a similar liquor made in the state of Sonora. But much of the plant goes to waste when agave leaves are stripped and distilled. Kendal Blust reports from Matape, Sonora, on a group that is making new products from the fiber from agave leaves to reduce waste and bring new income to rural communities.

Crowds of young men gather at traffic circles in the evenings in Niger’s capital Niamey. They say they’re a “citizens’ watch group,” patrolling the streets to ensure that outsiders don’t drive into Niamey and try to turn back the military coup. The World’s Carolyn Beeler speaks with Sani Ayouba, in the capital, Niamey, who describes why some youth are in favor of the coup.

Odessa bears the scars of a blast that killed everything in its path. That's Odessa, Texas. It was hit by a meteor about 60,000 years ago. Today it is the best-preserved impact crater on Earth. Fulbright scholar Ania Losiak from Poland has been studying the crater, looking for what she describes as the meteor's "murderous behavior" to see how mankind can be prepared for the next one. Mitch Borden, of Marfa Public Radio, met her at the crater to learn more about her work.

In Denmark’s capital of Copenhagen, the commune self-styled as “Freetown Christiania” has served as a refuge for the country’s counterculture for five decades. And while drugs like cannabis have been easily accessible there, the hippie drug dealers have gradually been replaced by increasingly violent gang members. In response, activists in the commune have been attempting to disrupt the drug trade. Kim Møller, associate professor of criminology at Malmö University in Sweden, told The World's Carolyn Beeler that the anti-establishment residents are also increasingly turning to the establishment for help — including police.

In Argentina, a far-right libertarian who wants to shutter the central bank and dollarize the economy is now the leading candidate for president following his victory in Sunday’s primary. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with , a researcher for the Argentina project at the Wilson Center’s Latin America Program, about the economic conditions that smoothed the way for Congressman Javier Milei to come out on top with his controversial economic agenda.

In Australia, 1 in 25 properties will be effectively uninsurable by 2030, according to a recent report due to rising risks of extreme weather events. In the face of worsening wildfires, droughts, floods and cyclones, insurance companies are either pulling out of the highest risk areas or making premiums so high as to be unaffordable. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports from Sydney.

The annual Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak this weekend, sending bright trails of light across the night sky. This year, the moon will be only 10% illuminated, creating prime viewing conditions. Host Carol Hills has more.

There is a mystique around North Korea, the so-called “Hermit Kingdom,” that inspires fascination around the globe. For years, North Korean officials have profited from that mystique by opening restaurants in Southeast Asia where curious customers could not just eat North Korean-style food, but also meet North Korean waitresses, while watching them sing and even dance. But now many of these overseas North Korean restaurants are closing. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

Six months ago, earthquakes destroyed much of historic Antakya [ahn-TAH-kee-YAH] — an ancient city where several religions have long coexisted in southern Turkey. The city's old covered bazaar suffered severe damage in the quakes, but many shops have reopened amid the rubble. Shopkeepers and customers alike say they've returned for a sense of normalcy, and to help their city rebuild. The World's Durrie Bouscaren takes us inside.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, The World's Marco Werman looks at women who are rocking the mic across the globe. He dives in with Msia Kibona Clark from the department of African Studies at Howard University and host of the “Hip Hop African” podcast.

Biar Kon grew up in a refugee camp in Kenya after his family fled violence in Sudan. He moved to the United States as a young adult. He was shocked to find that homelessness also exists in the US. Today's Stories From The Stage is about a lesson in humanity. These are produced by our partners at the GBH TV network — World.

On Friday, Ecuador continues to reel from the assassination of presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio. A state of emergency has been declared and Villavicencio’s supporters are gathering to mourn him. Late Thursday, the Ecuadorian attorney general's office confirmed all six suspects arrested are Colombian — and so too is the suspected shooter, killed by law enforcement. To learn more, Carol Hills spoke to Elizabeth Dickinson. She’s senior analyst in Colombia for the International Crisis Group.

Three years ago this month, a powerful explosion ripped through the capital of Lebanon. About 200 people were killed, including several children. The government said it would investigate but so far, to the dismay of survivors, no one has been held accountable as The World's Shirin Jaafari found out.

The US and Iran have reached an agreement to release Iranian American prisoners held in Iran. The deal stipulates a release of the prisoners in exchange for Iran gaining access to its frozen assets. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, CEO of the Bourse and Bazaar Foundation, for more details behind this deal and Iran's use of hostages for monetary gain.

A massive firestorm fanned by a typhoon roared through Maui’s historic district of Lahaina on Wednesday. Lahaina was the original capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom and played a key role as an east-west bridge. Theo Morrison, a longtime resident and the executive director of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation, speaks with host Carol Hills.

The oldest-surviving blueprint from medieval times details the layout and construction of a village and monastery called the Plan of St. Gall. Now archaeologists and craftspeople are building that community, first described in 800 A.D., using only the tools and methods available back then. Author Kristen Ghodsee has visited the site and writes about it in her new book, “Everyday Utopia.” She tells The World’s Marco Werman that the medieval vision of a utopian community has much to teach the modern world.

An accidental breach of data is causing anxiety among Northern Ireland's police force. The data breach is the second in a matter of weeks and includes the full names and locations of police officers. Host Carol Hills speaks with Andrew George, a chief inspector with the Northern Ireland police, about why the breach is a major cause for concern among the force's rank and file.

Sixto Rodriguez, the Detroit-born singer/songwriter known under the moniker Rodriguez, has died. His 1970 debut album didn't attract much attention in the US, but it garnered a cult following in South Africa that he was unaware of. It took two South African fans and an Oscar-winning documentary to revitalize Rodriguez's career in later life. Host Carol Hills speaks with Craig Bartholomew Strydom, one of the fans who helped rediscover Rodriguez.

A message sent in a bottle by a couple in Nantucket, Massachusetts, was found recently by a research student on the island of South Caicos. The World's Sara Hassan met the couple to find out more about the messages they've sent over the years, and the responses they've received from across the globe.

In recent days, Russia has used what's called a "double tap" tactic in its latest attack on the Ukrainian city of Pokrovsk. It's when aircraft bomb an area and then return to attack it again once the rescue workers have arrived on the scene. Russia has used this tactic in the past in Syria. The World's Shirin Jaafari explains.

Fernando Villavicencio, a 59-year-old former journalist, was on the rise as a presidential candidate. On Wednesday night, he was shot and killed outside of a political rally in Ecuador's capital, Quito. He was campaigning on a message against corruption, and promised to stand up to organized criminal gangs. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

In this installment of our Movement series, about migration and music, The World's Meklit Hadero talks with Gino Yevdejevich, lead singer of the gypsy punk band Kultur Shock. They explore the need to create art, especially when the world is at its darkest. Yevdejevich tells the story of how the siege of his native Sarajevo turned him from a pop musician to a punk rocker in Seattle.

Climate change is hitting Costa Rica in a multitude of ways, including increasing the country’s risk from storms and natural disasters. But perhaps nowhere in the country are the effects of the changing environment felt more clearly than in the iconic Monteverde cloud forest reserve. As Michael Fox reports from Monteverde, the clouds are lifting in this previously rain-drenched place, which is causing species to disappear.

In India, there's a group of lottery winners who are living the dream. Eleven women in Kerala state are sharing a $1.2 million lottery prize, won from a single lottery ticket that they pooled their money to purchase. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

Peru is the world's largest exporter of shark fins, according to the marine protection organization Oceana. The catches are usually sent to Asia, where shark fin soup is a delicacy that can cost over $200 a bowl. As The World's Tibisay Zea reports, this lucrative trade is threatening species of sharks off the coasts of Peru and neighboring Ecuador.

While most of the globe's economies are suffering from the effects of inflation, China's economy is charting a different course. It's suffering from deflation. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, about the effects of deflation on China's economy and what it means for the rest of the world's economies.

Eight teams remain as the quest for the World Cup trophy continues in Australia and New Zealand. The World’s Bianca Hillier shares what you need to know ahead of the quarter finals.

Brigadier Gen. Moussa Salaou [sala-ou] Barmou was Washington’s point person in Niger. He was in charge of the elite forces that US troops had been training to fight militants. Now, he’s the spokesperson for the military junta that ousted Niger’s democratically elected president. Retired US Air Force Maj. Gen. Mark Hicks worked closely with Barmou. Hicks tells host Carolyn Beeler he’s deeply disappointed.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy has declared a state of emergency as more and more migrants make their way to the northeast. After fleeing persecution and hardships, the pressure is mounting for shelter systems to help them cope. GBH's Sarah Betancourt has the story of one family's struggle for asylum in the city of Boston.

In the film biz, Vancouver is known as “Hollywood North.” In 2022, the film industry spent an estimated $3.6 billion in British Columbia and employed about 40,000 people. With the writers' and actors' strikes, this vital part of the BC economy has almost entirely shut down. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Gemma Martini, chair of the Motion Picture Production Industry Association in British Columbia.

Britain has begun moving asylum-seekers out of government-funded hotels and onto a large barge docked off the country's southwest coast. The move is part of a controversial plan by the Conservative government to crack down on the number of asylum-seekers arriving on small boats off UK shores. Refugee groups say the step is unnecessarily cruel and pointless. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry tells host Caroyln Beeler the latest.

They are just 10 and 11 years old, but they are basking in newfound fame. The Tijuana Municipal Little League will soon board a plane for Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where they will compete in the Little League World Series. KPBS reporter Gustavo Solis speaks with players and parents before they leave for the US to represent Mexico.

In Chile and Argentina, it's the middle of winter, but these countries have actually been experiencing a heat wave. In one Chilean town, temperatures reached 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Raúl Cordero, who has been studying the changing climate in the southern hemisphere. He's a Chilean climate scientist who is currently based at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands.

The iconic East Los Angeles band Los Lobos is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Their blend of rock 'n' roll and traditional Mexican music has stayed consistent over generations. Members of the band, which they formed in high school, reflect with The World's Marco Werman on their staying power.

A woman in Colorado is suing Southwest Airlines for accusing her of human trafficking. Mary McCarthy was stopped and interrogated by Southwest staff who thought she was trafficking her biracial daughter. This case is seen as a major mistake by the airline, but human trafficking via airlines and airports remains a major issue and concern. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Damon Fordham, of High Street Consulting, on how to spot signs of human trafficking and what the aviation industry is doing to raise awareness of the issue.

More than 100 years ago, many Europeans, especially Italians and Spaniards, migrated to Argentina. Now, some of their descendants are returning to Europe, once again chasing economic stability. From Barcelona, Alan Ruiz Terol documents this return through the story of one couple from Buenos Aires who are reclaiming European citizenship in order to move to Spain.

Since Russia pulled out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative in July, its troops have been attacking Ukraine’s ports, destroying 220,000 metric tons of grain in the past week alone. But US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield tells host Carolyn Beeler that the grain deal could be brought back to life.

For the first time in over a decade, the leaders from eight nations that make up the Amazon rainforest are meeting in Brazil for a summit to discuss ways to protect this critical ecosystem, following years of deforestation and threats. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Global prices for food commodities, like rice and vegetable oil, rose after Russia exited the agreement that allowed Ukraine to ship its grain across the Black Sea to world markets. Now, restrictions by India on rice exports are having ripple effects. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Joseph Glauber, senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, about how such political decisions are affecting prices and food availability.

Many people in Thailand are asking, “What’s the point of having an election?” They had one three months ago and the winner was the country’s most progressive political party ever. But the party’s leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, is blocked from becoming prime minister because Thailand's military-backed senate believes that he’s unfit to rule. As The World’s Patrick Winn reports, Thailand is still struggling to find a leader the military establishment will accept.

While American fans mourn the US team's loss to Sweden on Sunday, much of the Arab world is gearing up in anticipation of the Morocco women's team game against former colonial power France. The World's Carolyn Beeler tells how the first Arab or North African nation to qualify for the Women’s World Cup is now hoping to continue a successful run with a victory over France on Tuesday.

India's economy is growing rapidly, which is usually associated with high employment numbers. But workforce participation by Indian women has been declining drastically over the last 15 years. From Mumbai, Raksha Kumar looks into why.

The Biden administration is looking into plans to send Marines and Navy personnel to the Strait of Hormuz to protect commercial ships from Iranian aggressions. The news follows a series of tit-for-tat actions by the US and Iran. In recent months Iran has seized several tankers in the Persian Gulf and the US has done the same to at least two Iranian ships near Texas. The World's Shirin Jaafari brings us the latest.

The “Oppenheimer” movie is yet to be released in Japan, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been reaction to the film. Japanese people online have reacted angrily, especially around some of the film's marketing campaigns. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke with Jennifer Coates, professor of Japan studies at the University of Sheffield, about the reaction to the film and the difference between Hollywood depictions of nuclear bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki with that of Japanese cinema.

Health officials in Australia announced this month that they've virtually eliminated HIV transmission in inner Sydney, which was once the epicenter of the disease in the country. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports from Sydney on how the country achieved this success.

A Korean grandmother has won over the hearts of hundreds of Milwaukeeans by teaching them how to cook authentic Korean food. Seon Joo-oh came to the US when she was in her 40s and didn't speak any English. Today she's teaching cooking classes at the local recreation department as WUWM's Education reporter Emily Files discovered.

Built on Cambodian shores, the renovated facility is poised to serve as China's second-ever foreign military base — the first being in Djibouti. But don't expect Beijing to hold a parade. Chinese officials are downplaying the importance of the Ream Naval Base. The World's Patrick Winn reports that the Pentagon is watching as China completes a massive pier capable of servicing aircraft carriers.

It took Spain more than half a century to acknowledge and compensate victims exposed to Thalidomide, a drug that caused severe birth defects. Today, there are only about 300 victims in Spain who are still alive. They will share money that the federal budget has set aside. The World's Gerry Hadden reports that with these payouts, the world is essentially closing a chapter on a medical tragedy.

South Korea’s government says all participants will depart early from the 25th World Scout Jamboree campsite in Samangeum. The global gathering of Scouts has been plagued by extreme heat, a COVID-19 outbreak and now Typhoon Khanun. The World’s Carolyn Beeler speaks with Vincent Blood in Bournemouth, England. His stepdaughter is at the event.

Niger's military coup leaders failed to return government to civilian hands Sunday — a deadline set by the Economic Community of West African States. The 15-nation bloc has yet to respond with military action as it promised. From Dakar, Senegal, Oluwole Ojewale with the Institute for Security Studies told The World's Carolyn Beeler that the bloc is now divided between pro-authoritarian and pro-democratic members.

Thor Pedersen, a former UN soldier originally from Denmark, went on a decadelong adventure that took him to every country in the world but never took an airplane. By train, bus, boat and other forms of transport he covered over 220,000 miles. Last week he returned home to Copenhagen. Pedersen told The World's Carol Hills about his trip.

In order to prevent Russian troops from advancing toward Kyiv, Ukrainian forces destroyed a dam on the Irpin River early on in the war. The flooding, as it turned out, created new wetland areas. Some conservationists hope to see the wetlands stay. Even residents whose cellars remain flooded are glad the water came and the Russian troops did not. The World’s Carolyn Beeler reports on what appears to be an unexpected silver lining of the war.

Poland and Lithuania are raising the alarm that thousands of Wagner fighters are gathered in neighboring Belarus. The Wagner group, led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, is the private Russian military company that staged a short-lived mutiny in June. Host Carol Hills speaks with The World’s Daniel Ofman about the reaction from NATO's countries bordering Belarus.

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Biden administration can temporarily continue to enforce its strict immigration program while the Justice Department appeals a lower court ruling that blocked it. The controversial policy at the heart of the court battle largely restricts migrants who passed through another country from seeking asylum in the United States. The World's Carol Hills speaks with Adam Isacson at the Washington Office on Latin America, a human rights advocacy group, about the impact of the court's ruling, amid growing criticism of the Biden policy from both conservative and liberal voices.

We've been stepping back from the news this summer to bring you some "Stories From The Stage." These are tales told by ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. They're produced by our partners at the GBH TV network, World. Today's story teller is Javed Rezayee, who came to the US from Afghanistan. For some people, cooking is a refuge, for others, it's a disaster. Rezayee tells how he pits his meager cooking skills against those of his father, a talented professional chef.

Canada, Brazil, Germany and Italy were all expected to go far in the 2023 World Cup. But as the group stage ends, all of them are headed home. The World's Bianca Hillier breaks down the matches and shares the reaction from the teams that are moving on.

In France, some towns are fighting back against disease-carrying mosquitoes. They’re battling the bloodsuckers with bats, which have a voracious appetite for the insects. Building bat nests is a booming business. But are the efforts working? The World’s Gerry Hadden reports from Saint Tulle in the south of France.

It's been six months since two massive earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria, killing more than 59,000 people and collapsing thousands of buildings. The World's Durrie Bouscaren speaks with host Carol Hills from Hatay, Turkey, about what life is like for survivors as cleanup and rebuilding continues.

Host Marco Werman takes us out with a shot of optimism from Dominican musician, Yasser Tejeda and the tune, "Todo Va a Marchar" (“It'll All Work Out”). The Afro Caribbean tune says although we worry, in the end, everything is going to be all right.

A visually dramatic protest unfurled in Yorkshire, England, on Thursday at the private home of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Demonstrators for Greenpeace climbed on the roof of the large two-story country house and draped the building in black fabric. Host Marco Werman explains they were protesting Sunak's decision this week to expand oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.

The children of migrant families, who are often on the move, sometimes struggle to keep up with their studies. A pilot program in Ventura County, California, is offering summer school this year to elementary-school aged children. Some of the teachers are visiting from Mexico. KCLU's Lance Orozco visits a classroom where both sides of the border are celebrated.

Residents of Warsaw, Poland, lit a candle on a birthday cake to commemorate the 10th anniversary of a highway overpass that has no on ramp or off ramp. An aerial photo shows a smart-looking highway bridge above four railway tracks, but at each end of the overpass the concrete turns into grass. Host Marco Werman explains.

Ukraine is now considered the most heavily mined country in the world. Nearly 1,000 civilians have been killed or injured by mines and unexploded ordnance since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion last February. And about a third of the country needs to be cleared of these explosives. Much of that land is farmland. The World’s Carolyn Beeler visited a farm in the Kyiv region that is partially covered in mines to understand the impact these munitions are having on the agriculture sector, a major driver of the country’s gross domestic product. She also speaks with host Marco Werman about the lingering impact of unexploded ordnance leftover from World War I in Belgium, where bomb removal teams respond to calls every day to safely remove shells and grenades that are more than 100 years old.

In Colombia on Thursday, a six-month ceasefire begins with the rebel group, the National Liberation Army, or ELN. The truce is controversial, because the ELN is known for attacks on civilians, its association with drug trafficking cartels, and its violent hold on the region around Colombia's border with Venezuela. From Bogotá, Manuel Rueda reports on the hopes and fears surrounding the peace deal.

On Thursday, Amnesty International released one of the first human rights reports on the ongoing conflict in Sudan. It accuses both sides of the conflict of committing gross human rights atrocities, including sexual violence against women and girls. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

Paleontologists have discovered the fossils belonging to the most-massive animal called Perucetus colossus. The animal is whale-like, and was discovered in Peru. The World's Marco Werman talks to Alberto Collareta, one of the paleontologist on the team who found it, about how the discovery redefines our understanding of Earth's largest animals.

Preliminary results from a Swedish trial found that artificial intelligence-supported reading of mammograms detected 20% more cases of breast cancers compared with the double reading of mammograms by two radiologists. The study looked at the mammograms of 80,000 women and the early results were published in Lancet Oncology this week. Marco Werman speaks with Aldana Rosso, professor of Medical Radiology at Lund University in Sweden and one of the authors of the new study.

Pope Francis is in Portugal for World Youth Day, when more than a million young Catholics come from around the globe to celebrate and meet with the pope. But this time, it's coinciding with the host country dealing with the fallout from its own role in the Catholic clergy sex abuse scandal. Marco Werman speaks with Elise Ann Allen, senior correspondent for the Crux news site who is in Lisbon covering Pope Francis' visit.

Thousands of tourists evacuated off the Greek island of Rhodes last month are being offered a free holiday on the island next year by the country’s government. The offer is just one attempt by the Greek government to try and erase some of the the bad publicity that the tourist hot spot suffered because of catastrophic wildfires. But a new report by the European Commission suggests that summer holidays on the Mediterranean coast may soon be in jeopardy if temperatures continue to soar. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports

The Jamaica women's soccer team are through to the next stage of the World Cup for the first time. They drew 0-0 with Brazil, kicking one of the top teams out of the tournament. The World's Marco Werman shares the update.

South Korean boy and girl bands like BTS have almost always have a rapper or two in their lineup. And hip-hop itself has been grounded in country since the 1990's. Haekyung Um has written extensively about Korean pop culture and the hip-hop scene. She also teaches global popular music and Asian music industries at the University of Liverpool. She speaks to host Marco Werman.

For seven weeks, Azerbaijan has in effect blocked Armenia's access to Nagorno-Karabakh. The majority of the disputed region is inhabited by ethnic Armenians, however Baku has claimed this territory as part of sovereign Azerbaijan. Now, international organizations like the Red Cross have stated that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are facing a humanitarian crisis, with shortages in food, fuel, and medicine. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

Rising temperatures have pulled invasive species like the lionfish from the Red Sea and into the Mediterranean, where their pretty-but-poisonous spikes and voracious appetites are threatening unsuspecting vacationers and local wildlife alike. In an effort to help local fishermen and keep lionfish populations in check, Turkish environmentalists are selling invasive fish to restaurants in the hopes of jump-starting a new, climate-friendly industry. Durrie Bouscaren reports from the beachside town of Akyaka, in southern Turkey.

A rising in the number of cases in Florida of Hansen's disease, commonly known as leprosy, highlights the increase in tropical disease infections found in the US. The World's Marco Werman speaks with professor Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, about the conditions driving the uptick in tropical illnesses more commonly found in the global south.

Former President Donald Trump has been indicted for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election by special counsel Jack Smith. The detailed indictment was unsealed on Tuesday, and since then, no European leader has commented on the charges. The World's Marco Werman talks with Jeremy Shapiro, a research director at the European Council on Foreign Relations who focuses on the trans-Atlantic relationship between Europe and the United States, about why such profound charges have been met with silence from European allies.

Top American officials have been visiting Saudi Arabia and Israel in recent weeks to discuss a possible normalization deal between the two sides. President Joe Biden said last week that a deal may be on the way, but as The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports, both sides have put forward major demands.

Simon Squibb is the new owner of a staircase in southwest London. The four-story glass-enclosed stairwell is no longer connected to the building it once served. Squibb bought it at auction for nearly $37,000. Host Marco Werman steps up with details.

The Ukrainian government is doing an unusually thorough job of documenting environmental damages being caused by Russian attacks. Their primary goal, according to the Ministry of the Environment, is to eventually win compensation for these damages. The government isn’t alone in this effort — a handful of nonprofits are also helping, with volunteers combing news reports to help build databases of every potential environmental impact caused by a Russian attack. The World's environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler reports.

China’s capital has been battered by more than 29 inches of rain since Saturday. It’s the heaviest rainfall Beijing residents have seen in 140 years and has taken the lives of at least 20 people. Beijing resident Yajun Zhang tells The World’s Marco Werman climate change is a hot topic for some of China’s urban elite, but others don’t link the extreme weather to global warming.

It's a country of little more than 10 million people but when it comes to pop music, Sweden punches far above its weight. Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Coldplay and countless other international stars have had some of their biggest hits produced and written by Swedish artists. The Nordic nation is the third-largest exporter of pop music in the world, after the US and the UK. But musicians in Sweden are worried that the country's changing political climate could endanger this great Swedish success story. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports from Stockholm.

Myanmar's best-known political prisoner will spend slightly less time in prison, the military rulers there announced on Tuesday. Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to 33 years in prison for 19 different offenses that her supporters say were an attempt to discredit her. On Tuesday, the military-led government reduced the 78-year-old former leader's sentence by six years. Host Marco Werman has more details.

Gang violence in Haiti has threatened to take over the capital. Organized crime has infiltrated most parts of everyday life. As Haiti becomes more fragile and has asked for security assistance, Kenya has made an offer. The World's Marco Werman talks with Daniel Foote, a former US special envoy to Haiti, about the offer and the latest in the security crisis.

The United States has long relied on Niger as a host to drone bases that run surveillance across Africa. They've also worked with Nigerien forces to counter off-shoots of Al Qaeda and ISIS that have troubled the Sahel region. As the US may be forced to pull back, the West African economic union, ECOWAS, has threatened to use force to return Niger to civilian democratic government. The World's Marco Werman talks with Cameron Hudson, a former CIA officer and National Security Council official who worked on Africa, about the lastest turn in the crisis.

Marta is a legend of Brazilian and international soccer. She was the first player to ever score in five consecutive Olympics, and she has scored the most goals in Brazil’s history, and the most World Cup goals in world history. This World Cup, she says, is her last one. The World’s Bianca Hillier reports on Marta’s journey to the top and the legacy she will leave behind.

Ecuador’s prison system has long been the main theater of violence in the country, with hundreds of prisoners killed in recent years as members of competing criminal gangs fight for power. It's just one example of self-governing prisons, that are common across Latin America, and lead to mixed outcomes. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

On Tuesday in Canada, new regulations took effect that require health warning labels on individual cigarettes. "Poison in every puff" is one of them. Canada is the first country in the world to take this step and it's part of the country’s goal to drop its nationwide tobacco use to less than 5% by 2035. Marco Werman speaks with Rob Cunningham, senior policy analyst at the Canadian Cancer Society.

Two microscopic worms, nematodes, were brought to life after being frozen deep in Siberian permafrost for an estimated 46,000 years. The discovery was published last week in the scientific journal PLOS Genetics. Host Marco Werman tells the story of these time-traveling worms, and the research they are inspiring today.

Nearly 1 1/2 years into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, its impact has been felt most acutely in lost lives, flattened cities and destroyed infrastructure. But the environmental damage from combat has also contaminated Ukraine’s soil, water and air, at a cost the government is estimating to be $56 billion. This impact is likely to be one of the longest-lasting legacies of the war, persisting for decades after the fighting stops. The World's environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler visited sites attacked by Russian forces in Ukraine to report on the environmental damages incurred there.

Self-taught musician Arthur Verocai has never toured the US, and he arrives this week for four special dates in which he and a 30-piece orchestra will reprise live his 1973 self-titled recording, an album that was influential on not just a generation of artists from Brazil, but has also been discovered in later years by the hip-hop world as a sampling source of compelling and unique sounds. Host Marco Werman offers a taste.

Deborah Bonello joins The World's Marco Werman to discuss her new book “Narcas: The Secret Rise of Women in Latin America's Cartels,” which profiles women's power in organized crime throughout Latin America.

China’s seen incredible growth over the last 50 years — and with that, major changes in the country’s diet and agriculture. With 1.4 billion people to feed and a party narrative to upkeep, President Xi Jinping is pushing the country to invest in its own food security. During a time when tensions between the US and China are rising, we look at how Great Power Competition is unfolding in America’s cornfields. Reported by Laicie Healey, host of the national security podcast Things That Go Boom.

The blast that killed dozens at a political rally in Pakistan this weekend exposed the deepening rivalries between the country’s powerful militant groups. Officials say ISIS is responsible for the explosion. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Ayesha Siddiqa, a senior fellow at King's College, London about what’s behind the deadly feuds.

Tensions are high over police violence in the southern French city of Marseille. A young man who was allegedly brutally attacked by police officers in June is now telling his story. A police officer remains in detention while the investigation proceeds. Meanwhile police are protesting the detention, saying they are the victims. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from France, on the national conversation sparked by this and other recent cases that raise questions about police use of force against people of Arab and African descent.

Germany’s famed Black Forest is getting greener. That may sound like a good thing, but it’s actually a problem because of the loss of biodiversity. Emily Haavik reports from the Black Forest, where researchers are studying the unique ecosystem of the bog and its specialized plants.

A series of drone attacks in Moscow Sunday brought the war closer to Russian citizens. Although Ukraine has not taken responsibility, President Volodomyr Zelenskiy said afterward that attacks on Russian territory are an “inevitable, natural and absolutely fair process” in the war which has ravaged Ukraine for nearly 18 months. Host Marco Werman speaks with Samuel Bendett of the Center for Naval Analyses (CNA) about the attacks and the capacity for both sides to use drone warfare to further their military objectives.

International condemnation for last week's military coup in Niger continued to grow over the weekend. West African leaders have threatened economic sanctions, travel bans, and possible use of force if the president is not reinstated within a week. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi about the wave of military coups in the Sahel region and the broader implications of this latest military move.

Stories From The Stage are about ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. In partnership with WGBH's TV World Channel, today's storyteller is Nimisha Ladva. She's a professor, originally from Kenya and the UK, who now lives and works in the US. Ladva's story is about how she dates outside her Indian culture and against her parents' wishes.

In the massive migration of people out of Venezuela, more than half a million have ended up in Ecuador. Many LGBTQ Venezuelans chose to settle in that country because gay marriage is legal there. But as Gisele Regatão reports, they have ended up facing discrimination on multiple levels.

El Salvador's Congress has passed legislation that would allow up to 900 people to be tried together for the same gang affiliation. This has raised questions about due process, specifically the right to a fair trial. It's the latest salvo in President Nayib Bukele's campaign against gangs in the country.

Since early in Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a number of media outlets have been trying to determine the precise number of Russian soldiers who have died during the war in Ukraine. They've used multiple methods, like tracking social media posts, documenting local government announcements, and even visiting cemeteries. Now they're using a statistical model based on excess deaths, similar to models used to estimate excess deaths for COVID-19. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

After the armistice that created North and South Korea, the countries were in ruins. Hundreds of thousands of children were left orphans. Initially, church groups were rescuing orphans but over several decades it turned into a massive business enterprise. Filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem was adopted by a white American family when she was 8. The division between North and South is the same kinds of separation that Liem feels being separated from her homeland.

The monthlong Gion Matsuri festival has been a mainstay of Kyoto culture for 1,000 years. But the COVID-19 pandemic put the celebration on hiatus. This year, crowds have thronged the city streets to watch its famous parade floats and performances. The World's Carol Hills speaks with Monica Narang, an American who teaches English and is a photographer in Kyoto, and has been attending events all month.

A court in Hong Kong has rejected an attempt by the local government to ban the unofficial anthem of the pro-democracy movement. The World's Carol Hills spoke to Eric Yan-ho Lai, a visiting researcher at the Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College London. Though it might seem like a victory for freedom of expression, Lai said the government had other tools to crack down on free speech.

President Joe Biden has given the green light for the US to cooperate with the International Criminal Court on its investigation into alleged Russian war crimes in Ukraine. The decision is a reversal of the Washington's previous stance on the ICC. In 2020, the Trump administration sanctioned the ICC’s chief prosecutor, who was investigating allegations of war crimes committed by US troops in Afghanistan. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

In the West African country of Senegal, hip-hop went from being merely a fad to an influential force for social change. For our summer "Planet Hip Hop" series, the World’s Tibisay Zea reports from Dakar about the evolution of Senegalese rap.

On Wednesday, Japan released new population numbers. The figures aren't positive, if you're the government. For the first time, the country saw a decline in population across all 47 of its prefectures last year. In total, the population fell by around 800,000. The World's host Marco Werman spoke to Jake Adelstein in Japan, the author of Tokyo Vice, a memoir about his time on the crime beat in the city.

In recent years, a number of endangered North Atlantic right whales have been found entangled in fishing gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in Canada. That's because they're straying further to find feeding grounds, but protections aren't yet in place for them in those areas. This matters because there are only about 350 right whales left on the planet. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Amy Knowlton, a senior scientist with the New England Aquarium and a specialist on the North Atlantic right whale.

Tributes to Sinéad O'Connor, who was found dead on Wednesday in her London home, poured in today. "Her music was loved around the world and her talent was unmatched and beyond compare," wrote Ireland's Prime Minister Leo Varadkar on his social media account. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Europe correspondent Orla Barry, who was born and raised in Ireland.

On this day, July 27, in 1953, the United Nations and North Korea signed a ceasefire, bringing an end to three years of fighting on the Korean Peninsula that killed more than 36,000 US soldiers and an estimated 2 million Korean civilians. But a formal peace agreement was never signed. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with David Kang, professor of international relations at the University of Southern California, about the legacy of this unfinished conflict and prospects for peace between North and South Korea.

Naomi Girma is a star defender on the soccer field. In college, she helped lead Stanford University to a national championship. In her first year as a professional in the National Women's Soccer League, she won both the Rookie of the Year and Defender of the Year honors. And last week, she made her World Cup debut for the US. The World's Bianca Hillier reports that Girma's success began with a small soccer league for Ethiopian kids in the Bay Area.

Details are still unclear, but it appears that President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger was ejected by a group of military officers, who claim an intervention in the government was needed. The World's host Marco Werman talks with Alex Thurston, at the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Cincinnati, who has done field research all across West Africa. Thurston discusses what happened, and what it means for Niger and the Sahel region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin told African leaders gathered for a summit in St. Petersburg today that his government would provide grain shipments to six African nations for free. The plan is to help prevent a food shortage caused by Putin's decision to pull out of the Black Sea Grain Initiative last week. "We are taking maximum efforts to avert a global food crisis,” Putin said. From Nairobi, Kenya, The World's Halima Gikandi reports.

The Belgian musical duo Charlotte & Bolis tackle some of the hot button issues of our time with infectious dance tracks. Their 2022 album Topical Dancer took on weighty subjects like colonialism, representation, xenophobia and political correctness in playful dance tunes. Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul spoke to The World's collaborator Meklit Hadero, host of the Movement series.

Russia is no longer part of the Black Sea Grain Initiative and has resumed its blockade of ships carrying food from Ukraine to countries where it's desperately needed. Moscow is also attacking grain terminals and infrastructure at the Black Sea port of Odesa. Are these violations of international law? The World's Marco Werman speaks with Catriona Murdoch, a partner at Global Rights Compliance, which is focused on improving compliance with international law.

Dr. Alexander Tenorio manages a network of doctors in the San Diego area who are on call to care for individuals who climb the 18-foot border wall and then fall on the US side, where they are treated in local hospitals. The World's Marco Werman reports that more injuries are predicted as the border wall is now being raised in many parts to 30 feet.

Ninety thousand. That’s the number of migrants and asylum-seekers that have arrived in New York City since the Spring of 2022. Now, Mayor Eric Adams is asking those who are planning to head north to consider another city to settle in as there is "no guarantee the city will be able to provide shelter and services to new arrivals." The World’s Maria Elena Romero reports the warning is leaving many confused about where to go next.

Swimming in the Seine was banned in 1923 due to high levels of pollution in the water. Now, a century later, city officials have reportedly spent over $1 billion to clean up the river ahead of the summer Olympics in Paris, which start in exactly one year. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on how they've done.

A well-known education activist has been in detention in Afghanistan since March. Matiullah Wesa had been fighting for education for Afghan children for more than a decade, mainly in remote areas of the country. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with his brother and one of his friends who say they are concerned about his safety and well being.

Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, who was elected last fall on a conservative populist platform, meets with President Joe Biden on Thursday. The two leaders could not be more different on issues such as human rights and immigration. The World's European correspondent Orla Barry examines what Meloni hopes to get out of her first official visit to the White House.

The blistering temperatures we've been reporting on across the globe are not just in the air, but in the ocean too. Buoys off the southern tip of Florida registered water temperatures of 100 and 101 degrees on Sunday and Monday. Meteorologists say this could be the hottest seawater ever recorded anywhere, exceeding the prior record set in the waters off Kuwait three summers ago. The World's Marco Werman has details.

The FSO Safer is an oil tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen that has fallen into dangerous disrepair. The huge quantity of oil aboard could leak, or it could explode. The UN has organized a mission to prevent a nightmare scenario by siphoning the oil out and onto a new ship. The World's Marco Werman talks to David Gressly, the UN Resident Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen who has spearheaded the complicated effort to do something about the menace of the FSO Safer.

It was good news when scientists announced in April they had discovered pristine and thriving deep-sea coral reefs off the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. Now, some researchers are looking to them to learn what might protect other reefs from suffering from further climate change damage. Vera Haller reports from Santa Cruz Island on all the different research projects that the reef discovery has made possible.

Two decades after militias slaughtered hundreds of thousands in Darfur, researchers are working to prevent a repeat of the violence. Nathaniel Raymond of Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab is pairing photographic evidence with on-the-ground intelligence in a new partnership with the US State Department. Dina Temple-Raston of the podcast, “Click Here,” profiles the team's work.

Researchers believe that the H5N1 virus, avian flu, may have killed millions of wild birds globally as the outbreak ravages South America. The World's Marco Werman speaks with William Schaffner, professor of medicine at the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center about the spread of the disease which has now been reported on every continent except Oceania and Antarctica.

In the day and age of the internet, satellite communications and advanced technology, Bob Romanko still enjoys his chats with people around the world on his ham radio. From Virginia Public Radio, Sandy Hausman reports on a hobby that has united people across the globe for more than a hundred years.

Every summer, the Antarctic ice sheets recede as they melt, and every winter they regrow when the temperature drops. Not this winter. Recent observations and data show the ice is not regrowing. The World's Marco Werman talks with Ted Scambos, senior research scientist at the University of Colorado at Boulder about this unprecedented departure from the Antarctic's normal ice patterns.

About 2,500 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in Iceland since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, continuing at a rate of around 200 per month. Iceland shines when it comes to helping them settle. It gives the Ukrainians nearly instant residency as refugees, on humanitarian grounds, and a host of other support. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from the capital, Reykjavik.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is planning to head for China in October to attend the "One Belt, One Road" forum, the Kremlin announced on Tuesday. Putin decided not to attend the BRIC economic summit in South Africa because there is an international warrant out for his arrest.

Exactly one month after Qin Gang disappeared from public view, on Tuesday, his removal and his successor was announced in Chinese state media. No explanation was given. The sometimes outspoken foreign minister was last seen in public on June 25. The World's Marco Werman speaks to Jeff Wasserstrom, professor of history at UC Irvine to learn more about Gang's mysterious removal.

Paul Singer, investigations editor at the GBH News Center for Investigative Reporting, joins The World's Carol Hills to discuss his latest investigation, in collaboration with journalism students at Boston University, of Boston's Freedom Trail, and its links to slave trade and international labor.

On Monday, the UN group that organizes international response to conflicts on the Korean Peninsula said it has started a conversation with North Korea about a US soldier's whereabouts. Private Travis King ran across a militarized border into North Korea last week. Host Carol Hills has details.

Thousands of Russians who oppose the war in Ukraine have fled their country. But many are viewed with skepticism in the countries in which they have landed. Levi Bridges talked to a handful of anti-war Russians who are having a hard time getting residency and work permits in other countries in Central Asia and the EU.

The mayor of Manta, Ecuador's third-largest city, was murdered on Sunday. While the motive remains unclear, the killing comes amid a serious outbreak of violence that authorities attribute to disputes among organized crime groups. Host Carol Hills speaks with Sebastian Hurtado, president of Prófitas, a political risk consultancy firm in Quito, about the murder and the growing problem of violence in Ecuador.

Since the start of the Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many European countries have been trying to find ways to reduce their dependency on Russian energy. One place they’re starting to look is West Africa, where Senegal and Mauritania are capitalizing on recent discoveries of natural gas. But many locals are wondering how much they will benefit from their own country’s resources. The World’s Tibisay Zea (reports from St.-Louis in Senegal.

With wildfires raging for a seventh day on the Greek island of Rhodes, the country undertook one of the largest evacuations of its kind in the country's history. In total, 19,000 people were forced to flee the fires, both by land and sea. Some of the boats that assisted were privately owned, like the Glass Bottom Boats that local resident Kostas Metullari. He told The World's Carol Hills that he didn't know what the future held for the island.

“We are at war,” declared Greece’s Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in a recent address to the country’s parliament. The enemy? Fire. The country has been battling wildfires on islands at opposite ends of the country — Corfu to the west and Rhodes to the east. The World's Carol Hills spoke to Lieutenant Fire Col. Ioannis Artopios in Athens. He’s spokesperson for the Hellenic Fire Service.

Sunday marked 100 days since an armed conflict broke out between the country's rival armed forces. The conflict has displaced 3 million people, and observers warn a full-blown civil war could be next. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi has more.

The results from Sunday's election were essentially a toss-up between the left and the right. That will make it hard for either side to form a governing coalition. But the clearest loser was the extreme-right party, Vox, whose hopes of an historic ascent into power were dashed. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

In a vote boycotted by the Israeli opposition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bid to overhaul the judiciary is in motion. The judicial overhaul vote passed 64-0. Israelis have protested day after day for months, and those protests have included Israeli combat veterans and military reservists. The World's Carol Hills talks with Guy Paron, a former Air Force reservist, about how the bill is fracturing the Israeli national security establishment.

Daria Ripa helps orchestrate weddings at Kyiv's municipal Marriage Palace. For a decade, she's aimed to creating lifelong memories for the couples she coaches through their ceremonies. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began last year, that goal has taken on new meaning. The World's Carolyn Beeler visited Ripa at work one spring Saturday to bring us her story.

In May, the World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 global health emergency. So, what is the global state of COVID-19 since then and right now? The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Michael Mina, a leading epidemiologist focused on COVID-19, to find out.

A video has been circulating around the Philippines of a drag performer dressed as Jesus Christ and singing a punk version of the Lord's Prayer. It's caused an uproar in the largely Catholic country, dividing even the LGBTQ community. Ashley Westerman reports from Manila on what reaction to the video is revealing about Filipino society.

The northeastern Indian state of Manipur has been subject to violent clashes since May, led by disputes between two ethnic, tribal groups. The tensions have led to more than 100 deaths and instances of sexual violence. A recently released video, filmed three months ago, shows two women being sexually assaulted by one of the groups, igniting more protests and calls from across the country for government action. Indian journalist, Makepeace Sitlhou, joins The World's host Carols Hills to discuss what is happening in Manipur.

In dozens of towns and cities across Spain, the far-right Vox party has found itself invited into ruling coalitions — and it has already begun dismantling policies meant to preserve nature and protect sexual and gender diversity. It now could serve as kingmaker in this weekend's federal elections, should the center-right Popular Party win a majority of votes. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona, in northeast Spain.

“Stories from the Stage” are tales shared by ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. We start a segment today in collaboration with GBH's World. The focus will be on the lives, loves and losses of immigrants here in the US, like Ana Hebra Flaster, who came from Cuba when she was 6 years old. Flaster is a writer who grew up in New England and her storytelling is inspired by her father.

Haiti qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup by beating Chile in a playoff game in February. The team will play their first match tomorrow morning against England. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on their journey to the tournament and what it means for the country.

Following a pressure campaign from the Biden Administration, seven of the top tech companies working on artificial intelligence will voluntarily agree to a number of safeguards. Host Carol Hills talks with Sarah Myers West, the managing director of the AI Now Institute, about the announcement and how various governments around the world have tried to catch up with AI and regulate it.

Every night this week, Russia has bombarded cities along Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast. With these attacks, the Russian military has tried to disrupt Ukraine’s ability to export grain abroad. The attacks follow Russia’s exit from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, the deal that allowed Ukraine to export grain and other agricultural products. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports.

Sam Cutler not only was key to the early touring success of these two bands. He was also witness to some of the greatest, but also one of the most tragic moments, in rock history. Cutler died recently in Brisbane, Australia. Host Marco Werman looks back.

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup is already off to a historic start after New Zealand snagged their first ever World Cup win in their opening game against Norway. The World's Bianca Hillier kicks off the tournament with host Marco Werman and shares what to look for over the next month of play.

A restaurant in Amman, Jordan, is allowing its patrons to take a little siesta after their meal. Mat'am Mou'ab serves Jordan's national dish, mansaf, and has installed beds for customers to sleep in after eating the heavy dish. The World's host Marco Werman reports.

Akureyri, Iceland — population 18,000 — is on the verge of becoming the world’s first town to go carbon neutral. The town has some natural advantages, including abundant hydro and geo-thermal energy. But it’s set up some ingenious programs to reduce its footprint elsewhere. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Centenarian statesman Henry Kissinger flew to Beijing for a surprise meeting yesterday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Beijing bureau chief for The Economist David Rennie tells The World’s host Marco Werman that Kissinger is China’s ideal American diplomat, because of his “ultra-realist” worldview.

The price of tomatoes are going way up in India — and it's an indicator for the economy. Reporter Sushmita Pathak spoke to people talking about the high cost and how that's effecting what they eat and cook, and discussed the situation with host Marco Werman.

Women in Afghanistan took to the streets this week to protest a Taliban ban on beauty salons. The ban will come into effect in five days, leaving roughly 60,000 women out of work. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

A new mural in San Diego's Chicano Park depicts the successful fight to ban the use of a short-handled hoe on California farms. The tool, known as the El Cortito hoe, crippled farm workers, most of whom were undocumented migrants from Mexico. KPBS's Katie Hyson has the story behind the mural.

Peruvians are protesting in greater numbers, taking on their president and congress in a bid to control off-the-rails corruption and what they say is neglect of the citizenry. And the US doesn't have many options to help, as the crisis grows. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Will Freeman, a fellow for Latin America studies at the Council for Foreign Relations about the threats to democracy in Peru and the US role there.

Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad after Stockholm police gave permission to yet another person to burn the Quran. Relations between Iraq and Sweden are now frayed and some Swedes are beginning to wonder: When does the legal right to burn a Quran become a hate crime? Host Marco Werman speaks with Paul Levin, the director of Stockholm University's Institute for Turkish Studies.

Noam Tsuriely grew up in Jerusalem listening to his dad play jazz on the piano. That music turned out to be a big influence on Noam, who's soon releasing his debut hip-hop album called, "Lyrics, Melody & Vision." For one of his tracks, Tsuriely delivers his lines seamlessly in both Hebrew and Arabic. The World's Matthew Bell reports from Jerusalem.

The Moomins are troll-like characters from a Finnish children's book series that became popular around the world in the 1950s. But they never really took off in the United States. The author Tove Jansson rejected Walt Disney's offer to buy the brand. Now, a bookstore chain in the US is trying to popularize the Moomins here. Will Coley reports on the themes in the Moomins series and why they continue to find new audiences.

A partnership roughly a decade in the making is about to become official: Nashville and Erbil, the capital of the Kurdistan region of Iraq, are in the home stretch of formalizing a relationship as “sister cities.” Erbil would become Nashville’s 10th sister — a designation that involves travel, cultural and professional exchanges. WPLN's Katherine Ciecys in Nashville reports on its ties to cities across the globe, including this newest connection.

Since 1930, the countries that make up the British Commonwealth (formerly the British Empire) have gathered every four years to compete in the Commonwealth Games. It's kind of like their own Olympics. But the Australian state of Victoria has abruptly cancelled its hosting of the next scheduled Games in 2023 — citing the extraordinary cost — leaving the fate of the competition in question. Host Marco Werman finds out about the history of the Commonwealth Games and the current dilemma it finds itself in with Robert Livingstone, a Canadian producer and journalist with GamesBids.com.

Today, protests against the rising cost of living have resumed in Kenya. The demonstrations are organized by Kenya's opposition leaders, who say the country's new government is not doing enough to improve the economy. The UN has warned against excessive police force that have led to several deaths. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from the capital Nairobi.

When email senders mistakenly ended US military emails with ".ml" instead of ".mil," those messages were sent to Mali's internet domain. A Dutch internet entrepreneur discovered the problem because he managed Mali's internet domain for years as a private contractor. The emails sometimes contain sensitive information, like the hotels and locations of senior commanders traveling as part of US military affairs. The World's host Marco Werman talks with journalist Jacob Judah, who broke the strange tale for the Financial Times.

Many predicted an influx in the number of asylum seekers when Title 42, the US pandemic-era law, ended. Two months after it expired, there's been a significant drop in migrants apprehended at the border. KJZZ reporter Alisa Reznick reports from Nogales, Mexico, on the new challenges that asylum seekers face with the changes.

Europe is experiencing the effects of extreme heat this week — with temperatures anticipated to climb above 104 degrees Fahrenheit across the Mediterranean from Greece to Spain. It's bad news for people hoping to get out and enjoy the summer — local officials across southern Europe are telling folks to stay indoors and out of the scorching heat. Host Marco Werman spoke to Clifford Savage. He’s the owner of Cool Breeze Air Conditioning in southern Spain.

US climate envoy John Kerry says that the US and China have committed to meeting regularly to discuss climate change in upcoming weeks. Wrapping up a four-day trip to China, he said no new commitments on climate were made, but the world's two biggest climate polluters have agreed to work together at major international meetings this year. This comes after high-level meetings between Biden Administration officials and leaders in Beijing have largely been on pause since last August.

Sweden has some of the highest rates of deaths by shooting in Europe, with a gun homicide rate 2 and 1/2 times higher than the European average. Criminologists say easy access to guns, the marginalization of communities and a failure by police to solve many of the gang shootings have driven up the death rate. But local communities and former gang members are trying to fight back, as our Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports from Stockholm.

In the less than two years since retaking power in Afghanistan, the Taliban has managed to cut opium poppy cultivation by almost 90%. On the surface, it's a big achievement but it's left many Afghans without a way to make a living and could cause a negative ripple effect: an increase in the global flow of fentanyl. Marco Werman speaks with Vanda Felbab-Brown, director of The Initiative on Nonstate Armed Actors, and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Days after the first bombs exploded in Ukraine last year, a group of ecologists and activists in Denmark and Ukraine forged the Green Road, an interactive map of ecovillages that were willing to host displaced Ukrainians. Over the last year, the Green Road project has helped over 3,000 displaced Ukrainians find safe housing in ecovillages throughout Ukraine and across Europe. The World’s Amanda Lichtenstein traveled to Hallingelille, an idyllic ecovillage in rural Denmark, where a handful of Ukrainians are restarting their lives and adapting to Danish society while continuing to sustain ecovillages back home.

Private 2nd Class Travis King left his tourist group of the Joint Security Area on the border of North and South Korea and has been detained by the North Korean authorities. The World's Marco Werman talks with Jenny Town, director of the 38 North Project at the Stimson Center, about what the news means for officials in both countries and the US-North Korean relationship.

Varzeshe Pahlavani is a traditional Iranian sport played in many parts of the country. It’s a mix of martial arts, wrestling and calisthenics, traditionally limited to men only. Now, one activist is fighting to open the sport to women as well.

There's a crisis at sea right now — an international shortage of workers to work on the ships that traverse the oceans. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Helio Vicente, director of employment affairs with the International Chamber of Shipping, about what's behind the shortage and the impact it’s having across the globe.

Swatch, the Swiss watchmaker, is suing the Malaysian government for confiscating a line of LGBTQ Pride watches. Host Marco Werman has details on the case that will be heard in court this week.

It's very hard to open a bank account or secure a loan when you're in a new country. And that makes it difficult to invest in your education or a business and start a new life. But some startups throughout the Americas are establishing loans geared toward migrants, among them Galgo, which helps migrants buy motorbikes in order to earn money with delivery apps like Uber Eats. Manuel Rueda has the story.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to DC was initially planned as a largely symbolic event. But it has evolved into a full-on diplomatic embrace, according to former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas, who served as Israel’s Consul General in New York. Pinkas speaks with The World’s Marco Werman about what the Biden Administration hopes to gain by rolling out the red carpet for Herzog.

Host Marco Werman discusses two surprise victories at Wimbledon this weekend. The rising star Carlos Alcaraz prevented Novak Djokovic from winning what would have been a record-tying eighth title victory. That followed a similar upset in the Women’s Grand Slam Saturday as Marketa Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon in a stunning upset over Ons Jabeur.

Pokémon is once again inspiring a worldwide craze 27 years after the playing cards first hit the market, especially in the place it was born: Japan. Shortages of the cards are leading to high prices, scalping and even robberies. In Tokyo, Thisanka Siripala reports on how the frenzy to "catch them all" has pitted high-dollar collectors against kids who just love the game.

Iran’s police have confirmed that patrols looking for women wearing no headscarf or wearing one improperly are back. In reality, they never really went away. The World’s host Marco Werman talks with Sasha Joelle Achilli, a Frontline producer whose documentary team went inside the uprising against the government that, originally, was symbolized by the headscarf.

Nearly 50 suspects have been arrested in connection with the assassination of former Haitian President Jovenel Moïse in the summer of 2021. But the trial that was supposed to begin today in Florida has been delayed and it's not clear when it will finally begin. Meanwhile, Haiti was left with a power vacuum that's largely been filled by violent criminal gangs. From Miami, The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

The heat is on US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry during his four-day visit to Beijing. Chinese and US officials are motivated to find solutions to the dangers climate change poses, but domestic pressures are making it difficult to hammer out a deal, as Isabel Hilton, the founder of the nonprofit China Dialogue Trust explains to The World’s host Marco Werman.

The UK has taken in more than 250,000 Ukrainian refugees since the start of Russia’s invasion in February 2022. Reporter Rebecca Rosman follows up on the story of one of them: a young woman who fled to London alone in March of 2022.

The European Union announced a deal with Tunisia over the weekend to stem the flow of migration. Both sides initially agreed to the deal but Tunisia then backed out after stating it would only take back Tunisians who had illegally crossed into Europe, saying it would not be a "reception center" for migrants. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Camille Le Coz from the Migration Policy Institute about the details behind the agreement, as well as whether or not the deal will hold.

The fun and thrill of being so exceptional that you hold a world record — that feeling has overtaken Nigerians. It started this spring with Nigerian chef Hilda Baci setting a world record for a cooking marathon. Along the way, she entertained and electrified people, many who are now inspired to set their own world records in — just about anything. Host Marco Werman explains.

California is home to the largest Armenian diaspora. Since the end of a conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, there's been a reverse migration of children of Armenian migrants in the US back to Armenia. They're starting businesses, getting jobs and moving back with their families to set up home. Levi Bridges has been speaking to some of the returnees.

The Russian government announced today that it is walking away from an agreement that allows Ukrainian grain shipments to leave Black Sea ports. The deal was brokered by the United Nations and Turkey in 2022. It has helped guarantee the shipment of grains from Ukraine to countries around the world. Poorer nations are likely to be impacted the most severely. Meanwhile, in Ukraine today, an explosion has damaged the Kerch bridge, a strategic link between Russia and the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Daniel Ofman, who's following the story closely.

When Abuja resident Jessy Maseli sent her son, Oreva, abroad to study, she was consumed with worry. The Nigerian teen knew no one in England. After dropping him off in Reading, England, Maseli found herself near tears in a church pew. A stranger approached, telling her “I’m going to take care of your son.” Turned out that stranger would be true to her word.

Center court at Wimbledon is one of the biggest stages in all of sport. During the semi-finals of this year's tournament, some athletes rose to the pressure-filled occasion and are advancing to the finals. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Hip-hop has taken root in Egypt. Authorities are trying suppress it. But the raw power of the music may be unstoppable. Yasmine el Rashidi, author of “Laughter in the Dark: Egypt to the Tune of Change,” tells host Carolyn Beeler how young Egyptians are pushing hip-hop to the limit.

India successfully launched the Chandraayan-3 spacecraft for a moon landing scheduled for next month. The launch is seen as a historic accomplishment for India's space program. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke with Mylswammy Annadurai, a renowned Indian space scientist, about the details behind the launch and why this is significant for India and its space program.

As Spain accelerates its investment in solar and wind parks, a growing number of mayors and environmental nongovernmental organizations in the southern region of Andalucia worry that the natural landscape will be altered forever. They're seeing olive groves, forests and high plains plowed over to make way for something that, ironically, is meant to preserve the environment. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from near the southern city of Granada.

When you're a magpie, and life throws you anti-bird spikes, you make a nest. Researchers in the Netherlands have found many examples of birds ingeniously using anti-bird spikes to fortify their nests. The World's Anna Kusmer reports.

Almost half the world's oceans are experiencing a heat wave right now, and it could get worse before the summer ends. In some places, like the coast of Florida, ocean temperatures are in the mid-90s. To discuss the hot mess of marine heat waves, The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks to Dillon Amaya, who is a researcher at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Russian ruble took a big hit after last month's abortive coup by the Wagner private militia group-gone-rogue. Kremlin spokesman Demitry Peskov acknowledged "fluctuations" in the value of the Russian currency, but he maintained that, "There is no question of economic stability here." Really? What other signs have emerged recently with regard to the strength of the Russian economy, which is still under heavy international sanctions? The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

The Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has joined Hollywood writers in a strike that is shaking the American film industry. At this point, The Writers Guild of America has been on strike for about three months. The World's Carolyn Beeler talks with Miranda Banks, associate professor of film, television and media Studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles about the effect of the strike on global filmmaking so far.

The United Nations has called for an investigation into the deaths of 87 people whose bodies have been found in a mass grave in Sudan's Darfur region. The UN human rights office says they have credible evidence of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces (RSF) being involved in the killings. The RSF is currently fighting the country's armed forces and violence has been escalating. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi has been finding out more.

Larry Bellorín is a Venezuelan multi-instrumentalist who fled his country and put music aside until he met Joe Troop, an Appalachian banjo player. The two started collaborating, and just this January, Larry quit his construction job so the pair could tour full time. Meklit Hadero profiles this unlikely music duo for the series “Movement” about music and migration.

A new cricket league is launching today in the US. The first game of Major League Cricket is being played in Dallas, Texas, between the LA Knight Riders and the Texas Super Kings. The World's host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Nikhil Uttamchandani, a commentator for the new league, about the history of cricket in the United States and why he's excited for the launch of the new league.

Global sea levels are rising at unprecedented rates. In the next couple of decades, 200 million people could be displaced as a result of flooding and shoreline erosion, the UN projects. The problem is particularly dire in West Africa, where a large percent of the population lives on the Atlantic shore. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports from one coastal community in Senegal that's wrestling with rising seas.

Russian authorities have imprisoned thousands of Ukrainian civilians, according to a new investigative report by the Associated Press. The non-combatants are being held both deep inside Russia and in occupied territories not far from front lines, where many are forced to dig trenches and graves. Newly uncovered documents reveal that the Kremlin plans to build up to 25 additional jails to hold Ukrainian civilians. AP reporter Lori Hinnant talks with The World’s host Carolyn Beeler.

Sudan's civil war between two top generals — one commanding the national army, the other commanding a paramilitary force called the RSF, or Rapid Support Forces — has ravaged the capital Khartoum and sent millions of refugees in all directions. But getting out can be just as hard as staying in the city, even while gun battles play out in the streets. The World's host Carolyn Beeler talks with Mobarak Adil, a lifelong resident of Khartoum, about trying to survive in the city and escape.

Some Russians who have moved to Serbia are watching what they say. They're against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, while living in a country that supports the Kremlin. And as The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Belgrade, they feel social pressure to keep their thoughts to themselves.

This month, the world has hit average temperature records not seen for thousands of years, and deadly weather is wreaking havoc around the world. Climate disasters are happening on a scale that is hard to comprehend. But in each of these places, frontline responders are working tirelessly to save lives. Lily Caprani is chief of advocacy at UNICEF. She tells The World's host Carolyn Beeler about how humanitarian organizations are being fundamentally changed — and challenged — by climate change.

Ukrainian filmmaker Mstyslav Chernov was part of the last reporting team in Mariupol before it was overrun by Russian forces. He tells host Marco Werman how he captured life in the besieged city with close-up, personal footage that shows, day by day, increasingly lethal missile and mortar attacks as most of the city's residents fled for safety. His film "20 Days in Mariupol" opens in New York this Friday.

After the war started in Ukraine last year, the UK created several programs to welcome Ukrainian refugees. British families received stipends to welcome them into their homes, and the Ukrainians had special status to live and work in Britain. But Sudanese refugees fleeing the civil war there have no quick, legal path to enter the UK, even if they have family there. Rebecca Rosman reports on how the government is being called on to assist those fleeing Sudan more, which is a former British colony.

Czech-born French author Milan Kundera has died at the age of 92. Born in the former Czechoslovakia, he became a writer in the repressive climate under the country's communist regime and later joined the French literary scene after 1975, having been expelled from the Czechoslovakian Communist party for "anti-communist activities". He’s best known for his 1984 novel “The Unbearable Lightness of Being.” Host Marco Werman spoke to Jørn Boisen, a professor of French literature at the University of Copenhagen, who met the author.

Iraq's Ministry of Water Resources has warned that the country is facing its worst water shortage in a century. It said 7 million people are experiencing reduced access to water. Shrinking water levels, rampant salinity and contamination have left communities with no choice but to migrate. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

When you think of Sonoran food, what comes to mind? Maybe tender flour tortillas, fresh seafood, Sonoran hot dogs — almost certainly grilled beef, or carne asada. But a growing number of people in the Mexican state of Sonora are ditching animal products and opening restaurants centered on plant-based foods, in all their forms. From the Fronteras Desk in the Sonoran capital Hermosillo, KJZZ’s Kendal Blust reports on what some have called the vegan boom.

Paris is taking another step to fight climate change. It's announced that SUVs and other heavier vehicles will be charged more to park in the city center. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Sylvain Delavergne, France coordinator with the Clean Cities Campaign, about how effective this new policy will be and what more the city can do to improve its car infrastructure to fight climate change.

A team of scientists say humans have changed the planet so dramatically, that we have created a new geological era on Earth — called the Anthropocene. That team spent years trying to find where a place on Earth best exemplifies this phenomenon. They decided on a lake in Southern Ontario in Canada. The World's host Marco Werman discusses this decision with Francine McCarthy, a professor of Earth science at Brock University in Canada, who is part of the international Anthropocene Working Group.

World leaders met in Vilnius, Lithuania, for the second and final day of the NATO summit. Currently, 31 countries are part of the alliance. For years, NATO has touted its “open door policy.” Now, Ukraine wants to enter that door and become the newest member of the bloc, and its membership status is at the top of the agenda at the summit. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports.

The upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup is being billed as the biggest edition to date. The host countries — Australia and New Zealand — are hoping to leverage that buzz. Officials there have taken major steps to make sure the momentum surrounding women’s sports sticks around long after the tournament. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Mexico is one of the top producers of salt in the world. Most of this production is done industrially, in large areas near the coast. But a handful of Indigenous salt makers are preserving an ancestral tradition of making artisanal salt that goes back 2,000 years. Michael Fox reports from the Oaxacan town of Zapotitlan Salinas in Mexico.

A local biologist on Spain’s Canary Islands was performing a routine necropsy on a dead sperm whale beached on La Palma. Standard procedure. But what wasn’t standard was what he pulled from the beast’s colon, a 22-pound waxy chunk of what’s known as ambergris. The bowling ball-sized glob has a street value of some $550,000. Who would pay that much? Perfume makers. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

On World Population Day today (July 11), we visit one of the world's most populated cities, in what's now the most populous country in the world: Mumbai, India. For generations, people have moved from the rural areas to the cities to find opportunity. But new research shows neighborhoods in Indian cities are segregated according to caste and religion, and that impacts upward mobility for residents. Raksha Kumar visits three neighborhoods in Mumbai to talk to residents about the segregation and how it leads to a lack of resources for some.

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Japan is home to a thousand different regional traditional crafts. Those industries attract domestic and international tourists and revitalize rural areas struggling with depopulation. But, the life of a traditional artisan is losing its appeal in modern Japan. From west Japan, Thisanka Siripala takes us on a tour of three towns making proactive efforts to train a new generation of traditional artisans.

As the worldwide heat record fell last week, the acute effects are emerging quickly. Extreme weather events are proliferating across the globe. The World's host Marco Werman talks with Michael Mann, a professor of Environmental and Earth Science at the University of Pennsylvania and author of the forthcoming book, "Our Fragile Moment," about the possibility that extreme weather makes parts of earth less and less habitable.

UN Chief Antonio Guterres warned this week that Sudan is on the brink of a “full-scale civil war” that could destabilize the entire region of northeast Africa. Administrator Samantha Power, who leads the US Agency for International Development, talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about global efforts to aid increasingly desperate Sudanese civilians.

English has long been the lingua franca of US higher education. But in a country where 40 million people speak Spanish, is it time to think more bilingually? In this encore story, WLRN's Elisa Baena visits educators who argue that teaching only in English is excluding talent that the US needs.

Demonstrators took to the streets once again in Israel to protest the latest version of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposed judicial reform bill. Israel's parliament passed the bill on the first vote with two more votes before it becomes law. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Noga Tarnopolsky, an Israeli reporter based in Jerusalem, about the latest developments.

After months of blocking Sweden's efforts to join NATO, Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has now agreed to support Swedish membership with the Western military alliance. US President Joe Biden welcomed the news. "I stand ready to work with President Erdogan and Turkey on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO ally," he said in a statement. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports from Stockholm.

Amazon has announced that next year it will begin streaming a new Spanish-language sequel series to the immensely popular “Yo Soy Betty La Fea” ( or "I am Betty the ugly one." Host Marco Werman explains, and wonders what the next theme song will convey.

The closing of Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee is a huge loss for many undocumented students in the state. The university was known for giving grants and opportunities to undocumented kids who don't have access to higher education. There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. They can attend public schools but it's more difficult for them when they want to go to college here in the US. WUWM's Emily Files brings us the story.

Oscar Olivares is brightening up Venezuelan neighborhoods by creating colorful frescos made from thousands of recycled bottle caps collected by the communities he works in. Olivares joins The World's Carol Hills to talk about how eco-murals can promote sustainability and community investment.

For years, the West African country of Senegal has been heavily relying on Russian imports of wheat to satisfy a daily demand of about 10 million baguettes. But the war in Ukraine severely impacted the supply of this cereal — and the bread making industry in Senegal. So much, that the government has a new plan to address the problem. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Dakar, Senegal.

Hong Kong police placed bounties on eight prominent democracy activists in self-imposed exile overseas on July 3, offering HK$1 million ($127,603) rewards each for information leading to their arrests. Host Marco Werman speaks with democracy activist Anna Kwok, one of the eight, who has said she will never stop fighting for the values she believes in.

The US has struggled to bounce back its workforce since the pandemic erupted, and the health care industry has been at the forefront of labor shortages. Facing limited staffing in hospitals and care facilities, a core group — foreign nurses hoping to work in the US and alleviate the imbalance — cannot work due to delays in green card processing, further exasperating the demand. Erica DeBoer, chief nursing officer at Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the US, joins The World’s Carol Hills to share why this backlog is significant and what impacts will spawn out of the inability to meet demand.

Scientists say the Northern Hemisphere is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet as a result of climate change. The effects of that are visible in Iceland where glaciers have been steadily melting for years now. But a climatic anomaly in the North Atlantic ocean, dubbed the “Blue Blob,” could extend the glaciers’ existence by several decades, offering humanity more time to reverse the Earth’s warming. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from the Langjökull glacier in Iceland.

The recent fall of the Netherland’s government is only the latest example of how divisive immigration policy has become in Europe. Mujtaba Rahman, the managing director for Europe at the Eurasia Group talks with The World’s Marco Werman about how Europeans might devise continent-wide solutions to address the immigration crisis.

After the war began in Ukraine last year, Ukrainians fleeing the violence spread across Europe. In the UK, a program paid families to take Ukrainians into their homes for six months. But the budget for this program was cut in half this year, and thousands of Ukrainians are looking for a longer-term solution, and risk becoming homeless. Rebecca Rosman reports from London.

Cluster munitions are artillery rounds that when fired, break apart before impact and scatter small bombs. They are widely condemned and even banned by many nations for the risk they pose to civilians and because years later, unexploded bombs can be unearthed or stumbled upon and explode. Still, Ukraine and the Biden administration argue that the cluster munitions will be a critical weapon in Ukraine's counteroffensive. The World's Marco Werman talks to Mark Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and currently a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about the risks and reasoning behind the decision to share these notorious weapons with Ukraine.

As in the HBO series “Succession,” the heirs of the late Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi may have some issues about sharing following the disclosure of his will. Host Marco Werman tells the real-life story of the wealthy politician and media mogul who died last month, leaving overall control of the family business to his two eldest children, while distributing cash to family members, his girlfriend and a rogue political adviser.

This week Egypt marked a decade since Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi took power in a military coup, removing the country's democratically elected government. Sisi later became president of Egypt and has ruled the country in an authoritarian fashion ever since. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Timothy Kaldas, deputy director of the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, about Sisi's decade in power.

Spanish police are cracking down harder with new powers to suspend — or even cancel — professional soccer matches when fans begin yelling racist slurs at players. Spain is hoping the zero-tolerance approach will lessen these kinds of incidents.

Ephraim Camissar was among the first group of Israelis to land in Dubai in 2020 after the United Arab Emirates signed an accord with Israel. Today, he runs several businesses and brings Kosher food to the city for Jewish travelers. The World's Shirin Jaafari brings us his story.

A year and a half in to her government, many say Xiomara Castro has yet to live up to expectations. But as Honduras’ first female president, those expectations are higher than usual. Much of the criticism against Castro comes from machismo and gender discrimination. She's just one of two female heads of state in a Latin American country as Michael Fox reports from the Honduran capital.

The US detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, opened way back in 2002. For the first time since then, the White House has allowed a United Nations independent investigator to visit. Fionnuala Ní Aoláin is a law professor and human rights investigator. She recently spent four days visiting the prison at Guantanamo, and joins The World's Marco Werman to talk about what she saw there.

It's been 10 months since protests erupted in Iran over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. She had been obtained by Tehran's morality police for wearing "unsuitable attire." The reaction throughout Iran was massive and the movement inspired Iranian exiles to respond. That includes Iranian Canadian composer Iman Habibi who composed "Zhiân." The Boston Symphony Orchestra will perform Habibi's piece for the first time in public this Sunday at Tanglewood, in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Bristol Pride's annual march and festival will have a new invite list this year as organizers have banned all political parties from participating. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on what led to the decision and how some members of the UK community are reacting.

During Spain's Armed Forces celebration this week, an army dance troupe embarrassed the brass by dancing to Michael Jackson's “They Don't Understand Us,” a song critical of the police and security forces in general. The soldiers had no idea, but word got out on social media and the backlash among patriotic Spaniards has been intense. This is not the first time public figures have used songs in ways that went horribly wrong. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

Two and a half years in, many candidates for US ambassador to various countries remain open, in major part because they can't get confirmed by Congress. The World's Marco Werman talks with Ambassador Dennis Jett, who was an ambassador to Mozambique and Peru and now teaches International Affairs at Penn State, about the impact these vacant positions have on US diplomacy.

There are still many unanswered questions swirling around following last month’s attempted mutiny in Russia. Chief among them: where is Yevgeny Prigozhin? Prigozhin led the mutiny with fighters from Wagner, his private military company. But Prigozhin’s whereabouts are still unknown, and Wagner’s status seems to be in question as well. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Daniel Ofman.

The Tour de France has begun, and for the first five days of the 21-day race across France, the leader of the pack wears the famous yellow jersey. But there are other races within the race, like the King of the Mountains competition, which requires tough days sprinting over mountaintops. Host Marco Werman learns what it's like from American professional cyclist Neilson Poweless who has been the King of the Mountains for the first five days of the race.

Across the world, hip-hop artists speak truth to power through pulsing beats and rhymes. But in the Islamic Republic of Iran, rappers can face jail time, and worse, for their music. Now, a 32-year-old named Toomaj Salehi could be sentenced to death for his songs challenging the Iranian government and supporting women's rights. As part of The World's "Planet Hip Hop" summer series, Durrie Bouscaren reports.

Underpinning the Industrial Revolution's years of production and growth was metal — more specifically — iron. While the industrial revolution is often attributed to strides in British metalwork, a new study says that iron work was innovated somewhere else. Specifically, Jamaica. Host Marco Werman speaks to science historian Jenny Bulstrode from the University college London about her new study.

The Taliban have given all women’s beauty salons in Afghanistan one month to close down. The ultra-conservative group, which took power by force in 2021, has consistently chipped away at women’s rights and freedoms in the country. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports on how the ban is being received.

On Thursday, the 14th Dalai Lama turns 88 years old. The Tibetan spiritual leader and prominent Buddhist figure is the longest serving in the line of Dalai Lamas in Tibetan history. As he gets older, the prospect of his demise — and what happens after — is looming. Sushmita Pathak reports from Dharamshala, India, where Tibet's government-in-exile has been based for decades.

A new report issued by Oxfam and ActionAid analyzed earnings of top corporations, revealing larger-than-usual profits over the past two years as people worldwide struggled through a cost-of-living crisis. Host Marco Werman speaks with William Lazonick, professor of economics emeritus at the University of Massachusetts, about the report's findings.

Asia’s longest-running leader is preparing to step down. For 38 years, Hun Sen has ruled Cambodia as a strongman. He’s now expected to resign after an election in July, likely handing power to his oldest son. But as The World’s Patrick Winn reports, Hun Sen will be a tough act to follow.

Moldova, the small nation bordering Ukraine, has seen months of anti-government protests on the streets of the capital Chisinau. The demonstrations were organized by the Shor party, a pro-Russian opposition group, led by oligarch Ilan Shor. The Moldovan constitutional court recently declared that the party should be dissolved. But Shor, who is wanted for bank fraud and money laundering, says he will not be silenced. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen landed in Beijing on Thursday for four days of talks on trade, investment and tariffs. Susan Thornton, a senior fellow at Yale Law School and former acting assistant secretary for East Asia Pacific Affairs, talks with Host Marco Werman about where the two countries might find common ground.

The next Hollywood summer blockbuster film, “Barbie,” will not be shown in Vietnam, owing to the inclusion of a map showing a part of the South China Sea that both China and Vietnam claim as their own. Host Marco Werman tells the story.

A group of Ukrainian soldiers are in the US for treatment and to be fitted for prosthetics. They range in age from 39 to 58 and served in different positions in the Ukrainian army. The majority say that after they get fitted with prosthetics, they want to go back to serving in their units. The nonprofit helping them was founded by Ukrainian-Americans and the soldiers are being exposed to American life as much as possible. Lydia Tomkiw reports.

A new compilation of African animated films called “Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire,” debuts on Disney+. It's a 10-part series produced in collaboration with a South Africa-based animation studio. Ekene Okobi reports from a recent conference on African animation in Burbank, California, on what this new film suggests about the trends in animation on the continent.

There’s a sharp rise in hunger in Tigray, the northern region of Ethiopia recovering from a civil war that ended late last year in a ceasefire, according to an update this week from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. It's expected to get worse, in part due to a suspension of food aid from two major contributors. To learn more, host Marco Werman spoke to Cameron Hudson. He’s a senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington.

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year upended energy markets throughout Europe. No country was hit harder than Germany. At the time, more than half of Germany’s gas came from Russia. In the short term, the country had to double down on fossil fuels: keeping coal-fired power plants open longer and building new liquefied natural gas terminals. But in the long term, the war pushed a government falling behind on renewable energy goals to enact some ambitious new policies. Brett Simpson reports from Germany on the changes that are going well, and those facing headwinds.

The Rwandan genocide took place nearly 30 years ago. But the scars from the bloodshed live on in survivors. One artist and playwright, known as Kiki, began writing letters to the dead and encouraged others to do the same. Her play, "The Book of Life," is based on those letters and was performed this month at the Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC. Reporter Victoria Hansen of South Carolina Public Radio was in the audience.

Americans are experiencing massive wait times for passport applications this summer. The reason — a huge increase in the number of travelers following the COVID-19 pandemic. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Jay Zagorsky, a professor at Boston University's Questrom School of Business, about what the State Department can do to fix the issue.

For most of the world, silent films died out in the 1930s. But in Brussels, Belgium, the only remaining cinema in the world with a regular schedule of silent films — with live piano accompaniment — is thriving. Theo Merz has this profile of the venue.

Scientists say yesterday, Jul. 4, was the hottest day ever recorded on Earth. High temperatures are searing the southern US and Mexico, China, North Africa and the Middle East. Even Antarctica is warmer than usual. To explain, the World's host Marco Werman speaks to Paulo Ceppi, a climate scientist at Imperial College London.

The Israeli Defense Force carried out a major military operation in the Jenin refugee camp over the past two days. Israeli troops were trying to root out Palestinian militants in the West Bank. The violence killed 12 Palestinians and 1 Israeli soldier. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Josef Federman, a journalist with the Associate Press in Jerusalem, about what sparked the violence and repercussions on the civilians in Jenin.

Roger Payne was an American biologist who is well know for discovering and recording the singing of the humpback whale back in 1967. His recordings were released in an album in 1970. Payne's release of "Songs of the Humpback Whale" was so popular that National Geographic excerpted it in 1979 for a so-called Flexi-disc included in that year's January issue. Payne died last month at the age of 88.

Bullfighting is on the decline internationally. There are only eight countries around the world that still allow it. Colombia could be banning the sport soon; a bill declaring bullfighting illegal recently passed in the country's Senate. Manuel Rueda reports from a recent bullfighting festival in Manizales, Colombia, on the fans and opponents of the brutal art form.

Research suggests that the Tyrannosaurus Rex, famously depicted as a toothy and ferocious predator in films like “Jurassic Park,” likely had lizard lips covering up those big teeth. Host Marco Werman spoke to Thomas Cullen, co-author of that research. He's an assistant professor in the department of Geosciences at Auburn University in Alabama.

Frogs are known for their energetic leaps. But one frog found on mountaintops in Brazil is so small that it cannot jump. Instead, mid-air, it stops moving and crashes to the floor. The World's Bianca Hillier brings us the story.

An international team of scientists have described a type of owl, called the Príncipe scops owl on Príncipe Island off the western coast of central Africa. The owl had been seen by locals for the last century, but eluded scientists, and it’s now critically endangered. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to PhD candidate Bárbara Freitas who found the owl with the help of local guides. Freitas is a scientist with the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid.

The sight of black kites, a carnivorous raptor, circling over garbage dumps in New Delhi, India, fills most people with disgust. But not Nadeem Shehzad and Muhammad Saud. Since coming across an injured kite bird two decades ago, they've been nursing them back to health in their small home. Their story is an Oscar-nominated documentary. Sushmita Pathak visited their bird clinic and reports.

Recent recordings of sounds made by reptiles, amphibians and fish suggest that vocal communication among vertebrates originated roughly 400 million years ago. Host Marco Werman speaks with Dr. Gabriel Jorgewich-Cohen of the University of Zurich in Switzerland, lead author of the study, "Common evolutionary origin of acoustic communication in choanate vertebrates," published in the journal Nature Communications. The study recorded vocal communication in 53 animals widely regarded as silent creatures.

Northern Spain's beekeepers are fighting a losing battle against the Asian hornet, which reached Europe roughly 15 years ago. The Vespa Velutina — also called the "Assasin Hornet" — likes to prey on honeybees, which it hunts and feeds to its young. As Gerry Hadden reports from the town of Sabadell, beekeepers have been battling the hornets while hoping the government steps up its help.

The late Puerto Rican band leader, Ray Baretto, must have imagined an elephant marching through New York City when he composed the song, "O Elefante." The song dates back to 1971 and brings you right into a swingin' jungle.

If your cat contracts feline infectious peritonitis, a chronic wasting disease, it will almost always be fatal. A pharmaceutical company, however, developed a cure but decided not to get it approved for veterinary use. The recipe got out to global drug manufacturers, who are now selling it on the black market. Desperate cat owners in Turkey say they've paid thousands of dollars to save their cats — and that it worked. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

Climate change is undeniably bad for the animal kingdom. But some animals are able to adapt — so far — by changing their behaviors or even their bodies. Science journalist Ari Daniel reports.

Original air date: 05/03/2023

Refueling after grueling competition is crucial for Olympians. Olympic dining halls and food services need years to put their menus together. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on how it was done at the Beijing Winter Olympics.

Original air date: 02/09/2022

Jump rope contests are popular entertainment on Chinese TV. But parents are sending their kids to jump rope cram schools for another reason: to gain an edge on their test scores. Rebecca Kanthor reports from Shanghai that jumping rope is becoming a requirement in primary and middle schools throughout China.

Original air date:/10/25/2021

A small but growing group of extreme athletes in Sonora, Mexico, are pushing themselves to new heights. And they’re doing it with a backdrop of stunning natural beauty. They’re highliners. If you haven’t heard of it, think tightrope walking, but with lines strung between two high points — or in this case, steep cliffs. Murphy Woodhouse reports from Sonora.

Original air date: 05/25/2022

Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior has endured racist abuse on the soccer pitch for years. A series of incidents in one particular match in May pushed racism among fans into the spotlight. Piara Powar is the head of FARE, an anti-discrimination network for global soccer. He speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman about who should be held accountable for racist abuse of players on and off the pitch.

Original air date: 05/22/2022

In 1962, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro banned professional sports in Cuba, and encouraged athletes to pursue amateur careers. Now, the country is ending its longtime ban on professional boxing, and the national team "Los Domadores" has made a triumphant debut. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Original air date: 06/13/2022

Paris will host next year's Sumer Olympics, and among the sports the home country hopes to dominate is judo. Reporter Rebecca Rosman explains how France has a long-running affinity for the sport.

Original air date: 08/03/2021

When the World Cup was awarded to Qatar in 2010, the country had only one stadium. Today, it has seven more, built specifically for the World Cup. The World’s Shirin Jaafari explains what happened to them, and the construction problems associated with them, once the games were over.

Original air date: 12/20/2022

The benefits of going on a bike ride are plentiful, from getting some fresh air to meeting new friends. But for many people, cycling can get harder as they get older. So one organization, Cycling Without Age, is taking them for a spin. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Original air date: 04/12/2022

The NFL is making inroads in the land of soccer. One of eight countries chosen for a major marketing expansion is Spain. In Barcelona, Gerry Hadden visits some American football practices, in L'Hospitalet, Spain, and finds that there's an appetite for the sport among men and women, and players of all ages.

Original air date: 12/20/2022

Sports often create a pathway out of difficult circumstances for young kids. That was true for Sam Jalloh, a tennis pro from Sierra Leone. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with him last fall as Jalloh was watching fellow countryman Frances Tiafoe reach success at international tournaments. Jalloh recounts how tennis helped him avoid conscription as a child solider in his memoir, "How Tennis Saved My Life."

Original air date: 09/08/2022

Host Marco Werman describes how sports touch so many facets of our lives, often playing a central role in global news about culture, money and politics.

Nearly 2,000 children play on Tijuana's 144 Little League teams. Kids come from as far away as San Diego to play in the Mexican city, which has produced some of the top players in the world. The Tijuana All-Stars team heads to the nationals on Saturday. They hope to win the World Series later this summer. Gustavo Solis of KPBS reports that they have a real chance at bringing home the trophy.

In September 2022, 15 members of Spain's national women's soccer team wrote to the Spanish Football Federation saying their head coach, Jorge Vilda, had created an atmosphere that was negatively impacting their emotional and physical well-being. The athletes said they would refuse to play for the national team until the issues were resolved. Now, with the FIFA Women's World Cup looming, only a few of those athletes have returned to the team. The World's Bianca Hillier shares the details with host Carol Hills.

As Russia readied its forces to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Moscow was also stepping up its cyberattacks on the country. US Cyber Command, the cyber wing of the military, went into action, flying into Kyiv with its "hunt kits." Dina Temple-Raston, of the Click Here podcast, gets a behind-the-scenes look with members of the team who were part of the, operation, Hunt Forward.

The UN General Assembly voted to set up an independent body to investigate and clarify the status of missing persons in Syria. More than 130,000 people are considered missing or "disappeared" in Syria since the start of the country’s uprising and civil war. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Syrian activist and journalist Wafa Ali Mustafa about her own father's disappearance, as well as her reaction to the creation of the new UN body.

To English speakers, the word, “peanut” isn’t especially funny. But in Serbian, ‘kikiriki’, puts a smile on your face; Serbs consider it the funniest word in their language. But why is that the case? Psycholinguists have discovered some clues, as Patrick Cox reports.

It's too early to say exactly what the impacts of this fire season will mean for the province of Quebec and the rest of Canada. What's clear is that early into the season, this is already the worst fire year the country has had on record, with blazes raging in every corner of the country. Eastern Canada is getting a particular wake-up call that they may need to manage their forests differently to prevent future catastrophic fire seasons. The World's Anna Kusmer reports.

A week after Yevgeny Prigozhin led his Wagner Group fighters on a march towards Moscow, many questions remain unanswered. There's been speculation about the future role of the Wagner private military company in Ukraine and beyond, and about a shake-up among Russia's military leadership. The World's Daniel Ofman has the latest on the implications of the mutiny.

The fatal police shooting of a Black 17-year-old boy outside Paris this week has fueled social divisions along racial lines. Host Marco Werman speaks with Maboula Soumahoro, a professor at the University of Tours in Paris and the founder of French Black History Month, about problems associated with racism in France, and how they play out in a society that prides itself on "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité."

Host Marco Werman previews new music from the German punk band, The Bloodstrings, playing the title track from their new album Heartache Radio.

Speculation continues over the fate of the Wagner mercenary group following its aborted mutiny in Russia last weekend. But members of the organization are still present across Africa, especially in countries connected to lucrative mining operations. Host Marco Werman speaks with Nathalia Dukhan, senior investigator at The Sentry, whose report on Wagner's operations in the Central African Republic was published this week.

A court of appeals judge in the United Kingdom has ruled against the government's plan to send asylum-seekers to Rwanda, dealing a blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The government has said it will appeal the ruling in the country's Supreme Court. Host Marco Werman has the details.

The governor of Massachusetts is in Ireland lobbying for more Irish to bring their businesses to the state. Healey is highlighting the close cultural ties between Massachusetts and Ireland during her trip. Host Marco Werman speaks with GBH's Adam Reilly about the details.

In a nationwide address in the 1970s, President Richard Nixon declared drug abuse to be “public enemy No. 1" and stepped up efforts to shut down the global trade. Much of the initial efforts of the DEA were focused on Southeast Asia where US troops in Vietnam were using heroin. The World's Patrick Winn tells the story of an investigator who tried to bust up a heroin ring in Thailand and was stymied by the CIA.

In France, hip-hop is second only to the US in terms of popularity and influence. As the genre turns 50, we're spending the summer looking at places and cultures where the music has thrived. Samuel Lamontagne is a historian and co-leader of UCLA's Hip Hop Initiative at UCLA and speaks with host Marco Werman about how French artists have helped revolutionize the genre.

Sri Lanka's government announced a five-day bank holiday starting on Thursday. The move is aimed at restructuring the country's debts. Host Marco Werman speaks with Shanta Devarajan, a Sri Lanka economist, about whether this move will help to restructure the country's debts and meet the conditions set by the IMF for a bailout.

For the first time, scientists have reported that they were able to "hear" low-frequency gravitational waves caused by the motion of massive black holes across the universe. It's big news in the world of science and host Marco Werman gets a primer in terms non-scientists can understand. He speaks with Jason Hessels, chief astronomer at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) in Amsterdam.

French President Emmanuel Macron held a crisis Cabinet meeting on Thursday afternoon as protests continued in France. Bus and tram services in Paris were halted, and 40,000 police officers are being deployed across the country as authorities brace for a third night of violent demonstrations. The World's Orla Barry speaks with host Marco Werman about the latest developments.

Eid al-Adha is approaching and Muslims across Senegal are preparing to celebrate. Despite economic tensions and recent political unrest, people are looking forward to family reunions and revered religious traditions. The World’s Maria Elena Romero reports from northern Senegal.

Host Marco Werman catches us up on some attention grabbing stories: A 13-year-old Australian skateboarder, Arisa Trew, became the first female ever to perform a 720 trick; New Zealand declared a national war on rats; and a portrait by Austrian painter Gustav Klimt sold at Sotheby’s for the highest price ever paid for a painting in Europe.

Thirty years ago this month, Ireland decriminalized homosexuality. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, the first openly gay governor of the state, gave a speech in the Irish Senate yesterday marking the event. She noted that in 2015, Ireland became the first country in the world to introduce same-sex marriage through a national referendum. In 2017, it elected its first openly gay prime minister. It’s a remarkable transformation for a once-fiercely conservative Catholic country. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Last year, 19 children in Uzbekistan died after being poisoned by cough syrup. Now, Reuters is reporting that the Indian manufacturer of the medicine used a toxic industrial-grade ingredient rather than producing the legitimate pharmaceutical version. Host Marco Werman speaks with Krishna Das, the South Asia Breaking News Editor for Reuters in New Delhi, who co-reported the story.

For several weeks now, Taiwan has been gripped by a MeToo movement. Hundreds have come forward, accusing politicians, celebrities and everyday people of sexual misconduct. It all began with a Netflix drama that prompted the outflow of accusations. Ashish Valentine has more details from Taipei.

They’re statues that had been in the family for several generations. They turned out to be from Mexico and thousands of years old. Lisa Aronson took them to the Mexican Consulate in Oxnard, California, and bid them an emotional goodbye. KCLU reporter Caroline Feraday chronicles why.

Peru is dealing with a record outbreak of dengue. At least 150,000 people have come down with the viral disease this year — and nearly 250 people have died. Dengue is also spiking in Laos and Sri Lanka, and is threatening to spread to Europe as climate change transforms weather patterns around the world. The World's Carol Hills speaks to Neelika Malavige, head of the Dengue Global Program at the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

In nature, you will never find a flower growing underground, unless you take a trip to the southeast Asian island of Borneo — and witness a truly unusual plant. New to scientists, Pinanga subterranea is a species of palm with the remarkable ability to grow flowers and fruit beneath the soil. As London-based botanist Ben Kuhnhäuser tells host Marco Werman, how the plant survives is a mystery.

Since the start of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has increasingly restricted access to information about the war. It has banned Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and TikTok. These and other restrictions on free speech have pushed some content makers to leave the country. As The World's Shirin Jaafari reports from Dubai, many have found the United Arab Emirates a welcoming place to land.

Residents of Nanterre, an area west of Paris, destroyed bus stops and set cars on fire to protest the police shooting of a 17-year-old who failed to stop when ordered by traffic police. Video circulating on social media appears to show police firing at the teenage driver at point-blank range. From Paris, reporter Rebecca Rosman tells The World’s Marco Werman that French authorities are bracing for further protests.

Bottlenose dolphins communicate with their young by varying their whistles in the same way that human parents modulate their voices: with higher pitches and a greater variety of tone. Host Marco Werman describes how a new study of child-directed-communication in dolphins may provide a powerful animal model for studying the evolution of vocal learning and language.

China’s slow economic growth is yielding few high-paying jobs for new graduates. Some have taken to social media, posting non-traditional graduation photos that reflect hopelessness and defeat. Host Marco Werman speaks with Nancy Qian, an economics professor at Northwestern University, about the harsh reality young Chinese people face as they enter the working world.

Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz lost a valuable diamond necklace down a London sewer grate. But the loss wasn't permanent, after nearby hotel workers jumped in to help. Host Marco Werman has more.

Tijuana Mayor Montserrat Caballero and her family are being moved to a military base after she received threatening voicemails. The decision came at the suggestion of the Mexican National Guard. The move renews focus on Tijuana’s security situation and the state of Mexican democracy. KPBS's investigative border reporter Gustavo Solis has the story.

The US Department of Justice has apprehended several executives of a Chinese firm alleged to have manufactured and exported the precursor chemicals for fentanyl to the United States and Mexico. Host Marco Werman talks with Ben Westhoff, an investigative reporter and author of "Fentanyl Inc.," about the seemingly intractable fight against the synthetic opioid.

The annual typhoon season has already begun in Japan. But with climate change has come more severe storms and heavier rainfall. Tokyo, a city built on marshlands, is particularly vulnerable to flash flooding. It has been erecting different defensive structures to prevent disasters, but as Thisanka Siripala reports from the capital city, these aren't going up quickly enough.

The new International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina, opened to the public today. Its location is significant. Charleston was the largest slave port in the United States. And the new museum hopes to serve as an archive for the nearly 80% of African Americans who can potentially trace an ancestor who arrived there. Host Marco Werman explores the role of Charleston in the context of the entire Transatlantic Slave Trade with Christopher Brown, history professor at Columbia University.

Worldwide deforestation increased in 2022, according to a new study from Global Forest Watch. Brazil, in particular, saw a huge swath of tropical forest disappear. Host Marco Werman spoke with Claudio Angelo, climate policy and communication coordinator with the Brazilian Climate Observatory, about whether or not his country can reverse the surge in deforestation, and how to get countries to enforce their own pledges to preserve the world's forests.

Colombia’s president gave medals on Monday to members of the military, Indigenous people and civilians for their weeks-long effort in finding four children missing in the Amazon jungle. One beloved member of the search team, however, did not come home. Manuel Rueda reports from Bogota.

The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, was often dismissed as Russian President Vladimir Putin's puppet. But given his key role in cutting a deal with Wagner mercenary boss Yevgeny Prigozhin, analysts are reconsidering that assessment. Katia Glod, with the Center for European Policy Analysis, talks with host Marco Werman about Lukashenko’s changing role.

The three-day Glastonbury Festival came to a close last night and Sir Elton John was on hand. It was the 76-year-old's first appearance at the festival and, from the stage, he announced it may be his "last show ever in England." Host Marco Werman has the details.

Amid all the news of coral bleaching and decline, the reefs of American Samoa have been particularly resilient to warming temperatures that have laid waste to other corals. Ari Daniel reports from American Samoa on scientific research to understand why, and to potentially use this knowledge to help reefs in other parts of the world.

Liberia has been on and off the US State Department's human trafficking "watch list" for years. In this desperately poor country, people accept jobs from agents to work as domestic servants in other countries. Usually they are trapped, earning little money and are subject to abuse. But Prue Clarke of New Narratives reports that several hundred Liberian women used social media to escape their traffickers.

Yevgeny Prigozhin's challenge to Russian President Vladimir Putin this weekend ended quickly. Still, the rebellion by the mercenary boss has raised many questions. Russia scholar Mark Galeotti talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about how vulnerable Putin remains and his response to the short-lived mutiny.

Depending on where you live, mosquitos can be anything from a mere nuisance you swat away during the summer to a flying transporter of diseases like malaria and West Nile virus. Scientists in Israel say they've developed a new form of mosquito repellent that can deter over 99% of mosquitos from biting people. Host Marco Werman spoke to Jonathan Bohbot, who was part of that research team at Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

A new initiative is launching this August to end hunger among school children in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. The program is a collaboration between the city government and a nonprofit called Food4Education. Host Marco Werman spoke with Wairimu Nyandia, chief operating officer of Food4Education, about the initiative and what it hopes to accomplish.

Greece re-elected its prime minister today. Center-right leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis won the election in a landslide vote. Host Marco Werman has more.

Reports continue to trickle out from El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur state in Sudan, about Arab militias and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) engaging in genocidal killings of civilians. Host Marco Werman talks to Kholood Khair of the Confluence Advisory think thank in Khartoum, about the latest chapter of Sudan’s war.

This weekend, the Wagner Group took control of a major Russian city, in one of the biggest crises of President Vladimir Putin’s political career. Putin's long-time henchman, Yevgeny Prigozhin, authorized the mutinous move but soon backed down. Observers say the incident left an opening for Ukraine to exploit, but Russian airstrikes have continued unabated. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Daniel Ofman about the implications of the weekend's chaos.

Fans around the globe anticipate a bright future for Victor Wembanyama after the San Antonio Spurs selected him with the first overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday. Host Carol Hills tells the back story of the 7'4" phenom from France.

The latest installment of The World's "Planet Hip Hop" series takes us to Argentina, where trap music has a huge following. Young people not only listen to their favorite trap artists, they try to emulate them. From their bedrooms, aspiring artists remix their favorite songs and record music of their own. As Alan Ruiz Terol reports, this music is also seen as a possible ticket to success in a country offering bleak economic prospects.

This week, Ukraine is seeing its first-ever LGBTQ film festival in Kyiv. By showing 60+ films, organizers of the Sunny Bunny Film Festival hope to highlight LGBTQ rights and make queer Ukrainians more visible than ever. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on the festival and how the queer community in Ukraine has become more visible since Russia’s full-scale invasion last year.

Haiti’s Constitution enshrines the right to a free education. But most schools charge fees that are too steep for the average Haitian family. The Haitian Education and Leadership Program, a nonprofit known as HELP thinks it has a solution. From Port-au-Prince, HELP alumni Daphnée Charles and Josué Pierre speak with The World’s host Carol Hills.

Surrogacy is banned in Italy, but the government of Giorgia Meloni is now trying to go further: outlawing the practice of having babies through surrogacy abroad. This will likely have an outsized impact on members of the LGBTQ community, which many believe is the point behind the decision. The World's Orla Barry reports.

The 2023 Golden Shears competition kicks off today in Edinburgh, Scotland. Sheep shearers from around the world get together to remove wool from the animals as fast as they can — for a shot at glory, to prove they're the best, to be top gun. The World’s Anna Kusmer checks in with team USA.

An investigation found that criminal gangs are using sham bank accounts and secret online marketplaces to steal from almost anyone — individuals, churches, corporations — and routing the money overseas. Kurt Eichenwald, senior investigative editor for The Conversation US, tells host Carol Hills how it is being done — and why it is difficult to stop.

World leaders at a Paris summit have committed to helping developing nations tackle their debt burdens, as well as the climate transition. Multilateral development banks like the IMF pledged $200 billion towards these nations. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Ipek Gençsü, acting climate director of the ODI think tank, about the developments from the summit, as well as why many nations in attendance believe the World Bank and IMF are ill-suited to meet their needs.

Senegal is often seen as a model of political stability in West Africa. But that could be changing. President Macky Sall has upset people with the suggestion that he would run for a third term next year, defying the constitution, and young people are increasingly frustrated by a lack of opportunities. Recent protests turned deadly and most of the victims were under the age of 30. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports from the capital, Dakar.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to the US with his eye on Predator drones built by the United States. For a $3 billion price tag, Modi is walking away with 31 of them. The purchase could mark a shift global dynamics — historically, India has turned to Russia for its military hardware. The World's host Carol Hill speaks with Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, about the significance of the deal.

In the global race to create the first viable clones, scientist Hwang Woo-suk was at the front of the pack. His story is the focus of a new documentary on Netflix, “King of Clones.” Hwang cloned thousands of animals, with dreams of cloning humans. In the early 2000s, Hwang was exposed for procuring human eggs unethically, and fabricating data, leading to his downfall. He now lives in the United Arab Emirates where he clones show camels for royals. The World's Marco Werman speaks to the director and producer behind the film: Aditya Thayi.

Lebanon is mourning the loss of its most famous chef, Chef Ramzi Choueiri. Choueiri, known internationally as Chef Ramzi, was a staple of Lebanese daytime television for decades. His fame in Lebanon grew beyond its borders to the wider region and his love for cooking helped popularize Lebanese cuisine around the world. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Joanne Raad, a Lebanese television producer and food blogger, about Chef Ramzi's cultural impact on Lebanon and beyond.

Rival gangs clashed at a women’s prison in Honduras this week, leaving nearly 50 inmates dead. In response, the government is putting its military back in charge of penal colonies, expanding its powers and building new prisons on islands off the coast. From the Honduran capital Tegucigalpa, security analyst Lester Ramírez talks with The World’s Marco Werman about what the crackdown might look like.

For only the second time in over a century, Japan has passed a number of reforms to redefine the country's rape laws. The definition of rape has now been broadened so sexual assault victims have more rights and do not have to prove they fought back against their attacker. The age of consent has also been raised from 13 to 16. Julia Kim in Tokyo tells the journey of one woman and what these reforms mean.

Jamaica, the HMT Empire Windrush. The passengers had come to England expecting jobs and a better life, but also experienced racism and discrimination. From 1948, more Jamaicans followed in the wake of Windrush, including the parents of Evadney Campbell, who tells her family's story to host Marco Werman.

The five people who were on board deep sea submersible called the Titan are now believed to be dead. The US Coast Guard said today a debris field on the ocean floor "is consistent with a catastrophic loss of cabin pressure. The Titan had been on a expedition to view the wreckage of the Titanic in the north Atlantic when it lost contact four days ago. Host Marco Werman has this hour's updates.

Russian attacks on Ukraine's power stations knocked out more than half of the country’s capacity to generate electricity last fall and winter. The widespread blackouts are over, for now. Still, the new focus on energy security is raising prospects for a speedier transition to renewable energy as Ukraine rebuilds. The World’s environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler reports from Kyiv.

A stop-and-start peace process between Sudan's warring parties has been put on pause by the US. Reports of genocidal violence in Darfur continue to emerge, as the grinding fight in Khartoum continues. The World's Marco Werman talks with Alex de Waal, a leading expert on Sudan at Tufts University.

The sun rose over Stonehenge in southern England at 6:23 on Wednesday morning, the dawn of the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Around 8,000 people danced, sang and drummed through Tuesday night around the prehistoric stone circle of Stonehenge to welcome the summer solstice. Host Marco Werman has more details.

Five years ago, Samura Kamara came in close second to Julius Maada Bio, who would go on to become Sierra Leone's president. Bio and Kamara face off again on June 24. Both candidates are campaigning on how they will improve the lagging economy. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from the capital of Freetown.

Authorities who manage the Panama Canal have implemented travel restrictions to prevent large container ships from running aground. Drought is the culprit. As Steve Paton, director of the Physical Monitoring Program for the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama, tells host Marco Werman, it takes millions of gallons of fresh water to allow the passage of a single vessel through the canal, water that is drawn from a lake that is drying up fast due to changing weather patterns.

An Indigenous woman in Bolivia has earned international recognition for her work in the production, transformation and commercialization of cañahua, a resilient crop and nutritious grain with the potential to reach international markets. The World's Tibisay Zea has our story.

Last week, more than 300 Pakistani migrants died when an overcrowded fishing trawler sank off the coast of Greece. This week, the heir to one of Pakistan's biggest private fortunes, along with his teenage son, are among five people aboard the missing Titanic submersible, high-priced excursion that reportedly cost $250,000 per person. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Pakistani journalist Abbas Nasir about what these two tragic episodes say about Pakistani society today.

When eastern Ukraine came under heavy fire from Russia last year, a woman escaped with her mother and five dogs strapped into the passenger seats. She and her pack have settled near the Serbian capital of Belgrade, but she faces an uncertain future in a country where she doesn't always feel welcome.

French officials raided offices across the country that are associated with the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. Authorities are looking into alleged embezzlement of public funds and favoritism in handing out Olympic contracts. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with author Jules Boykoff about why corruption scandals always seem to dog the Olympics.

A troubling chain of violent events — an Israeli raid, then a terror attack against Israeli settlers, followed by a rampage by crowds of settlers on Palestinian towns — has put Israel and the West Bank on edge again. The World's Marco Werman talks with reporter Noga Tarnopolsky about what happened and the unprecedented political instability in Israel that makes the violence especially concerning.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on his first state visit to the United States. President Joe Biden extended the invitation, which includes a lavish dinner for Modi. India is a strategic partner for the US when it comes to countering China's influence in the Indo-Pacific and has the potential to chip away at China's tech-manufacturing prowess. But Delhi has also remained firmly neutral in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and human rights experts have raised alarm at India's democratic backslide under Modi. Sushmita Pathak in Delhi, has more on this complex, evolving relationship between the two democracies.

Now that Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to Beijing is in the rear-view mirror, the Biden administration turns its diplomatic focus to the visit this week of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Host Marco Werman has more details on Modi's state visit to Washington.

In the second part of our discussion with the US Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman about US trade ties with China and why the two economies should aim to “decouple.”

El Salvador has cracked down on gang violence in the past year by hauling tens of thousands of people to jail. Citizens of other countries, including the US, Colombia and Guatemala, have been caught up in the sweeps and imprisoned, often without due process. Manuel Rueda reports on some who say they were wrongly imprisoned for months, just because they have tattoos or were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

A Cambridge University scholar was examining medieval manuscripts in the hushed rooms of the National Library of Scotland when he found himself laughing out loud. What he'd found were some jokes written down in the 15th century by a priest and scribe who had heard them during a live performance. Host Marco Werman speaks with James Wade, the scholar who discovered them, who is a medieval literature professor at Girton College at the University of Cambridge in England.

Before the war in Ukraine, rich and powerful Russians headed to London, Paris and Monaco to buy real estate. Now, they’re snapping up luxury villas and prime location real estate in the United Arab Emirates. From Dubai, The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) says that 75% of India's glaciers will disappear by end of century. Izabella Koziell, the group's deputy general director, warns that communities in the lowlands will need to prepare for the impact as the changes are no longer reversible.

Nearly half of all men in Malaysia are smokers. Previous public health efforts have had little effect on lowering rates. They’re now calling for an anti-tobacco policy that would phase out smoking by banning the sale of cigarettes to anyone born in 2007 onward. The World's Patrick Winn speaks with the director of a Malaysia health policy institute about the effort.

US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns was in the room this week when Secretary of State Antony Blinken sat down with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In the first part of our discussion with Amb. Burns, he speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman about Taiwan, Ukraine and why US and Chinese military leaders have stopped talking to one another.

A private submersible with wealthy patrons aboard has gone missing during a dive to the Titanic's remains. The US Coast Guard is searching hundreds of square miles as the sub has a limited amount of oxygen. The World's Marco Werman talks with Sal Mercogliano, the host of the YouTube channel "What's Going On with Shipping" and a maritime historian, about how the missing sub and the era of extremely expensive tourism falls into international safety agreements.

In Europe, students move easily between countries, crossing borders, to find the best university for their needs. They are subject to the same standards and pay the same tuition as local students. There is no out-of-state tuition, no paying triple for being from another country. Rebecca Rosman reports on the Bologna Process that was set up years ago to encourage the freer exchange of students and knowledge across 49 member countries.

The US higher education system has always been considered the gold standard. But in recent years, international students have started to look elsewhere, including China, which sends the most students to the US. Professor of sociology Yingyi Ma and UC San Diego senior Tianrui Huang discuss the challenges with The World's host Marco Werman.

Thousands of students attending US colleges and universities actually reside in Mexico. Many live with their families so living costs are cheaper. But when border wait times can be two to four hours long, it takes a special dedication to get to class each day. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to teacher Joanna Esser and Tijuana student Carlos Tenorio from Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California.

Some have been deported from the US; others find tuition to be much cheaper in Mexico. But students who try to continue their education in Mexico will hit red tape. Reporter Max Rivlin-Nadler meets several students who struggled to battle Mexican and US bureaucracy, and looks at efforts to make crossing the border to study much easier.

Jose Jube came to the US from Brazil on a basketball scholarship back in the 1980s. Basketball didn't work out for him, but Jube tells The World that he got a great education. He stayed on in the US and built a career and a home. Jube says, for him, the American Dream did come true.

Language has always been at the heart of the Catalonian people's campaign for independence from Spain. And the regional government is once again demanding that university professors teach their courses in Catalan. But does the Catalan language law further the cause of nationhood or leave the region more isolated? Professors are already rebelling. Gerry Hadden reports on how professors and students in Barcelona feel about being pawns in this political battle.

In the US, only a few universities and colleges offer core classes — math, history and philosophy, for example — in languages other than English. But at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, bilingual professors can choose to teach in Spanish. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to UTRGV professor Juan Madrid, who teaches astronomy in both languages. Madrid argues that it isn't difficult to offer bilingual classes. But because so few Hispanics get advanced degrees, the challenge is finding enough professors to teach them.

English has long been the lingua franca of US higher education. But in a country where 40 million people speak Spanish, is it time to think more bilingually? WLRN's Elisa Baena visits educators who argue that teaching only in English is excluding talent that the US needs.

US unemployment hovers at record lows and employers say they can't fill jobs, which threatens to stymie economic growth. They want Congress to raise the number of visas for foreign college graduates. GBH reporter Kirk Carapezza looks at the barriers immigrants and businesses face.

Shouting into the wind has become synonymous with futility — you're yelling with all your might, but can hardly hear yourself. But new research shows it might be a good way to get your voice across. A study in Scientific Reports shows that sending a sound upwind, against the flow of air, can actually make the sound louder. The World's Anna Kusmer explains the science behind it.

Today Chinese leader Xi Jinping met with US billionaire and founder of Microsoft Bill Gates. The leader of the world's second biggest economy called Gates an "old friend." And Gates was also apparently pleased to see Xi, saying the two "always had great conversations." To find out what they discussed, The World's host Carol Hills spoke to Chun Han Wong, the author of "Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China's Superpower Future." He joined the show from Singapore.

When Afghanistan fell to the Taliban in 2021 a number of at-risk students were evacuated to nearby Kyrgyzstan, where there were able to continue their university education. Now, some of them are graduating and hoping to come to the US as refugees. But it's taking time. Levi Bridges reports from the capital of Bishkek about their hopes and frustrations.

On Friday, Daniel Ellsberg, the whistleblower behind the Pentagon Papers, which shattered public perceptions of the Vietnam War by exposing decades of government lies, passed away at the age of 92. Ellsberg was a US government analyst during the Vietnam War, who became disillusioned with that conflict after seeing its failures firsthand on the ground, embedded with US forces fighting the communist Viet Cong. From his position as a government insider, he determined that the war was unwinnable and decided to leak 7,000 pages of top secret government documents to newspapers in the US.These documents became known as the Pentagon Papers and sparked a landmark Supreme Court case that championed press freedom.We hear parts of a discussion from "The Whistleblower:Truth Dissent and the Legacy of Daniel Ellsberg," a podcast series by The GroundTruth Project in collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The 2021 podcast series includes hours of interviews with Ellsberg and unprecedented access to his personal archive.

Oleshky Sands National Nature Park, the second-largest expanse of sand in Europe, was at least partly flooded by the bursting of the Kakhovka dam in Ukraine last week. We hear from Andriy Filin, a trail runner who has helped organize races in the Sands, about why the place is so special, and what it means to be cut off from places you love during wartime.

A group of Austrian writers say that the men who composed many of the country's regional anthems were in, or associated with, the Nazi party. They are asking for them to be changed, writing that "it would be a great, exemplary signal" if the new anthems reflected the work of today's generation. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports that the far-right Freedom Party, which is making a comeback in Austria, is opposed to the move.

A delegation of African leaders have arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine. The diplomatic peace mission includes leaders from South Africa, Senegal, Zambia, the Comoros and Egypt. The group is meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy today and Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg tomorrow. To discuss the trip and its goals, The World's host Carol Hills speaks to Gyude Moore, a senior policy fellow at the Center for Global Development.

An estimated 2.5 million people have fled their homes across Sudan as the country's top two generals fight for control of the country. The World's host Carol Hills talks to William Carter, the director for Sudan at the Norwegian Refugee Council, about everything he's seen up close while trying to help people find a safe and stable place to stay as the war rages on across the country.

The conflict between Sudan’s rival armed forces has now entered its second month. More than 2 million people have become displaced by the fighting so far. The situation is especially dire in the region of Darfur. This week, the governor of West Darfur was killed after speaking up about what’s happening there. The World’s Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi brings us more.

A tropical cyclone is making landfall in South Asia right now, prompting the evacuation of more than 170,000 people from low-lying areas in India and Pakistan. It’s expected to bring days of downpour and flash floods. The island of Guam is still reeling from a typhoon that hit last week, and people in the Western Hemisphere are staring down the barrel of hurricane season, which started this month. To get a global view of how disaster preparedness has changed over time — and where it’s working well, The World's host Marco Werman speaks to Enzo Bollettino, director of the Program on Resilient Communities at the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative at Harvard University.

Host Marco Werman brings the news of the death of Roger Payne, the biologist who introduced the world to the notion that whales sing to one another. The recording he produced, "Songs of the Humpback Whale," is the best-selling environmental album of all time.

In India, hip-hop artists are using the genre to stand up to one of the world's oldest forms of discrimination: caste. In recent years, a new wave of Dalit artists is wielding some of the same musical elements that Black artists began channeling decades ago to call out prejudice and injustice. As part of our Planet Hip Hop series, Sushmita Pathak reports from New Delhi on this growing movement of "anti-caste rappers."

A UK parliamentary committee harshly rebuked former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a report today. The panel said Johnson intentionally lied about parties at his official residence that were held during COVID-19 lockdowns, and that he attempted to intimidate the committee investigating his behavior. Host Marco Werman has more.

Was Britain's response to the COVID-19 pandemic appropriate? Did Brexit damage the UK's ability to handle it? These are some of the questions being asked at an official public inquiry which opened in London this week. More than 220,000 people died from COVID-19-related illnesses in the UK. But the initiative is already facing some challenges as The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports

In about five months, the United Arab Emirates, one of the biggest oil-producing nations in the world, is hosting COP28, the United Nations’ climate summit. Critics say this is like having tobacco companies oversee the work of the World Health Organization. They have called on the UN to remove Sultan Al Jaber, the oil executive in charge of this year's summit. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is planning to visit China on June 19 in the hopes of opening further dialogue with Beijing. He hopes talks will dampen the general atmosphere of escalation and reduce the risk of miscalculation by either side. But a slowdown in US-China business collaboration and the public revelations of a Chinese spy base in Cuba could complicate the talks. The World's host Marco Werman talks with Jessica Chen Weiss, a former senior advisor at the State Department's policy planning staff and professor of government at Cornell University, about what's in store for Blinken.

The Paris Olympics is about a year away. Which means that now is the time athletes around the world are trying to qualify — including Alexandra Ndola, a German-Polish-Kenyan fencer. Last year she decided to compete for Kenya, where she is trying to grow the sport of fencing. The World’s Halima Gikandi brings us her story from the capital Nairobi.

Wednesday’s deadly shipwreck off southern Greece, involving a fishing boat reportedly carrying up to 750 migrants, highlights the desperation that drives people to risk their lives to reach continental Europe. Host Marco Werman speaks with Andrew Geddes, director of the Migration Policy Centre in Florence, Italy, about the tragedy and questions it raises about European migration policies.

New research shows that flight turbulence has increased as climate change warms the planet. Host Marco Werman speaks with Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, UK, about the findings — which are based on more than four decades of data suggesting the increase in bumpy flights could be caused by changes in wind speed at high altitudes due to warmer air from carbon emissions.

Today, the European Parliament signed off on what is going to be the world's first set of rules for artificial intelligence. Known as the AI Act, it's been debated in Brussels for several years, but the advent of chatbots like ChatGPT gave it renewed urgency. Host Marco Werman talks to Daniel Leufer, senior policy analyst with the digital rights group Access Now, about what's in the AI Act and how it compares to regulation efforts in the US and other parts of the globe.

Argentinian forward Lionel Messi shocked the soccer world last week when he announced he will be headed to Florida's Inter Miami team once his Paris Saint-Germain contract ends later this month. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on how Messi could impact soccer in the US and how other international stars paved the way for him.

Host Marco Weman catches up with Cuban American musician Gloria Estefan, as she looks back at her successful career as a bilingual singer and songwriter. She will be the first Hispanic woman to join the Songwriters Hall of Fame on Thursday.

This interview was recorded on Feb. 17, 2023 and first aired on Mar. 13, 2023.

John Bolton, former President Donald Trump’s national security advisor says he’s not surprised that classified documents were found in a Mar-a-lago bathroom. Bolton tells The World’s host Marco Werman that aides often reminded the former president that sensitive material needed to be returned. Bolton says, “I thought in most cases we did get them back. Apparently we didn’t.”

In Florida, a new immigration law is set to take effect on Jul. 1. It’s described as one of the toughest crackdowns on undocumented immigrants in the United States. But the legislation could end up having a huge impact on industries that drive Florida's economy. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports.

Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi has been on a five-day tour to visit fellow US adversaries Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba. All four countries have dealt with US sanctions. Raisi is in Nicaragua today and said during the trip that the West must respect independent countries. Cynthia Arnson discussed this trip with The World's host Marco Werman. She’s a distinguished fellow at the Wilson Center’s Latin America program in Washington.

Ukrainian leaders say their military is making progress on the battlefield. In less than a week, they’ve liberated seven villages from Russian occupation. In his nightly address, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy thanked his troops for every “step of liberated territory.” The World’s Daniel Ofman reports.

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, parent organization of the Golden Globe awards, has been disbanded. Host Marco Werman tells how this influential group of fewer than a hundred international journalists was plagued by ethics, finance and diversity scandals.

You can find it on iTunes and YouTube, but the government in Hong Kong would like to erase the song "Glory to Hong Kong" from the internet — and from everywhere else, for that matter. The protest song urges Hong Kongers — in their native Cantonese language — to rise up and "liberate" the territory. Now, the Hong Kong government, which takes its orders from Beijing, wants to ban the song. And it's pushing for Google, Facebook and Twitter to help out. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Patrick Winn.

Guinness World Records confirmed today that chef Hilda Bassey of Nigeria has officially claimed the record for longest cooking marathon. Last month, Bassey wowed fans as she cooked for four straight days. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Georgia's beloved Borjomi mineral water, a ubiquitous drink available throughout the post-Soviet world — that was once found at most restaurants from Ukraine to Kyrgyzstan — has run into trouble. Borjomi’s problems began during the war in Ukraine because a majority share of the company was owned by a Russian billionaire who was sanctioned. That made it difficult to do business internationally and the company's factory had to halt operations. The Georgian government eventually took over Borjomi so the company could start running again, but workers at the bottling plant were offered less pay and went on strike last summer. Levi Bridges has more.

Charcoal makers in northern Uganda have come under pressure from a new law banning its trade, even though it’s a vital energy resource for many people in the country. But residents have also taken it upon themselves to enforce the ban. People in the country are fed up with the environmental impact of the industry, Sylvie Namwase told The World's host Marco Werman. She’s a lecturer at the law school of Makerere University in Kampala.

A 44-year-old mother of three is now looking at a 28-month prison sentence for taking abortion medication too late in her pregnancy. Abortion was legalized in Britain in 1967, but a much older law is still on the books — from 1861 — and it was the basis for the sentence. The World's Orla Barry reports.

US Central Command said on Monday that 22 US service members were injured in a helicopter "mishap" in northeastern Syria on Sunday. The accident is under investigation and according to CENTCOM, did not involve enemy fire. The accident is a reminder that there are 900 US troops based in Syria. Host Marco Werman speaks with Joshua Landis, director of Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma about what they're doing there.

Thousands of villagers in an area about 200 miles southeast of Manila have left their homes to find safer ground. That's because seismic activity has been detected at Mount Mayon. Experts are not exactly sure what will happen next, but they're seeing signs of a possible larger eruption. Ashley Westerman reports from the Philippines.

Migrant shelters in Mexico City are operating at two to three times their regular capacity following changes in US immigration policy that began on May 12, which made it harder for migrants to cross the border and seek asylum. Manuel Rueda reports from Mexico City that many migrants are now choosing to stay in safer locations far from the border, while they attempt over and over again to apply for asylum using a US government app called CBP One.

Former President Donald Trump makes his first appearance in a Miami federal courthouse today. He is accused of taking from the White House in 2021 hundreds of documents, many of them highly classified, and some related to the military and nuclear capabilities of the United States and foreign countries. Tom Blanton, director of the independent nongovernmental National Security Archive, talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about the charges, and how they relate to the Espionage Act.

Host Marco Werman tells us about a discovery in northern Israel of the bones of prehistoric birds that had tiny holes bored into them. The suspicion is that these tiny flutes were either used to attract birds, or to make music. Whatever the purpose, bird songs and human songs have long had an interplay, as we are reminded by musicians David Bowie and Sergei Prokofiev.

Yale professor and immunologist Akiko Iwasaki received a prestigious $2 million grant this week for her work into the origins of long-COVID-19 and promising treatment avenues. She talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about her research.

Four children went missing in early May after a plane crashed in Colombia's Amazon rainforest. The three adults on board were found dead, but the children were missing. After more than a month of searching by the military and Indigenous groups, the children were finally found alive, malnourished and covered with insect bites. Manuel Rueda reports from Bogota on what authorities are learning about how the siblings survived.

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi died in Milan on Monday at the age of 86. The four-time prime minister was known for his many controversies, including hosting notorious "bunga bunga" parties and befriending Russian President Vladimir Putin. Despite facing decades of legal battles — more than 30 court cases and one conviction — he continued to find a place in politics, most recently in a rightwing alliance with the party of Italy's first woman Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Despite the controversy, the head of the Center for Italian Politics at King's College London, Leila Simona Talani, told host Marco Werman that at least half the country is mourning the longtime leader.

In March, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova. The charges were related to the forced deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Since the beginning of the war, individual Ukrainian families have been able to retrieve their children from Russia. The World's Daniel Ofman reports on the effort of Ukrainian families to bring their kids back home.

In 2020, a deadly blast at Beirut port destroyed the beloved Sursock Museum in Lebanon. Parts of the 20th-century museum’s architecture, reflecting both Venetian and Ottoman stylistic elements, were damaged, along with 57 works of art. Now, almost three years later, the museum has reopened. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

US and Mexican authorities have confirmed that eight young workers were killed in western Mexico, and their bodies were placed in trash bags, after they supposedly tried to quit their jobs at a call center operated by a violent drug cartel. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

A new UN report reveals that a staggering 25% of the global population believes it is justified for a man to beat his wife. The finding is one of many that, together, show bias against women is a widespread problem. Host Marco Werman speaks with Raquel Lagunas, United Nations Development Program head of gender equality, about the report, which is based on data from the World Values Survey, that showed how globally 9 out of 10 men and women continue to hold some sort of bias against women.

For decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have disputed claims to the Nagorno-Karabakh region between the two countries. Mostly ethnic Armenians live there, but it's recognized internationally as part of Azerbaijan. Recently, Azerbaijan has blocked a key road in to the area. Levi Bridges reports from Armenia that this blockade has made education difficult for those who live there.

Military officials say Ukraine has retaken four small towns from Russian-held territory. This follows much talk of when a Ukrainian counteroffensive could begin what it would look like. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Emily Harding, a deputy director and senior fellow of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, about what's happened so far and the state of play in the war.

The war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has spread across Sudan. Violence is concentrated in western Darfur and the capital, Khartoum. The UN envoy who was helping to mediate the conflict was told he is no longer welcome in Sudan. Nonetheless, a new ceasefire agreement is set to start tomorrow. The World's host Carol Hills gives a bird's-eye view of the war and tells the story of one particular battle in Khartoum.

South African firefighters are helping to battle the blazes in Canada. When they landed at the Edmonton airport this week, they burst into song. This kind of spontaneous singing springs out of the toyi-toyi tradition in South Africa where, decades ago, chanting and dances would erupt during political protests against apartheid. Marco Werman has more.

The world has entered a new El Niño phase, a regular weather pattern that comes every two to seven years. But this year, scientists worry it could be a "super El Niño" and rising global temperatures could make its impacts worse. The World's host Carol Hills spoke to Chris Callahan, a climate scientist at Dartmouth College. He joined the show from Hanover, New Hampshire.

One of the biggest music festivals in Europe, Primavera Sound, just wrapped up in Barcelona, Spain. And this weekend, almost the entire line-up and set is moving to Madrid. Later in the year, festival organizers will bring it to Portugal and then South America. Alan Ruiz Terol reports from Barcelona on how changes in the music industry are driving the expansion of these mega-concerts.

The French Open always delivers stunning performances — some by legends of the game and some by relative newcomers. This year's tournament is no exception, as The World's Bianca Hillier reports ahead of the weekend's final matches.

The first film from Sudan to show at the Cannes Film Festival this year, "Goodbye Julia," is from Sudanese director Mohamed Kordofani. It follows the story of two women during South Sudan's split from Sudan in the early 2000s. The film won some high praise, but that was "bittersweet," Kordofani says, due to the ongoing conflict in Sudan. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

Cashews are a popular nut eaten all over the world, and there’s a chance the cashews you eat are grown in Ivory Coast. The West African country leads the world in cashew production. But that industry has been hit by a fall in global demand. The World's Carol Hills spoke to Marcel Outtara, the executive secretary of the Ivory Coast Cashew Industry Group (GTCI), which represents 20 companies that process the nut.

The seven-day Migrant Trail walk begins in Sasabe, Sonora and ends in Tucson, Arizona. The walkers follow the same trail that many migrants take to get to the United States, that thousands of people never complete. The 75-mile walk is to draw attention to the deaths along the US-Mexico border. Arizona Public Media reporter Danyelle Khmara followed the 20th annual event.

Host Marco Werman brings us the latest updates on the sewage from Mexico that has shut down the nearest beaches in California. Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre has requested state of emergency status from the White House.

Thousands of employees at the BBC, British Airways and residents in Nova Scotia have been targeted in a global data breach, believed to be the work of hackers in Russia. The criminal gang put out a statement this week warning those targeted that they had one week to negotiate a ransom or stolen personal details would be leaked online. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry, who was herself affected, reports.

The collapse of the Kakhovka dam is an environmental catastrophe for people in southern Ukraine. Destroying a dam goes against international law. The World's Carol Hills speaks to Erika Weinthal, an expert on environmental politics at Duke University, about the implications of the disaster.

Despite a flurry of diplomatic overtures between Beijing and Washington, there are two new indicators that illustrate the tension between the two countries. The first is an unconfirmed report that the US, Taiwan and Japan are to share real-time data from naval reconnaissance drones. The second is a Wall Street Journal report that China and Cuba have reached a secret agreement for Beijing to establish an eavesdropping facility on Cuba. Host Marco Werman talks about the two developments with John Pomfret, a former Beijing bureau chief for the Washington Post and the author of “The Beautiful Country and the Middle Kingdom,” a history of US-China relations.

Scientists are going somewhere uncharted — deep into the Earth. In a scientific first, an expedition floating over the Atlantic Ocean has successfully drilled nearly a mile beneath the sea floor and pulled up pieces of rocky mantle. These samples will be used to learn more about the origins of life and the geologic history of our planet. The World's Anna Kusmer talked to a group of the scientists and got more details.

Taiwan is having a #MeToo reckoning about sexual harassment in politics, several years after other parts of the world. Despite the relatively high number of women in public office, many instances of sexual harassment on the political scene have been ignored or covered up. Ashish Valentine reports from Taipei that a new political drama on Netflix has prompted many women to start opening up about their experiences.

Hip hop turns 50 this summer and its influence has been felt in all corners of the globe. From the streets of the Bronx to a revolution in Beirut, from anti-apartheid messages in Cape Town to graffiti in Cairo, throughout the summer we'll be exploring Planet Hip Hop. To help us kick off our series we turn to H. Samy Alim, professor of anthropology and director of the Hip Hop Initiative at UCLA. He's also co-editor of the book "Freedom Moves."

A seaweed known as sargassum makes beaches very hard to swim in — and it stinks. Gisele Regatao reports from the island of Antigua on the impact the algae levels are having on tourism and the local economy.

In Ukraine's southern region of Kherson, evacuations are underway to get residents out of areas affected by flooding from the Dnipro River following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam. While Russia and Ukraine both accuse the other of committing sabotage, the rising water raises concerns over mines dislodged by the flooding. The World's host Marco Werman spoke to Tymur Pistriuha, head of the Ukrainian Deminers Association.

US Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland has read a classified State Department report on the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and is calling for it to be released to the public. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with the senator about the report's findings and whether any parts of the US-Israel relationship might need to be reexamined.

Hundreds of captured Russian soldiers, conscripts and mercenaries are being held in 50 sites around Ukraine. On the other side of the border, Russia also has Ukrainian POWs captured from the war. It’s difficult to estimate how many POWs are being kept on either side. Since the early months of the war, prisoner exchanges have been frequent, a sign that there are direct talks going on between Russia and Ukraine. The World's Daniel Ofman recently got exclusive access to some of the Russian POWs to find out how they're being treated.

DNA research has shown that a stillborn baby crocodile was the product of a virgin birth. The egg, matured in an incubator, was laid by a female crocodile who had been living alone at a Costa Rican zoo for 16 years. Host Marco Werman tells the story of the crocodile virgin birth, and how it indicates that dinosaurs and pterosaurs may have been capable of this kind of nonsexual reproduction, known as parthenogenesis.

Carbon offsets are a commonly used tool in the world of climate solutions. The idea is simple: I burn a ton of carbon — and then I pay ypou to save a ton — keeping my carbon footprint at zero. There are billions of dollars being spent on this fast growing industry — but the problem is that integrity is low, and many offsets sold don't equate to real saved carbon. The industry is riddled with these scandals, but a new group has formed to try to fix it. Today on the World's climate solutions segment, The Big Fix, host Marco Werman speaks to William McDonnell, who is chief operating officer for The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market, a new nonprofit that wants to clean up the carbon offset industry.

With large numbers of young Russian fighters dying on the Ukraine battlefield, the Wagner mercenary group must constantly recruit to replenish their stocks. They've gone online and are using the same tactics that ISIS once used to lure young men to go to fight in Syria. Dina Temple-Raston, the host of the podcast “Click Here,” unravels how deep their reach goes.

Sikh motorcyclists in California testified to the state Senate last week with hopes of being granted an exemption from the state's law that mandates riders to wear helmets. The Sikh community told the Senate they can’t put on helmets because of their turbans, which they don’t remove or put anything on top of for religious reasons. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Terrible air quality and hazy skies across much of the northeastern US on Wednesday. But north of the border, in Canada's eastern provinces from Quebec to Nova Scotia, wildfires have caused thousands to flee their homes and untold damage. Host Marco Werman speaks with Scott Tingley. He heads the Wildfire Management Group in Nova Scotia’s Department of Natural Resources and Renewables.

Taliban’s supreme leader has held a meeting with Qatar's prime minister. This is a significant departure from the leader's usually reclusive nature. The World’s Shirin explains.

When the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine was breached on Tuesday, a massive reservoir streamed out and began flooding towns and cities along the Dnieper River. The World's Marco Werman talks with Vsevolod Prokofiev, a spokesperson for Save the Children who is working on the humanitarian effort in the flood zone about what's going on.

The world of professional golf experienced a seismic shift on Tuesday when the US-based PGA Tour and the Saudi Arabia-backed league LIV, announced a merger. Just what it means for professional golf is still being chewed over but for Saudi Arabia, it's only the latest in an ambitious plan to extend the kingdom's influence and participation in global sports. Marco Werman speaks with Simon Chadwick, who teaches about sports and geo-politics at the SKEMA business school in Paris, about the concern that Saudi Arabia's expansion into sports is a way of deflecting attention away from hits dismal human rights record

A wealthy driver in Finland has been fined nearly $130,000 for speeding. Host Marco Werman tells the story of multimillionaire businessman Anders Wiklöf, whose traffic fine was determined, in the Finnish system, by his income.

Robert Hanssen, a former FBI special agent who accepted $1.4 million in cash and diamonds in exchange for information he gave the Soviet Union and then Russia has been found dead in a Colorado penitentiary. Author David Vise and The World’s Marco Werman discuss Hanssen’s crimes.

Uruguayans are up in arms since their government has been mixing salty water into the drinking water supply. That's because a 3-year drought has depleted the country's fresh water reserve. Michael Fox reports that the government has had to change its drinking water standards, and many are concerned that the salty water is not safe to drink.

Last year, an estimated 3,500 Rohingya Muslims boarded wooden boats and set off from Bangladesh, across hundreds of miles of dangerous waters in the Bay of Bengal, in search of starting new lives in Malaysia or Indonesia. Hundreds of them never made it. In collaboration with the Associated Press, we have the story of one family's tragic migration experience along one of Asia's most dangerous migration routes. The World's Patrick Winn reports from Bangkok, and host Marco Werman speaks with AP investigative reporter Kristin Gelinaeu from Australia.

Iran shared photos today of what it claims to be its first hypersonic missiles. It's raising concerns in Israel of Iran's increasing long-range capabilities. Host Marco Werman spoke with Behnam Ben Taleblu, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, who joined from Washington.

The Department of Homeland Security has been allowing reporters to observe and report on deportation flights of migrants from the United States. It is part of a public diplomacy campaign aimed at discouraging other migrants from coming to the southern US border, and persuading the American public that immigration laws are being enforced. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Prince Harry said British tabloids have "blood on their hands" on the opening day of his testimony against Mirror Group Newspapers in a high court in London. The British royal alleges that the tabloid used unlawful methods, including phone hacking, to access personal details about him, which the paper later published. The newspaper has denied the allegations. It's the first time a member of Britain's royal family has been cross-examined in court in more than 130 years. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

A massive dam on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine has burst, unleashing floodwaters that have inundated at least a dozen towns and are expected to impact dozens more in southeastern Ukraine. The World's Carolyn Beeler reports from Kyiv.

Three-year-old Mohammad Tamimi died in the hospital on Monday, four days after he was shot in the head by Israeli troops in the West Bank. The boy was traveling in a car with his father, who was also wounded, on Thursday when they came under fire. The Israeli military said soldiers were responding to gunfire from Palestinian militants near the village of Nabi Saleh, where a funeral was held today for Mohammad Tamimi. Jerusalem-based journalist Fuad AbuGosh attended the funeral and spoke with host Marco Werman.

The classic Christmas song “Carol of the Bells” is actually an old Ukrainian folk song. A century ago, a Ukrainian choir on a mission to build support for the fledgling nation sang the song at Carnegie Hall, and the popularity took off from there. Lydia Tomkiw reports from New York City on a Ukrainian children's choir performing the song this weekend as part of a centennial concert, marking the anniversary and once again calling on the world to support the embattled country.

Ngando Pickett has been cheering on the Indomitable Lions, Cameron's national football team, for 40 years. He has become a fixture in the stands at all matches, home and away. And this year's Men's World Cup in Qatar is no exception. Host Marco Werman has the details.

A $200 million luxury yacht owned by Ukrainian politician Viktor Medvedchuk, an oligarch and friend of Vladimir Putin, is to be sold at auction after its seizure in Croatia earlier this year. Host Carol Hills tells the story of the 92.5-meter superyacht, Royal Romance.

A new kind of public-private partnership has emerged in Ukraine to protect critical infrastructure from cyberattacks. Dina Temple-Raston, of the podcast “Click Here,” tells the story of how tech companies have banded together to work with the Ukrainian government.

Amid a crackdown on dissent spurred by protests in China against the country's COVID-zero lockdowns, the authorities have trained their sights on Chinese digital life more than ever before. Currently, they are trying to bar citizens from using Virtual Private Networks, or VPNs, which scramble a user's internet traffic from server to server so they can break past China's so-called "Great Firewall" or internet censorship. They are an indispensable part of online life for many Chinese. The World's Carol Hills talks to Jeremy Goldkorn, editor-in-chief of The China Project, an online publication with news, analysis, and essays about China.

A new report by Human Rights Watch says most of the children who were repatriated from detention camps for ISIS suspects and their families in northern Syria and Iraq are thriving in their home countries. These children were either born in ISIS territories or they were taken there by their parents or relatives. The World's Shirin Jaafari discusses the report's findings with host Marco Werman.

The Syrian Democratic Forces, a majority Kurdish armed group, has announced it has ceased cooperation with the US military in Syria. The announcement comes after the group said it would cease fighting ISIS following threats of a Turkish invasion of the region under their control. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Charles Lister, director of the Syria program at the Middle East Institute, about the consequences of a potential Turkish invasion as well as what this means in the battle against ISIS.

French President Emmanuel Macron touched down in New Orleans, Louisiana, on Friday, the first French president to visit the former French colony in almost 50 years. Host Carol Hills reports Macron hopes to bolster the future of the French language in Louisiana.

A lucrative, free-trade deal with the US would be one of the big bonuses of leaving the European Union, pro-Brexit campaigners told the British public before the 2016 referendum. Six years later, Britain is in recession, inflation is at a 40-year high and that lucrative trade appears further away than ever. So, what went wrong? The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Britain's Prince William and Princess Catherine are in Boston on Friday to present the second-annual Earthshot prize awarded to innovators around the world working to save nature and combat global warming. Over a million dollars will be awarded to five different winners. The World's Carol Hills is joined by Rachel Kyte, dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. Kyte is part of the host committee for the ceremony in Boston.

UNICEF estimates that roughly 200 million women and girls across the globe have been subjected to female genital mutilation. In The Gambia, the practice was outlawed in 2015, a sign that decadeslong efforts to put an end to the practice are working. But, as Alexa Dvorson reports from The Gambia, changing laws is one thing; changing minds is much harder.

Alcohol sales and consumption is heavily regulated in Qatar. The host of this year's Men's World Cup was supposed to offer beer in the stadiums, but days before the opening match, FIFA announced a beer ban. One fan stepped in with the Qatar Alcohol Map to show attendees where to legally quench their thirst before heading to the stadiums. Host Marco Werman has the story.

In his inaugural speech on Wednesday, Quebec Premier Francois Legault said his first duty is reversing the decline of French in Quebec. He has set forth a new goal: requiring that all economic migrants to Canada speak French in order to be accepted. Marco Werman explores the context for this and its implications for attracting migrants with Daniel Beland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada at McGill University in Montreal.

Across Spain's Barcelona province children are getting to school in organized convoys of bikes, dubbed "bicibus," or "bicycle-bus." As with traditional bus lines, each bicibús route has stops where other cycling students can join along the way. Parents, teachers and other volunteer adults ride, too, to ensure the kids’ safety. Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona on the joys of this climate-friendly trend.

El Faro, a legendary news publication in El Salvador, reeled when they discovered most of their journalists' phones had been hacked using the spyware, Pegasus. The maker of the spyware, NSO Group, is now being sued by the paper's staff, including an American journalist who was hacked, in US court. The World's Marco Werman interviews Ronan Farrow, who reported the story for The New Yorker.

HIV/AIDS infections continue to be a health emergency. On this World AIDS Day, The World's Marco Werman spoke with Dr. Ruben Mayorga about the factors behind this ongoing health emergency in the region and what can be done to stop it.

After a vote in March agreeing to build a treaty that would essentially “eliminate all plastic waste,” negotiations via the United Nations have started this week in Uruguay in hopes of adopting a treaty before a set 2024 deadline. Countries differ in how to effectively do this on a global scale. Jane Patton, campaign manager for plastics & petrochemicals at CIEL, joins The World from the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee's first treaty conference in Uruguay.

President Joe Biden is hosting French president Emmanuel Macron at the White House on Thursday, and the leaders of these two longtime allies have a lot to discuss: Ukraine, inflation and the environment, just to name a few. Biden said he sees Macron not just as the leader of France, but "also Europe as a whole." The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

European leaders in Brussels are expected to agree to a price cap on Russian oil this week in an attempt to moderate profits going to Moscow to fuel its war while keeping global oil prices in check. The World's Carolyn Beeler explains the move that’s paired with an embargo on Russian crude oil shipped to Europe set to take effect on Dec. 5.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa faces a threat of impeachment following a report that found evidence that he had violated the country's constitution, in part, by covering up the theft of millions of dollars in cash hidden in a sofa on his farm in 2020. Host Marco Werman speaks with Marianne Merten, journalist at South Africa's Daily Maverick, about the scandal and its political fallout.

The United Nations agency for culture added the French baguette to its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Host Marco Werman has this brief ode to the crusty, chewy, iconic loaf.

Former leader Jiang Zemin will be remembered for ushering in a decade of extraordinary Chinese economic growth. He sped up China’s entry into the World Trade Organization, transforming the global economy. But he also ensured the Chinese Communist Party retained absolute political power. Robert Lawrence Kuhn talks with The World’s Marco Werman.

Snow has already blanketed cities across Ukraine and temperatures drop below freezing at night. This is while millions of people face rolling blackouts and no heat. The World’s Shirin Jaafari visits a camping store in Kyiv and reports on how people are planning for the cold months ahead.

Some Iranians cheered for the US on Tuesday following its victory over Iran at the FIFA World Cup. The 1-0 victory catapulted the US into the knockout round while sending Iran's team back home. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Borzou Daragahi about the pressure Iran's team faced at the World Cup as well as the recent history of Iran's soccer team.

LGBTQ rights advocates have heavily criticized FIFA for giving the 2022 Men's World Cup to Qatar, where homosexuality is illegal and punishable with prison time. Both FIFA and Qatari officials have said “everyone is welcome” at the tournament, but messaging is inconsistent. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on how LGBTQ Qataris and global football fans are feeling now that the tournament is underway.

Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura, the son of Japanese immigrants, who was awarded the US Medal of Honor for holding off an attack by Chinese troops to allow an American squad to withdraw during the Korean War, has died. He was 97. Host Marco Werman has an appreciation.

Some people in Japan call them “new religious movements.” Others call them cults. Either way, Japan has a lot of them. In a country where most people don’t follow any organized religion, self-proclaimed prophets have long emerged to fill the spiritual void. One of the more successful mystics in Japan is named Master Okawa, who says he’s a reincarnated alien from the planet Venus. He’s now intent on recruiting more believers in the US. The World’s Patrick Winn reports.

A team of researchers in Canada have discovered two new minerals after analyzing a slice of a 15-ton meteorite found in Somalia. Host Marco Werman speaks with University of Alberta professor Chris Herd, whose team identified the new minerals that had previously been synthesized in a lab, but never before seen in nature.

Flooded areas in Pakistan have seen a spike in waterborne illnesses like malaria, and health experts worry about skyrocketing malnutrition rates among children. The WHO warns that as temperatures rise, more people will die of malaria, malnutrition, diarrhea and heat stress. The World's environment correspondent reports from the hard-hit Dadu district in southern Pakistan.

Researchers are heralding a breakthrough in the treatment of Alzheimer's: a drug that is the first to slow the destruction of the brain. But it only works in the early stages of Alzheimer's and many people aren't diagnosed until the disease has already advanced. Marco Werman speaks with an Alzheimer's researcher to find out what is so revolutionary about the new drug lecanemab and how it can be made available to those who need it.

Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is threatened by climate change. That much is agreed. But while the United Nations wants to label this World Heritage Site “in danger," Australia's government says that placing the reef on UNESCO’s “World Heritage in Danger” list would be a step too far. Host Marco Werman tells the story.

Brazil, in partnership with Dutch intelligence, apprehended a Russian spy named Sergey Cherkasov who was trying to infiltrate the International Criminal Court, likely to inform on the war crimes cases that the court is assembling in Ukraine. Now Russia is trying to get their spy back. The World's Marco Werman talks to Christo Grozev, Bellingcat's lead Russia investigator, about the newest turn in the caper.

Since Russia's invasion, many Ukrainian songs have become symbols of defiance and resilience in the face of difficult circumstances. Aside from the national anthem though, one song has stood out as the song representing Ukrainian sovereignty and perseverance. It's called “Oi u Luzi Chervona Kalyna,” or 'Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow.' The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

The UK released the results of the 2021 census and the results were not very surprising. For the first time, fewer than half the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian. The results also showed a decline in those identifying as white. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Abby Day, a professor at Goldsmiths University of London, about the decline in those categories and what it means for the Church of England.

As the uprising in Iran enters its third month, dissidents are finding few places to run to for safety. Those who have fled to Iran are facing an increasing number of threats, online and in person. Istanbul-based journalist Fariba Nawa has been documenting cases of Iranian dissidents who have met with detention or death for speaking out while in Turkey.

For many people in the African diaspora, the idea of "Afrofuturism" has a lot to do with reconnecting with ancestry. But for many Africans on the continent today, Afrofuturism is more about what its name suggests: the future. The musician Afrotronix straddles both in his music. We hear from Caleb Ritmobaye, the man behind Afrotronix.

Worldwide, the cattle industry is responsible for about 7% of greenhouse gas emissions. That comes primarily from waste, like cows burping out methane, and the energy required to grow feed, often on cleared forest land. In Colombia, ranchers are experimenting with a new kind of grass in the hopes of building a sustainable cattle farm. Manuel Rueda reports from Colombia.

A new law in Spain was intended to impose heavier sentences and penalties for those convicted of sexual assault and harassment. But some people convicted of sexual abuse are actually receiving lighter sentences as a result of the law, and getting off early even if they were convicted before the law went into effect. Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona on the outcry facing the newly enacted legislation.

China's own CoronaVac and Sinopharm vaccines have played an important global role in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in less wealthy nations. But in China itself, where they are used exclusively, their impact has been compromised by the government's zero-COVID policy. Marco Werman speaks with Dr. William Schaffner, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, about the dilemma China faces as its population increasingly vents at the constraints of the zero-COVID policy.

NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg warned Tuesday that Russia is using winter as a "weapon of war" against Ukraine. The World’s Marco Werman talks with analyst Michael Kofman about what fighting a modern war in winter looks like and how Ukraine's allies can do more to help protect its infrastructure.

Toronto has become a very expensive place to live. But when the city and suburbs consider developing mixed-income housing, residents often complain. Anita Elash reports from Toronto on a new approach by younger activists to get city councils to look differently at housing proposals.

Trade ministers in the European Union are challenging the eco-friendly subsidies in the US Inflation Reduction Act. A retaliatory policy like the "Buy European Act," promoted by France could potentially ignite a trade war between the US and Europe. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Elvire Fabry, a senior research fellow on the geopolitics of trade at the Jacques Delors Institute in Paris.

The US Treasury department will allow the energy company Chevron to pump oil in Venezuela. This comes after lifting the US lifted oil sanctions on Venezuela, which is in an economic crisis. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Phil Gunson, a consultant with the International Crisis Group, about what this means for global oil prices as well as what it could mean for Venezuela's economy.

The surf is up in the seaside town of Nazaré, Portugal. That’s where daredevil surfers hurtle down the face of waves as tall as 5-story apartment buildings. Reporter Barbara Belt is taking it all in. She talks with The World’s Marco Werman about why “big wave” surfing is so alluring, and so dangerous.

The highest court in France this month ruled in favor of an employee who was fired by a Paris consulting company for allegedly not being "fun" at work events. The man had argued that the company's idea of fun included both “excessive alcoholism” and “promiscuity." Host Marco Werman explains.

Jarosław Kaczyński set off a bit of a public firestorm recently when he blamed Poland's low birth rate on young Polish women and their drinking habits. That's why women showed up at Kaczyński's home today to protest those comments. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry has the story.

On Monday, delegates from the Democratic Republic of Congo are meeting in Nairobi, Kenya, for the latest round of peace talks aimed at ending the fighting and ongoing insecurity in the eastern part of the country. Violence by various armed groups has caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. Now, regional heads of state are saying enough is enough. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Nairobi.

The FIFA Men's World Cup continues in Qatar this week. Canada and Qatar have been knocked out of the tournament, but there's a lot of gameplay left for the remaining teams. The World's Bianca Hillier shares the details with host Marco Werman.

A disease that had public health officials struggling to communicate with the public now has a new name. Monkeypox will now be known as "M Pox." The World Health Organization was concerned the original name was construed as racist and that it stigmatized people with the disease. Host Marco Werman explains.

The anti-lockdown protests that erupted in several Chinese cities this weekend had particular resonance in Beijing, where the history of 1989's Tiananmen Square protests looms large. The Economist's David Rennie has lived in Beijing for two decades, and describes what he witnessed this weekend in the context of the Chinese government's authoritarian rule. He spoke with The World's Marco Werman.

Protests are erupting across China — some big, some small — but all united around one demand: to end the lockdowns. For nearly three years, the Chinese government has frozen much of the population in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is a signature policy of China’s leader, Xi Jinping. But as protests spread, Xi’s government is facing its biggest pushback yet. The World’s Patrick Winn reports.

As part of a plea deal, Babic admits his role in crimes against humanity and continues cooperating with the court. He begins to transform as a person. Alex Whiting, an American war crimes prosecutor, tells The World’s Chris Harland-Dunaway about the end of Babic’s story that no one expected, and reflects on what it all means. (Original Air Date: April 21, 2022.)

The story of Milan Babic continues. He was a senior Serb leader who flipped on Slobodan Milosevic, and became a witness against his crimes at great personal risk. Alex Whiting, an American prosecutor who worked with Babic, tells the story to The World’s Chris Harland-Dunaway. (Original Air Date: April 21, 2022.)

The International Criminal Court is currently investigating war crimes in Ukraine. In general, cases are complex and rely on crucial first-person testimony, especially from within the chain of command. Otherwise, it is difficult to prove that a political leader is involved. But, there is precedent. After the ethnic conflict in the Balkans, an international tribunal was convened to try Slobodan Milosevic for war crimes and crimes against humanity. It depended on a key insider witness. The World’s Chris Harland-Dunaway tells the story of the witness that changed the course of the tribunal, and the American prosecutor who worked with him. (Original Air Date: April 21, 2022.)

On Saturday at Sydney, Australia's famed Bondi Beach, people will be shedding their bathing suits in an ironic gesture for a good cause, to raise awareness about skin cancer. Host Marco Werman explains.

The death toll from an earthquake that struck Indonesia’s Java island early this week rose to 310 after rescuers found more bodies under landslides, an official said. More than 1,400 rescuers have been searching through the rubble since Monday's magnitude 5.6 quake, which injured more than 2,000 people. Host Marco Werman speaks with reporter Wahyu Dhyatmika of the Tempo Media Group, who lives near the epicenter in Cianjur.

Millions of people in Ukraine remain without heat or power after Russia launched devastating ai strikes on its energy grid this week. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that almost all regions are still struggling with electricity but they are “moving away from the blackout little by little." In the meantime, the National Philharmonic of Ukraine is providing comfort and energy in their own way. The World's Marco Werman has more.

Cities across Europe are gearing up for the Christmas season which usually means elaborate light displays on the streets, temporary ice skating rinks and festive Christmas markets. But with Russia’s war in Ukraine causing sky high energy bills in Europe, some cities are doing things a little differently this year. As The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Before you put your Christmas tree on the curb, consider repurposing it in the kitchen. The concept may be new to some, but people around the world have been cooking with pine, fir and spruce for centuries. The World’s Bianca Hillier explores a revolutionary way to repurpose your tree and keep the holiday spirit around a little longer. (Original Air Date: Jan. 7, 2022.)

The French love their bœuf bourguignon and steak tartare. But a plant-based food startup in France, is on a mission to change French eating habits. They are putting out products that taste almost like the real thing. Pork lobbyists are not too happy about it. Rebecca Rosman wades into the bacon wars. (Original Air Date: Sept. 14, 2022.)

Salt makes food taste good, but too much of it can also lead to an unhealthy diet. Japanese researchers looked for a way they might get away from all that salt. Their electric chopsticks, which attract sodium ions, make food taste saltier, and won't raise your blood pressure. Host Marco Werman has the story. (Original Air Date: Apr. 21, 2022.)

Nisachon Morgan grew up on a rice farm in Isaan, Thailand. She learned to cook from her mother. She and her husband now serve up those dishes in their restaurant in the small town of Randolph, Vermont. The food got the attention of the James Beard Foundation, which named her best chef in the Northeast. Mikaela Lefrak went to meet them. (Original Air Date: May 10, 2022.)

Korean cuisine is meat based but TikTok food blogger, Joanne Lee Molinaro is out to change that. The trial attorney-turned-cookbook author serves up vegan cuisine with big helpings of family lore and love. Host Marco Werman speaks to Molinaro about her meat-free adventure. (Original Air Date: Dec. 29, 2021.)

In the 1930s, tens of thousands of Koreans were forced from their homes in the Soviet Union. Many ended up in Kazakhstan, carrying seeds and recipes with them. They called themselves the Koryo-saram, or ‘The Korean People.” Durrie Buscaren visits Almaty's Green Bazaar, where vendors sell a variety of foods that represent the culinary heritage Koreans who call Kazakhstan home. (Original Air Date: Oct. 26, 2022.)

Diana Kennedy was a British chef and author who, after spending decades researching the cuisine, became a legend in Mexican cooking. She wrote nine cookbooks, won four James Beard awards and earned the title of the "Mick Jagger of Mexican Cooking." She died at her home in Michoacán, Mexico at the age of 99. (Original Air Date: Jul. 25, 2022.)

The full English breakfast, as it's known, is a cornucopia of meats, grilled mushrooms and tomato, baked beans, toast and more meat. But the dish is getting pricier, just like a lot of things these days. Some restaurants are finding it harder to keep on the menu, as reporter Leo Hornak explains from London. (Original Air Date: Nov. 14, 2022.)

Longyearbyen, a former coal mining town and now an Arctic research hub, is the world's northernmost permanent settlement. Sitting between glaciers and permafrost, it's not the place you would think would develop a reputation for serving superb wines and Nordic fine dining. Emily Haavik travels to the high Arctic to sample reindeer ribs and miso-marinated cod. (Original Air Date: Jul. 22, 2022.)

Archaeologists in Israel say an amethyst ring they uncovered recently was likely used as a hangover cure in the third century. But did it work? The World's Marco Werman looks for answers from Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall is the author of the book "Hungover: The Morning After and One Man’s Quest for the Cure." (Original Air Date: Nov. 16, 2021.)

The wheat grown today in the US can be traced back to Turkey Red, which Mennonites brought over from present-day Ukraine in the late 1800s. The tough wheat berry wasn't a popular strain when it was first introduced. It was hard for millers to process. The World's Bianca Hillier reports that its flavor won over critics. (Original Air Date: Jun. 20, 2022.)

Austrian British musician Alicia Edelweiss spent four years traveling through Europe, busking on city streets. Her music is neither bombastic nor heavy, but fun and playful. It's kind of hard to categorize her and the music she makes. But she performs with a twinkle in her eye, framed by a heavy dose of glittery eye make-up, an accordion and a hula-hoop.

There is concern by human rights groups and the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic that Dominican authorities are unfairly targeting Haitians for deportation. The Dominican Republic says it has deported 43,900 migrants, mostly Haitians, between July and October, in an operation that it says is for national security amid growing unrest, gang crime and a fuel blockade in its island neighbor Haiti. Host Marco Werman speaks to Ambassador Daniel Foote, who served as a special envoy to Haiti, about the tensions between the two countries, and the parallels between the Dominican Republic and the United States when it comes to Haitian migrants.

The years after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s were a heady time in Russia. All sorts of American political, economic and cultural groups showed up to try and promote democratic values and free thinking. One of them was the group behind the children’s show

“Sesame Street.” Marco Werman speaks with Natasha Lance Rogoff, the American journalist and Russian speaker hired to head up the project. Her new book, “Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia,” describes the challenge, chaos and rewards of bridging cultural divides and coming up with something distinctly Russian.

Japan upset Germany in World Cup soccer today. Before the match, Germany made a statement by taking a team photo with its players covering their mouths. The symbolism, according to German coach Hansi Flick, is "to convey the message that FIFA is silencing teams." Host Marco Werman explains.

Sam Bankman-Fried, the former CEO of the cryptocurrency exchange, FTX, wrote a letter to former employees in which he essentially admitted that FTX was lending customer deposits without their knowledge. To find out if that means legal jeopardy, or if there are other possible financial crimes that could be prosecuted, The World's host Marco Werman interviews Timothy Howard, a former Assistant US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, who prosecuted complex fraud cases and helped lead the district's Cybercrime Unit.

Paris and other cities in France have banned outdoor viewing events for the World Cup games over human rights violations in Qatar, even though the French team is the reigning champion.

Two attacks on bus stations occurred in Jerusalem today. They left one Israeli dead and 18 others injured. They’re part of a wave of violence witnessed in Israel and the West Bank in recent months. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Israeli reporter, Ariel Oseran, about the attacks and what it means as Israel's next government comes into power.

When winter comes, humans can stay inside, snuggled on the couch with blankets and hot cocoa. Animals, however, don't have that luxury. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports on how some animals have adapted to withstand freezing temperatures.

Strict COVID-19 lockdowns, lack of pay and poor working conditions have sparked protests at the world’s biggest iPhone assembly plant in Zhengzhou, China. Viola Zhou, a technology reporter for the publication “Rest of World” (sic) tells The World’s host Marco Werman what she’s been hearing from workers at the sprawling facility.

In China, COVID-19 cases are surging again. The country tallied more than 28,000 cases on Tuesday, the highest since April. There have also been five COVID-related deaths in the past week, the first since May. China is sticking to its "zero-COVID" policy, though The World's Rebecca Kanthor tells host Marco Werman that some tweaks that were meant to standardize policies across the country are causing confusion.

Around 750,000 people speak Basque today. They're mostly in northern Spain, with some across the border in France. The language has been around for centuries, but experts say its origins are still largely a mystery. It was thought that Basque was largely just a spoken language, not written, up until the modern era. But a new archeological discovery near Pamplona, Spain, has linguists thinking differently now. Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

A new report from the country’s Catholic authorities offered a rare window into the scale of sexual abuse in the Church. But survivors say the report is woefully thin on details, and is a weak response to a crisis that may be impacting hundreds of thousands of Italian Catholics. John Last reports from Padua, Italy.

Last week, one of Azerbaijan's top 'meykhana' artists, Resad Dağlı, was arrested after allegedly stabbing and killing his neighbor. His fans are rallying around him, saying it was self defense — while his critics want to make sure his fame doesn't buy him special treatment in court. Durrie Bouscaren dives into the polarized world of Azerbaijan's national rap scene.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court, abortion is now restricted in 19 US states. But in all of them states, women seeking an abortion have the option of getting abortion pills from Aid Access, a group based in the Netherlands. Marco Werman speaks with Rebecca Gomperts, a Dutch physician and women's rights activist, whose website Aid Access is a source of mail order abortion medication for people living in places where abortion is restricted.

Lionel Messi has risen to the greatest of heights in his professional soccer career. But he still hopes to win a World Cup for his country.

French President Emmanuel Macron said that in the wake of a Western troop pullout in Mali, there is now room for Russia to move in and provide badly needed security assistance. The World's host Carol Hills interviews Daniel Eizenga, a research fellow at the African Center for Security Studies, about how Russia is filling the security vacuum in Mali.

While there is currently no cure for dementia, museums around the world are doing their part by curating exhibits specifically for people living with the syndrome. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story of the "On The Road" immersive museum in Liverpool in the United Kingdom.

The Colombian government and the country's largest remaining guerrilla group resumed peace talks this week. This comes after a roughly four-year hiatus during which the rebels, the National Liberation Army, have expanded the territory where they operate. The first meeting took place in Caracas, Venezuela. Manuel Rueda reports.

How long can Russia keep up its regular missile and drone attacks on Ukraine? The World’s Marco Werman talks with Mark Cancian of the Center for Strategic and International Studies about the extent of Russia’s arsenals and where it's turning to to replenish its weapons supplies.

A 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia early this week. The natural disaster left more than 200 people dead and over 1,000 injured in a densely populated region of West Java province. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Katrin Monecke, an associate professor of geosciences at Wellesley College, about why Indonesia is so susceptible to natural disasters, and especially earthquakes.

Over the past few years, the iconic yellow-and-green Brazilian soccer jersey has become associated with the government of President Jair Bolsonaro, who just lost his re-election bid. And it's been making it hard for many Brazilians to get behind their national soccer team, their flag and the beloved jersey, formerly seen as a symbol of unity. Michael Fox reports from São Paulo.

Today, drivers in Nairobi, Kenya, say they are striking against the American ride-hailing company Uber and its European counterpart Bolt, citing ongoing issues over low fares and high commissions. While drivers have gone on strike in the past with little success, they are now trying a new approach: organizing a migration to Uber's competitors. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from the Kenyan capital.

Hebe de Bonafini, who had two of her sons disappeared by the military junta in Argentina, and who went on to co-found a group of mothers who marched for their kidnapped family members, has died. The World's host Marco Werman interviews Juan Mendez, a former UN special rapporteur on torture who knew Bonafini, about her life and legacy.

Murder rates of trans and queer people in Brazil are among the highest in the world. And it's become Bia Ferreira's mission to inform and protect the LGBTQ community there. In 2019, Ferreira released an album which translated to "Lesbyterian Church, A Call." In a way, she created her own church through the album. That mission continues with her latest release "Faminta."

A century after the discovery of King Tut's tomb in Egypt, another big moment has unfolded at the pyramids. Hundreds of coffins and mummies have been unearthed in Giza, 20 miles south of Cairo. The newly found coffins have individual faces, distinguishing men from women, as host Marco Werman explains.

Russian forces have allegedly buried around 400 Ukrainians in one of the largest mass graves discovered since the war in Ukraine started. The grave was found in a forest in the northeastern city of Izium. Investigators are now trying to piece together what happened. The World's Shirin Jaafari visited the site and spoke to the investigators there.

There are many ways to forecast the winner of the World Cup, and animals are also flexing their predictive abilities. "Mystic Millie" — a purportedly psychic camel in the UK — correctly chose her countrymen’s victory over Iran today. But she's not the only animal in the predictions game, as host Marco Werman explains.

There's a long history of trying to predict the outcome of the World Cup. Animals choosing which country will win has been a popular choice in the past. But good old math may be the way to help us determine who will win. The University of Oxford in the UK has developed a model to determine the result of the World Cup. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Joshua Bull, a biologist who uses math to detect cancer, about how he came to develop the model, and who the model predicts will advance and ultimately win the tournament.

The FIFA World Cup is under way in Qatar. The tournament saw much controversy in the years, months, weeks and days ahead of the start of the tournament. But even as the matches are underway in Qatar, the controversy continues — from comments made by FIFA's president to Ecuadorian fans demanding beer and Iranians refusing to sing their country's national anthem in solidarity with protests back home.

The Turkish air force bombed several areas of northern Syria and Iraq over the weekend, calling it a response to last Sunday's bombing in Istanbul. Dozens of Kurdish militants are believed to have died in the strikes. The Syrian Democratic Forces then launched rockets into Turkey on Monday, killing at least two people.

Russian and Ukrainian officials are trading blame for the intense shelling yesterday around the nuclear power plant in Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine. More than a dozen explosions rocked the area. Olena Pareniuk, a nuclear power expert at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, tells The World’s host Marco Werman what’s at stake.

The World’s Carolyn Beeler explains the outcome of the COP27 summit, with wealthier nations agreeing to pay for damage caused by climate change in developing countries. Though the devil is in the details, nations feeling the environmental impacts say just agreeing to find a framework for "loss and damage" funding is still a big step forward.

Last night's big winners at the Latin Grammy Awards include Jorge Drexler from Uruguay and Angela Alvarez from Cuba. Host Carol Hills reports.

Controversy has surrounded the 2022 World Cup from the moment Qatar won the bid 12 years ago to be the host country. Host Carol Hills tells the troubled backstory of the soccer tournament that will draw 1.5 million fans to Qatar, and will put the tiny Gulf monarchy front and center for football fans around the globe.

Motor vehicle traffic all but disappeared during the first COVID-19 lockdowns in London. So, local officials rearranged their streets, and in many cases, closed roads to cars. Residents, especially families with school-aged kids, loved it. But now, many drivers — and some elected officials — want the roads opened up again to traffic. As reporter Russell Newlove explains, that's not going to happen without a fight. He visits one London school where students managed to stop construction workers sent to dismantle their "School Street."

Once completed, the East African Crude Oil Pipeline — running from western Uganda to the coast of Tanzania — will be the longest electrically heated oil pipeline in the world. The Ugandan and Tanzanian governments have promoted the project as an opportunity for economic development, employment and energy security. But in western Uganda, there are major concerns about how the pipeline could negatively impact the people who live there. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Hoima, Uganda.

Qatar has reversed its decision to sell beer at World Cup stadium sites. It comes just days before the start of the World Cup tournament, and after a decade of setting expectations that alcohol would be permitted. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Tariq Panja, a global sports reporter with the New York Times, about the late decision and what the mood is like in Qatar as the tournament is about to get underway.

What happens when you feed cows hemp laden with THC? Do they get buzzed or want to take a snooze? Is their milk safe to drink? Some German scientists presented some answers in a study that came out this week. The World's Anna Kusmer has more.

The recent layoffs and resignations at Twitter have left the company potentially understaffed. The World's host Carol Hills talks to journalist Vittoria Elliott about the international implications of the chaos inside one of the world's biggest social media organizations.

Many Indigenous groups and other small farmers in Honduras live and work on land with disputed ownership. Violent evictions have been common over the past decade, but with a new government in place, people are looking to see if President Xiomara Castro responds differently. Anna-Catherine Brigida reports from Tegucigalpa that separate legal claims to land can end up in conflict with each other.

Seventy-five countries — led by the US, UK and France — are signing a declaration in Dublin to refrain from urban bombing, the first time countries have agreed to curb the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. Host Carol Hills speaks with Laura Boillot, the coordinator of the International Network on Explosive Weapons, about the aims of the declaration and the challenges ahead for their implementation.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said it’s now "crunch time" for negotiators at the COP27 climate summit. Talks are expected to stretch into this weekend. We hear from a young climate activist from Pakistan who's spent the last two weeks taking part in the climate conference in Egypt. Fatemah Sultan, 19, talks with The World's environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler about her motivations for taking part in COP27, and some of the takeaways she'll bring back home.

Checking Google maps is a popular way to navigate through unfamiliar places. But that’s not always an option, especially if the path is a sea route through Antarctic waters. Research scientist Jonathan Smith at the British Antarctic Society tells The World’s host Marco Werman about a new tool that can help.

As the world's population crosses 8 billion this week, India is poised to become the most populous country in 2023. Yet, the country’s population growth has been slowing due to some ambitious family planning programs. In Uttar Pradesh, Sushmita Pathak examines these programs and their emphasis on women's decision-making.

Myanmar’s junta today began releasing hundreds of political prisoners as part of a larger amnesty program. A leader of the country's pro-democracy uprising is among those already set free. So are some high-profile foreign nationals. But Kenneth Roth, former executive director of Human Rights Watch, tells The World’s host Marco Werman that the gesture doesn’t mean Myanmar’s junta is on a path toward democracy.

South Africa's “Just Energy Transition” is the first of its kind. Funded in part by some of the richest, highest-emitting countries, it's a plan to kick coal and launch a renewables revolution. It was announced at last year's global climate summit and the details are coming to light at this year's conference. Some are critical of the plan, saying it falls far short of what was promised. While others are saying that, despite the downsides, it's an essential innovation and a model for the rest of the world. From The World's environment desk, Anna Kusmer reports.

As the world talks about moving towards renewable energy, many African countries are trying to take advantage of new fossil fuel discoveries, with the help of multinational companies. In Uganda, a showdown over an oil pipeline in the west is putting environmental and social justice advocates against the government, which argues that it’s time for African countries to benefit from fossil fuels, too. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Hoima, Uganda.

Uruguayan singer and songwriter Jorge Drexler is ending his US tour at the Latin Grammy Awards on Thursday. The World's Tibisay Zea spoke with him about his new album release, "Tinta y Tiempo," that got nine nominations. It navigates the complexities of touch and connection after so much time of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cambodia's second-highest-ranking wildlife official is in US custody and charged with helping run an international monkey-smuggling crime ring. The official, Masphal Kry, was arrested while transiting through JFK International Airport in New York. He was en route to the World Wildlife Conference in Panama, where he was meant to join other officials from around the world in crafting better wildlife protection laws. US officials allege that he and another Cambodian official abetted the trafficking of endangered long-tail macaques to buyers in the US. The World’s Patrick Winn is following the story from Bangkok.

The United Kingdom is officially in a recession. That was the gloomy prognosis today by the Office for Budget Responsibility, an independent fiscal watchdog in the UK. The announcement came as UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced tough new budget measures, including spending cuts and tax hikes. The new fiscal plan will be seen as a test for Rishi Sunak, Britain's third prime minister this year. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry discussed with host Marco Werman.

Recent reports indicate that North Korea has been aiding Russia in its war effort by providing everything from artillery shells to winter military uniforms. Russian-North Korean relations have improved since Vladimir Putin became president of the Russian federation. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports.

A court in the Netherlands issued a ruling today in the long-running case of flight MH17, which was shot down over Ukraine in 2014. The World's host Marco Werman discusses the case, verdict and what remains unresolved, with Aric Toler, reporter and researcher for Bellingcat.

Women’s movements in Afghanistan and Iran look to one another for support and inspiration. But they face very different challenges. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Mahbooba Seraj, founder of the Afghan Women's Network in Kabul, and Iranian activist Sussan Tahmasebi, who directs FEMENA, a nongovernmental organization that advocates for human rights in the Middle East, North Africa and Asia.

Projections show that, as of today, the world’s population is more than 8 billion people. And for now, it’s not slowing down. Much of this growth is happening in Asian countries — with the Philippines having one of the highest birth rates. That’s not good news, according to the country’s women’s rights groups. They say the soaring population is a symptom of oppressive laws. The World’s Patrick Winn reports.

NASA has successfully launched its unmanned spacecraft, called Artemis, for a mission to explore the moon. The World’s host Marco Werman interviews Brad Jolliff, the director of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, about the mission and international cooperation in space.

At the "Group of 20" meeting today, a suggestion from South Africa, that the entire African Union be added as a permanent member. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa argued that change would mean African countries could press the G-20 to follow through on financial pledges it’s made to help the continent cope with climate change. Host Marco Werman has more.

Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva essentially represented Brazil at the international environmental summit in Egypt, although he has yet to take office. His speech today was greeted with a standing ovation. Michael Fox reports on Lula's environmental policy, and the challenges he'll face moving forward with it.

Last week, cryptocurrencies experienced one of the biggest crashes in history, after the exchange company FTX filed for bankruptcy. This is bad news for countless investors worldwide, but it’s an even more pressing issue for millions of Salvadorans, whose president invested part of the nation’s public finances in bitcoin. As The World’s Tibisay Zea reports, the country might be turning to China to save its fiscal deficit.

On Tuesday, a federal judge ordered the Biden administration to lift some Trump-era restrictions set in place during the COVID-19 pandemic that have allowed US authorities to expel more than 1 million migrants who have crossed the US-Mexico border. Today, the judge said the order would not go into effect until Dec. 21, to allow the Department of Homeland Security to make the adjustment. Host Marco Werman speaks with Cris Ramón, a consultant for the Migration Policy Institute, to explore what options the Biden Administration — and Mexico have — in moving forward.

Russia attacked major Ukrainian cities and energy facilities on Tuesday, knocking out power in large swathes of the country. It was the largest aerial attack on Ukraine by Russia since the start of the war. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Solohub about the attack, as well as his recent reporting from the newly liberated city of Kherson and how the city is trying to recover after eight months of occupation.

For the first time since the start of Russia’s war on Ukraine, a missile has landed on NATO territory. Two people were killed when the missile struck a grain processing facility just outside a village in eastern Poland on Tuesday evening. An emergency meeting of NATO ambassadors was held in Brussels earlier today, and an investigation at the site is now underway. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry spoke to host Marco Werman.

The question of when our ancestors started cooking has always been a matter of controversy among scientists. Anthropologists now say that we were using fire to cook our food 780,000 years ago, much earlier than we thought. One more thing they found? We liked our fish well done.

Not everyone in Iran wants a revolution. Many fear that the overthrow of the current government will send the country into civil war and shatter the economy. Fariba Nawa reports that many older Iranians who lived through the 1979 Islamic Revolution still vividly remember the purges and revenge killings that followed.

About 40 members of a special all-women Afghan platoon that worked alongside the US military barely made it out of Afghanistan last year. Now, they want to put their special training to use, even though they remain in legal limbo. But that hasn’t stopped them from learning English and getting an education. Alisa Reznick meets women studying in the US as they wait for a permanent solution to stay and work in the United States.

CIA Director William Burns and Russia's head of the SVR, Sergei Naryshkin, have met for talks in Turkey. According to comments from the White House, they discussed nuclear weapons and a prisoner swap for Brittney Griner. The World's host Carol Hills interviews former CIA Moscow station chief, Paul Kolbe, about how these high-level meetings between intelligence heads work, and how the discussions are likely to have gone.

At the UN climate summit in Egypt this week, developing countries are pushing for a doubling of funding for climate adaptation, debt relief and changes to the global financial system, all with the aim of helping them fund preparations for a warming world. The World's environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler reports on what developing countries are calling for, and how that adaptation money could be used in the coastal megacity of Karachi, Pakistan.

Over the span of a century, a horde of royal treasures from the pre-colonial West African kingdom of Benin was hauled away as war booty by British soldiers. The first complete catalog of the more than 5,000 artifacts, collectively known as the Benin Bronzes, and other related artifacts across the globe, has been compiled in a database by a museum in Hamburg, Germany. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Aiko Obobaifo, a historian in Benin City, Nigeria, who consulted on the project.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is reentering the international stage at the G-20 summit. It's his first trip abroad in three years and comes after he secured a historic third term as China's president. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Jude Blanchette, about Beijing's position in the world, its leverage over Russia and the easing of its lockdown policies amid protests across Chinese cities.

There are now 8 billion human beings living on Earth, according to a UN report. Despite women having fewer children, the past century has seen exponential growth. The World's host Carol Hills speaks to demographer Jennifer Sciubba about the myths and the complex truths surrounding the milestone.

The city of Izium in northeastern Ukraine was under Russian occupation for about six months. In September, Ukrainian forces managed to liberate the city, but, as The World's Shirin Jaafari reports, the hard work of bringing it back to normal has only begun.

A man is caught in legal limbo and left to live at an airport terminal — that’s the plot of “The Terminal,” a 2004 Steven Spielberg film starring Tom Hanks. But it was based very loosely on the lived experience of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, a refugee from Iran. He died this weekend after suffering a heart attack in France’s Charles de Gaulle airport, a place he called home for nearly two decades, between 1988 and 2006. While his exact circumstances were perhaps unusual, many today are left vulnerable by statelessness. To learn more, host Marco Werman spoke to Amal de Chickera, the co-director of the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion.

Military commanders from Ethiopia's federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) met in Nairobi, Kenya, over the weekend to continue talks on implementing a peace deal in northern Ethiopia. The World's Halima Gikandi was there, and brings us this report.

Human error is being blamed for a politically charged moment at a rugby match this weekend. In Incheon, South Korea yesterday, a team from Hong Kong was about to hit the pitch against a team from South Korea in the finals of the annual Asia Rugby Sevens tournament. Instead of China's national anthem, the stadium played a song strongly associated with Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests to welcome the team to the field. As host Marco Werman explains, tournament organizers apologized and called it "human error."

It’s not a light breakfast choice. The full English breakfast, as it’s known, is a one-plate cornucopia of meats and more: bacon, sausage, eggs, grilled mushrooms and tomato, baked beans, toast and more sausage. Londoners love it. But the dish is getting more and more pricey, just like a lot of things these days. Some restaurants are finding it harder to keep on the menu, as reporter Leo Hornak explains from London.

Lithium has proven itself a highly valuable component of battery technology for electric vehicles. But as more and more lithium discoveries are made across the globe, is it ready to supersede oil as the engine of global transportation? The World’s host Marco Werman spoke with Elizabeth Connelly, an analyst with the International Energy Agency, about lithium’s global potential.

Global demand for lithium is soaring, because it is used in electric car batteries. This is good news for Chile’s economy, which meets a third of the world’s lithium needs. Experts say it's a big financial opportunity for the region, but it comes at an environmental cost. The World's Tibisay Zea brings us this story from the Atacama Desert in Chile.

In Iran, mass protests against the government are now in their seventh week. They were sparked by the death of a 22-year-old Iranian Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini. She died in police custody after being arrested by the country’s morality police. Since then, at least 250 people in Iran have been killed in crackdowns on demonstrations, according to human rights groups. Some of the worst violence has taken place in areas belonging to Iran’s minority ethnic groups. Reporter Yasmine Mosimann is just across the border, in Iraqi Kurdistan, speaking to people who've fled, including a relative of Masha Amini.

Today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited the newly liberated southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, which had been under Russian occupation since March. Russian forces retreated last week to the eastern bank of the Dnipro River. And as Ukrainian troops entered the city, they were greeted with joy.

At least six people are dead and dozens of others wounded after an explosion struck a popular shopping street in central Istanbul on Sunday. Turkish authorities have blamed the PKK and a suspect is in custody, but the event shatters a sense of safety that the city has felt after a spate of attacks between 2015 and 2016. Durrie Bouscaren reports from the scene, where witnesses have come to pay their respects.

The US and China, the two biggest emitters of carbon pollution, have agreed to restart climate talks. China had halted climate dialogue with the US after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan in August. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Ani Dasgupta at the UN climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, about what the decision might mean.

US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on Monday on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Indonesia. Biden said China is not on the brink of invading Taiwan, nor will there be a new cold war. The meeting comes at a low point in the US-China relationship. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Marco Werman offers an homage to Brazilian singer Gal Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos, known professionally as Gal Costa, who died on Wednesday in São Paulo, at the age of 77.

In Rio de Janeiro, Rogê had been known for his long sets in the local nightclubs and for co-writing the theme song to the 2016 Rio Olympics. But he wasn't known outside Rio, so he moved to Los Angeles. Host Marco Werman spins what he's been up to.

Unofficial entry points along the US-Canada border are seeing the most traffic in years. So far in 2022, more than 27,000 migrants have left the US by foot hoping to seek asylum once in Canada. That’s 30% more than all of 2017, when the Canadian government started tracking these numbers. Now, the country’s Supreme Court is deciding whether the path to protection should change. The World’s Bianca Hillier visited the border to learn more.

Over the weekend, 178 people named Hirokazu Tanaka joined forces in Japan to break the world record for the largest gathering with people of the same name. Organizers say they hope to set a high bar for silliness. Host Marco Werman has more.

This past weekend, more than 100,000 people celebrated Pride in Taipei. It’s one of the biggest pride events in Asia, and Taiwan is the only place in the entire continent where same-sex marriage is legal. In Taipei, Ashish Valentine reports how LGBTQ groups from throughout Asia are looking to Taiwan for inspiration, and how local leaders are still pushing for equal rights and acceptance.

A number of videos on social media in recent days have shown hundreds of migrant Chinese laborers in Tibet protesting and clashing with police. After three months of lockdown, they are demanding that they be allowed to go home. And reportedly, they have gotten their wish. Marco Werman speaks with Robert Barnett, a Tibet scholar and watcher at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, who has been following and verifying the story.

In a rented house on the outskirts of Almaty, Kazakhstan, men who have fled Russia to avoid the draft are trying to make new lives. The shelter is part of a network of safe houses set up by an organization with ties to Russia's political opposition, and focuses its efforts on activists in exile. But, as The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Almaty, the men are finding much less help than expected from Western nations.

With most people barred from international travel and sometimes even cross-country trips, people in China have discovered the joys of camping. But far from roughing it, many campers are bringing the luxuries of home to the great outdoors. The World's Rebecca Kanthor reports from Shanghai on the rising trend of "glamping."

Belgium is embroiled in a huge controversy after it recently emerged that a 23-year-old survivor of the 2016 Brussels airport bombing had chosen to end her life this past May under the country's "liberal" euthanasia law that allows one, regardless of age or signs of illness, to choose death by physician-assisted suicide. Léopold Vanbellingen, a research fellow at the European Institute of Bioethics, joins The World's Marco Werman to explain the complexities of Belgium's euthanasia law.

Britain’s new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, may be in office just one week but already he’s facing a political crisis involving one of his most-senior ministers: Suella Braverman, the home secretary, is now embroiled in a new scandal over the dire conditions migrants face in a UK detention facility.

Russia's invasion in February put a stop to Ukraine's agricultural exports. But a deal brokered in July by the UN with Russia, Ukraine and Turkey, opened up shipping lanes to allow grain to once again be exported. Now, grain exports are threatened again as Russia has stopped participating in the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Host Marco Werman speaks with Joseph Glauber, a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, about the success of the initiative, and what's at stake without Russia's participation.

A day after Russia carried out new airstrikes in Ukraine, which damaged power grids and water systems in the capital, The World’s Shirin Jaafari brings us a story about a mother and her kids returning home and a crew of electrical maintenance workers charged with bringing power back to Kyiv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is obsessed with the war in Ukraine, to the exclusion of most other pursuits, according to Kremlinologist Mark Galeotti. Galeotti tells The World’s host Marco Werman that Putin’s mindset has been shaped by the wars Russia has waged since Putin became president, especially the conflict in Chechnya.

More than a million refugees from Syria have been living in Lebanon. But last week, some of them started to go home. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Nadia Hardman, a refugee researcher with Human Rights Watch, about how the return was facilitated, and what could come next for the refugees in Lebanon.

This weekend, many in Japan participated in something called “Jimi Halloween,” which translates roughly to “Mundane Halloween.” It’s an annual tradition started by a Japanese website in 2014, where people dress up to represent some specific mundane situation, complete with key props. The World's host Marco Werman shares some of his favorites from this year's social media display.

When the British ruled India, they often escaped to quaint Himalayan villages for a break from the blistering heat. And when they lost control of India in 1947 and left, it's believed some of their spirits remained to haunt these towns. But, even as their colonial-era buildings slowly decay, the towns' haunted legacies refuse to be exorcized, thanks to several generations of Indian authors who have made the spirits their muses. Sushmita Pathak takes a ghost tour in the town of Shimla, India, where some residents see the ghosts as a legacy of a colonial past, and others thrill in the paranormal possibilities.

This week will mark two years since a civil war broke out in Ethiopia. Peace talks between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan rebels have been underway in South Africa, but the fighting hasn’t let up. Cara Anna, an Africa Correspondent for the Associated Press, has been reporting on the situation. She gave host Marco Werman the latest on events in the wider Horn of Africa, including a deadly car bombing in Somalia.

Crowd surges are becoming more frequent at large social gatherings, such as festivals, sports games and holiday celebrations. After the latest deadly crowd surge in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul that claimed more than 150 lives, many are left wondering what actually causes a crowd surge and how you can avoid one. Keith Still, a crowd safety expert and visiting professor of crowd science at the University of Suffolk in England, joined The World's host Marco Werman to discuss.

South Korea is entering a national week of mourning after 153 people died on Saturday night while celebrating Halloween. They were killed in a “crowd crush” event: a large mass of people crowding into a small alley lined with bars and nightclubs, packing in so tight that many were crushed and suffocated. The grief is heavy in South Korea — but the public is also demanding answers from the government, which was supposed to control large, party-going crowds. The World’s Patrick Winn reports.

In India, more than 130 are dead after a 19th-century footbridge collapsed, sending people plunging into the river below. It happened at dusk on Sunday in the western Indian state of Gujarat. India deployed its military to search for survivors — 170 people have been rescued so far. Reporter Sushmita Pathak in New Delhi has the latest updates.

By less than 2 percentage points, former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva beat out incumbent Jair Bolsonaro in the final round election run-off on Sunday. Lula pledged to unite a very divided electorate, while Bolsonaro delayed his response to the results. Michael Fox reports from São Paulo.

With heavy barrages of missile and drone strikes, Russian forces are targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Many Ukrainian civilians have been left without electricity, water and heat. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports.

Haiti provides a rich environment to explore the various sounds from Africa, the Caribbean and Vodou culture. Haitian-born, Montreal-based musician Wesli explores his musical roots in his new album “Tradisyon.” He stopped by The World’s studios to speak with our host Carol Hills.

Earlier this year, 30 armed officers from Hungary’s tax authority raided the offices of the Hungarian Evangelical fellowship. The authorities accused the church of “regularly deducting contributions from employees between 2015 and 2019.” But this is just the latest in a long series of attacks by the Hungarian state against the church, which is led by Pastor Gábor Iványi, one of President Viktor Orban’s fiercest critics, and once a longtime ally. The US Congress’s Commission on Security and Co-operation in Europe says Hungary’s government “may be trying to squeeze Ivanyi’s fellowship out of existence.” The church operates a network of homeless shelters, schools and elderly homes. Can it survive?

Since the age of industrialization began, modern life has been powered by fossil fuels. Coal, then later oil and gas, have powered our trains, cars, factories and cities. But this era may finally be coming to an end. The International Energy Agency is predicting that global demand for fossil fuels will peak in the near future. The World's host Carol Hills discusses the report with Michael Webber, a professor of energy resources at the University of Texas.

Voters in Ireland approved a ban on abortion in the country's constitution about 40 years ago. But over the decades, attitudes towards abortion have shifted, so much so that the Irish legalized abortion in 2018. Emily Siner reports from Dublin on one galvanizing event that helped change public opinion: the death of dentist Savita Halappanavar, after she was denied an abortion in 2012.

In Japan, where more than half the population follows no faith, organized religion and politics don’t mix. At least that’s what the public thought — until July 8, when a factory worker murdered ex-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the country’s most prominent politician.

The killer’s motive? He wanted to highlight an alliance between Japan’s elite politicians and a fringe Christian sect. As The World’s Patrick Winn reports from Tokyo, Japan is still trying to untangle the hidden web uniting their ruling party and what many consider a cult.

Some 66 million years ago, an asteroid slammed into Earth, triggering the extinction of dinosaurs, along with a massive tsunami. A new study in the AGU Advances journal says that the asteroid slammed into what is now the Gulf of Mexico, and it tracks, for the first time, how large the tsunami was and how it spread around the world. Sarah Birnbaum reports.

The battle for Brazil’s presidency has been fought online. And it’s been as intense as it was in 2018, when President Jair Bolsonaro cruised to victory with a fake news social media campaign that was pumped out over WhatsApp against his leading challenger. This year, the virtual war has been more equally fought across party lines. As Brazilians prepare to vote in the final round of their presidential election on Sunday, Michael Fox reports on the latest from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The world's wealthiest man is taking control of Twitter, a social media platform that wields influence far beyond its user base. NY Times columnist Zeynep Tukfeci speaks with host Carol Hills about Musk's ambitions for Twitter, and the importance of maintaining a healthy public sphere for discourse, regardless of who owns social media platforms.

A Chinese shipping company is buying space at the port of Hamburg, Germany, one of Europe’s busiest seaports. The company, COSCO — not to be confused with the big box retailer — is the largest container ship business on earth. And it’s owned by the Chinese government. Critics of the deal see it as a potential security risk for Germany. Host Marco Werman speaks with Blake Berger, associate director at the Asia Society Policy Institute in New York, about the deal and its wider implications.

Trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf was born in Lebanon and raised in France. He loves jazz, but doesn't call himself a jazz musician. Transformation is a key to his art. Host Marco Werman speaks to Ibrahim about his music, vision and story.

The cheating scandal that has rocked the chess world for weeks now continues to set off fireworks. The web site Chess.com has published an investigative report that accuses American grandmaster Hans Niemann of rampant cheating in online games. Host Marco Werman has the latest twist in the international chess scandal.

Just five days ago, Burkina Faso experienced its second coup in a year. One military leader, President Paul-Henri Damiba, was deposed by another: army Captain Ibrahim Traore. The reason: Damiba was deemed unable to deal with violence attributed to rebel fighters allied to both al-Qaeda and ISIS. The talk now is that the new government is going to seek help from Moscow. To put this in perspective, Marco Werman speaks with Abdul Zanya Salifu, a Ghanaian PhD student at the University of Calgary focusing on security in the Sahel.

Paris transit authorities are phasing out the iconic paper rectangle. Better perhaps for the environment, but worse for the nostalgics out there. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Australia's environment is in a rapid decline, a 2,000-page report by Australia's State of the Environment team says. What's a risk? Mass animal extinction is one as well as a deteriorating ecosystem. Since the release of this report, the Australian government has jumped into action by aligning a plan to stop the extinction rate of threatened mammal species; but mammal extinction is the only dire part of the report. Emma L. Johnston, co-chief author of the report and dean of science at UNSW Sydney, joins The World's Marco Werman.

Why are people joining anti-government protests in Iran? "For the sake of," is the title of a song that's becoming the anthem of the protests. It helps explain what's driving people to take to the streets.

Qatar is liberalizing its laws ahead of the FIFA World Cup in November. Questions remain, however, around what can happen around alcohol sales, public displays of affection, and crowd control. The World's Marco Werman spoke with global sports reporter Tariq Panja

Dozens of museums in Europe and the US are joining forces to honor the 50th anniversary of Picasso’s death in 2023. This is fueling growing calls to expose the painter’s misogynistic tendencies and reshape the narrative surrounding him and his art.

An avalanche in the Himalayas in northern India has killed at least 10 people who were on a large mountaineering expedition. Rescue operations continue — there were 41 people on the expedition. One of those who died was Savita Kanswal, a 25-year-old rising star in the Indian mountaineering community. Sushmita Pathak reports from India on how it happened, and the devastated mountaineering community in the state of Uttarakhand.

The Ebola outbreak rapidly spreading in Uganda has caused at least 29 deaths in the past two weeks. A vaccine hasn’t yet been tested for this strain. Doctors Without Borders nurse practitioner John Johnson tells The World’s Marco Werman about efforts to battle the virus.

A few years ago, Adrian Quesada formed the new band called Black Pumas that revived some of the psychedelic sounds created in places like Mexico, Colombia and Peru in the ’60s and ’70s. On his latest offering, Quesada has also layered other influences on top of the Latin psychedelic sound. There's hip-hop and the Tex-Mex sounds he grew up with living along the US-Mexico border, as well as an abiding respect for the sounds of 1970s Italian film scores. As The World's host Carolyn Beeler tells us, you can soak it all up when the full album "Jaguar Sound" drops next month.

A few years ago, Adrian Quesada formed the new band called Black Pumas that revived some of the psychedelic sounds created in places like Mexico, Colombia and Peru in the ’60s and ’70s. On his latest offering, Quesada has also layered other influences on top of the Latin psychedelic sound. There's hip-hop and the Tex-Mex sounds he grew up with living along the US-Mexico border, as well as an abiding respect for the sounds of 1970s Italian film scores. As The World's host Carolyn Beeler tells us, you can soak it all up when the full album "Jaguar Sound" drops next month.

Catalonia's iconic human tower competitions had to go on a hiatus during the pandemic. You can't social distance when people are climbing, one on top of another, to make “castells” that reach three stories high. But this weekend, the biggest castell competitions returned to Catalonia after a four-year hiatus. Reporter Alan Ruiz Terol takes us to this weekend's competition in Tarragona.

Catalonia's iconic human tower competitions had to go on a hiatus during the pandemic. You can't social distance when people are climbing, one on top of another, to make “castells” that reach three stories high. But this weekend, the biggest castell competitions returned to Catalonia after a four-year hiatus. Reporter Alan Ruiz Terol takes us to this weekend's competition in Tarragona.

The number of college-educated workers is shrinking, and baby boomers are retiring quicker than previous estimates. To meet high-skilled workforce demands in industries such as healthcare and IT, the US will need to rely more on immigrants. From Boston, Kirk Carapezza reports that analysts warn US economic growth will slow unless national policies change.

The number of college-educated workers is shrinking, and baby boomers are retiring quicker than previous estimates. To meet high-skilled workforce demands in industries such as healthcare and IT, the US will need to rely more on immigrants. From Boston, Kirk Carapezza reports that analysts warn US economic growth will slow unless national policies change.

A week ago today, Hurricane Ian slammed into Cuba. Since then, authorities there have had difficulty restoring power and social stability. From Havana, political activist Boris Gonzalez Arenas tells The World’s host Carolyn Beeler that Cuban authorities’ inability to restore power has turned citizens against their government.

A week ago today, Hurricane Ian slammed into Cuba. Since then, authorities there have had difficulty restoring power and social stability. From Havana, political activist Boris Gonzalez Arenas tells The World’s host Carolyn Beeler that Cuban authorities’ inability to restore power has turned citizens against their government.

Living through the trauma of the war in Ukraine has taken an immeasurable toll on people there. Soldiers and civilians alike have been through unspeakable horrors. The World's Daniel Ofman speaks with a few Ukrainians who are helping people process these traumas.

Living through the trauma of the war in Ukraine has taken an immeasurable toll on people there. Soldiers and civilians alike have been through unspeakable horrors. The World's Daniel Ofman speaks with a few Ukrainians who are helping people process these traumas.

Jargon can quickly clog up government documents, making vital information hard to find and difficult to understand. Lawmakers in New Zealand are trying to clear things up with a bill that would require clear, concise communication from the government. The World's Bianca Hillier has the details.

Jargon can quickly clog up government documents, making vital information hard to find and difficult to understand. Lawmakers in New Zealand are trying to clear things up with a bill that would require clear, concise communication from the government. The World's Bianca Hillier has the details.

The OPEC+ nations — including the Persian Gulf States and Russia — are meeting on Wednesday in Vienna, with the price of oil front and center on the agenda. Crude prices have fallen in recent months over concerns in terms of demand amid a slowdown in the global economy. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Samantha Gross, director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at Brookings in Washington, about what factors oil ministers will be considering, and how quickly a price hike would impact the costs of heating oil and gasoline.

The OPEC+ nations — including the Persian Gulf States and Russia — are meeting on Wednesday in Vienna, with the price of oil front and center on the agenda. Crude prices have fallen in recent months over concerns in terms of demand amid a slowdown in the global economy. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Samantha Gross, director of the Energy Security and Climate Initiative at Brookings in Washington, about what factors oil ministers will be considering, and how quickly a price hike would impact the costs of heating oil and gasoline.

Family farms in Turkey are turning to Instagram to sell their products directly to consumers, where videos of bucolic scenery and traditional cooking garner hundreds of thousands of followers. Home cooks can order gallons of tomato paste, kilos of fresh cheese and jugs of olive oil from all over the country, delivered in a matter of days. Fans say it's a bit more expensive than the grocery store, but they can taste the difference. Durrie Bouscaren reports.

Family farms in Turkey are turning to Instagram to sell their products directly to consumers, where videos of bucolic scenery and traditional cooking garner hundreds of thousands of followers. Home cooks can order gallons of tomato paste, kilos of fresh cheese and jugs of olive oil from all over the country, delivered in a matter of days. Fans say it's a bit more expensive than the grocery store, but they can taste the difference. Durrie Bouscaren reports.

The US and its NATO allies are on high alert over the possibility of Russia using a nuclear weapon. Moscow, however, has dismissed the claims of a nuclear threat as "rhetoric.” The World's host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Joe Cirincione, a national security analyst, about the kind of a nuclear weapon that could be used and the consequences that could ensue.

The US and its NATO allies are on high alert over the possibility of Russia using a nuclear weapon. Moscow, however, has dismissed the claims of a nuclear threat as "rhetoric.” The World's host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Joe Cirincione, a national security analyst, about the kind of a nuclear weapon that could be used and the consequences that could ensue.

North Korea launched a missile over Japan this morning, for the first time since 2017. Alerts went off in Tokyo and other northern cities at 7:30 a.m., and there was fear and confusion about how to take cover. From Tokyo, reporter Thisanka Siripala tells host Carolyn Beeler about the reaction to the missile launch, and how Japanese leaders are responding.

North Korea launched a missile over Japan this morning, for the first time since 2017. Alerts went off in Tokyo and other northern cities at 7:30 a.m., and there was fear and confusion about how to take cover. From Tokyo, reporter Thisanka Siripala tells host Carolyn Beeler about the reaction to the missile launch, and how Japanese leaders are responding.

A company that has received billions of dollars in green energy subsidies, Drax, is cutting down environmentally important forests, a BBC Panorama investigation has found. Host Carolyn Beeler explains this latest bump in the road for the United Kingdom's green energy program.

A company that has received billions of dollars in green energy subsidies, Drax, is cutting down environmentally important forests, a BBC Panorama investigation has found. Host Carolyn Beeler explains this latest bump in the road for the United Kingdom's green energy program.

The Common Loon is an icon of the woods and lakes of the upper Midwest and southern Canada. Its haunting cry is a hallmark of the North American wilderness. And it’s in trouble — but the mysteries behind its decline cannot be solved by one nation or state. Emily Haavik investigates.

The Common Loon is an icon of the woods and lakes of the upper Midwest and southern Canada. Its haunting cry is a hallmark of the North American wilderness. And it’s in trouble — but the mysteries behind its decline cannot be solved by one nation or state. Emily Haavik investigates.

Queen Margrethe II announced last week that the four children of her son Prince Joachim will lose their royal titles. While the palace said the reasoning was to allow her grandchildren the chance to “shape their own existence,” there's a wider trend among European monarchies to make the royal households smaller, as Danish historian Lars Hovbakke Sørensen told The World's Carolyn Beeler.

Queen Margrethe II announced last week that the four children of her son Prince Joachim will lose their royal titles. While the palace said the reasoning was to allow her grandchildren the chance to “shape their own existence,” there's a wider trend among European monarchies to make the royal households smaller, as Danish historian Lars Hovbakke Sørensen told The World's Carolyn Beeler.

More than 10,000 Russians are streaming across the border and into neighboring Georgia every day to escape being drafted. The influx is exacerbating tensions between the different language speakers going back to Soviet times. In the 1970s, Moscow banned the teaching of Georgian. Patrick Cox reports on the growing tensions from Tbilisi.

More than 10,000 Russians are streaming across the border and into neighboring Georgia every day to escape being drafted. The influx is exacerbating tensions between the different language speakers going back to Soviet times. In the 1970s, Moscow banned the teaching of Georgian. Patrick Cox reports on the growing tensions from Tbilisi.

On Sunday night, Bosnian voters went to the polls in an election marked by ethnic tensions. The vote saw a strong contest between ethnic nationalists and progressive parties across the country. But the process was ultimately overshadowed by changes to the country’s constitution forced through by Bosnia's unelected high representative. John Last reports.

On Sunday night, Bosnian voters went to the polls in an election marked by ethnic tensions. The vote saw a strong contest between ethnic nationalists and progressive parties across the country. But the process was ultimately overshadowed by changes to the country’s constitution forced through by Bosnia's unelected high representative. John Last reports.

A group of students were trapped inside the prestigious Sharif University. The security guards locked them inside and chased some of them to the university parking lot. Social media footage showed some were taken away to undisclosed locations. Universities in Iran have always been hotbeds of protests. Similar events took place in 1999 and 2009, leading to many arrests and deaths among the students by security forces.

A group of students were trapped inside the prestigious Sharif University. The security guards locked them inside and chased some of them to the university parking lot. Social media footage showed some were taken away to undisclosed locations. Universities in Iran have always been hotbeds of protests. Similar events took place in 1999 and 2009, leading to many arrests and deaths among the students by security forces.

In Spain, mussels are everywhere: steamed with onions, smothered in tomato sauce, or adorning other dishes. But the sea has grown too hot for these tasty shellfish. This year, 800 growers in northeast Spain have already lost 150 tons of mussels, but that’s not the worst news. Seven total weeks of heat waves—- a record — have nearly wiped out all the baby mussels for next year’s harvest. Reporter Gerry Hadden travels to the Ebro Delta on the Mediterranean coast to talk with fish mongers about how they're coping.

In Spain, mussels are everywhere: steamed with onions, smothered in tomato sauce, or adorning other dishes. But the sea has grown too hot for these tasty shellfish. This year, 800 growers in northeast Spain have already lost 150 tons of mussels, but that’s not the worst news. Seven total weeks of heat waves—- a record — have nearly wiped out all the baby mussels for next year’s harvest. Reporter Gerry Hadden travels to the Ebro Delta on the Mediterranean coast to talk with fish mongers about how they're coping.

Police fired tear gas to control crowds at a professional soccer match played in Malang, Indonesia, after fans rushed the field. It set off a stampede among the panicked crowds that resulted in at least 125 deaths. The World's Patrick Winn discusses Indonesia's troubled soccer history.

Police fired tear gas to control crowds at a professional soccer match played in Malang, Indonesia, after fans rushed the field. It set off a stampede among the panicked crowds that resulted in at least 125 deaths. The World's Patrick Winn discusses Indonesia's troubled soccer history.

In Brazil's presidential election on Sunday, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva got the highest number of votes, as expected. But the final result showed incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro just a handful of points behind the former president. And it’s going to mean weeks of intense campaigning as Bolsonaro has now become a real contender for the second round election at the end of the month. Michael Fox reports from São Paulo.

In Brazil's presidential election on Sunday, former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva got the highest number of votes, as expected. But the final result showed incumbent President Jair Bolsonaro just a handful of points behind the former president. And it’s going to mean weeks of intense campaigning as Bolsonaro has now become a real contender for the second round election at the end of the month. Michael Fox reports from São Paulo.

Former US Ambassador to Russia and Ukraine John Tefft talks with The World’s Carolyn Beeler about Vladimir Putin’s unpredictability and what it means that officials in the West don’t really know what he’s thinking.

Former US Ambassador to Russia and Ukraine John Tefft talks with The World’s Carolyn Beeler about Vladimir Putin’s unpredictability and what it means that officials in the West don’t really know what he’s thinking.

The World's Carol Hills and reporter Michael Fox explore institutional religion in Brazil, how President Jair Bolsonaro tapped into religion in his rise to the presidency, and the ripple effects of his alliance with evangelicals throughout the country. This special edition of The World is part of our reporting series called, Sacred Nation, focused on the intersection of religion and nationalism around the globe.

The World's Carol Hills and reporter Michael Fox explore institutional religion in Brazil, how President Jair Bolsonaro tapped into religion in his rise to the presidency, and the ripple effects of his alliance with evangelicals throughout the country. This special edition of The World is part of our reporting series called, Sacred Nation, focused on the intersection of religion and nationalism around the globe.

It can be great to get everything delivered in a matter of minutes, or is it? In Paris, the proliferation of “dark stores,” the centers that fill the orders and send them out for delivery, is causing complaints about traffic congestion and noise, and changing the nature of shopping. Rebecca Rosman reports that Paris officials are moving to shut them down.

It can be great to get everything delivered in a matter of minutes, or is it? In Paris, the proliferation of “dark stores,” the centers that fill the orders and send them out for delivery, is causing complaints about traffic congestion and noise, and changing the nature of shopping. Rebecca Rosman reports that Paris officials are moving to shut them down.

Brazil's electoral system is a model for the rest of the world — with centralized systems and mandatory voting — but it’s under a lot of pressure. The World's Carol Hills speaks to Scott Mainwaring, a political scientist at University of Notre Dame, about what makes Brazil different.

Brazil's electoral system is a model for the rest of the world — with centralized systems and mandatory voting — but it’s under a lot of pressure. The World's Carol Hills speaks to Scott Mainwaring, a political scientist at University of Notre Dame, about what makes Brazil different.

All eyes are on Brazil this weekend. The presidential vote is between Trump-ally, far-right president Jair Bolsonaro and former left president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula is well ahead in the polls. But Brazilians will also elect 500 members of Congress, more than a thousand state lawmakers, two dozen senators and 27 state governors. More Indigenous people, women and Black candidates are running for office than ever before. But, as Michael Fox reports from Southern Brazil, there has been pushback.

All eyes are on Brazil this weekend. The presidential vote is between Trump-ally, far-right president Jair Bolsonaro and former left president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Lula is well ahead in the polls. But Brazilians will also elect 500 members of Congress, more than a thousand state lawmakers, two dozen senators and 27 state governors. More Indigenous people, women and Black candidates are running for office than ever before. But, as Michael Fox reports from Southern Brazil, there has been pushback.

Tensions over military equipment sent to Greek islands off the coast of Turkey have inflamed tensions between two NATO allies. The dispute stems from a 100-year old treaty signed during the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, which gave the islands to Greece on the condition that they remain unarmed. Durrie Bouscaren dives in.

Tensions over military equipment sent to Greek islands off the coast of Turkey have inflamed tensions between two NATO allies. The dispute stems from a 100-year old treaty signed during the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, which gave the islands to Greece on the condition that they remain unarmed. Durrie Bouscaren dives in.

A recent census report shows that Catholicism has emerged as the top identified religion in Northern Ireland, a Protestant-formed and Britain-aligned country, for the first time in its 101-year history. With this new declaration, some worry about the possibility of a referendum that would determine if Northern Ireland would stay aligned with Britain or join the Republic of Ireland as one Ireland. David Mitchell, assistant professor in conflict resolution and reconciliation at Trinity College Dublin and a leading expert on Northern Ireland joins The World's Carol Hills.

Yemen's eight year civil war has been on pause since April. The truce expires this weekend. But as Yemeni journalist and researcher Afrah Nasser tells host Carol Hills, the UN-brokered truce has helped many people in Yemen return to normal life, and they want the ceasefire extended.

The Biden administration recently announced it won’t remove tariffs on Chinese goods put in place by former President Trump. Many US industries that export goods to China are still feeling the effects of the trade war years later. The US has tried to boost exports to China in some affected industries, like Maine’s lobster fishery. But as Levi Bridges reports from Portland, Maine, those efforts have had limited success.

Residents from Colombia and Venezuela turned out massively this week to welcome the reopening of the border to vehicles. Two commercial trucks, covered with the flags of the two countries, crossed the border point, marking the end of seven years of closure. The World’s Tibisay Zea tells us more about the significance of this.

In Bosnia, voters are heading to the polls Sunday to elect a new government. But ethnic tensions in the region are rising between Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks, who share power in an unusual arrangement with three presidents. Many experts are now worried that Russia may use its influence to destabilize the region. And disrupt a delicate piece that has held since the end of the country's bloody civil war. John Last reports.

Skillibeng, Buju Banton, Capleton, Bounty Killer, and Sizzla are all major artists in Jamaica. Now, they've all come together for an epic collaboration with DJ Khaled. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Decades after the last person stepped foot on the moon in 1972, NASA is attempting to do it again. Under NASA’s Artemis program, an uncrewed space launch, Artemis 1, is set to take off tomorrow. Nujoud Merancy, chief of NASA’s Exploration and Planning Office, talks to The World’s host Carol Hills about the importance of this mission and how it will eventually bring the first woman and first person of color to the moon in 2024, and the first-ever humans to Mars.

On the surface, the one-day Berlin Hummus Festival looks like a mere celebration of a much-loved side dish. But the humble legume brings together thousands of people, regardless of their religious or political backgrounds. Israelis, Palestinians, war refugees from Syria and, of course, Germans, revel in this gathering, all in defiance of gloomy Middle East headlines. Alexa Dvorson reports from Berlin.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese politician and Nobel laureate, was found guilty by the country’s military junta of election fraud today. The World’s Host Carol Hills updates us on the story of the 77-year-old former leader of Myanmar, who was arrested in 2021. She is now the country's most-famous prisoner, facing a 20 year prison term.

Cambodian officials say the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York has more than 45 pieces of stolen Khmer art in its collection. Cambodia points to the testimony of a reformed temple looter and documents recovered from an art trafficker's computer as proof. The museum says it has yet to see the evidence. The World's Sarah Birnbaum has the story.

The book, "The Backstreets: A Novel from Xinjiang," was written by Perhat Tursun, a Uyghur writer who disappeared in 2018, and is now serving a 16-year prison sentence at an unknown prison in China. The book has just been published in English for the first time. One of the book's translators, Darren Byler, is a Uyghur scholar and teacher at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. He discusses the book with The World’s host Carol Hills.

Mariano Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s safety inspection at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine, returns to Vienna today. He's announced that members of the IAEA team will stay behind at Zaporizhzhia. Nickolas Roth, the senior director of nuclear materials security at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, talks to The World’s host Carol Hills about areas of concern at the plant.

Polls show that Giorgia Meloni, whose Brother of Italy party has neo-fascist roots, is likely to become the country's next prime minister. The anti-EU, anti-immigration and anti-Islam politician once said that dictator Mussolini did some great things. The World's Orla Barry reports on what a Meloni win could look like.

Argentina's vice president, Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, survived an assassination attempt yesterday in the capital Buenos Aires. The would-be assassin's gun jammed as he pulled the trigger. Authorities have arrested 35-year-old Brazilian national, Fernando Andre Sabag Montiel. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Natalio Cosoy, an Argentinine journalist, about the details surrounding the assassination attempt, as well as the corruption charges against the vice president.

A St. Louis woman recently discovered that her month had a secret past as a rock star in Vietnam. Their family fled Saigon almost 50 years ago, and, for decades, her mother never spoke of her recordings and intense following. But now, a new album has been released with the recordings that have been dug up from the 1960s and 1970s. As Emily Woodbury reports from St. Louis, discovering her mother's past has created a deep connection with Vietnamese culture for her daughter.

There's a new revelation in the case of a British schoolgirl accused of joining ISIS and it implicates Canada. Shamima Begum was a teenager when she left the UK for Syria in 2015. The British government then accused her of joining the terrorist group, and stripped her of her citizenship. But a new book about Begum says a spy for Canada's intelligence service helped smuggle Begum into Syria. And it's casting her story in a new light. Azadeh Moaveni joins us now to explain. She's the Director of the Gender & Conflict Project at the International Crisis Group, in New York.

Ahmad Fanoos is one of Afghanistan’s most famous musicians. After the Taliban reclaimed power last year, music was banned and Fanoos received several death threats. Eventually, he and other family members were able to be airlifted out. This fall, Ahmad Fanoos and his sons, who are also musicians, will have the chance to perform together in the United States with the help of the organization Heart of Afghanistan. Ahmad Fanoos shares his story with us.

Russia continues its threats to cut off a major German source of energy — the Nordstream 1 pipeline. The near future of energy security in Germany is up in the air, which has some German residents wondering whether there will be enough oil and gas to keep homes warm this winter. To discuss, host Carol Hills speaks to Stuttgart resident Jonathan Spitz about how some Germans are — and aren't — preparing.

Leaving a small carbon footprint is important to many people. But a new coffin from the Dutch company Loop takes things one step further. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Experts warn that the 70-day heat wave in China may have long-term effects as the country continues to struggle with energy shortages, crop failures and now the threat of flooding. Beijing's zero-COVID-19 policies are also adding to the stress. The World's Rebecca Kanthor reports from Shanghai on how people are coping.

In Brazil’s Amazon forest, the last known member of an isolated tribe has been found dead, according to Brazilian officials. The uncontacted member, known as “Man of the Hole,” distrusted outsiders and ignored all aid efforts from the government and human rights groups over the years. His death marks Brazil’s first recorded disappearance of “uncontacted” tribes, leaving many questions about protecting others while honoring their desire not to join the industrialized world. Fiona Watson, the research and advocacy director for Survival International, an organization that advocates for Indigenous and uncontacted peoples' human rights, joins The World’s Carol Hills.

Sept. 1 marks the first day of school across Ukraine. The day is akin to a national holiday — a celebration of students and teachers. This year though, schools across the country are trying to figure out how to manage the academic year while the country remains at war. In Lviv, only schools with large enough bomb shelters for all their students will open up for in person classes. Administrators are working on accommodating IDPs and also making sure they have social workers on staff to help kids going through trauma. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Lviv Ukraine.

The UN Human Rights Commission released a long-awaited report detailing China's misuse of terrorism laws to subjugate Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang Province. Peter Irwin of the Uyghur Human Rights Project updates host Carol Hills about the UN report's findings, the Chinese government's response, and how Uyghurs are responding to its release.

The western Ukrainian city of Lviv has long been famous for its rich history and cultural treasures. Since the Russian invasion began, the city has also largely been spared from Russian attacks. And it's become a relative safe haven for Ukraine's government, businesses, and tens of thousands of civilians who've fled the fighting farther east. Lviv's mayor, Andriy Sadovyi, says he hasn't taken a day off since the Russian invasion began; he looks after both the permanent residents of Lviv and others who have taken shelter there. Sadovyi sat down this morning at Lviv's city hall to talk with The World's Daniel Ofman.

Over 50 people adopted from South Korea by Danish parents have cosigned an application to South Korea's Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate abuses in the country's adoption system going back to the 1960s. The World's Carol Hills spoke to Peter Knudsen, a spokesperson for the Danish Korean Rights Group, which organized the application. He’s also an adoptee himself.

As Europe looks to the Arctic for energy, the Indigenous Sami people say they don't want the massive wind farms that are planned on their shrinking lands. They say the wind turbines interfere with their reindeer herds and livelihoods. Reporter Katie Toth of the podcast “Things That Go Boom” reports on the struggle between the Sami and the global demand for energy.

This summer, we've been exploring some of the top songs around the world. But in Africa, it's not just one song that's been popular — it's a whole genre called Afrobeats. The World's Africa correspondent, Halima Gikandi, reports on how Afrobeats popularity is growing across the world.

Giant tortoises, weighing in at more than 500 pounds, are treasured members of the biodiverse Galápagos Islands, where their small population is fiercely protected. This week, four were found dead in the Galápagos National Park. Authorities in Ecuador are investigating what happened. The World's Carol Hills speaks to conservation biologist James Gibbs, who is vice president of the Galápagos Conservancy.

Mikhail Gorbachev's reforms were lauded by the West. But in Russia, Gorbachev is blamed for bringing about economic collapse, political upheaval and the implosion of the Soviet Union. Host Carol Hills speaks with Dmitri Alperovitch, head of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, a Washington, DC, think tank, about Russian views on Gorbachev and what they reveal about his legacy.

In the waning days of the Soviet Union, Gorbachev’s visions of perestroika and glasnost, as well as the global arms control agreements he brokered, won him accolades in the West. He changed the course of world events, as former National Security Council official Fiona Hill tells host Carol Hills.

With its vast oil and gas reserves in the North Sea, Norway is profiting from global energy demands. Is it war profiteering? What should it do with the money? What's the cost to the environment? Reporter Katie Toth of the podcast “Things That Go Boom” reports on a conference in Norway that wrestled with these questions.

Pakistan's climate minister says that a third of the country is now under water and 33 million people have been affected by major flooding. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Khuram Gondal, head of Save the Children in Pakistan, about efforts to provide aid and assistance to those affected by the floods.

The Dutch government is due in court next month, accused of "the inhumane treatment of refugees" in the Netherlands. The Dutch Refugee Council, a nongovernmental organization, is suing the government over the conditions at migrant reception centers across the country. One facility has been described as a health hazard, after a 3-month-old baby died there last week. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Ukraine’s military says its long-awaited counteroffensive in the Kherson region has begun. The blitz started with several strikes on bridges spanning the strategically-important River Dnipro. The World’s host Carol Hills speaks with Michael Kofman. He directs Russia studies at the Center for Naval Analyses, a research group in Virginia.

Many people who describe long COVID symptoms to their health care providers are met with suspicion. But their symptoms are real, says author and New York Times columnist Zeynep Tufekci. She tells The World’s host Carol Hills that a new approach to dealing with long Covid might unlock clues to many other diseases.

A new method of weather forecasting says that global sea levels will rise 10 inches, as opposed to five, by the end of the century. According to the study in Nature Climate Change, the increase will happen even if humans take efforts to reverse global warming. The World's host Carol Hills speaks to glacier watcher David Holland, a professor of mathematics and atmospheric science at New York University.

After months of political impasse, Iraq is facing protests again. This time it comes after the powerful Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announced he is leaving politics for good. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports on what's driving the protests and what they could mean for the formation of the government.

For hundreds of years, people living in Louisiana’s bayou country have spoken French. But rising sea levels, erosions and storms have submerged entire communities, forcing people to abandon their homes. The latest storm, 2021’s Hurricane Ida, killed 30 Louisianans, displaced tens of thousands of others and destroyed thousands of homes. Many native French speakers have had enough and are now dispersing to areas much further inland. Patrick Cox with the podcast “Subtitle” has the story.

At the height of the Cold War, people went to extreme lengths to smuggle information in and out of the Soviet Union. Some of the most daring were members of Boston’s Klezmer Conservatory Band, who were trying to help Jewish members of the Phantom Orchestra escape. Dina Temple-Raston, from the podcast “Click Here,” details how they invented a secret code and buried it within their sheet music.

Water is in short supply in Monterrey, Mexico. Extreme drought has left three dams that serve this city of 5 million people, practically empty. Even the rain that’s expected for the next few months won’t be enough to solve this problem, experts warn. Authorities are restricting the water supply. But The World’s Tibisay Zea found that water cuts impact some neighborhoods more than others.

Pope Francis elevated 20 new churchmen to bishops on Saturday. These are the men who will help determine who the 85-year-old's eventual successor will be. John Last reports that they are not bishops who necessarily reflect the Pope's liberal values, but their diversity speaks to his view on a more inclusive church.

The risk to spies in the field is one reason why, according to the US Justice Department, the FBI took the dramatic step of searching former President Donald Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago. The department believed that some of the classified documents recovered there could have posed a serious danger to the United States’ human intelligence sources. Rolf Mowatt-Larssen was a CIA station chief in Moscow, and he explains to The World’s host Carol Hills how the handling of the documents poses a danger to those providing intelligence.

It's said to be the biggest annual arts festival in the world. The Edinburgh International Festival in Scotland just wrapped up, hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors, taking in music, theater, dance and comedy performed by artists from more than 50 countries. And despite six months of grueling war with Russia, several acts from Ukraine were also represented. Andrew Connelly reports from Edinburgh.

After weeks of tense negotiations, United Nations officials say they’re now sending IAEA inspectors to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine are accusing each other of shelling the area. Now, experts with the International Atomic Energy Agency are planning to visit the plant later in the week. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports from Lviv, in western Ukraine.

Movies are one of the most culturally potent US exports, and early Hollywood studios operated cinemas all over the world — from Buenos Aires to Tokyo to Cairo. Ross Melnick explains the soft power of American movie theaters from his new book, “Hollywood Embassies.”

On Thursday, about 500 Iranian women were allowed to attend a soccer match at a stadium for the first time in 40 years. Officials gave permission for women to attend a game between two Iranian domestic teams. Women in Iran had been banned from going to stadiums since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The World’s host Carol Hills has the details.

Cox's Bazar, in Bangladesh, is home to the world's largest refugee camp. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya have been sheltering there since they were forced to flee their homes amid persecution in Myanmar five years ago. The World's Stephen Snyder spoke with a young folklorist who went around the camp to collect Rohingya stories before they are lost forever.

The United Kingdom likes to see itself as one of the world’s top performers when it comes to scientific research. But some of that success was thanks to funding from the European Union. When Brexit took place, scientists in the UK worried that the money would dry up. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports that those fears are now starting to become a reality.

Six months since Putin's war in Ukraine began, it's settled into an attritional grind. The World's Carol Hills interviews Ben Hodges, the former commanding general for the US Army in Europe, about the strategic outlook for both sides.

Along the coast between Lebanon and Israel lies a number of gas and oil fields that have become the source of ongoing tensions between the two countries. The World's host Carol Hills speaks with Marc Ayoub, an energy researcher based in Lebanon, about the claims of both countries specifically around one of the fields, and what could happen if this issue isn't resolved.

Qatar is hosting the World Cup soccer games in November and is facing some backlash from human rights organizations. The Gulf country has arrested and deported a number of migrants after they protested about months of unpaid wages. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Accusations of ageism and sexism are swirling around the sudden firing of popular Canadian news anchor, Lisa LaFlamme. Even fast food chain Wendy’s had something to say about it. The World’s Sarah Birnbaum reports.

South Asia has had one of the worst monsoon seasons on record. Floods have displaced millions and more than 900 people have died in Pakistan alone. Climate change is expected to make future seasons even worse. The World's host Carol Hills speaks to Inside Climate News reporter Zoha Tunio, who is in Karachi, Pakistan, about what can be done to prevent death and destruction in the future.

For the first time in its history, the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine was completely disconnected from the electric grid on Thursday. While power was restored, at least partially, on Friday, the event has raised serious concerns about the potential for a nuclear catastrophe in Europe. Host Carol Hills spoke to Mariana Budjeryn, a senior research associate at Harvard’s Managing the Atom project.

The Inflation Reduction Act promises nearly $400 billion to address the US’s carbon footprint, the largest climate investment in the country’s history. The legislation is focused domestically on action items, such as clean energy subsidies and expedited permits for solar and wind farms. But Jason Bordoff, co-founding dean of the Columbia Climate School and a former climate change adviser with the Obama administration, tells The World’s host Carol Hills that for the legislation to reach its full potential, foreign policy is needed.

Ethiopian and Tigrayan authorities are pointing fingers at each other over who started a "large-scale" offensive near the Tigray region. Regardless of who attacked first, it's a serious setback for peace talks in the East African country, where conflict has persisted for nearly two years. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with William Davison, the International Crisis Group's senior analyst for Ethiopia.

Angella Okutoyi, 18, doesn't come from money. In fact, she spent part of her life in an orphanage in Kenya. Yet, somehow, she has managed to become one of Africa's fastest-rising tennis stars, a sport typically reserved for the wealthy. Last month, she became the first Kenyan to win a Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, winning the girls’ junior doubles. Now, she wants to encourage more Kenyans to join the sport. The World’s Halima Gikandi has the story.

In the German state of Lower Saxony, hydrogen-fueled trains are being introduced to replace diesel-powered train cars. The local government says that it's aiming to reduce emissions. Jon Worth, a European train expert and activist, talks to The World's host Carol Hills to discuss whether these new trains will make a dent in tackling climate change.

Mack Rutherford is no stranger to the skies. At just 17 years old, he has already been flying solo for a few years. But yesterday, he finished his biggest adventure to date by becoming the youngest person ever to fly solo around the world. The World's Bianca Hillier has his story.

French President Emannuel Macron started a three-day visit to Algeria today. Macron is looking to improve French-Algerian relations, following controversial remarks he made about Algeria's historicity as a state. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Intissar Fakir, a senior fellow with the Middle East Institute and a North Africa expert, about the remarks made by Macron and how the two nations are working to bridge their differences.

Pari Island in Indonesia is tiny. It’s smaller than New York’s Central Park and getting smaller every year as sea levels rise and waves wash away islanders’ homes. In an experimental lawsuit, four people from the island are suing Holcim, the world’s largest cement maker. As The World's Patrick Winn reports, it's one of a growing number of lawsuits aimed at holding corporations responsible for their contributions to climate change.

Five years ago today, soldiers carrying rifles and machetes began driving ethnic Rohingya from their homes in Myanmar in a wave of violence. Some called it a “textbook example of ethnic cleansing.” The World’s Carol Hills talks with Shayna Bauchner, a researcher in the Asia division at Human Rights Watch who has focused on the plight of the Rohingya.

In Scotland, there has been a significant butterfly population boost amid rising temperatures and frequent droughts across the globe. Analysts warn that their livelihood will begin to become threatened, though, if the appropriate actions aren't taken to protect the warm climate-loving insects. The World's host Carol Hills talks to Simon Foster, trends and indicators analyst at NatureScot, the official nature agency that advises the Scottish government.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has led Thailand since 2014, the year he seized control of the country in a military coup. After taking power, he helped install a constitution that said prime ministers can’t serve longer than eight years. According to the law, his time is up. But that's not how Chan-o-cha and his supporters see it. The World's Patrick Winn is in Bangkok and explains to host Carol Hills how the prime minister may yet hold on to his seat of power.

A New Zealand airline is selling all-you-can-fly tickets, giving passengers unlimited trips for the next 3 months for a fixed price. The World's Carol Hills tells us more.

In Haiti, thousands of people have taken to the streets in the capital and other cities demanding that Prime Minister Ariel Henry step down. Protesters blocked roads, shut down businesses and marched through the streets, calling for a better quality of life in the Caribbean nation. At least one man was fatally shot. Harold Isaac, a Haitian journalist who has been following the developments, joins host Carol Hills from Port-au-Prince.

It's been six months since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. But for many Ukrainian veterans, this is not their first stint of fighting on the front lines against Russian forces. Back in 2014, when Russia first invaded Ukraine, Yekaterina Pryimak and Viktor Pylypenko both joined the military. Now, eight years later, they're both back, helping Ukraine's armed forces. Pryimak is training newly enlisted medics and Pylypenko is on the front lines in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

Polio has been found in the US, the UK and Israel, and it appears the cause is an oral polio vaccine. In New York, London and Jerusalem, there have been isolated cases of the disease, which can lead to paralysis and death. To learn more, host Marco Werman spoke to Oliver Rosenbauer, spokesperson for polio eradication at the World Health Organization.

The past week has seen vastly different responses to two world leaders relaxing off the clock. In Finland, Prime Minister Sanna Marin has been criticized for dancing and partying with friends in leaked videos. While in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was celebrated for chugging a beer at an alt-rock concert. These situations have resulted in a conversation on what various forms of world leadership look like. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

President Joe Biden announced the federal government will cancel $10,000 in student debt for federal borrowers today. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Beth Akers, a senior fellow with the American Enterprise Institute, about how this debt cancellation, and costs of higher education in the US, compare with the rest of the world.

The US State Department’s top spokesperson Ned Price talks with The World’s host Carol Hills about the new $3 billion US weapons package for Ukraine.

In normal years, Independence Day would be marked with parades, concerts and flag-flying. But today, many Ukrainians observed the day with tributes to the thousands who have died since Russia invaded their country in February. The World's Daniel Ofman says six months into the war, Ukrainians vow to keep fighting.

Naturalist Mike Unwin has put together a sort of family scrapbook for avian species, in his new book, “Around the World in 80 Birds.” In it, he introduces the reader to dozens of birds and explains their relationships to humankind. He talks with The World's host Marco Werman.

Time zones have been used for more than 130 years. But they've changed a lot since their inception. In fact, they're still changing, as countries can choose what time they want to abide by and change it whenever they please. Over the years, that has led to a patchwork that confuses even experts. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

The US government says it cannot corroborate Israel's claims against Palestinian nongovernmental groups operating in the West Bank, which Israel accused of being terror organizations late last year. This week, Israeli police raided the offices of seven NGOs, shutting down their offices. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Sahar Francis, director of Addameer, about the raid on her group's office and the message being sent to the organizations.

With inflation at an alarming high and energy prices soaring, waves of workers in the UK are considering strikes — including nurses, lawyers and teachers, along with scores of transportation workers. As The World's Orla Barry reports, the current discontent could lead to future chaos.

With wildfires raging across Europe this year, there's been an intense need for a specialized plane, called the Canadair, to help fight the blazes. Many European countries are still using planes made in the 1970s, because the iconic firefighting airplane has been out of production. But as John Last reports from Italy, the demand has put the plane back in production, and European countries are coordinating their purchases.

In one of the largest financial frauds of all time, $4.5 billion disappeared from a government investment fund in Malaysia. And more than $700 million were found in the personal bank account of the country’s former prime minister, Najib Razak. The World’s host Carol Hills talks about the case with Muhammad Mohan, the president of Transparency International Malaysia.

A new law now bans Confederate symbols in a rural town in Brazil's south, which was populated more than a century ago by Americans who fled the US after losing the Civil War. This new municipal law could signal an end to the annual celebration of the town’s Confederate heritage. Michael Fox reports that many residents believe it's time to confront the racism tied to the legacy.

The Ukrainian HIMARS — or High Mobility Artillery Rocket System — can fire a missile barrage farther than its Russian equivalent. The weapons, obtained from the US, could be a game-changer. They’re also supposedly guided by secretive US assistance: intelligence on target locations. The World’s host Carol Hills speaks with Brian Taylor, a professor of political science at Syracuse University, about the impact of the HIMARS on the war, and Putin’s message to ordinary Russians.

China has seen record high temperatures this summer, and very low rainfall, which have wreaked havoc on the country's power supplies. Factories are being forced to halt production, malls can only be open for limited hours and many places have had to cut the lights and the AC. The World's Rebecca Kanthor in Shanghai tells host Carol Hills how the country is coping.

During World War II, thousands of Jews from Russia and Eastern Europe fled east seeking safety in the far reaches of the Soviet Union. An estimated 40,000 Jews wound up in Kyrgyzstan. Many later left for Israel, but you can still find Jewish corners of Kyrgyz cemeteries. In some places, neglected gravestones topped by Stars of David are some of the only reminders of this history. Levi Bridges takes a walk through several Jewish cemeteries.

It’s been hot in Europe this past week, and fires continue to rage across the Mediterranean. In Athens, Greece, it’s been nearly 100 degrees every day. The World's Marco Werman talks to Athens' chief heat officer, Eleni Myrivili. Her job is to save lives from extreme heat, and plan for the future to make cities more resilient to climate change.

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is facing terrorism charges following a recent speech. The speech was given to his supporters at a rally and criticized the security services and judicial system. Khan has thus far not been arrested following the charges. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Amber Shamsi, a reporter in Pakistan, about how the terrorism charges threatens to escalate already existing tensions in Pakistan.

William Ruto, the skilled politician who is quick to remind the public that he once sold chickens from a roadside stall, has been elected as Kenya's next president. Calling himself the "hustler," the father of six, who is fiercely religious, will be leading Africa's largest economy. The World's Halima Gikandi looks at Kenya's likely next leader.

In the last eight years, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan teachers have left their country or abandoned their profession. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports on the challenges of being a teacher in Venezuela.

In a predawn raid on Friday, Nicaragua police detained a high-profile Roman Catholic bishop and several other priests critical of President Daniel Ortega. It’s just the latest in a broad effort by the government to stamp out dissent. The World’s Carol Hills speaks with the Inter-American Dialogue’s Manuel Orozco.

Federal prosecutors in Mexico on Friday arrested the former attorney general, Jesús Murillo Karam. His arrest, alongside the arrests of a few dozen other military and government officials, came two days after the release of a Truth Commission report that accused him of wrongdoing in the disappearance of 43 college students in 2014. Host Carol Hills has the story.

Daria Dugina, one Russia's loudest pro-Putin voices, was killed in an apparent car-bombing. Her father is widely considered to be one of the intellectual authors of Vladimir Putin's expansionist worldview. Now, the Russian government is leveling accusations. The World's Carol Hills interview Sam Greene, a professor of Russian politics at King’s College London, about the complicated fallout.

The Taliban are in control of Afghanistan but the past year has shown they are not a monolithic political movement. At the same time, other groups have emerged and are vying for power, including a nascent resistance movement. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports on who wields power in Afghanistan and what that could mean for the future of the region.

The World's Rebecca Kanthor reports on the music event of the summer in the Chinese-speaking world. The long-awaited release of Taiwanese Mandopop megastar Jay Chou's new album, his first in 6 years. The song Greatest Works of Art features classical music, time travel and magic and is unmistakably Jay Chou.

English and French have been Canada's official languages since 1969. But new census data, gathered every five years, shows an increasing amount of language diversity across the country. The World's Bianca Hillier reports the details and what they suggest about Canada's growing population.

Every August, towns all across Spain celebrate their local festivities, often called fiestas mayores, featuring, among others, funfairs, folk culture, live music by cover bands, and all kinds of bizarre competitions. It’s an occasion for neighbors to come together and rejoice — but some fiestas mayores have become so popular, and attract so many visitors, that locals wonder whether it’s still their party, or rather they’re putting up a show for someone else to enjoy. Alan Ruiz Terol has the story.

Both Russia and Ukraine are using small, commercially available drones for surveillance and in some cases, to attack military targets. Host Marco Werman speaks with Samuel Bendett, an Adjunct Senior Fellow, Technology and National Security Program, at the Center for a New American Security, about the growing importance of drone warfare in the Ukraine war.

Singapore's modern Changi airport, with its stunning orchid displays, is a great place to stock up on duty free alcohol and cigarettes. So, you might be surprised to learn that not far from the airport, the Changi prison is executing prisoners for drug possession. Activists say Singapore is on an “execution spree,” hanging 10 inmates so far this year. As The World’s Patrick Winn reports, Singaporeans are in favor of the death penalty but support is wavering for capital punishment for low-level crimes.

The shadow CEO of Samsung, Jay Y Lee, was charged and convicted of bribing the former president of South Korea to grease the wheels and get a Samsung corporate merger approved. But now he's free. South Korea's current president Yoon Suk-yoel, pardoned him. Samsung, it's no secret, is a corporate leviathan in South Korea that accounts for a lot of the country's economic success. Many believed that Jay Y. Lee's imprisonment could stymy Samsung's potential.Geoffrey Cain is the author of “Samsung Rising,” which is all about the company's enormous success and the family behind it.

For the last two decades, millions of people have been hiding small containers (called “caches”) around the world for others to discover, and uncovering caches that others have hidden. It’s not what’s inside what counts. Instead, geocaching is all about the process of using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate and log one’s finds. Melissa Rodman meets some competitive geocachers on the 20th anniversary of the hunt.

After years of being a global disappointment on climate action, Washington has at long last passed the The Inflation Reduction Act which boosts renewable energy. The act is catching the attention of another country that's historically lagged when it comes to climate action: Australia. A new left-wing government there has made bold statements about its plans to lower emissions. To discuss this, The World's Marco speaks to Australia climate policy expert and author Ketan Joshi.

The truth panel in the Ayotzinapa case of the 43 missing students has deemed state and local police responsible in the disappearances. The World‘s Marco Werman spoke with Kate Doyle, a senior analyst with the National Security Archive and co-producer of the “After Ayotzinapa” podcast, about what these revelations mean in the case.

Several American-based online learning platforms have made their coursework free to Ukrainians whose education has been upended by the war. Students as well as universities are embracing the new offerings. Kirk Carapezza reports on how Ukrainian's higher education system sees moving online as the best way to train and retain the country's best and brightest.

For those who enjoy the shorthand, three-letter codes given for airports, then BKO stands for the airport in Bamako. It also stands for the band "BKO" who took their name from the airport. Rather fitting as Bamako is their hometown and title of their latest single. Marco Werman spins the track for us.

Since Brittney Griner was arrested, detained and later sentenced in Moscow, her supporters have been advocating for the Biden administration to do anything possible to secure her release. According to media reports, US and Russian officials have been in talks about a potential prisoner swap. The person that has come up most frequently as the man who could be released in exchange for Griner is Viktor Bout. But who is he? The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

Supply has finally caught up with demand for the COVID-19 vaccine around the world. Now that there's access, countries in West Africa are trying new methods to convince people to get the jab, although the impact of COVID-19 in those regions appears to have been less than other parts of the world. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Sierra Leone and Ghana on why those case and death counts could be deceptive, and how health officials are taking vaccination drives directly to the people. This story was reported with funding from the Pulitzer Center.

Migrants trying to leave places like Syria are legally allowed to apply for asylum in Europe if they can make it to the continent. Increasingly though, they’re being expelled from Europe before they can even file a case. The practice is known as "pushback." Human rights groups are broadly condemning it. This month, one pushback ended in tragedy when a 5-year-old girl died on an island between Turkey and Greece. As The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul, that death fits a pattern of abuses against asylum-seekers.

The European Union is hosting meetings on Thursday between Kosovo and Serbia after tensions have been on the rise between the Balkan neighbors. Kosovo was formerly part of Serbia, but Serbia has never recognized Kosovo's independence. That's the underlying conflict, as Balkans political analyst Jasmin Mujanovic explains in an interview with host Marco Werman.

In Kabul on Thursday, at least 21 people were killed and 33 more wounded. Worshippers were gathered for evening prayers at a mosque in Afghanistan's capital. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the deadly bombing, but ISIS has stepped up attacks since the Taliban took control of the country a year ago. As host Marco Werman explains, the deadly rivalry between the Taliban and ISIS illustrates a core problem facing Afghanistan.

A Saudi university student has been sentenced to 34 years in prison for tweeting "rumors" and retweeting Saudi dissidents. Salma al-Shehab was detained when she was traveling to the kingdom to visit her family last year. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports on how the Saudi government uses Twitter and social media to crack down on dissent.

Ships loaded with grain are finally moving out of Ukraine’s ports after nearly six months of idling in the Black Sea. But navigating through a war zone isn’t easy, and the shipments aren’t nearly enough to meet global demand. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director general of the World Trade Organization, talks with The World’s Marco Werman about the slowdown in global trade and how it's contributing to world hunger.

“Next generation” booster jabs for COVID-19 became available in the UK this week. But no one expects them to quash the coronavirus. So, how can science get ahead of the virus? It’s a question science writer David Quammen grapples with in his new book “Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus.” Quammen talks with The World’s host Marco Werman.

For much of the pandemic, West African countries have lacked the vaccines needed to protect their populations against COVID-19. But now that enough supply is available, there are still very few people choosing to get vaccinated. Reporting from Sierra Leone and Ghana, Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman spoke to residents and health workers administering the vaccines about the challenges, including disinformation and fear spread through social media and some religious leaders. (This is the first in a two-part series; the second segment discusses new strategies that are being employed in Sierra Leone and Ghana to make sure people get vaccinated.)

Social unrest is something Danilo Perez has seen before in Panama. He's one of the country's cultural ambassadors and is also the founder of the Panama Jazz Festival. Recent protests there have made planning the festival a challenge, and also brings to mind another moment in Panama's history when politics and music met. Perez speaks to host Marco Werman.

One year later, have we gained perspective on the US role in Afghanistan over the last 20 years? What lessons will future US policymakers draw from the Afghanistan experience? John Sopko has been the Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction for many years, and speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman.

In April, Russia cut off gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland after those countries refused to pay for the gas in Russian rubles. But a new interim government took over in Bulgaria in June, and the leadership has considered reestablishing a contract with Gazprom, Russia's state-owned gas supplier. Journalist Ashira Morris talks to The World's host Marco Werman about the implications of the deal, how Bulgarians are reacting and what it means for the country as an EU and NATO member.

Paleontologists in southern Argentina have discovered the remains of a previously unknown dinosaur in the Patagonia region. The small, armor-plated animal proves that the area is home to a bigger story than what we’ve previously known about life in the Cretaceous period. Dr. Sebastián Apesteguía, who led paleontologists on the team, talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about what the dinosaur would have looked like and why this is a major discovery for the region.

Turkey is calling for political reconciliation in Syria — or, at the very least, more stability. The Turkish government admitted that its foreign minister briefly met with his Syrian counterpart recently, and that caused an uproar across some segments of Syria's opposition movement. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Dareen Khalifa, a Syria analyst with International Crisis Group, about Turkish interests, as well as, internal pressures and where they might lead Turkish foreign policy.

Heat waves in the Mediterranean Sea have led to “massive mortality” of marine species. Host Marco Werman speaks with Gil Rilov of the National Institute of Oceanography at the Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR) in Haifa, Israel, about new research that shows about 50 species — including corals, sponges and seaweed — that have been affected along the Mediterranean coastline.

Mali's legendary Oumou Sangaré put out her first album in five years earlier this year, and host Marco Werman spins a track from it, "Kele Magni," which means "war is bad." It’s a relevant thought this week, as the last French troops depart the country after a nine-year mission fighting insurgents in the Sahel.

Less than a decade ago, the World Bank called Sri Lanka a development "success story." After the end of the country's civil war in 2009, its GDP was growing, tourism was on the rise and the country saw a brighter future. Today's economic crisis is changing that. Families who have never had to worry about where their next meal was coming from, suddenly do. And even those with an economic cushion are seeing their lives upended. The World's Carolyn Beeler spent time with two families in Colombo to report on how the crisis is impacting them.

When Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003, men wearing the thick black mustache modeled after Iraq's autocratic ruler got out the shaver. Men with distinctive mustaches were assumed to work for the military or the intelligence services, which could get you killed at the time. Now, in a period of relative calm, the Economist's Elise Burr says the mustache is making a comeback.

North Korea has put its neighbors on edge with increasingly frequent ballistic missiles tests. But the specter of a long-range ballistic missile that can carry multiple nuclear warheads all the way to the continental US is what people in the nonproliferation community call the "Monster Missile." Back in March, North Korea said it had successfully tested it, and Pyongyang put out a film featuring leader Kim Jung-un to "prove" the achievement. That video, turns out, proved to be something else. Dina Temple-Raston, host of the podcast Click Here, has this exclusive story about the digital sleuthing that upended North Korea's claim.

In 1973, Sacheen Littlefeather, a member of the Screen Actors Guild, became the first Native American woman to stand onstage at the Academy Awards ceremony, on behalf of Marlon Brando. Her refusal — on Brando's request — to accept his award for Best Actor in “The Godfather” sparked a commotion in the theater and a controversy that brought attention to the plight of Indigenous people in the United States. Host Marco Werman tells the story, and its update: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is formally apologizing to Littlefeather for the mistreatment she experienced during her speech and in the years to follow.

Bison once roamed the United Kingdom freely, but like many native animals, agriculture and human development killed them all off. This month, for the first time in 6,000 years, three wild bison were released into a forest near Kent. The bison have been brought in as ecosystem engineers — they will thrash around the forest, eating bark and killing trees, eating and dispersing seeds, creating new habitats for other species and generally transforming a monoculture forest into a rewilded one, which should sequester more carbon from the atmosphere. As Richard Kemeny reports from Southeast England, environmentalists hope this will be the start of a new era of conservation in the UK.

After William Ruto was declared to be the winner of Kenya's presidential election, runner-up candidate Raila Odinga declared the results “null and void.” Odinga, who has run for office multiple times, said he would challenge the decision in court. The World's Halima Gikandi reports that, despite the confusion, the vote has taken place amid remarkably little violence.

Iran’s nuclear deal may be back from the dead. The European Union and Qatar hammered out a proposal, took it to Tehran and waited. Tehran said it likes most of what it sees. Today, Iran's foreign minister said that as long as the US is flexible, it can reach a deal in the near future. Naysan Rafati is a senior analyst for Iran at Crisis Group, an NGO focused on resolving conflict resolution, and spoke with The World’s host Marco Werman about the situation.

Workers inside Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant are living through days and nights of constant stress. Outgoing Russian fire from the plant and fears of a nuclear catastrophe are growing. The Washington Post’s Europe correspondent Loveday Morris tells The World’s host Marco Werman about her recent trip to Zaporizhzhia and her discussions with workers there.

Beja music from the Sudanese city of Port Sudan on the Red Sea has sadly not been well-documented. But a new recording by the ensemble Noori & His Dorpa Band changes that, and brings the listener inside some of the grievances of the three-and-a-half-year-old popular uprising in Sudan against military rule.

President Donald Trump is under investigation for keeping at his Mar-a-Lago residence classified documents, including some related to nuclear weapons. His actions may have violated the Espionage Act. Tom Blanton, director of the independent nongovernmental agency National Security Archive, talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about key national security questions that the incident raises.

Few people foresaw the dramatic fall of Kabul when the Taliban swept into Afghanistan's capital. The speed and the chaos caught up with the thousands of people trying to get out. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to Nelufar Hedayat, the host of the podcast “Kabul Falling,” who followed several Afghans as they fled the country.

The Biden administration announced that it’s ending the “Remain in Mexico” immigration policy, after a Supreme Court ruling. It required asylum seekers to wait for their court hearings on the Mexican side of the border. The first migrants being held in Mexico under this Trump-era policy started crossing into the US last week. The World’s Tibisay Zea has been following the story and joins host Marco Werman.

Kenya's Electoral Commission declared Deputy President William Ruto to be Kenya's next president. But the results of the contentious race were immediately in doubt after several members of the Electoral Commission said they could not support the decision because the voting process lacked transparency. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to Africa correspondent Halim Gikandi about what happens next.

Author Salman Rushdie was attacked last week as he gave a speech in upstate New York on the importance of freedom of speech. Iran's former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini previously called for his death in a 1989 edict. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Holly Dagres, a non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.

A tiger’s stripes are as unique as a human’s fingerprints. The nonprofit Environmental Investigation Agency is collecting photos of tigers, both wild and caged, to create a giant database to track down trafficked animals. Using AI software, they hope to expose smugglers and protect the 4,000 or so tigers still roaming the jungles. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

In the plains of Bamiyan province in central Afghanistan, there once stood two giant, sixth-century Buddha statues. They were thrown into the global spotlight in 2001 when the Taliban blew them up. The next two decades brought conflict, but also moments of revival and hope. That all changed last August, when the same group that destroyed the statues took charge of the country for a second time. The World’s Shirin Jaafari looks at the story of the Buddhas of Bamiyan and what they tell us about Afghanistan.

Host Marco Werman introduces us to the sound of two very talented artists, Beninoise singer Angelique Kidjo and French-Lebanese trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, who collaborate on a new recording, "Queen of Sheba."

A global dance movement for people with physical disabilities is filling theaters, getting TV time and spawning international competitions — and it isn’t amateur hour by any stretch.

We know a lot about how wars typically end: negotiated settlements or outright victors. But how do they usually start? The World's Marco Werman spoke with Barbara F. Walter to find out. She's a professor of international security at UC San Diego and spoke at length about the conditions that lead to civil wars in the modern age.

Serena Williams announced this week that she is stepping away from professional tennis. She has won 23 Grand Slam titles during her 27-year career. But Williams has made a global impact off the court, too. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Wars often end without clear winners and losers, with conflict lasting generations. In the last episode in our five-part series, Jeb Sharp explores the Bosnian War, where the cost of peace was ethnic divisions and required making deals with evil men. Our story originally aired in 2008.

A collective of female skateboarders in Bolivia has caught the attention of the news media all over the world. That’s partly because of the clothes they wear. But as The World's Tibisay Zea reports, it’s not just a matter of skateboarding fashion. These Indigenous women are trying to change stereotypes rooted in Bolivian society.

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wraps up his Africa trip this week after visiting South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The World's host Marco Werman is joined by Zainab Usman, who is the director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. They discuss the Biden's administration's new strategy for Africa, as well as how Russia and China shape US policy toward the continent.

A million Brazilians have signed a letter in "defense of democracy" in anticipation of turmoil surrounding the upcoming presidential election in October. President Jair Bolsonaro has been questioning whether the upcoming election, in which he is running for a second term, will be fair. Critics say he is laying the groundwork to challenge the results. Michael Fox reports on yesterday's rallies in support of the letter, which have drawn in people who had been on the sidelines politically.

The United Kingdom will be getting a new prime minister soon. The frontrunners in the Conservative Party contest to replace Boris Johnson are UK Foreign Minister Liz Truss, and former Chancellor Rishi Sunak. Who are they? Where do they want to take Britain? And how much does the public really care? Orla Barry has the details.

The Museum of Failure started in Sweden back in 2017. It has since traveled the world, displaying more than 150 failed products. But the museum isn’t about making fun of the inventions. It’s about using them to normalize failure and encourage taking risks. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Extreme heat has been wreaking havoc across Europe all summer. So far, thousands of people have died due to heat. Temperatures rising above 100 degrees Fahrenheit for weeks have plagued cities that don't have the infrastructure to handle them. To discuss the matter, The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Wouter Vanneuville, a climate change adaptation expert at the European Environment Agency, joining from Copenhagen, Denmark.

Quechua is an endangered language in Latin America and one that singer-songwriter Araceli Poma wants to preserve. It's the language of her grandparents in Peru. And Poma is half of the Afro Andean Funk duo. The other half is Matt Geraghty. They both speak to host Marco Werman about their debut album "The Sacred Leaf."

Wars often end without clear winners and losers, with conflict lasting generations. In the fourth of our five-part series, Jeb Sharp explores the first Gulf War of the early ‘90s and the turmoil it unleashed, which continued long after the US declared victory. Our story first aired in 2008.

A man in Lebanon held employees of a bank hostage today, demanding to be allowed to withdraw money from his own bank account. Lebanon has set a limit on how much cash people can withdraw from their own bank accounts due to the ongoing financial crisis in the country. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

Venice, Italy, has been one of the world's most iconic tourist attractions for centuries. But locals say the flood of tourists is destroying the environment and turning the city into a theme park. After implementing restrictions on cruise ships and souvenir shops, city officials are experimenting with paid "day passes" for tourists, to limit numbers and help fund clean-up efforts. John Last reports from Venice on how locals are responding to the changes.

The Earth has been spinning faster for the past few decades. June 29, 2022, was the shortest day on record since scientists started keeping records in the 1960s. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports, though, that there's no cause for concern. Plus, the news has prompted numerous internet memes.

Since 2014, and especially since Feb. 24 of this year, there's been a major surge of interest in Ukrainian literature, both inside and outside Ukraine. With the increase in demand, Ukrainian literary translators are now working in overdrive. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

Ukraine and Russia are trading blame for shelling and fighting around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Russia currently occupies the site, while Ukraine is attempting to take back the territory. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Jason Jay Smart, a reporter with the Kyiv Post, about what's going on at the site and the likelihood for a de-escalation of the fighting.

In the 1990s, artists like Ricky Martin, Enrique Iglesias and Shakira became crossover successes by releasing English-language albums. Now, a new crop of artists including Bad Bunny, J Balvin and Ozuna are changing the rules of the game. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Wars often end without clear winners and losers, with conflict lasting generations. In the third of our five-part series, Jeb Sharp explores World War I and how Germany's defeat in 1918 and the harsh terms of surrender created a new enemy. Our story first aired in 2008.

Parts of the Middle East and North Africa have been hit with another summer of very high temperatures. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Karim ElGendy, an expert on climate change, about the regions being impacted, how people are adapting, and what the future of climate looks like.

Rain is pummeling South Korea this week, in some places falling faster than ever recorded in the country’s history. At least nine are dead — and more are missing — in flooding that has put parts of the capital Seoul underwater. Rescue workers have evacuated more than 500 people from the city. Many in Seoul have coped with downed power lines and power outages, including in the famously posh Gangnam neighborhood. The World’s Patrick Winn has been following the story.

Cases of monkeypox continue to grow across the US and the globe. But as the numbers increase, there's also a growing stigmatization of gay men as the community suffers high rates of the disease. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Kai Kuperschmidt, a German science reporter and molecular biologist, about how to have clear communication on the disease while avoiding further stigmatization.

The death of the author, playwright and filmmaker is a monumental loss to Nigeria's film industry. He is being mourned around the world. Host Marco Werman has this remembrance.

Unlike in the US, Sri Lanka doesn't have a tradition of soup kitchens. Instead, nonprofits and churches more typically hand out rice, lentils and milk powder to families in need. Since the country's economic crisis hit, however, cooking gas is in severe shortage, so people are finding it impossible to cook at home, even if they have food to prepare. In response to this problem, a Colombo-based nonprofit started what they believe to be the first “community kitchen” in the country, feeding a hot lunch five days a week to community members. The World's Carolyn Beeler reports.

A Russian air base was attacked in Crimea on Tuesday. While it is not yet clear exactly who was behind the attack, it marks an escalation in the nearly six-monthlong conflict between Russia and Ukraine. To discuss what this moment means for the future of the war, The World's Marco Werman talks to Chris Dougherty, a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security.

Host Marco Werman tells the tale of French physicist Étienne Klein and how he fooled many of his Twitter followers by claiming a slice of chorizo sausage was really a photo of a star close to our own galaxy taken from the James Webb space telescope. It's become an opportunity for us to ask listeners to send in photos of food that they think looks like places on Earth.

This summer, Turkish inflation reached levels not seen since the 1990s, and nowhere is it more clear than the rental market. Tenants are seeing their rents double, or even triple, in just one year. The government has put a temporary ban on landlords raising rents more than 25% per year, but few appear to be following the rule.

Wars often end without clear winners and losers, with conflict lasting generations. In the second of our five-part series, Jeb Sharp explores America's Civil War, and how the fight over race and civil rights continues to this day. Our story first aired in 2008.

Dozens of police officers in Colombia have been killed while on duty this year. The attacks intensified after the leader of a drug cartel, the Gulf Clan, was extradited to the US in May. Manuel Rueda reports that the group is also attempting to demonstrate its strength as president Gustavo Petro takes office.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants to host Olympic swimming events in the Seine River for the 2024 games. But to do so, she’ll have to clear the river of its vast waste. Around 360 tons of plastic are found in the Seine every year. Raphael, who is 10 years old, has dedicated his free time to fishing waste out of the river using a magnetic rod. He’s already managed to pull out seven tons of waste, including electric bikes, scooters, scrap metal and cell phones. The social media-savvy kid also puts some of the most interesting treasures into a “museum.”

Millions of Kenyans have gone to polls to vote for the country's new leader. For the first time, the election has largely been framed as a discussion about Kenya's haves and have-nots. Halima Gikandi reports that one political elite from a “dynasty” family is facing off against another candidate.

The war games are ending, but the fallout continues to linger. Chinese officials are warning that, moving forward, military warships around Taiwan could become routine. Beijing is also punishing the US by killing cooperation on narcotics and climate change talks. The World’s Patrick Winn reports.

In Cuba, a fire at a key oil terminal on the coast in Matanzas is out of control, causing explosions, injuring hundreds and killing a firefighter. The implications for Cuba's electric grid are also dire. Host Marco Werman interviews Michel Mirabal, a volunteer delivering food to the firefighters, about the situation on the ground.

Host Marco Werman fills us in on South African singer Moonchild Sanelly and how recent collaborations with Beyoncé have heightened her profile as a solo artist.

Fighting between Palestinian militants and Israel in Gaza over the weekend led to the killing of dozens of Palestinians, including 15 children. Israelis were also injured in the fighting. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Hugh Lovatt, a senior fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, about what caused the fighting and the unsustainable waves of violence in Gaza.

The climate and energy provisions of the new legislation working its way through the US Congress are being described as “historic” and “monumental.” But the new deal falls short in some areas when compared to similar legislation passed in the European Union. Rachel Kyte, dean of Tufts University’s Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, talks with The World’s Marco Werman.

As the US finds itself embroiled in another war, though not with troops, we are reairing our series, “How Wars End,” that first ran in 2008. To understand what has changed and what we've learned since then, Marco Werman speaks to two academics that were key to the series, Stephen Biddle of Columbia University and Monica Duffy Toft of Tufts University.

The popular imagination about how wars end is often what the United States experienced with World War II, with cheering crowds and definitive winners and losers. But that's not typical. In the first of our five-part series, Jeb Sharp will explore the Iraq War, the American Civil War, World War I, the Gulf War and the Bosnia War to better understand how wars end. The series first aired in 2008.

The Taliban’s return to power has been a nightmare for Afghan women. Many are being abducted for marriage or imprisoned for so-called “moral crimes.” Ramita Navai, a correspondent for PBS Frontline, went undercover in Afghanistan. She talks with The World’s Carol Hills about her new documentary that explores women’s efforts to resist Taliban brutality.

One of Michael W. Twitty’s most well-known and central ideas is that your food is your flag. For Twitty — a Black, Jewish author and culinary historian from the South — compiling his flag means exploring food from the African Atlantic and Jewish diaspora civilizations. He does this in his new book, “Koshersoul," out on Aug. 9. The World's Bianca Hillier speaks with Twitty to hear more.

The new US ambassador to Kenya, Meg Whitman, has just arrived in the capital Nairobi ahead of the country's heated presidential elections. She gave her first press conference over the weekend. While Ambassador Whitman is more known for leading Fortune 500 companies than diplomacy, she says she will leverage her experience in this new role. The World's Halima Gikandi has the story.

On the heels of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Africa, it's US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's turn. His itinerary takes him to South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda. Alex Vines, the director of the Africa Program at Chatham House, is following Blinken's trip.

Host Marco Werman introduces us to Icelandic wünderkind Gabríel Ólafs and his new compositions embracing the creative side of Icelanders.

When the Mughals swept into India in the 1500s, they often erected their mosques on Hindu temple sites. More than 500 years later, right-wing Hindu are claiming that they are the rightful owners. To whom the sites belong have now become more flash points between Hindus and Muslims, which have grown since Hindu nationalists have dominated Indian politics. Sushmita Pathak examines the current claims and their historical accuracy.

A beluga whale has shown up in the Seine river, far away from its Arctic home. The French are excited and curious, but also worried. The beluga is alone and separated from his pod, and he's underweight. Here’s a wrap-up of the rare appearance.

The French Alps region is getting hit hard by drought, most likely exacerbated by climate change. And that's putting the entire economy there in serious jeopardy, because where there's no water, there are no tourists. Summertime in the Alps sees tourists visit for rafting and swimming. In the winter, skiing is what attracts visitors from all over. At least one resort is trying to hedge its bets by turning to virtual reality. Reporter Gerry Hadden has the story.

Warring sides in Yemen — with shepherding by the United Nations and encouragement from the US — have extended a truce that’s held for four months. Host Carol Hills speaks with Peter Salisbury, Crisis Group's Senior Analyst for Yemen, about the progress that's been made and the challenges ahead in the seventh year of a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, displaced millions and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

Sri Lanka's financial crisis means the country can't import everything it needs from abroad, including essential drugs and medical supplies. Shortages abound at hospitals, for items as common as catheters, morphine and common antibiotics. For the past few months, donations have been keeping the country's health system running, but doctors warn that they can't last forever. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with doctors, patients and the government official in charge of sourcing the donations that are keeping the country's hospitals afloat.

Kenya’s presidential election is a few days away. But there are real concerns about participation, especially among the country’s youth. Sauti Sol, one of Kenya’s biggest bands, is trying to change that. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from the capital Nairobi.

A year ago this month, US forces withdrew from Afghanistan after two decades of fighting. Within days, the Taliban took control of the country, forcing thousands of Afghans to flee their homes. In the days leading up to the takeover, The World’s Shirin Jaafari was in Afghanistan, reporting on what the situation looked like from the ground. She speaks with host Marco Werman about what she saw.

Just months after Chileans elected a leftist president in a clear rejection of the establishment, they appear to be divided on replacing the country's dictatorship-era constitution. The document is one of the most progressive constitutions in the world. But as The World's Tibisay Zea reports, it’s far from clear whether voters in Chile are going to approve it in a referendum next month.

Airspace above a sovereign nation is fuzzier than land borders, but there are still agreements and rules up in the sky. Carol Hills talks to Christopher Finn, a 33-year veteran of the UK's Royal Air Force and past senior lecturer at King's College London, about what exactly constitutes Taiwan's airspace.

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi today. It comes after a Russian proposal, leaked by Ukrainian intelligence, suggests the Kremlin is seeking help from Turkey to evade Western sanctions.

In India, the cheetah was declared extinct in 1952. Now, wildlife officials there are trying to re-introduce it with cheetahs brought in from South Africa and Namibia. It is the first time a large carnivore is being moved from one continent to another and reintroduced into the wild. Marco Werman speaks with Yadvendradev Jhala of the Wildlife Institute of India, which is playing a key role in the effort.

With the war in Ukraine, school shootings and Jan. 6 hearings, it’s hard to imagine a better time for “Designing Peace” at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York. The museum has selected projects from 25 countries to highlight how design can address the root causes of conflict. The World’s Sarah Birnbaum reports.

An empowered economy minister just took office in Argentina, with the mission to fix complex political and economic problems, including inflation estimated at 90% to 100% by the end of the year. Tibisay Zea reports.

Kenya's presidential election is one week away, and polls show that the biggest issue for Kenyans is the high cost of living — especially when it comes to food. The prices of staple foods have risen more than 100% in some cases. Experts say a combination of drought, COVID-19, and the Ukraine conflict are all factors. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Nairobi.

Outspoken politician and Indigenous activist Lidia Thorpe was sworn into office on Monday as the senator for Victoria in Australia's Parliament. But she drew criticism for her behavior, entering the chambers with her fist in the air, and modifying her oath of allegiance to name Queen Elizabeth a “colonizer.” Host Marco Werman tells the story.

Music from the southern coast of Iran is renowned for its ability to express emotion — from the joy of wedding dances to the deepest sorrows. This summer, musicians shared videos of themselves playing folk music on Instagram to mourn and show solidarity for the victims of a collapsed shopping mall in Abadan.

Chinese officials warned that there would be a response if Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan. But what does Beijing want from these military maneuvers near the island of Taiwan? Host Marco Werman speaks with Taylor Fravel from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s security studies program.

The seas around Taiwan are filled with Chinese warships. In the wake of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan — an island claimed by China — Beijing is conducting war games. China warned Pelosi not to visit with Taiwan’s democratic government, regarded by Beijing as secessionists. Pelosi went anyway. And now Taiwan is paying the price. Patrick Winn reports.

In Moscow on Thursday, WNBA star Brittney Griner was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges. Griner was detained at the airport in Moscow back in February, after security found vape cartridges with cannabis oil in her luggage. Last month, Griner pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs, but said she packed them by mistake. The US government called Griner’s sentence "a miscarriage of justice." The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

The northern Haiti magnolia known for its bright white flowers and delicate fragrance hasn’t been spotted since 1925. In fact, no one had ever even snapped a photo of it. Then in June, a team of naturalists trekked to Haiti’s longest mountain range, the Massif du Nord, to try to find the elusive flower. Expedition leader Eladio Fernandez describes the journey to The World’s Marco Werman.

The World Athletics U20 Championships are underway in Cali, Colombia, with track and field stars from across the globe hoping to take home gold. On Tuesday night, 19-year-old Letsile Tebogo from Botswana stole the show by breaking the 100-meter U20 world record and crossing the line in 9.91 seconds. The performance earned him comparisons to Jamaican phenom Usain Bolt. The World's Marco Werman has more.

In Vienna, Austria, an old Jewish neighborhood is plastered with large posters featuring a large pink Star of David inside a heart and the words “Love Me Kosher." They are an advertisement for a new exhibit at the Jewish Museum of Vienna, which focuses on issues of love and sexuality in Jewish religious text. Rebecca Collard reports that, of course, when you mix the Holocaust with sex, it's not going to be without controversy.

The UN's nuclear chief Rafael Grossi has said that the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southeastern Ukraine (Europe's largest) "is completely out of control" and issued a plea to Russian and Ukraine to allow international experts to visit the plant. Marco Werman speaks to Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, who also served as deputy for nonproliferation policy during the George H.W. Bush administration, to explore the diplomatic complications of having inspectors visit the plant.

Fuel is in short supply in Sri Lanka right now. The country is facing a financial crisis and can’t afford enough fuel for cars and motorbikes. Unable to get gas, many commuters in the country’s largest city are turning to bicycles. The World’s Carolyn Beeler reports from Colombo.

London's Heathrow Airport announced on Tuesday that it's not allowing new bookings on outbound short-haul flights for the next week. British Airways says the move will help them handle the backlog of passengers on outbound flights. Host Carol Hills has more on the temporary strategy to help an overstretched international airport.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned at a nuclear treaty conference in New York, "Luck is not a strategy. Nor is it a shield from geopolitical tensions boiling over into nuclear conflicts. Today, humanity's just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation." The World's Carol Hills interviews Daryl Kimball, the executive director of the Arms Control Association, who is attending the conference.

What’s the recipe for a chart-topping hit? In Norway, there’s a hugely popular track, recorded in Norwegian and Arabic by the rap duo Karpe. It’s rooted in social commentary about identity and immigration. The World’s Joshua Coe tells us more.

Plastic is everywhere. Scientists have found the stuff in just about every corner of the planet, even through the high seas. But getting a better understanding of what's going on here, where the plastic waste comes from, and what it is, can still be challenging. That's especially true along shallow coastlines. Reporter Gerrry Hadden caught up with some surfing scientists who are on the case.

The pandemic took a huge toll on schools in India, particularly in rural areas. But a growing number of young people from big cities and the tech industry are volunteering in small town schools. Furkan Latif Khan reports from the town of Turtuk in the Ladakh region of northern India.

Settling in a new country means adopting new ways of living while trying to maintain many of the traditions from back home. For immigrants from the Portuguese islands of the Azores, that includes preserving a centuries-old technique for making wine. It's a tradition some families have kept alive in the US for decades now. From New Bedford, Massachusetts, Daniel Ackerman from GBH public radio has our story.

Energy companies are recording skyrocketing profits as global oil prices are on the rise. Meanwhile, consumers are suffering at the pump. Is rage toward these companies justified? Ellen Wald, an energy analyst and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, joined The World's Carol Hills to answer this question and get to the bottom of gasoline prices.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is in Taiwan on Tuesday, making her the highest-ranking US official to visit in 25 years. China’s government is not happy. It views the self-governing island as a Chinese province gone rogue. The White House says it could not stop Pelosi’s visit, reiterating it does not want to provoke Beijing. Meanwhile, many in Taiwan are excited about Pelosi’s visit. The World’s Southeast Asia correspondent Patrick Winn is on the line.

Saif al-Adel appears to be next in line to head al-Qaeda. Still, some analysts think al-Qaeda is looking for new leadership that will shake the organization up. Colin Clarke, research director at The Soufan Group, talks with The World’s Carol Hills about Adel’s background and what’s next for al-Qaeda.

President Joe Biden has announced that the US has killed al-Qaeda’s top leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan. Zawahiri was on the US' most-wanted list for about two decades and he had a $25 million bounty on his head. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

England’s women's national football team celebrated overnight after defeating Germany on Sunday and being crowned Euro 2022 champions. The win marked the first major trophy in the history of the team, also known as the Lionesses. Host Marco Werman has the details.

The Centla wetlands, found along the coast of the state of Tabasco, are the largest swamps in Mexico, and one of the largest wetlands in North America. Here, it’s hard to believe that most of Mexico is in drought. As much as two-thirds of all of Mexico’s water passes through the Centla Wetlands Biosphere Reserve.

Eblis Alvarez is recreating the classical salsa sound developed by Latino immigrants in New York in the 1970s, and giving it somewhat of a psychedelic twist — using a keyboard, a saxophone, a bass guitar and percussion.

On Sunday, the women's Tour de France concluded in the Vosges mountains of France, marking the end of the race's triumphant return after 33 years. The World's Marco Werman tells the story of the race.

Barcelona is a technology hub where one of the planet's most powerful computers operates. It's about to get a serious upgrade with the arrival of MareNostrum5, a computer that will be 22 times faster than their fastest beast. This computer will be dedicated to medical research, including vaccine development for viruses. But it will also have big-data uses etc. It’s part of a growing Europe-wide network of supercomputers all tied together and working to solve issues ranging from health to climate change. Reporter Gerry Hadden has our story.

People in an Italian seaside town stood by and did nothing as a Nigerian man was killed in broad daylight on a busy street last week. Some are horrified but the beating death also highlights an attitude toward migrants in Italy. John Last reports this isn't the first such attack in a country where anti-immigrant sentiments are growing.

The grinding war in Ukraine is now in its sixth month. Ukrainian troops are tied down by Russian forces in the east, but gearing up to reclaim territory in the south. Gen. David Petraeus talks with The World’s Marco Werman about the shifting strategies and tactics.

Supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, the powerful Iraqi Shia leader, stormed the Parliament building in Baghdad this past week. Sadr's political party won more seats than any other group in the last election, but those lawmakers walked out and Iraq hasn't had a government for nine months. So, what does Sadr want? Why do so many Iraqis support his political movement? And who is Muqtada al-Sadr? From Baghdad, Yasmine Mosimann reports.

Lebanon continues to suffer from an acute financial crisis plaguing the country. But since Russia's invasion of Ukraine hit, the world's wheat supply has left Lebanon's already food-insecure population in much worse shape.

The opening of the port of Odesa to ship Ukrainian food began on Monday morning. Host Marco Werman maps out the journey of the first shipment of Ukrainian corn that is on its way to the Bosphorus Strait, where it is to be inspected by Russian, Ukrainian, UN and Turkish authorities before being sent on the Lebanese port of Tripoli.

There are no accurate statistics on the number of people who have lost the ability to speak their first language. But it is likely a growing number, with the rise in global migration and the loss of thousands of minority languages. For people in this situation, is relearning their native tongue a realistic goal? Can they tap into childhood memories? Or is it better to just move on? Patrick Cox has the story of Julie Devy, author of “Memory Speaks,” who learned Czech growing up, moved to Canada, lost her ability to use the language, and then decided to relearn Czech as an adult.

With one of the highest inflation rates in the world eating away at its local currency, Zimbabwe's central bank this week launched gold coins as a way for people to park their cash and slow the demand for US dollars. The coins, named Mosi-oa-Tunya, the Indigenous name of Victoria Falls, will be convertible into cash and tradable locally and internationally. But many are dubious about the government's plans. Reporter Ish Mafundikwa says that at a cost of more than $1,800 few Zimbabweans will be able to afford them.

After Russia originally announced this week that it would be withdrawing from international collaboration on the International Space Station, Russian officials have provided American counterparts with a different plan. They say Russians will remain on the International Space Station for a minimum of six more years while their own space outpost is being built. Marco Werman reports the change.

The German city of Hanover is going dark at night to save energy. That's not the only energy-saving measure it's undertaking as the country faces a massive energy crisis heading into this winter. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Noah J. Gordon, a fellow with the Carnegie Endowment's Europe program, about these measures and how Germany and Europe can better manage the energy crisis they're currently facing.

“I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,” Pope Francis said during his visit with First Nations people this week in Canada. He was apologizing for the inhumane treatment of Indigenous children at the hands of Catholic clergy at residential schools and homes run by the church. But how did the visit go over with Indigenous communities in Canada, including those people who've continued to be connected with Catholicism? Emma Jacobs reports.

Ahead of Kenya's upcoming presidential election, Facebook is failing to detect hate speech that could fuel political violence in the country. That's the conclusion from two nonprofits who conducted a study of hate speech appearing on Facebook. A government agency is now warning that the platform could be suspended if they don't do better. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports.

A majority of global monkeypox cases are in Europe and America, where vaccines are slowly being rolled out to the most affected groups. However, the continent of Africa has no vaccines, despite being the place with the only recorded monkeypox deaths. To discuss the challenge and importance of vaccine equity, the World's Carol Hills is joined by Julie Rosenberg, deputy director of the Global Health Delivery Project at Harvard University.

A correction from Thursday’s broadcast. We incorrectly said that Turkey considers Kurds — even in Sweden — to be terrorists. This isn't accurate. Turkey considers members of the PKK and other armed guerila groups to be terrorists. Not all Kurds. We regret the error.

The Russian economy has been "catastrophically" crippled by the war in Ukraine. Foreign sanctions and an exodus of multinational businesses have taken a severe toll, a recent study out of Yale University suggests. The World's Carol Hills Jeffrey Sonnenfeld co-authored the study looking at the Russian economy. He’s the senior associate dean for leadership programs at the Yale School of Management.

It's been over five months since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine. As Ukraine's military goes on the counteroffensive, including to the south in an effort to reclaim Kherson, Russia has launched airstrikes on Ukraine's remaining Black Sea coast. The World's Marco Werman heard from The Wall Street Journal's chief foreign affairs correspondent, Yaroslav Trofimov, who says new weapons from the West are helping Ukraine take the fight to Russia.

Host Marco Werman speaks with songwriter, vocalist and member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band Mike Mattison. He speaks with Werman about Persian poet Nizami Ganjavi who wrote “Layla & Majnun,” the influential epic romance poem that none other than Lord Byron called the “‘Romeo and Juliet’ of the East.” It's one part of the band's new four-part album “I Am The Moon” — being released in four successive chapters over the summer.

Gun battles between rival Haitian gangs continue to wreak havoc in and around Port-au-Prince, Haiti. United Nations figures suggest more than 200 have died between July 8-17. There's also growing anger about weapons trafficking from the US that is fueling the violence. Marco Werman speaks with Monique Clesca, a retired United Nations development official who works with the Commission for a Haitian Solution to the Crisis.

A Chinese rocket launched on Sunday is now plunging back toward Earth for an uncontrolled reentry. Experts say the odds of any person being struck is low but higher than they'd like. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Sweden’s and Finland's membership to NATO is still pending although an agreement with Turkey last month has brought the two Nordic nations one step closer. The large Kurdish community in Sweden is worried though that striking any deal with Turkey could put members of their community at risk. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry has more.

WNBA basketball star Brittney Griner and American businessman Paul Whelan are both detained in Russia. We've learned that the pressure to get Griner and Whelan released led the White House to propose a prisoner swap. Host Marco Werman has the latest.

The “Gaia hypothesis” proposes that the planet is a complex, self-regulating system, a community of organisms that creates and maintains the conditions for life. The author of that theory was a British scientist named James Lovelock. Lovelock died on Wednesday surrounded by family. He leaves behind a vast collection of writing and ideas that continue to influence a new generation of scientists and thinkers. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to Tim Lenton to discuss Lovelock’s life and legacy.

High up in the Alps, along the Italian-Swiss border, a restaurant and lodge has long been serving skiers and hikers in summer. From Italy. But with climate change, and a melting glacial ridge, the border has shifted. And the Swiss say the building is now theirs. Host Marco Werman explains.

Thousands of people drown, or are never found again, when they try to cross from Africa to Europe on overcrowded, flimsy boats. It's often ships, piloted by humanitarian groups, that rescue them. The nongovernmental organization Open Arms has a new boat but paperwork means it is stuck in a Spanish port. Alan Ruiz Terol in Barcelona reports on why the ship hasn't been allowed to set sail.

Iraqi protesters aligned with Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's political movement stormed the heavily militarized Green Zone and Iraqi Parliament building on Wednesday. The protesters eventually cleared out of the building. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Hamzeh Hadad, a visiting fellow with the European Council on Foreign Relations, about the protesters’ demands and the political gridlock plaguing Iraq.

A 1,300-pound walrus is living the dream in Oslo, Norway, this summer, napping, snacking and (occasionally) submerging a boat or two. The World’s Marco Werman has more.

Two Syrian fathers say they were deported to Syria after random ID checks in Istanbul, despite having legal permission to live in Turkey. Turkish officials say 19,000 undocumented people have been deported from Istanbul in recent months as part of a stepped-up enforcement campaign. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

The Game Preservation Society estimates that at least 20% of Japanese games have already been lost due to physical degradation or getting thrown out. So, they're on a mission to save the day. GPS is a Tokyo-based nonprofit working to preserve Japanese video games from the 1970s,19 80s, and 1990s. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Europe's far-right is getting more vocal. In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave a speech a few days ago saying he wanted to stop his country from becoming “mixed race." In Italy, the next prime minister could be from a party that's been described as “post-fascist.” And France's Nationalist Party — with its xenophobic bent — has been gaining seats in the French Legislature. Host Marco Werman spoke with Hans-Georg Betz, a political scientist at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, who is following this.

For nearly three years, The Gambia's Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission held hearings that documented scores of human rights abuses and murder at the hands of dictator Yahya Jammeh. Acts of contrition and forgiveness are hard won, but as Alexa Dvorson reports, they can have a powerful impact on the nation's ability to heal.

This summer, Interest in the sport of ultimate frisbee is soaring on Chinese social media. People who play the sport say they like that it is egalitarian and mixed gender, and it's an easy entry for beginners. But Rebecca Kanthor reports that not everyone is thrilled.

Host Marco Werman introduces us to newly remastered sounds from 1970s Sao Tome and Principe and the band Africa Negra. The islands like the music of this ensemble have their own streak of rebellion.

A zoo in Kyiv, Ukraine, was under occupation for more than a month at the beginning of the war. No animals died but staff struggled to feed and keep the animals warm. Russian forces are now gone ,but the zoo has lost a dozen animals to stress. Ashley Westerman reports that zoos around Ukraine are struggling to keep animals healthy and safe, when many aren't making enough money to cover costs.

For the song of the summer series, in India, the summer soundtrack features a toe-tapping tune about the pasoori — or difficulties — of unrequited love and distance. The song “Pasoori” is from Pakistan but has struck a chord around the world, and nowhere as much as in India reports Chhavi Sachdev in Mumbai.

Shootings, stabbings, murder, attempted murder. These have unfortunately become common in Brazilian politics in recent years. Just this week, an official from the leftist Workers Party was killed during his birthday party, allegedly by a supporter of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. With elections just months away, host Marco Werman speaks with Bruno Langeani, with the Instituto Sou da Paz, in São Paulo, about fears in Brazil about an uptick in political violence.

The euro may be having its worst week in over 20 years, but that didn't stop the bloc from inviting a new country to join the eurozone. EU finance ministers agreed this week to allow Croatia to adopt the single currency. The Balkan state is set to ditch the Croatian Kuna beginning this January. But as The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports, not all Croatians are so keen to switch to the euro.

Sargassum is a brown seaweed that's been wreaking havoc in the Caribbean over the last decade, and in particular, along Mexico’s Cancun and Mayan Riviera beaches. It started appearing a decade ago and has exploded in recent years, due to a combination of fertilizer runoff, warmer temperatures, and deforestation. More than 60,000 tons of the algae washed up on Mexico’s Caribbean beaches in mid-May — a new record for the region. It's befouling Cancun's famed beaches and harming marine life. Reporter Michael Fox has the story of Omar Vasquez Sanchez, an entrepreneur turning seaweed into something useful.

Whether President Joe Biden shakes the hands of world leaders on his Middle East trip is getting a fair amount of attention. And as Gerry Hadden reports, there's a long history of diplomatic initiatives whose fate hung on a handshake.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, president of Sri Lanka and member of the Rajapaksa political dynasty, resigned Friday after fleeing the country. His resignation is the culmination of months of growing protests in Sri Lanka against his administration's handling of the country's economic crisis, which has left many across the island nation without fuel and with food insecurity. As the country now looks toward forming a new government and an uncertain future, The World's host Marco Werman spoke to Dr. Indika Karunathilake, who volunteered and offered medicine to demonstrators.

President Joe Biden will conclude his trip to the Middle East this weekend. Despite Biden's attempts to disengage from the region and focus US efforts elsewhere, the US keeps coming back. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Dalia Dassa Kaye, a senior fellow with UCLA's Burkle Center for International Relations, about how the US can constructively engage in the region.

President Joe Biden is in Saudi Arabia on Friday for the first time since he took office. He is meeting with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Biden said in the past that he’d make the Kingdom “the pariah that it is.” But as gas prices skyrocketed, he changed his tune. Can this visit salvage the decadesold US-Saudi alliance? The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

Host Marco Werman fills us in on the career of Vietnamese superstar Son Tung MTP.

In Colombia, the Legislature could soon resume conversations about a controversial bill that would legalize coca and cocaine. If approved, it would be the very first time that a country legalizes a drug as addictive and harmful. There seems to be momentum behind the idea now that the country is getting a new president, and Colombia's Truth Commission has recommended to stop prohibiting illicit drugs. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports.

If you’re feeling hungry, you might want to eat a biting of nyama choma. A “biting” is a common way to refer to a snack in East Africa, and nyama choma is a popular grilled meat eaten in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, among other countries. This is just one of about 200,000 East African terms that have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary in recent weeks. To discuss, The World's host Marco Werman is joined by Bebwa Isingoma, who is an OED consultant for Ugandan English. He is a linguist at Gulu University in Uganda.

The image of the starving polar bear, separated from its food sources by the melting sea ice of the Arctic, is one that strikes at the heart of the public. But the real situation of the polar bears in the high Arctic is much more nuanced. Emily Haavik reports from the Svalbard archipelago on what scientists are learning about polar bear adaptation, and the impacts of climate change.

At a forum for Pacific island nations, regional leaders agreed to consult with each other before signing onto individual security deals. The agreement among the countries is seen as a rejection of China's forays into influencing the region, most notably through a secretive security pact with the Solomon Islands. Host Marco Werman spoke with Charles Edel, a former adviser on the Indo-Pacific region in the State Department. He's the Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Gerry Hadden reports on a battle between Spanish farmers and rabbits, a conflict that dates back to Roman times. As the current plague of bunnies destroys crops, farmers are demanding action by the government to control the rabbit population.

The war in Ukraine is causing a global shortage of chickpeas (a.k.a. garbanzo beans). According to Global Pulse Confederation, a nonprofit trade organization based in Dubai, global supply of the crop could drop as much as 20% this year. The World’s Shirin Jaafari speaks with Marco Werman and brings us the latest.

Cpl. Andrii Shadrin, a 26-year-old Ukrainian medic, has been stationed in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region for the last ten months. From a makeshift base in the Luhansk region, he talks with The World’s Marco Werman about the difficulties Ukrainian soldiers face on eastern front.

President Biden is in the Middle East this week talking with US allies. Iran is watching the visit with Israel and Saudi Arabia —its regional adversaries — very closely. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Sina Azodi, a nonresident fellow with the Atlantic Council, about what this trip looks like from Tehran's point of view.

Former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra recently made headlines for allegedly having an affair with former congressional candidate, lawyer and poet Zully Pinchi. Both Vizcarra and Pinchi deny any romantic involvement. But leaked WhatsApp messages allegedly reveal the romantic relationship. In a now viral song, Peruvian producer Tito Silva turned those WhatsApp messages into lyrics. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Teachers in Ghana are out on strike after the government failed to meet their wage demands. Reporter Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman explains that their walkout is symptomatic of Ghana's widening economic crisis, which has led the government to seek financial help from the International Monetary Fund.

Building back after a flood or a fire is expensive, and someone’s got to pay. It’s hard to put a price tag on the climate crisis, but doctoral candidate at Dartmouth College Christopher Callahan has done just that. He tells host Marco Werman about a new study out this week in journal Climatic Change that linked the cost of the climate crisis to the world’s biggest emitters. Topping the list are the US and China, who are each responsible for more than $1.8 trillion worth of economic loss from 1990 to 2014.

A fishing family in Sonora, Mexico, once sold sea turtles for their meat. Now, they measure the endangered animals, weigh them, tag them — and release them back into the sea. It's become a family project, helping sea turtles to navigate climate change, poachers and fishing nets. Reporter Kendal Blust sails with the tortugueros — or turtle wranglers — of Kino Bay.

In the Spring, a Russian hacking group attacked government databases in Costa Rica. Cyberexperts fear it's just the beginning, and attacks on governments may become more common. Dina Temple-Raston of the podcast, “Click Here,” reports on how Costa Rica reacted, and the lasting implications of the attack.

Thirteen million Ukrainians have been displaced by the war with Russia. Many fled to Lviv, Ukraine, where the government has erected what they're calling modular villages — shipping containers converted into one-room homes, with a shared kitchen and facilities. Reporter Ashley Westerman checked out one of these villages, and reports on how they're a temporary fix to a major housing crisis.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has left millions of tons of desperately needed grain sitting in silos. Now, military leaders from Russia and Ukraine are sitting down together in Istanbul with Turkish and UN officials to discuss whether it’s possible to get the grain onto the world market. Sinan Ulgen, chairman of EDAM — the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies — tells host Marco Werman about the complexities of a plan to export the blocked Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea.

On Wednesday in Sri Lanka, protesters stormed the prime minister’s office. This happened after Sri Lanka’s president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country to the Maldives. He hadn’t yet resigned, and that has deepened a political crisis in a country enduring months of economic turmoil. Shanta Devarajan, a professor of the practice of international development at Georgetown University, joins us from Washington.

President Joe Biden will visit the occupied Palestinian territories in East Jerusalem and the West Bank during his Middle Eastern trip. The US hopes to reset the relationship between itself and Palestinians which suffered under former President Donald Trump. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Dalia Hatuqa, a Palestinian journalist, about expectations for Biden's visit and issues the two sides could address.

President Joe Biden first traveled to Israel back in 1973, when he was a newly elected member of the US Senate. On Wednesday, he arrived for his 10th trip there, and his first as president. The top agenda item for Biden is regional security. Scheduled meetings with Israeli officials focus on strengthening the regional relationships that Israel has forged with some of its Muslim neighbors. One thing that's high on the president's agenda is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Host Marco Werman speaks with reporter Yardena Schwartz, who's following Biden's visit in Jerusalem.

Asparagus is a quintessentially British summer vegetable, but there haven't been enough pickers. Desperate farmers are trying out a robot that analyzes the size of a spear before it makes the cut. Catherine Nixey of the Economist visited a farm in Gloucestershire, England to meet Sprout, the asparagus-picking robot.

In Naples, Italy, there’s a peculiar tradition surrounding the lottery. For centuries, locals have turned to their dreams to figure out what numbers to play — the belief is that dead family members and friends send encrypted messages with the winning lottery tickets. So, for every image or scenario in a dream — there’s a number associated with it. And as The World’s Lucía Benavides reports, this tradition is reflective of Neapolitans’ quotidian relationship with the spirit world.

NSO Group, the Israeli spyware company responsible for creating the hacking tool called Pegasus, which was sold to regimes around the world, many that turned around and used it to hack civil society groups, is deep in debt and looking for a way out. A recent deal with American defense contractor L3Harris went south. Marco Werman interviews John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab, which has helped uncover Pegasus software on phones belonging to dissidents, opposition politicians, and journalists worldwide.

Lebanon's iconic cedar trees feature in both the Bible and the “Epic of Gilgamesh.” But after centuries of deforestation and civil war, just 1% of the country's cedars are still hanging on. Now, climate change is slowly killing them off at lower altitudes. As The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Lebanon, efforts are now being made to plant new cedars, with the support of Christian monks who have long revered them.

Four-time gold medalist Mo Farah’s revelation that he was trafficked as a child is a familiar story for Neil Giles. He’s a director at the international organization Stop the Traffik. Giles and The World’s Marco Werman discuss how child traffickers operate and what can be done to stop them.

Hass avocado production is taking off in Peru. Gisele Regatão and Vera Haller report on how farmers there are cashing in on the growing demand. Even though the thirsty fruit is straining water supplies, Peruvians are adapting — and competing — in the avocado business.

The music for all 25 “James Bond” films draw on a simple riff written by British guitarist and composer Monty Norman. Norman has died at age 94. Marco Werman has the story of how Norman created one of the more recognizable music themes in all of cinema.

After weeks of cancellations, delays and increasing tempers, the UK's largest international airport announced its solution on Tuesday. London Heathrow is telling airlines to stop selling tickets. The airport is capping its daily passenger limit at 100,000 people a day. Marco Werman has the details.

Images shared Tuesday by NASA from the James Webb Space Telescope are the furthest and deepest ever taken. According to NASA, the first image made public on Monday captured a slice of the universe that "is approximately the size of a grain of sand held at arm’s length by someone on the ground." The World's host Marco Werman spoke with astronomer and author Dr. David Whitehouse.

Moscow plans to shut off the gas supply to Germany for pipeline repairs. But will it turn the gas back on? The World's Marco Werman spoke with Ben Cahill, a senior fellow with the Center for International and Strategic studies, about the planned shutdown and what it means for Germany.

Wimbledon's final match didn't go the way Ons Jabeur was hoping it would. The 27-year-old lost to 23-year-old Elena Rybakina. Jabeur became a crowd favorite over the course of the tournament. But her biggest fan base may just be back home in Tunisia. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story of how Jabeur is inspiring both her country and the entire African continent.

For US vacationers to Europe, the fact that the euro is now nearly the same value as the dollar might sound like a more affordable visit to the continent, but economists say this could be bad news for the US economy. Eswar Prasad, a trade policy professor at Cornell University, told host Marco Werman that this could have a big impact on the US trade deficit.

Brenda Birungi from South London was sent to jail at age 21 for fighting in a nightclub. Writing poetry was her form of coping. Upon release, she got involved in poetry readings, and then joined National Prison Radio (NPR), hosting a show featuring the writings of inmates. It's just one of many of NPR's offerings, from prison news to rock 'n' roll. Jon Fasman of "The Intelligence" podcast, reports on National Prison Radio, the first nationwide broadcast of its kind in the world.

The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists has obtained a trove of confidential documents from the ride-hailing tech company Uber. The World's host Marco Werman interviews Rob Davies, a reporter from The Guardian, who reported on leaked documents which showed that Uber used a "kill switch" to deprive law enforcement of data when they raided their offices abroad.

After a chaotic week in British politics, the scramble is now on to fill the seat of prime minister, after Boris Johnson was forced to resign. Members of his Conservative Party have laid out the rules for the election of a new leader. Whoever it is, his successor will have an overflowing inbox. From the cost of living crisis to the continued fall-out from Brexit. And as The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports, Conservatives will want to show that their time in 10 Downing street will not be dominated purely by scandal.

Spain is sending help to Portugal, which is trying to manage a surge in wildfires across the country. But fires in Spain are already double the yearly average this summer. As Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona, concerns are growing that the EU simply won't have enough resources to fight fires on a larger scale.

Large-scale protests are rare in China. But more than 1,000 bank depositors in central Henan province demonstrated on Sunday, after four local banks froze their assets. Men in white T-shirts violently broke up the demonstration. Michael Pettis, a finance professor at Peking University, talks with The World’s host Marco Werman about the financial scandal and the fragility of China’s banking system.

November 15th is the day that the UN says the world's population will reach 8 billion people, according to a report published today on World Population Day. The UN secretary-general says it's a day to celebrate diversity and remember our "shared responsibility to care for our planet." Host Marco Werman shares some of the statistics.

A new subvariant of the omicron coronavirus variant is spreading rapidly in India and has already been identified in the US. While research into the new subvariant, BA.2.75, which some are calling “centaurus," is still underway, it could have as many as nine mutations making it more infectious, even for those with immunity. Host Marco Werman speaks with Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.

Protesters in Sri Lanka occupied the president's residence in the capital Colombo over the weekend. They also set fire to the prime minister's residence nearby. Both men have said they will now resign after months of protests over the lack of fuel, food, and electricity cuts. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Kalani Kumarasinghe, editor with the Daily Mirror in Sri Lanka, about the situation on the ground.

Danish Klezmer artists Mames Babegenush are back on the road in North America. Host Marco Werman tells us that the name of their tour says it all: COVID stopped them in their tracks but they're back!

As parishioners continue to abandon the Spanish Catholic Church, bishops have begun testing out reforms. This includes surveying lay people to see what they would like to see change, and mounting a wide-ranging investigation into alleged sexual abuse by clergy. As Gerry Hadden reports from Spain, other changes, such as ordaining women as priests, may face some stiff resistance, but the church is bent on showing that it's still relevant.

Shinzo Abe's assassination has brought Japan's world of crime and police to center stage. The World's Marco Werman interviews Jake Adelstein, an investigative reporter who has delved deep into Japan's underworld for years.

A goat born in Karachi, Pakistan, has record-setting long ears, according to its owner. Host Marco Werman explains.

From the brink of extinction, the mighty fin whale has made an incredible resurgence, delighting researchers off the coast of Antarctica. In new research, scientists discuss the species' rebound, and share lessons for biodiversity conservation. The World's Marco Werman speaks to Helena Herr, a marine mammal ecologist at the University of Hamburg.

Peng Shuai has made few public appearances since last year when she accused a former high-ranking member of China's Communist Party of sexual assault. Since then, many in the global tennis and human rights communities have feared for her safety. Despite no developments in the case for months, activists say Peng's story mustn't be forgotten. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese investigative reporter and blogger, was assassinated with a car bomb in 2017. This week, one of her murder suspects confessed to a journalist. The World's Marco Werman interviews Stephen Grey, a special correspondent for Reuters who has made a podcast about the assassination called "Who Killed Daphne?" and to whom the suspect confessed.

A new report released by one of Venezuela's major phone companies confirms what many had suspected for years: that the government spies on its citizens. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, walked out of the G-20 summit in Bali, Indonesia on Friday. Unsurprisingly, it was related to Ukraine. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Charles Kupchan, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, about the effectiveness of the summit.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed during a campaign speech on Friday morning in Nara, Japan. Reporter Thisanka Siripala in Tokyo tells The World's Marco Werman how people in Japan are reacting, and what will be Abe's legacy in the country.

Haiti’s acting President Ariel Henry has an ever weakening grip on power. Meanwhile, the armed gangs that control much of everyday life in Haiti are growing ever more powerful. Ambassador Daniel Foote, the former US envoy to Haiti, says “there are indications” that Henry has conspired with the gangs, but gotten little in return.

There was a time when environmentalists fought tooth and nail against nuclear power. That might be changing in Europe, where EU lawmakers voted to label some nuclear — and natural gas — projects as “green.” That will make it easier for investors to get low-interest loans and state subsidies to expand nuclear energy and gas projects. The new rules have been hotly debated for more than a year. The World's Marco Werman is joined by Luis Garicano, a Spanish member of the European Parliament who's in favor of the new rules.

Afghanistan's national museum could soon be getting a new artifact, and a distinctly modern one. It's a white Toyota Corolla, more than 20 years old, that the founder of the Taliban used to flee US airstrikes back in 2001. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan says he plans to establish an 18-mile “safe zone” in northern Syria to counter a US-backed Kurdish group. Erdoğan considers the People’s Protection Units or the YPG a threat to the security of his country. The World’s Shirin Jaafari has the details.

On Wednesday, South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said the country is losing “future generations to the scourge of underage drinking” at a ceremony remembering 21 teenagers who died mysteriously in a tavern in South Africa last month. The youngest was just 13. While the cause of death for the teenagers remains unclear, the tragedy has sparked a debate in the country over alcohol consumption, particularly underage drinking. Charles Parry, director of the Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drug Research Unit of the South Africa Medical Research Council, spoke to Marco Werman from Cape Town.

Producing clothes devastates the environment, causing 10% of carbon emissions. Making one T-shirt uses enough water to hydrate a human being for more than two years. Europe — the leading importer of clothes — is seeking to crack down on this phenomenon by demanding factories make sturdier, fixable clothes that don’t fall apart in the wash. But these proposals, if enforced, would require a revolution in Asia, home to most garment factories and 65 million people (mostly women) who stitch clothes. How would this change their lives — and is such a shift even feasible?

One year ago on Thursday, assailants in Port-au-Prince broke down the door to the home of Haiti’s president, Jovenel Moïse and murdered him in his bedroom. The World’s Marco Werman talks with Widlore Mérancourt, the editor of the Haitian news outlet Ayibopost in Port-au-Prince. They discuss efforts to find those responsible for the assassination and how Haiti has changed since the killing.

US basketball player Brittney Griner appeared in a Russian court on Thursday where she pleaded guilty to drug charges that could keep her in prison for 10 years. Host Marco Werman speaks with Russia scholar Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon about Griner’s case and the political tension that surrounds her amid historically poor relations between Washington and Moscow.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that he is stepping down as leader of the Conservative Party. It took over 50 resignations from his government and the wider party for Johnson to finally concede defeat. But Johnson said he will remain in power until a new leader is elected — a decision that did not go down well with many of his colleagues. Orla Barry reports.

Host Marco Werman tells us that even with multiple crises across the globe, the K-pop train doesn't stop. Nayeon, of the band TWICE, has released her first solo recording. She's done what no other K-pop star has achieved: debuting in the top ten on Billboard's main 200 Albums chart.

Needle spiking is jabbing someone with a syringe. In dance clubs across parts of Europe, the culprits usually slip away before the victims even know what hit them. The targets are mostly young women. As Gerry Hadden reports from France, the practice is on the rise and has many people spooked.

When a civil war broke out in Abkhazia, a breakaway region of Georgia, thousands fled the fighting. Many found shelter in the abandoned Soviet-era resorts in the center-west of the country. Three decades later, the government has built them housing and they will soon be moving out. Reporter Levi Bridges reports from Tskaltubo, Georgia, on the life people made inside the sanatoriums.

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, frequently calls on the US to send more weapons to help defend against Russia. But there is another, more private push for Ukrainian military support happening in DC. Ben Freeman from the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft tells host Marco Werman about an unprecedented effort by lobbyists to influence US lawmakers on Ukraine's behalf.

In June, Gustavo Petro won the presidential election in Colombia and became the nation's first leftist president, joining a wave of progressive politicians who have been dominating elections in Latin America recently. As Manuel Rueda reports from Bogotá, this leftward shift could have a major impact on U.S. foreign policy in the region.

Canadians Geoffrey Taylor and Duncan Taylor are longtime hiking enthusiasts. For years, they hiked Mount Pétain just south of Banff in Canada. But the mountain was named for a Nazi collaborator. So the father-son duo set out to change it. Host Marco Werman has the story.

The Sudanese general who led a military coup late last year, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, said he wants to see a transition to civilian rule. But the offer was promptly rejected by the political opposition. To find out why, host Marco Werman speaks with Dalia Abdel Moneim, a Sudanese activist in the capital Khartoum.

A café manager in Tokyo has developed a particular method to help writers struggling with procrastination complete their work — whether it's a business plan, a novel or a radio script. Thisanka Siripala recently paid a visit, script in hand and brought us this report on how it works.

A hacker under the alias "ChinaDan" claims to have stolen the personal data of over 1 billion Chinese citizens from a Shanghai Police database. Now, the anonymous hacker is offering to sell the information for $200,000. If the numbers are confirmed, this would be the biggest known cyberbreach in China, and among the biggest in the world. Host Marco Werman spoke with Zeyi Yang.

Two key ministers plus a dozen lesser ministers have resigned from Boris Johnson’s government, with more expected. These officials are responding to Johnson's most recent scandal: defending the hiring of a minister with a long history of sexual misconduct. Speculation abounds on whether Johnson survives the week. Host Marco Werman speaks to Tim Bale, politics professor at Queen Mary University of London.

In Uzbekistan, mass protests over the weekend led to government suppression, violence and death. Uzbek government officials said that 18 people were killed and more than 240 people were wounded. The protests broke out in Karakalpakstan, a semi-autonomous republic in northwest Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan's President Shavkat Mirziyoyev declared a monthlong state of emergency in Karakalpakstan. Host Marco Werman speaks with Steve Swerdlow, an associate professor of the practice of human rights at the University of Southern California.

The newest wave of COVID-19 infections and reinfections, fueled by more transmissible subvariants of the omicron strain, including BA.4 and BA.5, continues to grow across the US, the UK, many European countries and Brazil. Host Marco Werman speaks with Ulrich Elling, a molecular biologist and research group leader at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, about the rise in cases and how to make practical use of the news as people travel and take a break from their routines.

Namewee has won major music awards in Taiwan, but his music is banned in China and he’s been jailed in his home country of Malaysia. The World’s Rebecca Kanthor profiles the impish, idealistic musician.

WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been detained in Russia for over four months, wrote to President Joe Biden saying,"I'm terrified I might be here forever." Marco Werman interviews Hugh Dugan, a former State Department special envoy for hostage situations about Griner's ongoing detention in Russia stemming from allegations that she was carrying oils derived from marijuana in her airport luggage.

As authorities have started to identify the bodies of the 53 migrants who lost their lives in an abandoned tractor-trailer in Texas, the portraits of the victims are slowly coming together. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports.

When the Russian invasion of Ukraine sent millions of refugees scrambling for shelter across Europe, some were offered an unlikely sanctuary: beach resorts in Spain, one of the continent’s most popular tourist destinations. For nonprofits and governments trying to accommodate hundreds of families every day, empty hotels came in handy. This also provided some economic relief to an ailing tourism industry following years of travel disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Alan Ruiz Terol reports from the Spanish beach town of Calella about what happens when the tourists come back.

Dozens of members of Iraq's parliament were sworn in last week to replace those who had walked out en masse last month. The walk-out was in protest to deadlocked negotiations over forming a new government. And it allowed a party backed by Iran to take over power of the parliament. Andrew Peek, former deputy assistant secretary of Iraq and Iran, tells host Carol Hills this shift is "cataclysmic" in modern Iraqi politics.

The language learning app Duolingo recently added a course in Haitian Creole for English speakers. The course was developed by a professor-student team at Florida International University in Miami. For many immigrants, language is often lost through assimilation. Wilkine Brutus of WLRN says that learning Haitian Creole can help people in the diaspora reconnect with the mother tongue of their families and ancestors.

There may be a green silver lining to Lebanon's financial crisis: The country's solar energy output has nearly quadrupled in the past two years. As people faced with electricity blackouts install solar panels on their roof, they say they're seeing some relief — but it comes alongside frustration with the government's inability to power the country. Durrie Bouscaren reports.

As leaders prepare for the NATO summit this week, the fighting in Ukraine rages on. We are now more than four months into the war. The US plays an outsized role within NATO, and is also directly aiding Ukraine's military. Host Carol Hills speaks with Dara Massicot, a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, where she focuses on defense and security issues in Russia and Eurasia.

NASA launched a small satellite today as part of its so-called CAPSTONE mission to explore an important new lunar orbital path that could eventually lead to a mission to launch a lunar space station to orbit the moon. The World's Carol Hills interviews Elwood Agasid, a deputy program manager for the mission, about the satellite's reconnaissance.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj has instituted a new application system for Muslims coming from Western nations. The change has caused confusion and a loss of the ability to perform the pilgrimage this year. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Seán McLoughlin, a professor of Islamic anthropology at the University of Leeds, about the challenges in the new system and why it was implemented in the first place.

At least 50 people who were found inside a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas, have died and more than a dozen others saved from the trailer were hospitalized for heat-related illnesses. An investigation is ongoing, but authorities say this is among the deadliest known outcomes of a human smuggling operation across the US-Mexico border. Guadalupe Correa-Cabrera, a professor at the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University in Virginia, joins The World to discuss the issues.

NATO members are gathering in Madrid for what many are calling the most important summit in at least a generation. From the war in Ukraine to the threat of China's rising power, much is at stake. The World's Orla Barry reports on the agenda for the two-day meeting, and NATO's expansion plans.

Erratic weather patterns in the Central American Dry Corridor are leaving millions of people in food insecurity. Local farmers in a rural community in Honduras are learning how to deal with climate change. Tibisay Zea reports.

A female student on a university campus in Jordan was fatally shot on her college campus. The shocking murder of 21-year-old Iman Rashid has caused an uproar in Jordan. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Hiba Alhijazi, a policy and advocacy manager at Plan International in Jordan, about the case and the wider issue of gender-based violence in the country.

Since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it's been difficult to pin down exact casualty numbers. This has especially been true on the Russian side. But even according to Russia's official numbers, some evidence suggests that casualties among Russian ethnic minorities are disproportionately high. Russia contains nearly 200 different ethnic groups. One such group is called Buryats, from the Buryatia region in eastern Siberia. Host Carol Hills speaks with Vladimir Budaev, chief operating officer of the Free Buryatia Foundation.

The largest carrier for flights between Spain and the rest of Europe is Ryan Air, the airline known best for its low-cost, no-frills service. But its workers are starting to strike, and this could cause real havoc for tourists. Airport staffing shortages are already creating delays and, as Gerry Hadden reports from Spain and France, things may get much worse before they get better.

For the past few years, made-to-order videos featuring African children have been making the rounds on the Chinese internet. Some of the videos are innocent enough; the children recite a personalized birthday greeting in Chinese. But others are racist, with children unknowingly voicing derogatory things about themselves. A recent expose has triggered calls for this to end. But as The World's Rebecca Kanthor reports from Shanghai, the videos are only growing in popularity.

Leaders of the seven most advanced economies in the world are meeting in Germany this week. The discussions have been dominated by Russia and the war in Ukraine. How to cut the price down on Russian oil was a major discussion Sunday. Leaders are looking to establish a cap on Russian oil prices. This would effectively create an oil buyers' cartel, though nothing has been set in stone yet. Gregory Brew, who studies energy policy at Yale University, says there's a number of stumbling blocks in front of this idea.

The US has provided Ukraine with billions of dollars of military aid since February, when the war there began. That includes a wide range of equipment, weapons, drones, helicopters and night vision devices. And Congress has approved tens of billions of dollars for more economic and security assistance. That should keep the US arms industry working in overdrive. Host Carol Hills speaks with William Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft.

Just as the G-7 summit begins in Europe on Monday, Russia is striking several central Ukrainian cities with missiles and shelling. On Monday, an airstrike hit a shopping center in Kremenchuk, which had a thousand people inside. Carol Hills speaks to reporter Ashley Westerman in Kyiv, where shelling over the weekend struck a nine-story apartment building.

The Supreme Court’s abortion ruling could have effects throughout Africa, where countries receive huge amounts of money to fund public health, which includes women’s reproductive health. The World’s Carol Hills speaks with Nosmot Gbadamosi of Foreign Policy about the American abortion debate and Roe’s far-flung effects.

Efforts to expand reproductive freedom in the US in recent decades have propelled similar changes in other countries. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe, that momentum could flip. The World’s Carol Hills speaks with Representative Jan Schakowsky. She’s the former chair of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus and a Democrat from Illinois.

The fictional character King Rao is a composite character of various high-tech entrepreneurs in the Silicon Valley (Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, etc.). But King Rao is also a Dalit, a member of the so-called "untouchable" caste in India. His innovations are both harmful and helpful to the planet. King Rao the central figure in the new dystopian novel "The Immortal King Rao" by writer Vauhini Vara. She speaks to host Marco Werman.

This summer, when you're not outside, you might be catching up on the latest movies or television shows. In Nigeria, a new TV program has become particularly popular: “The Real Housewives of Lagos.” The American reality show franchise is now getting a Nigerian flare. The World’s Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi brings us this story.

Russia and Ukraine have been at war now for more than 120 days. Most of the fighting is happening in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. Russian troops are making steady progress there. On Friday, Ukrainian troops began to retreat from Severodonetsk, a city with a prewar population of 100,000. Kyiv continues to say it needs more weapons from the West to keep up the fight. Host Carol Hills speaks with Chris Dougherty, he's a senior ellow for the Defense Program at the Center for New American Security.

In Lebanon, a pregnancy can only be terminated if three doctors agree that a woman's life is at risk. But this doesn't stop them from happening — abortion pills are available online, and some doctors provide abortions privately. Workers at a reproductive health clinic in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley say they regularly see women who have tried to end their pregnancy on their own. The World’s Durrie Bouscaren reports from Lebanon.

A new investigation in German newspaper, Der Spiegel, points to senior members of Syria's government as profiteers from the country's drug trade. Border agents of countries bordering Syria have been making massive drug busts worth millions of dollars in recent years. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Natasha Hall, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about Syria's drug trade and the country's descent into a narco state status.

Governments around the globe are waiting to see whether the World Health Organization will declare monkeypox a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The last time this designation was made was in January 2020 with COVID-19. Journalist Hellen Branswell of Stat News updates host Carol Hills on the spread of monkeypox and public health efforts to contain it.

Years of discrimination and targeted attacks on the Sikh and Hindu communities in Afghanistan has forced many of them out of the country. Now, a new attack on a Sikh temple in Kabul could be the last straw for the last remaining few. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

As people in the US absorb the Supreme Court ruling that overturns the constitutional right to abortion, The World looks to understand how US laws compare to other countries. Host Carol Hills and several World reporters break down the major issues that countries grapple with in determining to what extent abortion is legal or restricted.

The Sunny Hill Festival was supposed to return to Kosovo after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus. But at the last minute, organizers — pop star Dua Lipa and her family — were forced to change the festival's location to Albania. But now, there’s some good news for the Kosovar family. Host Carol Hills has the details.

While June is Pride Month in the US, events celebrating and spotlighting LGBTQ communities differ across the globe. Despite the threat of repression and violence faced by many LGBTQ communities, pride events were organized in more than 100 countries, according to a new report by LGBTQ rights group OutRight Action International. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with the report's lead researcher, Neela Ghoshal.

Frogs are known for their energetic leaps. But one type of frog found on mountaintops in Brazil, known as the pumpkin toadlet, is so small that it cannot jump. Instead, mid-air, it stops moving and crashes to the floor. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

The United States is a world leader in refugee resettlement, welcoming more than 3.5 million refugees since 1975. In observance of World Refugee Week, host Carol Hills speaks with Holly Herrera, who leads the domestic refugee resettlement program at the US State Department.

The US and countries across Europe are facing an airline pilot shortage. The shortage is causing thousands of delays and flight cancellations across the US. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Patrick Smith, an active airline pilot and host of AskThePilot.com, about the factors behind the shortage and what it means for the industry.

This summer, Southeast Asia is opening up to tourists for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. But one group will be conspicuously absent: Chinese tourists. Over the past decade, rising fortunes in China resulted in a surge of Chinese holiday makers across Southeast Asia — until they came to underpin the region’s entire travel sector. But President Xi Jinping’s hardline COVID-19 shutdown has frozen them in place. A whole range of businesses in Southeast Asia, from restaurants to hotels, are desperate for Beijing to untether its population. Patrick Winn has the story.

In Russia, calling the country's invasion of Ukraine a “war” could land you in prison. Russian officials have referred to it as a “special military operation” and that label is not just about messaging, it also has implications on the battlefield. Russia has not officially declared war on Ukraine and has not conducted a mass mobilization of troops. Host Carol Hills speaks with Michael Kofman, director of the Russia Studies program at the Center for Naval Analyses.

Thousands of villagers are homeless in Afghanistan after a powerful earthquake hit a remote region in the southeastern part of the country on Wednesday. Afghans desperately need life-saving assistance, but many in the West are loath to work with the extremist government. Susannah George, Kabul bureau chief for the Washington Post, speaks with The World’s host Carol Hills from the quake-struck region of Paktika.

The first delivery of heavy weapons from Germany arrived in Ukraine this week, marking the end to a longstanding German policy not to send lethal aid into active conflict zones. Germany also plans to modernize its own military in response to the war in Ukraine, with a more than $100 billion announced cash infusion this year. In a country where history looms large, many Germans are uneasy with these changes, and with Germany’s new proximity to war. The World’s Carolyn Beeler spoke to people across Germany to get a sense of how they're feeling.

The largest music festival in the United Kingdom is back for the first time in three years. And not even a nationwide rail strike — the largest in a generation — can keep fans away. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

India and China are increasing their purchases of Russian oil, despite US and EU sanctions that will ban Russian oil imports and bar insurance for ships carrying Russian crude. Host Carol Hills speaks with Derek Grossman of the Rand Corporation, who explains how bans are supposed to work, and the impact other nations' oil purchases may have on Russia sanctions.

Sri Lanka's prime minister told Parliament on Wednesday that the economy "had collapsed" and the crisis that has seen shortages of food and fuel to the island country could see a "possible fall to rock bottom." Sri Lankan journalist Easwaran Rutnam in Colombo tells The World's Carol Hills what's happening on the ground as the country grapples with unpayable debt and the toll of both the pandemic and the war in Ukraine on the economy.

West Africa is facing severe flooding. In Nigeria and Ghana, torrential rainfall in May and June caused many residents to lose their homes and belongings. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Accra, Ghana, where development has encroached on the wetlands that are needed to absorb excess rain.

Saudi Arabia's crown prince, Mohamad Bin Salman, is in Turkey on Wednesday for a visit with President Recep Erdoğan. The visit is seen as the two sides normalizing relations following the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, about the significance of the visit and what both sides hope to achieve.

Harassment of Canadian MPs online and off has risen dramatically, with increasing complaints of death threats. Dangers to lawmakers intensified after a convoy of truckers occupied Ottawa in February and March. The World’s Carol Hills talks with TBA with Canadian Member of Parliament Judy Sgro.

The Biden administration is telling the Pentagon it no longer has the right to use land mines around the world, with one major exception: the DMZ between North and South Korea. The World’s Patrick Winn explains the policy change to host Carol Hills.

Nearly half of all small businesses closed in Ukraine when the war began. But as many Ukrainians are returning to their homes, they're starting to reopen. Ashley Westerman reports from Kyiv on the uncertain small business landscape, and one shop owner who is trying to keep her business afloat.

Rescuers are trying to reach provinces in eastern Afghanistan after a 5.9 magnitude earthquake shook the area on Wednesday. Initial reports suggest a high death toll and injuries. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

Cheating on end-of-year exams is a problem in many countries. Tests are leaked online and students share answers on their phones. One solution? Turn off the internet. Across the entire country. The Economist's Rebecca Jackson says countries in North Africa and the Middle East do this every year, and people aren't happy.

The US Navy says a small Iranian vessel charged an American ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday; the strait is one of the world's busiest shipping lanes for oil. Carol Hills interviews Mehran Haghirian about the situation. He's a PhD candidate at Qatar University and a director at the think tank Bourse Bazaar.

The blockbuster video game “Genshin Impact” is China's biggest hit in the gaming world. It's highly addictive, which is interesting because the Chinese government puts strict limits on how much children can play any video game. Dina Temple-Raston, from the podcast “Click Here,” reports on how the game is subtly introducing Chinese values, while censoring certain topics, for players around the world.

Many US manufacturers rely on products from China’s Xinjiang region. It's a place where forced labor is common. New rules that come into force on Tuesday requiring firms to prove a “complete digital chain of custody” for products from the region. That won’t be easy. The World’s Carol Hills talks with Allison Gill, a program director with the Global Labor Justice International Labor Rights Forum.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy told the African Union Monday that "Africa is actually taken hostage" by Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine. While countries across the continent face serious food insecurity and rising fuel prices worsened by the conflict, the countries' responses to the war have been mixed. Ebenezer Obadare at the Council on Foreign Relations speaks with The World's Carol Hills about the complicating factors, including Russia's work to make friends and influence countries across the continent.

Since the start of Russia's invasion, Lithuania has been among Ukraine's most proactive supporters. It supplied Ukraine with nearly 100 million euros worth of weapons. Last week, Lithuania announced that it will no longer allow Russia to transfer sanctioned goods across its territory to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad. Host Carol Hills speaks with Dionis Cenusa, a political risk analyst and associate expert at the Eastern Europe Studies Center.

Last year, the International Olympic Committee said no athlete has an inherent advantage just because of their physical appearance, gender identity, or if they are intersex. But they said each sport's governing body should be able to decide on their own policies. Now, the international governing bodies for rugby and aquatics announced effective bans on transgender women this week. The World's Bianca Hillier shares the details with host Carol Hills.

Fed up with President Guillermo Lasso's conservative economic and social policies, Indigenous groups are blocking highways and staging major protests. They're upset over a series of laws the government is pushing that would further jumpstart resource extraction projects, and concerned with rising costs. Michael Fox reports that with the president's approval rating at an all-time low, the rising protests could pose a threat to his ability to stay in office.

Flooding in northeast India has been the worst the state of Assam has seen in generations. Weeks of monsoon rains have caused the largest rivers to overflow, flooding 32 of the state's 35 districts. Sushmita Pathak reports that the military is running rescue operations but many people are still marooned.

The US is a major exporter of wheat around the world. But according to experts, most modern US wheat can be traced back to Turkey Red Wheat, which Mennonites brought from present-day Ukraine in the late 1800s. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Today, Belgian authorities returned the tooth of assassinated Congolese colonial independence leader Patrice Lumumba to his country. The World's host Carol Hills interviews Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, Democratic Republic of Congo's representative to the UN, about the repatriation of Lumumba's only known remains.

Protests across India against a shift in the military’s recruitment policy have left trains ablaze and at least one person dead. The policy, known as Agnipath or "the path of fire," going into effect this month, would begin new military contracts on a four-year basis, with only a quarter of recruits expected to continue after that term. While the government says this is a modernizing effort, protesters say the program is cutting young men out of opportunities for career advancement in the military. Host Carol Hills spoke with Pranay Kotasthane, chair of high-tech geopolitics at The Takshashila Institution in Bengaluru, India.

Author and journalist Karen Cheung says her hometown is being transformed into a place she barely recognizes. Cheung speaks with The World’s host Carol Hills from Hong Kong and explains how everyday life has changed for the city’s residents since Beijing’s crackdown on opposition activists and ordinary citizens.

Access to abortion has changed drastically over the past decade in China. While China's one-child policy was under effect, abortions were encouraged or even forced on people who were unwed or already had a child. But since the loosening of population restrictions, married couples have been encouraged to have more children to offset China's aging population. As the World's Rebecca Kanthor reports from Shanghai, that means abortions have become harder to access.

During COVID-19, students at the Asian University for Women — with its main campus in Bangladesh — sent everyone home to study online. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, many Afghan students there were able to flee the country. Now settled in the US, they are resuming their studies, but they first need to learn English. Emily Fine reports on the women, who are now studying at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Sources say Israel’s governing coalition will vote to dissolve parliament within the next week. Reporter Ariel Orseran tells host Carol Hills that the move would bring down the government and send Israel into its fifth election in just three years.

One of the many ripple effects of the war in Ukraine, is that many countries throughout Europe are trying to wean themselves off of Russian gas. Over the weekend, Germany announced new measures to conserve gas, and reduce its reliance on Russian gas in the long term. Part of Germany's strategy is to return back to using coal. Host Carol Hills speaks with Andreas Schröder, the Head of Energy Analytics at Independent Commodity Intelligence Services.

Hundreds of people were reportedly killed by rebels in the Oromo region of Ethiopia. The attacks are part of a larger wave of ethnic violence in the country. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with William Davison, a senior analyst with International Crisis Group, to understand more about the violence and the source of the ethnic tensions.

Left-wing senator Gustavo Petro, who was also mayor of Bogotá, was elected as president by Colombian voters on Sunday. It was a first-time victory for a political progressive in Colombia. The World’s Latin America correspondent Jorge Valencia reports from Bogotá.

Today the European Broadcasting Union announced that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not be hosted by Ukraine, who was this year's winner. And as host Carol Hills explains, there's plenty of speculation that the UK, the year's runner-up, could host the event for the first time since 1998.

Dak'Art, or the Dakar Biennale, is West Africa's biggest art exhibition, and this week marks the event's 14th year and the first of the pandemic era. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke with Nigerian artist Tyna Adebowale about her first time showing her art at the biennale.

Last week, Algeria severed trade and diplomatic ties with Spain, and has now threatened to cut off coveted gas sales — which have been protected under a two-decade-old friendship treaty. It comes after Spain upended a long-standing agreement regarding its former colony, Western Sahara, and backed Morocco's claim that the region should have some limited autonomy, while remaining under its rule. The World’s Gerry Hadden explains the situation.

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan, the economy has dramatically contracted, businesses have laid off workers and half the country is facing starvation. Despite this, the Taliban have managed to keep revenue flowing. Avantika Chilkoti of the Economist says that they are extremely efficient at collecting taxes, using systems left over from the allied forces.

This week, the British government announced plans to scrap a part of the Brexit deal that covers Northern Ireland. Critics say the move is a clear breach of international law, and could provoke a trade war with the EU, Britain’s largest trading partner. The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry has more.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Intern: The Netherlands' counterintelligence agency caught an alleged GRU agent — from Russia’s foreign military intelligence agency — attempting to enter the country for an internship at the International Criminal Court. Bellingcat's Aric Toler spoke with host Carol Hills about the unmasked agent.

After a year and a half of deliberations, a deal has been reached on a highly charged effort to expand who around the world has the right to circumvent intellectual property rules to manufacture, import and export lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines. The deal came out of some nail biting, late night negotiations this week in Geneva, at the World Trade Organization’s big ministerial meeting, the first to be in-person since 2017. But as The World’s Elana Gordon reports, both drug companies and global health advocates are disappointed with the result.

China's military made a significant new announcement today: It has launched a third aircraft carrier. Named "Fujian," it's expected to make a big impact toward China's military capabilities. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Thomas Shugart, an adjunct senior fellow with the Center for New American Security, about this development and what it means for China's presence in the Pacific.

Colombia, one of Washington's steadiest Latin American allies over many years, might be about to take a big political turn. On Sunday, Colombians head to the polls for the second and decisive round of voting for president. On the hard left is the former guerrilla fighter Gustavo Petro. And on the far right, real estate tycoon and former mayor, Rodolfo Hernandez. Both candidates are political outsiders. But the similarities end there, as Jorge Valencia reports from Vélez, Colombia.

For many years, Ukraine has had strong aspirations to join the European Union. Now, Ukraine is one step closer to that goal. Earlier this morning, the executive arm of the EU recommended that Ukraine be granted candidate status to one day join the bloc. Host Carol Hills speaks with Jacob Kirkegaard, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the German Marshall Fund.

In recent years, there's been a lot of attention on how disinformation and hate speech spreads on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook. But what about TikTok? According to a new report, the platform known for fun and silly videos is also a culprit when it comes to election disinformation in Kenya. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Nairobi.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, Russia's military, and questions surrounding its power and its capabilities, has been a contentious issue. But the focus has been on Ukraine. However Russia's military is also located in some far-flung places including in Latin America. Just last week, the government of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega authorized Russia's military to deploy to Nicaragua. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Vladimir Rouvinski, a professor and the director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies at Icesi University in Cali, Colombia.

US deportations of Haitian migrants is way up: Nearly 4,000 in May alone. Many of those being sent home haven't actually lived in Haiti for years but in third countries like Chile and Brazil. Now, a shadow industry has sprung up. The Associated Press spent a month looking at the South American travel agencies that rent planes from low-budget Latin American airlines and then offer expensive charter flights to recently deported Haitians to return them to those South American countries. Carolyn Beeler speaks to an AP reporter about what they found out.

Rents in Lviv have finally leveled out after ballooning at the start of the war in Ukraine. But they're still much higher than before the war. People who fled the eastern part of the country are still in limbo, but the high prices are making it hard for them to stay in the city. Ashley Westerman reports from Lviv.

It won't happen overnight, but Europe is turning away from Russian oil and gas and looking for new supplies. Now, the EU has struck a deal with Israel and Egypt to supply natural gas. Host Carolyn Beeler talks about the natural gas "gold rush" with Amy Myers Jaffe. She’s manages the Climate Policy Lab at the Tufts Fletcher School just outside of Boston.

June 14 marks 40 since the war between the United Kingdom and Argentina over control of the Falkland Islands. While the war may have ended in an Argentine defeat and the continued British control of the islands located roughly 300 miles east of the South American country, Argentina continues to dispute control of what the country calls the Islas Malvinas. Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Alejandro Milcíades Peña, a senior lecturer in international politics at the University of York, about what the war and the islands mean to Argentinians today.

It's been almost a year since the US Military fully disengaged from Afghanistan. In mid-August of last year, some Afghans clung to a C-17 military plane as it was taking off and fell to their deaths. Multiple investigations were launched into this incident. In a statement yesterday, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said the investigations found that the crew quote: “exercised sound judgment in their decision to get airborne ..." Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Rachel VanLandingham, a law professor at the Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, a retired lieutenant colonel and a former judge advocate in the US Air Force.

Loneliness has become its own epidemic in many parts of the world, including the US. And it can have serious effects on one's health. In the UK, instead of prescribing medication, doctors are writing prescriptions of social activities for some lonely people. Sofie Kodner reports from London on the Posh Club, a dance party for the elderly that is designed to combat clinical loneliness.

A fight between Turkish and Afghan teenagers has set off a series of attacks against migrant workers who pick up trash across Istanbul. Turkey hosts more refugees than any other country in the world and, as the country's economy worsens, tensions between Turks and refugees are getting worse. Host Carolyn Beeler gets the latest from The World's Durrie Bouscaren in Istanbul.

This week, the United Nations started a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for the transfer of oil out of the FSO Safer ship off the coast of Yemen. The ship is rapidly aging and could break apart, causing an ecological disaster. The World's host Carolyn Beeler reports.

For centuries, wild and domesticated animals in Spain's countryside grazed at the edges of forests, clearing underbrush and providing a natural protection against forest fires encroaching onto cities and towns. After an era of deforestation, some of these forests are returning, but without the animals that created that fire buffer. Gerry Hadden reports that, in Catalonia, shepherds are now being trained to start "fire flocks,” or herds of sheep that will once again graze to prevent the wildfires.

Canada has a pollen problem this year, with huge amounts of it wafting across the country. Host Carolyn Beeler interviews Janice Cooke, biologist from the biological sciences department at the University of Alberta.

Many of the clothes you donate during your annual spring cleaning will end up halfway across the world in places like Kenya, where second-hand clothing is a huge industry. But the future of that industry is being debated after a few controversial remarks by a presidential hopeful. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from the capital Nairobi.

Mariana Bezugla, a Ukrainian MP from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s Servant of the People party, is hunkered down with Ukrainian troops in the besieged eastern Ukrainian city of Lysychansk. She told The World’s host Carolyn Beeler that the soldiers she’s watching are having to make do with shortages of weapons and supplies.

Certain diseases tend to be more common in particular communities or regions of the world. Outliers exist, but what if the outlier is all of Sub-Saharan Africa? Zambians with multiple sclerosis, or MS, have struggled to find answers to their years of unexplained symptoms, because the disease is thought to be nearly nonexistent in their community. Local medical providers seldom consider the diagnosis of MS among Black Africans. Years without a correct diagnosis lead to years without treatment, and patients become increasingly disabled. But the growing presence of neurologists in the region is starting to challenge that long-held notion.

This weekend's 22.5-mile Man vs Horse race in Wales ended in a third victory for humankind since the competition began in 1980. Winner Ricky Lightfoot won more than $4,000 and bragging rights over a thousand other runners and the 50 horses and their riders. This was also the first race since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

For months, dolphins have been washing up on the shores of countries along the Black Sea. Researchers believe the deaths may be tied to navy sonar systems being used as part of the war in Ukraine. In Istanbul, a team of marine biologists goes out on the Bosphorus Strait to try and find the answers.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute's annual report, global nuclear arsenals are expected to grow. The Swedish body found that the nine nuclear-armed countries of the world are increasing or upgrading their arsenals. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Hans Kristensen, one of the authors of the report and an associate senior fellow with the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

In 1962, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro banned professional sports in Cuba, and encouraged athletes to pursue amateur careers. Now, the country is ending its longtime ban on professional boxing, and the national team "Los Domadores" has made a triumphant debut. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

People often call journalism the first draft of history. But right now in Ukraine, at least one museum has taken a different approach. In Kyiv, at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War, curators are currently running a contemporary exhibit that's all about Russia's invasion of their country. Host Marco Werman speaks with Dmytro Hainetdinov, the head of the museum's education department.

Hong Kong has changed radically since 2020 when China imposed a harsh security law. The territory’s 7 million citizens now face severe penalties for criticizing the Chinese Communist Party — and religious leaders do not get a free pass. The Hong Kong government is taking a special interest in Catholic priests, seeking to weed out priests and bishops who invoke pro-democracy messages in their sermons.

A vicious attack by nine men on a group of women at a BBQ restaurant in China over the weekend has taken Chinese social media by storm. Both women and men are incensed over the attack and what it says about gender relations in China. The World's host Carolyn Beeler spoke with China correspondent Rebecca Kantor about what happened and what it means about gender inequality in China.

Faced with rising numbers of migrants and asylum-seekers crossing the English Channel on boats, the UK government came up with a plan to fly them to Rwanda. They could apply for asylum there. And other asylum-seekers, so the thinking goes, would think twice before trying to cross the channel. But now, the plan is facing legal challenges, and it might not even happen. The World's Orla Barry in London explains.

Naming your child can be stressful, but Ikea is here to help. Its Norway branch put out 800 possibilities, drawn from the names it gives its products. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

The NBA finals continue into next week with the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics fighting for basketball's biggest bragging rights. Thanks to the The Celtics' head coach Ime Udoka the team's Boston fan base is deepest in the city's Nigerian community. GBH's Esteban Bustillos has our story.

Hundreds of years ago, Chinese women created a secret language to share their struggles and dreams with each other. The language is almost extinct, with only a handful of women still able to read and write it today. A new documentary shows how the language is being preserved in China today.

On Sunday, Russia's former McDonald's restaurants will reopen under new branding and ownership. Host Jason Margolis explains what's in store for fast food fans in Moscow.

Iran's government has removed monitoring equipment in the form of cameras at a number of nuclear sites. In response, the International Atomic Energy Association has called it a "fatal blow" to the negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. The World's Jason Margolis spoke with Ali Vaez, director of the Iran Project at International Crisis Group, about what this means for the talks and likely scenarios for continued failure at the negotiation table.

The Polish government is being accused of setting up a "pregnancy register" to document all the pregnancies in the country. Poland has some of the strictest abortion laws in Europe. The country's Health Ministry said the new database is being set up following a directive by the European Union. But as The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports, abortion activists are not convinced.

The CDC is set to lift a COVID-19 testing requirement for travelers flying into the United States, The agency says the requirement is no longer necessary "based on the science and data." Host Jason Margolis has the details.

Following the deadly school shooting in Dunblane, Scotland, in 1996, families of the victims campaigned for — and secured — a nationwide ban on handguns. Gill Marshall-Andrews, longtime gun control advocate and chairperson of the UK’s Gun Control Network, helped the Dunblane families pressure UK politicians to pass historic gun control laws. She tells The World's Marco Werman how they kept Britain from "going down America's road."

Golf fans have some new tournaments to watch — the LIV Golf Series. It's attracted a few high-profile golfers with rich cash prizes. But on Friday, the commissioner of the Professional Golfers Association said that all players competing in the LIV are now suspended from the PGA Tour. The LIV golf series is sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. And a lot of people say the Saudis are using golf to clean up their image, an example of "sportswashing." Host Jason Margolis speaks with Kristian Ulrichsen, a professor at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy, where he studies the Middle East and Gulf states.

An old virus that has been making a new appearance. The WHO reports that more than 1,000 cases of monkeypox have been identified in more than two dozen countries — countries that don’t typically see monkeypox. There’ve been no deaths, but the spread has put more places on alert. The World’s Elana Gordon reports on what we know, and how we got here.

While the Summit of the Americas concludes Friday after starting with discord, President Joe Biden wanted to end the week on a high note. The US unveiled a long list of measures to confront the migration crisis in the Western Hemisphere and pledged hundreds of millions to tackle the problems. Jason Margolis interviewed Mark Feierstein, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

There’s no letup in the grueling battles raging in Ukraine’s Donbas region. Reporter Volodymyr Solohub is in Kharkiv and has been venturing into villages that were recently under Russian occupation. Solohub tells The World’s Marco Werman the story of one Ukrainian soldier he met who has been shaken by the unrelenting fighting.

In a major change from long-standing trade policy, the Biden administration has paused increases in tariffs on Chinese solar technology. Marco Werman interviews David Sandalow, the inaugural fellow at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University where he founded and directs the Center's US-China Program, about the shift.

This month in Rome, Pope Francis canonized 10 new saints. He's named a record number of saints since becoming pope. His predecessor Pope John Paul II had already been canonized as did all the previous Catholic popes combined. John Last reports from Italy on the changing requirements for sainthood, and why their numbers are increasing.

Earlier this month, the State Department dropped a massive report that looked at the state of religious freedom in some 200 countries. Host Marco Werman speaks with the US Ambassador at Large from the Office of Religious Freedom Rashad Hussain who led the project.

This week, King Philippe of Belgium returned a ceremonial Congolese mask once exhibited in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The repatriation of the mask was part of a historic first visit to the country by the monarch. Host Marco Werman spoke with Eric Kuikende Bonshona, a researcher at the National Museum of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

It's a historic week of reckoning in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Belgium’s King Philippe is visiting the former Belgian colony in central Africa, and called his country's historic relationship with DR Congo unjustifiable. Historian Charles Tshimanga-Kashama explains this history to host Marco Werman, and describes the new relationship Congolese people want to have with Belgium.

Voluntary sex work has been legal in India for decades, but sex workers are often harrassed by police and stigmatized. As a result, they've been organizing and calling for their profession to get greater recognition as work. Recently, their efforts scored a major victory. Sushmita Pathak has this report from Hyderabad.

Suffering at the pump these days? Well, it's a lot bigger than you think. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Ben Cahill, a senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about the different geopolitical factors behind the high price of gasoline.

Gas prices in the US are at an all-time high, according to the American Automobile Association. But on the other side of the Atlantic, they're paying much more. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

On June 11, 1922, American filmmaker Robert Flaherty premiered “Nanook of the North: A Story of Life and Love in the Actual Arctic” in New York City. Set in Inukjuak on the Hudson Bay in northern Quebec, the silent film documented the daily struggles of an Inuk man and his family. It was the first significant nonfiction film ever released and led to a new category of film: the documentary. Another American filmmaker has returned to Inukjuak to examine what has happened to the community over the past century, the effects of climate change and how they are committed to maintaining their culture. Host Marco Werman speaks to Inukjuak town manager Shoamik Inukpuk and Kirk French, a filmmaker and anthropologist at Penn State.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, there's been an international effort to isolate the Kremlin, and pressure it to end the war. Many companies have left Russia, the US and EU have used extensive sanctions and, in some cases, Russia has been kicked out of international institutions. Earlier this week, Russia's parliament voted to leave the European Court of Human Rights. Host Marco Werman speaks with Asmik Novikova, the head of research programs at the Public Verdict Foundation, a Russian nonprofit organization that provides legal assistance to victims of human rights abuse.

This week, military leaders from East Africa met in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to discuss the ongoing insecurity there. For years, the country has struggled to deal with violence caused by more than a hundred armed groups. The World's Halima Gikandi brings us this update.

In Brazil, a journalist and an anthropologist have gone missing from one of the largest Indigenous territories in the Amazon rainforest. It’s an area that in recent years has become increasingly dangerous because of illegal logging, mining and narcotrafficking. Now, the disappearance of journalist Dom Phillips and anthropologist Bruno Pereira on Sunday has again rattled the country and turned into an international incident. Reporter Michael Fox has more.

Researchers at the University of Montpellier in France say the species of reef fishes that people find least beautiful tend not to be prioritized for conservation support. Marco Werman interviews scientist and researcher Diogo Veríssimo about the plight of ugly fish that are critical to healthy ecosystems.

Scientists in South Africa and elsewhere are confirming a major shift in the pandemic. Sub-variants are giving rise to more reinfections. As The World’s Elana Gordon reports, this is creating a murkier outlook for the future with SARS-CoV-2, and the global response.

There's been a lot of back and forth over whether US President Biden is going to visit Saudi Arabia soon. Initial reports said he was going to visit, but then he said he had nothing planned. Why all the back and forth? The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Kristin Diwan, a senior resident scholar with the Arab Gulf States Institute, about the confusion and what a potential visit could mean for Saudi-US relations.

Amid spiking global prices of grain, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlüt Çavüşoğlu in Ankara today to negotiate a plan to allow safe passage of blocked Ukrainian wheat exports through the Black Sea. The two did not reach a formal deal, but pledged to meet again in Istanbul. But balancing competing interests will be difficult: Russia is demanding sanctions relief in return for security assurances, but Ukrainian officials say they do not believe Russia's promises can be trusted.

Allison Fluke-Ekren, from Kansas, has pleaded guilty to organizing and leading an all-female military battalion on behalf of ISIS. According to court documents, Fluke-Ekren trained women on to how to use assault rifles, grenades and suicide belts. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

Some 37 years after Kate Bush's hit song "Running Up That Hill (Make a Deal With God)," Netflix’s "Stranger Things" sends the tune into overdrive, pushing Bush’s song further up the charts in the US than it went in 1985 when it was released.

Irish airline RyanAir, popular for its cheap city-hopping flights, has begun requiring a language test for passengers carrying South African passports. Only 13% of South Africans speak Afrikaans, a language that emerged from colonial Dutch. For many in the country, it's associated with the recent history of apartheid and colonial oppression under white minority rule. The move has been criticized by the South African government among others, including Dinesh Joseph, who had to take the test on a return flight from vacation in the Canary Islands. Joseph shared his experience with host Marco Werman.

European classical music has always been a bastion for male musicians, and the gender disparities in the genre have continued as orchestras developed around the world. During the pandemic, when performances stopped, an orchestra in Bogotá, Colombia, developed a strategy to encourage women to succeed and rise to leadership positions in classical music. Manuel Rueda reports on the country's first all-female orchestra.

Farmers in sub-Saharan Africa grow their crops with 10% of the fertilizer used by the average farm globally. And with the fertilizer shortage sparked by the war in Ukraine, fears are mounting that hunger will be on the rise. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Accra, Ghana that the African Development Bank is implementing a $1.5 billion strategy to supply fertilizer to West Africa, though farmers are concerned it won't arrive in time for the growing season.

In April, the UN refugee agency said it was on "high alert" for cases of human trafficking as Ukrainian refugees, 90% of them women and children, fled their country, often without much money, contacts, or a plan about where to go. In Romania, which had relatively high rates of trafficking and exploitation even before the war, nonprofit groups are working to keep refugees safe. The World's Carolyn Beeler reports from Bucharest, Romania.

Funding for global COVID-19 vaccination campaigns is sharply down. And there could be a steep price to pay. Atul Gawande, a renowned surgeon, writer and researcher who leads global health at USAID, talks with The World’s Marco Werman about plummeting resources to confront the pandemic.

In Myanmar, where a military junta has been in charge since early 2021, two pro-democracy activists have become household names. Phyo Zeya Thaw and Ko Jimmy have led protest marches. They’ve been befriended by American ambassadors. One even held a seat in parliament. But that was before the military seized power, forcing elected leaders into hiding. Now, both of the pro-democracy activists have been sentenced to death — by hanging. The sentence has shocked citizens of Myanmar and brought global condemnation. The World’s Southeast Asia correspondent Patrick Winn is following the story.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a no-confidence vote in his leadership from his own party colleagues on Monday night. Conservative members of Parliament voted by 211 to 148 to keep Johnson as party leader. But the prime minister's popularity ratings remain at an all-time low and as The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports his future looks far from secure.

A diplomatic firestorm has engulfed India’s ruling party, the BJP, following the sanctioning of two party spokespersons over insulting remarks the pair are reported to have made towards Islam and the Prophet Muhammad. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sumit Ganguly, a professor of political science at Indiana University, about the Indian government's handling of the controversy and the response by governments of Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Afghanistan and Pakistan, which described the comments as “insulting.”

Democracy in a central European country is under threat. Authoritarianism is spreading around the globe. And the planet itself seems to be in peril from unexplained floods. These very contemporary themes are actually from a 1936 work of science fiction by Czech author Karel Capek called “War of the Newts.” It has now been adapted into an audio drama. Marco Werman speaks with Ian Coss, co-creator of “Newts,” a new radio drama podcast from PRX, about what drew him to the nearly 80-year-old novel and the life and career of its author.

Sunday marked 75 years since the Marshall Plan was first outlined as a means to help Europe recover from World War II. Leaders including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy and the UK's Boris Johnson have suggested creating a new "Marshall Plan" for Ukraine, even as Russia's invasion rages on. To unpack the significance of the Marshall Plan and what that would look like for Ukraine, host Marco Werman spoke to Benn Steil, director of international economics at the Council on Foreign Relations and the author of “The Marshall Plan: Dawn of the Cold War.”

Iranian actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi won the Best Actress Award at the Cannes Film Festival in France this year. She was awarded for her role in the movie “Holy Spider." But as The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports, Amir Ebrahimi’s path to the red carpet did not come easy.

Gunmen stormed a church in Nigeria over the weekend leaving 50 people dead and many more injured. The gunmen weren't immediately identified but experts pointed the attack as an example of intercommunal violence between Muslim and Christian groups. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Philip Obaji, a reporter with the Daily Beast, to get more details on the attack and what Nigerian officials plan to do next.

Pakistani Canadian Iman Vellani had an extraordinarily memorable last day of high school. Not only did she graduate, but she also got the call of her life: She got the role of Kamala Khan, Marvel's first Muslim superhero. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

In Ukraine, the most intense fighting is happening in the eastern part of the country in a region called the Donbas. Right now, Russia is trying to take control of a town called Severodonetsk as Ukraine pushes back. Over the weekend, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited troops on the front lines there and also spoke with families who are still being evacuated from danger zones. Host Marco Werman speaks with Chris Dougherty, a senior fellow at the defense program at CNAS, the Center for New American Security.

Last December, Portugal granted asylum to hundreds of members of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music (ANIM) and their relatives. Among them were some of the most prominent Afghan musicians and their students. But six months later, many of them are still stuck in refugee centers and worried about their families being left behind. Francesca Berardi reports from Lisbon.

Several Latin American and Caribbean heads of state, including the president of Mexico, aren’t showing up at the Los Angeles summit. The World’s Marco Werman talks with former Mexican Ambassador to the US Arturo Sarukhan about Latin America’s growing dissatisfaction with Washington’s approach to the region.

Long past the colonial era in Francophone Africa, the younger generation is rejecting the lingering influence of France in language, politics and currency. Alexa Dvorson reports from Dakar on how new movements are challenging the long-lasting impact of colonialism.

Ronnie Hawkins was born in Arkansas, but eventually called Canada home. His influence and impact on the music scene throughout Canada can't be overstated. He was huge. Ronnie Hawkins died on Sunday at the age of 87. Canadian folk singer Sylvia Tyson shares her memories of The Hawk with Marco Werman.

On Sunday, thousands of spectators in the English village of Brockworth will watch contestants run and tumble down a hill in pursuit of a 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese. Host Marco Werman tells the story.

At the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, the chairman of the African Union, Senegal's President Macky Sall, headed to Russia on Friday for talks about the impact of the war in Ukraine on African countries. Both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of grain to the continent, accounting for over 40% of wheat imports to African countries in recent years, according to the UN. Host Marco Werman spoke with Joseph Siegle, director of research at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies.

Two indigenous activists have won the Goldman Prize, which recognizes grassroots environmental activism. They successfully fought against gold mining on their ancestral lands. Tibisay Zea spoke with both of them, and has the story.

Pain is often at the center of a good comedy routine. In the UK, stand up comedian Angie Belcher wants to teach people how to use comedy to work through trauma. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has destroyed lots of the country's infrastructure. Housing, roads, train stations and government buildings have been destroyed by Russia's military. Now, the country's only seed bank is under threat as well. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Stefan Schmitz, executive director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, about the seed bank and the challenges of securing it.

Exposure to steady, high noise levels can be dangerous to your health, and even deadly. Researchers say Barcelona is one of Europe's loudest cities, with construction noise, traffic and tourists all contributing to a constant, stressful din. Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona on the dangers of noise pollution and how city planners and law enforcement are trying to reduce the volume.

WNBA star Brittney Griner has been wrongfully detained in Russia on drug charges for more than three months. But her friends and family have only started to get vocal about her release. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Friday marks 100 days of war in Ukraine. During that time, the planet witnessed death, destruction and displacement on a massive scale — neighborhoods reduced to rubble, with hospitals, schools and railways damaged. It's very difficult to accurately count the human toll. President Volodymyr Zelenskyiy said on Thursday that "at least tens of thousands" of Ukrainians have died. As for the toll on Russian troops, that’s even harder to estimate. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

The former singer of the Sex Pistols, Johnny Rotten, has said that he still thinks the monarchy is "the fascist regime.” But as we hear in a brief note from host Marco Werman, Johnny Rotten has respect for her ability to keep a sense of dignity for all these years.

From the twilight of the British empire to Brexit, a lot has changed since Queen Elizabeth II's coronation ceremony 70 years ago. As the UK hosts her Platinum Jubilee celebrations, host Marco Werman speaks to Catherine Harris, a royal historian and professor at the University of Toronto, to examine the evolution and significance of her role as monarch beyond the UK and the complicated relationship the crown has with its former colonies and current members of the commonwealth.

Turkish officials have formally petitioned the United Nations for a name change from Turkey to Türkiye. The spelling and pronunciation match the name of the country in Turkish. Government officials have already begun using the new spelling, but the uptake has been slow among the general public.

Japan's government has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. But the resource-poor island nation has struggled to wean itself off coal. Last month, one railway in Tokyo switched its entire network to electricity derived from renewable energy. It’s the first time a railway has become entirely net carbon neutral. For a city that transports 20 million people by train every day, the reduction in carbon emissions is substantial. From Tokyo, Thisanka Siripala reports.

In Glasgow, Scotland, on Wednesday, Ukraine's national soccer team faced off against the Scottish team. For Ukraine, this was their first match since Feb. 24, the day Russia invaded Ukraine and upended life for the whole country. To add a cherry on top, Ukraine ended up beating Scotland 3-1. Host Marco Werman speaks with Andrew Todos, a British Ukrainian soccer journalist and the founder of Zorya Londonsk, a website devoted to Ukrainian soccer.

As the US Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on legal abortion, we have been looking at the issue around the world. In Kenya, a recent court case there has revived the abortion debate. Conflicting legislation has stirred confusion about what is and is not illegal. The World’s Halima Gikandi brings us more from Nairobi.

A growing problem has become an acute worry as wild boars proliferate in the garbage-strewn streets of Rome. The problem is now so bad that the city has banned picnics and imposed curfews after residents were attacked. Swine fever (fortunately, harmless to humans) is running rampant among the boar population, and officials have prolonged the hunting season to try and control it — but with tourists about to descend on Rome in record numbers, it's hard to see how this problem will go away. John Last reports.

Thailand has been slowly chipping away at its marijuana laws for years — and now, it’s about to decriminalize possession. The government is even urging citizens to grow weed themselves. Officials will kickstart this new era by handing out 1 million cannabis plants. They’ve touted this sea change as a way for citizens, their financial fortunes worsened by the pandemic, to make cash, in part by selling to tourists. Technically, cannabis will reside in a gray “medical only” zone, but officials acknowledge they won’t be able to monitor smokers and simply encourage people to use it “the right way.” The World's Patrick Winn reports from Bangkok.

Some Western museums have begun returning the famed Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, but the process has been slow, bureaucratic and uneven. What if Nigerians could bypass all of that and take the Bronzes back right now? The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports on a NFT art project that does just that.

A truce between warring parties in Yemen, first implemented on April 2, has been renewed. Host Marco Werman speaks with Hisham al-Omeisy, senior Yemen adviser for the European Institute for Peace. He talks about what was accomplished in the first two months of the truce, and what its extension represents to Yemenis after more than seven years of war.

Hundreds of flights have been grounded across Europe this week with British airports particularly badly affected. Airport and airline operators blame the ending of COVID-19-related restrictions and a lack of trained employees for the delays. The British government says the industry is to blame for not being better prepared. Is this a sign of what’s ahead for travelers wanting to fly abroad this summer? The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Residents in Shanghai were counting down the seconds until the strike of midnight last night. People were celebrating in the streets as Shanghai's COVID-19 lockdown ended. Traffic, pedestrians and joggers reappeared on the streets of Shanghai after a strict two-month lockdown. However, life isn't back to normal for all of Shanghai's 25 million residents. About half a million people live in parts of the city still under lockdown. Since the start of the pandemic, China's zero-COVID-19 policy has faced scrutiny.

Across the world, men make up the majority of taxi drivers. But the pandemic has led some women in Turkey to take up the work, and they've been surprised by their welcome. Fariba Nawa reports from Istanbul on one woman happy to trade her desk job for a life behind the wheel.

The Maya train is a $9.8 billion infrastructure project that would connect Mexico's archaeological sites on the Yucatán Peninsula. A judge has now halted construction pending an environmental review along a stretch of the proposed railroad that's been rerouted to run through an area of jungle that is rich in ancient underground caves. Carol Hills speaks with Gustavo Ampugnani of Greenpeace Mexico about the environmental case against the Maya train project.

Two women were recently brutally killed in Pakistan, allegedly by family members, because the women wanted to divorce their husbands. The women were both born in Pakistan but Spanish residents, and had recently returned on a visit to Pakistan. Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona that the killings have hit a nerve in the Spanish Pakistani communities there, where many work to prevent forced marriages and domestic abuse.

Italian officials have been circulating a four-point peace plan for Ukraine, calling on Kyiv to give up territory to Russia. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has criticized the plan as appeasement, while the US has announced it will send Kyiv midrange rockets. The World’s Carol Hills speaks with Mark Hannah, a senior fellow at the Eurasia Group Foundation, about how US support for Ukraine might prolong the war.

It’s been seven months since El Salvador adopted bitcoin as legal currency. Since then, the price of bitcoin plunged, and the crypto market has lost billions of dollars. But President Nayib Bukele said his country is doubling down on bitcoin, and getting 500 more coins. Many are concerned it's too big of a gamble for one of the poorest countries in the continent. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports.

The Atlantic hurricane season started on Wednesday, but Mexico has already been pummeled with a Pacific hurricane, Hurricane Agatha, one of the strongest to hit this early in the year. Michael Fox reports from Mexico on how weather scientists and residents are preparing for an active hurricane season.

Germany's government has introduced a new 9 euro per month train ticket — about $9.60 — for the next few months. It's supposed to encourage Germans and tourists to take the train as gas prices surge this summer. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Jon Worth, a founder of the Trains for Europe campaign, about his excitement for the new train ticket scheme.

A US-based nongovernmental organization led by a Syrian doctor is helping teach Ukrainian health care professionals how to deal with a possible chemical attack by Russia. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

British Columbia has joined a handful of regions around the world in decriminalizing small amounts of illicit drugs. The decision, granted by the federal government, comes amid a massive overdose crisis that has only worsened during the pandemic. As The World’s Elana Gordon reports, supporters hope the policy can improve connections and reduce stigma among those most at risk.

The war in Ukraine is nearing the 100-day mark. The US and other countries have been aiding Ukraine, with money, medical equipment and weapons. However, Ukraine has been asking for more help especially as bloody fighting continues in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. On Monday, while speaking with reporters, President Joe Biden said that the US is "not going to send to Ukraine rocket systems that strike into Russia." Host Marco Werman speaks with Michael McFaul, the US ambassador to Russia from 2012 to 2014.

On the Seychelles, a collaboration between the country and three companies in the tuna fishing industry have found a way to recycle old fishing nets. Host Marco Werman spoke with Julio Morón, managing director of one of the organizations, Spanish Organization of Associated Producers of Large Tuna Freezers.

The weather in Iraq has been brutal. Dust storms have choked cities such as Baghdad and Najaf, forcing people to stay indoors. In northern Iraq, flash floods have killed at least a dozen people near the city of Erbil. Women and the poor are experiencing the worst of it, as Yasmine Mosimann reports.

Religious leaders around the world have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Pope Francis called it a “macabre regression of humanity.” But one Christian leader has been vocal in his support of the war, Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. Now, there are calls for the Moscow patriarch to face consequences for his support of the Russian invasion. The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

North Korea is taking over the rotating chair at a United Nations program on nuclear nonproliferation. The North's detractors will point out that the country is one of the worst violators on nuclear weaponry in the world. In fact, experts say that North Korea might very well be preparing to conduct another nuclear test. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

Colombian voters have rejected mainstream political parties in a first round of voting for a new president, and they’ve sent conservative millionaire businessman Rodolfo Hernández and leftist Senator Gustavo Petro to the runoff election on June 19. The World’s Latin America correspondent Jorge Valencia reports from Bogotá.

The British government has put in place a new immigration scheme for university grads graduating from top 50 universities worldwide. Universities from the Global North are heavily favored, however. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Phil Baty, chief knowledge officer at Times Higher Education, about the flaws in these new immigration rules.

In response to the string of mass shootings this year, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that his government will put forth legislation freezing all handgun sales. Still, some guns arrive in Canada illegally, often from the United States. Marco Werman interviews Paul Chiang, a member of Parliament from the Liberal Party, about Canada’s problems and the United States’ role.

Shanghai's two month lockdown is set to end on Wednesday. As more people gain access to the outdoors, The World's Rebecca Kanthor looks at the economic toll of China's strict zero-COVID-19 policy, and the ongoing challenges to a full recovery.

EU leaders agreed to punish Russia for its Ukraine invasion with sanctions banning the purchase of crude oil delivered to EU states by sea. But do the sanctions have teeth? The World’s Marco Werman talks with Adi Imsirovic, a senior research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies and the former global head of oil at Gazprom Marketing.

"Grito Ambiental!" loosely translated as "Earth Screaming" is a new song by José Cónde. The Cuban-American musician wrote it at his ranch in Costa Rica and was inspired by the musical chirps from cicadas. José Cónde plays the song for us.

Due to the volcanic “ring of fire” that stretches across Latin America and the Caribbean, the region has a vast store of geothermal reserves that could, in theory, be tapped for the creation of geothermal energy. Experts say that with more expertise and investment, Latin America could be a world leader in the creation of geothermal energy. The World's Anna Kusmer reports. (This story originally aired May 5, 2021.)

With record heat waves hitting India in recent weeks, the impacts of global warming can already be seen in developing countries. But the need to move to a green energy policy is weighed against policies that can support equitable economic growth. Nowhere in the country is this more evident than in rural parts of India where reliable energy sources aren’t always available. Enter mini-grids: localized energy distribution networks that can run on clean energy like solar. Host Marco Werman spoke with Koshy Cherail, program director for renewable energy at the Center for Science and Environment in India.

The EU has been touting wood pellets as an energy-efficient heating source for years, as it seeks to meet its commitments to the Paris climate accords. Since 2009, the European Union has classified wood pellets as "renewable." But many scientists and environmentalists disagree with this classification. They argue that cutting and burning trees emits long-stored carbon into the atmosphere at a time when scientists say we need to be drastically reducing those emissions. In Estonia, the second-largest producer of wood pellets in Europe, opponents say the felling of trees for energy harms the country's biodiversity and its rich pagan heritage. Now, the political tides for biomass are turning and it might soon be stripped of its "renewable" label in the EU. Gerry Hadden reports.

There is a huge need for more renewable energy, but just because it comes from the wind or the sun, it doesn't mean there is no environmental or community cost. Indigenous communities in southern Mexico complain that wind farms aren't paying them for use of their land, and the windmills themselves drop oil and metal parts. Reporter Michael Fox visits the latest wind farm to open in Mexico.

A study last month from the UK and Sweden found that most people, regardless of their cultural backgrounds, think vanilla is the most pleasant smell there is. The World's Carol Hills has more.

South Africa experienced the worst shortages of the yeasty toast topping, marmite, since the end of apartheid. Why? The gooey substance is a byproduct of making alcohol, which was banned when COVID-19 was ravaging the country. It's finally coming back on the shelves but Dylan Barry, a writer for The Economist in Johannesburg, says the jars are being snapped up by those desperate to get their hands on it.

We have long known that mosquitoes are attracted to humans. Now, Princeton researchers have discovered which chemical compounds in human odor cause one species — the mosquito that carries zika, dengue and yellow fever — to zero in on people. And as The World's Stephen Snyder reports, the research involved gene splicing, mosquito brain surgery, and collecting body odors from human volunteers.

When Ren Louie was growing up in Victoria, British Columbia, he didn't get to read many children's books about Indigenous people. This lack of representation led to him feeling disengaged with reading. Now, in his early 20s, Louie has taken it upon himself to change that. His debut children's book is called "Drum From the Heart." The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Over the past two years of the pandemic, Taiwan has been a role model of sorts for how a democracy can function under a zero Covid-19 policy. This year, the country has changed tack and has taken on a "live with the virus" approach. Host Carol Hills spoke with epidemiologist and former vice president of Taiwan, Dr. Chen Chien-jen, to find out how the island is now leading the way in this new approach.

Israeli police attacked Palestinian mourners during the funeral procession of Shireen Abu Akleh on Friday in Jerusalem. Israeli police claimed rocks and projectiles were thrown at them. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Oren Ziv, an independent journalist present at the funeral, to understand what exactly happened.

In what is perhaps one of the most unlikely casting decisions of all time, renowned chimp expert Jane Goodall is fronting a campaign for underwear for the Australian company Boody. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

A group of Mexican American artists recently traveled from Southern California to a historic Mexico City neighborhood. They left behind a mural that they said they hope will be a seed to further ties between Chicano and Mexican cultures. The World’s Latin America correspondent Jorge Valencia reports.

This week, Costa Rica’s president declared a state of emergency over a month of devastating cyberattacks by Conti ransomware. According to the FBI, Conti has been responsible for over $150 million in ransom payouts in recent years, making it the costliest documented ransomware. Host Carol Hills spoke with Allan Liska, a ransomware researcher at Recorded Future, which is a cybersecurity company based in the US. He joins us from Stanford, California.

On Friday, for the first time since Russia attacked Ukraine, a Russian soldier appeared in court. He's accused of committing war crimes in Ukraine. The man's name is Vadim Shishimarin. He's 21 years old. He appeared handcuffed before a district court in Kyiv for a preliminary hearing. Host Carol Hills speaks with Sergey Vasiliev, a professor of international criminal law at the University of Amsterdam.

About 16,000 foreign volunteers are on Ukraine’s front lines. This week, Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Solohub sat down with the International Legion of Ukraine fighters stationed east of Kharkiv. The World’s Carol Hills talks with Solohub, and hears his interview with Glenna, a Utah native who provides front-line medical care to fighters.

Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is aiming for a comeback. The former labor leader served two terms as president of the country, during which time he launched social programs, lifting millions from poverty. But last time he tried to run for president, he was blocked by a corruption conviction that sent him to jail for 580 days. That conviction was overturned, and Michael Fox reports Lula is now a frontrunner, though incumbent president Jair Bolsonaro could still pull off a victory, and the country remains deeply polarized.

Joseph Joel John was extradited from Jamaica to the US and accused of aiding in a plot to kidnap and assassinate Haiti's President Jovenel Moïse on July 7, 2021. So far, dozens of people have been arrested by both Haitian and US authorities in connection to the murder, including Colombian and Haitian American citizens. But so far, the investigations have yielded little and the leadership vacuum in Haiti has left the country in a state of chaos. Host Carol Hills speaks to Jacqueline Charles, a reporter for the Miami Herald.

The Taliban in Afghanistan have announced new rules requiring women to cover their faces when in public. The decree also says that women should only leave home when necessary. This is the latest in a series of restrictions imposed on women since the Taliban came to power last summer. The World’s Shirin Jaafari spoke with Afghan women to get their reaction.

Thousands of Iraq’s Yazidis have fled the Sinjar district again after massive clashes this week between the Iraqi army and a militia tied to the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. The displacement is a setback for efforts of the ethno-religious minority to return to their historic heartland after they fled the area during ISIS' violent occupation. Sinjar is caught in a geopolitical tug of war between Iraq, the Kurdistan region, Iran and Turkey. Yasmine Mosiman reports from Sinjar that those who suffer most are survivors of genocide, who must choose between squalid camps and their contested homeland.

Lebanon has struggled over the past few years with one crisis after another. But this weekend, it has a chance to change course when parliamentary elections are held on Sunday. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Mosbah Saket, a Lebanese parliamentary candidate from the northern city of Tripoli, about his candidacy and why he still has hope for Lebanon.

Google Translate, the automatic translation app, is adding 24 new languages — including its first Indigenous languages from the Americas. Host Carol Hills explains the tech behind the advance, and the potential impact of providing instant translation for people texting in these previously unsupported languages.

As much as we’d like to be done, COVID-19 and the possibility of new variants are still a threat. The US alone has officially surpassed 1 million reported deaths. Cases are also up in more than 70 countries. On Thursday, the White House co-led a high-profile gathering of global leaders, to try to reenergize the pandemic response amid a growing fatigue. The World’s Elana Gordon reports on the uphill effort.

On Thursday, Finland's president and prime minister announced their support for joining NATO. It's a reversal of a decadeslong stance of neutrality for the Nordic country in relation to Europe's NATO-Russia divide. Moscow was not happy about this announcement and Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would take “retaliatory steps” in response. Host Carol Hills spoke with Anna Wieslander, director for Northern Europe at the Atlantic Council. She joined the show from Stockholm.

A new aerial survey shows a mass coral bleaching event on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. The World’s host Marco Werman explains how rising water temperatures are robbing Australia's coral of its color, and threatening its future.

The world’s most-watched live music event is, of course, Eurovision. The international song contest goes back to the 1950s, and organizers have always tried to keep politics out of it. But this year, with the war in Ukraine raging, the emerging consensus is that Ukraine is going to be this year’s big winner, because of, well, politics. The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Dengue cases are on the rise across Brazil, and hitting places that aren't used to seeing the disease. Michael Fox reports on why infections unexpectedly fell and have risen again during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what public health experts are doing to catch up now.

Cuba is trying to get its tourism sector back to pre-pandemic levels. Numbers were up in 2021, with Russians accounting for 40% of all visitors to the island nation. But the war in Ukraine has upended that reliable source of tourists. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with Elias Amor Bravo, a Cuban economist living in Spain.

As the US Supreme Court weighs in on Roe v. Wade, we continue our roundup of abortion rights in countries across the globe. In India, abortion has been legal, within certain confines, for more than 50 years. To unpack what those rights entail, Chhavi Sachdev talked to Suchitra Dalvie from the Asia Safe Abortion Partnership.

Navigating the US immigration system is complicated and it's typically expensive. Many can't afford a lawyer. Stephanie Daniel reports that students at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder are learning the law by providing free legal services to immigrants in the community. Many of them come from immigrant families themselves.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines testified on Capitol Hill yesterday, warning that Russian President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine could become “more unpredictable and potentially escalatory.” Former CIA Director Leon Panetta speaks with The World’s host Marco Werman.

In its attempts to phase out Russian gas, Germany plans to build six liquified natural gas terminals to accept compressed and shipped natural gas from non-Russian producers, including the US. The climate and economy minister ceremonially started construction for the first floating terminal last week. Now, environmental activists and communities where the terminals are proposed are protesting. They worry that building expensive new infrastructure will lock in use of natural gas in Germany for far longer than global climate targets allow for. The World's environment correspondent Carolyn Beeler reports from the North Sea coast in Germany.

Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Abu Akleh was covering an Israeli army raid in the Jenin refugee camp when she died. Palestinians are blaming the Israeli military for the journalist's death. Meanwhile, Israel is neither confirming nor denying responsibility. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Palestinian American journalist Dalia Hatuqa about how she will remember her friend and colleague as a person and professional.

A love of food brought together a rural Vermonter and a cook from the Isaan region of Thailand. Mikaela Lefrak brings us the story of a restaurant in small-town Vermont that is receiving a lot of attention for its excellent regional Thai cuisine.

As COVID-19 restrictions relax across the globe, the demand for traveling is back to prepandemic levels. However, the leisure industry is facing many challenges, so American travelers might not want to go too far.

In order to reuse its Electron rocket and save costs, the US-New Zealand company Rocket Lab attempted to catch Electron with a helicopter today upon its reentry. The World's host Marco Werman tells us it worked — sort of — though Rocket Lab says it was a success.

Ukrainian poet Iya Kiva is no stranger to war. In 2014, she had to flee her hometown of Donetsk. And now she is a war refugee again. The World's Sarah Birnbaum interviews Kiva about war, loss and trauma. [NOTE: This story was preempted by live coverage of Supreme Court hearings on March 21, 2022.]

Immigrants with foreign medical degrees and certifications hoping to work in the US, can't get easily licensed. Even experienced medical professionals have to go back to school for years to be able to work as doctors and nurses again. With a critical shortage of healthcare workers, Maine Public Radio's Ari Snider reports that some states have tried to speed the process along, but most efforts have failed.

The leaked draft opinion suggesting that the Supreme Court has a majority to overturn Roe v. Wade has implications both domestically and globally. If it is overturned, abortion bans could take effect in half of the 50 states. Globally, it could affect US funding for reproductive health around the world. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with Terry McGovern, chair of the Department of Population and Family Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health.

The Nord Stream 2 pipeline ends in the village of Lubmin, which has a population of about 2,000. It was a seaside village in former Soviet East Germany. The pipeline’s cancellation has cost approximately a dozen jobs there and an estimated $2 million in annual tax revenue that was expected to come in. Now, the future of Nord Stream 1 is uncertain too. The World’s Carolyn Beeler visits the village to speak to locals about the impact of a full Russian energy shutdown on the local economy, and visits a shuttered nuclear power plant nearby to learn how Lubmin was impacted by international politics in a big way before.

In India, the month of Ramadan was marked by a rise in attacks against Muslims, the country's largest minority. Hardline Hindu nationalists have stoked communal violence, and the government has done little to stop it. The World's host Marco Werman speaks to Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, who says the violent trend is likely to continue.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was in Thailand yesterday. It was the third stop on a world tour to meet with leaders in South East Asia and Europe. Host Marco Werman spoke with Yuki Tatsumi, director of the Japan program at The Stimson Center in Washington.

Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández is likely to spend the rest of his life in a US prison, after having been extradited to New York on drug trafficking and weapons charges. And his legacy of corruption, state violence and inequality will also stay with Honduras for many years to come. So, how is the government of his successor Xiomara Castro, who was sworn in this January, approaching that uphill battle to bring stability to her beleaguered nation? The World’s Latin America correspondent Jorge Valencia reports.

Russian troops resumed bombing a steel plant in the port city of Mariupol today, even though many civilians are apparently still trapped inside the factory. More than 100 Ukrainians who had escaped from bunkers below the steelworks have arrived in Kyiv-controlled Zaporizhzhia. The World’s host Marco Werman gets the latest from reporter Volodymyr Solohub in the Ukrainian capital.

Host Marco Werman has an appreciation of Régine Zylberberg, better known just as Régine, who went from being an orphan during WWII to the woman best known for creating the world's first discotheque, leading to a massive global nightclub dance culture.

The metaverse is shorthand for digital worlds, often experienced through a headset, that are super immersive. Tech gurus predict that moving forward this is how many people will spend time online. It’s the reason Facebook changed its name to Meta. But South Korea’s government doesn’t want Silicon Valley to monopolize the metaverse. As The World’s Patrick Winn reports, the Asian tech hub is spending nearly $200 million into the creation of virtual worlds, ultimately hoping to create 1.5 million new jobs.

Trevor Noah ended his roast of politicians and the media at the 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner with a powerful reminder of those of us in the world who benefit from press freedoms, evoking the Russian journalists who don't.

Tunisian President Kais Saied's recent decision to dissolve parliament made international headlines. It's the latest turn in more than eight months of political turmoil, and a worrying sign that Tunisia's fragile democracy will soon be over. So, why do ordinary Tunisians appear to be ignoring the red flags? Lilia Blaise reports from Tunis.

Amid hiring season in Japan, a new crop of employees seems to be ditching the long standard of career ambitions: You get a job and you grow with the company until you retire. Ulrike Schaede, professor of Japanese business at the University of California, San Diego, tells host Marco Werman that the pandemic acted like a “steroid,” accelerating a shift in what employees want out of a job. More and more, it’s work-life balance and more control over their career trajectories.

The world's largest art show kicked off this week in Italy. The Venice Biennale features exhibitions from countries across the world, each in their own pavilions. This year, the Nordic pavilion handed its space over to art made by the Indigenous people of Arctic Europe, the Saami. From Venice, John Last reports on how the show challenges the modern-day borders created by colonialism, and casts a new light on the difficulties created by the war in Ukraine.

Eid al-Fitr is the three-day Muslim festival which marks the end of fasting for Ramadan. The holiday is largely centered around food and gathering with loved ones for a meal. We spoke with people across the globe to hear about their favorite celebration foods.

Trauma surgeons in San Diego are finding that the number of immigrants attempting to climb the border wall from Mexico into California has increased, and so have injuries and deaths from falling. The surge has put massive pressure on the area's already stressed trauma units, and doctors say it is an "unseen medical crisis," as the number of immigrants scaling the border wall is on the rise. Host Marco Werman speaks to Dr. Amy Liepert, medical director of acute care surgery at UC San Diego Health.

The fate of hundreds of Ukrainians sheltering in bunkers beneath a steel plant in Mariupol remains unknown. More than 100 civilians from the plant are expected to arrive in Zaporizhzhia, about 140 miles northwest of Mariupol today. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with Associated Press reporter Cara Anna who is in Zaporizhzhia.

In Southern Ukraine, some people are fleeing the besieged port city of Mariupol. Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that a first group of 100 people were being evacuated from the Azovstal steel plant. At the same time, Russia continues to bombard Ukraine as most of its ground troops are concentrated in the eastern Donbas region. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with retired US Army General Mark Hertling, who served in the US Army for more than 35 years.

The US Army has delivered a birthday cake to a woman in Italy to replace one that was stolen by US soldiers in 1945. It comes just in time for her 90th birthday. Marco Werman tells the story of Meri Mion and the cake that was swiped just before her 13th birthday.

Based on a true story, a new film called "Firebird" follows two soldiers who fall in love on a Soviet Air Force base in occupied Estonia during the Cold War. The pair have to navigate Communist rule, knowing their budding relationship could lead to severe punishment. Now, being released against the backdrop of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, filmmakers say they never could have known how relevant the story would be. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Indian Muslims are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan with great fanfare and community spirit in the lead up to the Eid holiday. After two years of strict lockdowns — during which social gatherings were banned and people could only celebrate with their families — there is much festivity, but also an undercurrent of tension.

Niger is a poor country in the African Sahel region that has become nearly devoid of trees after decades of drought, land-clearing and demand for firewood. But since the 1980s, a local and free solution, spread by word of mouth among Niger's farmers, has added 200 million new trees to the landscape. And it all started with tree stumps. The World’s host Carol Hills speaks with a forest geographer about the success of Niger's reforestation efforts and what it could mean for other countries.

There was some doubt whether Ukraine would be able to participate in the Venice Biennale exhibition at all. Now, after a last-minute escape from the eastern city of Kharkiv, one of the country's lead artists, Pavlo Makov, has become a spokesperson for Ukraine’s cultural resistance. John Last reports from Venice about how Ukrainian artists and curators were able to pull it off.

This week, Kenyans are mourning the recent death of former President Mwai Kibaki, who led the country from 2002 to 2012. He leaves behind a mixed legacy. Many see him as Kenya's "gentleman politician," who helped supercharge the country's economy and development. But that legacy is marred by ethnic violence and corruption. As Kenyans prepare for an upcoming presidential election in August, they are revisiting his legacy. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from the capital Nairobi.

The chief of Frontex, Europe's border security agency, has resigned. This followed a report by a media consortium, which reported on alleged abuses toward migrants seeking shelter in Europe. The World's host Carol Hills spoke with Klaas van Dijken, a journalist and director with the Lighthouse Reports nonprofit organization, about the allegations and what comes next for Europe's border security.

French President Emmanuel Macron had a clear victory in last week's elections, beating far-right rival Marine Le Pen by 17 points. But, in many of the French territories in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean, the tables were turned, and LePen captured a large majority of the vote. Rebecca Rosman reports why voters from these places chose a far-right candidate, who has been accused of racism.

The United States — historically and currently — plays a leading role in the global response to disease threats and pandemics. But according to Jeremy Konyndyk, director of the US Agency for International Development's COVID-19 task force, those efforts are struggling right now. The World’s host Carol Hills speaks with Konyndyk about why momentum and support are slowing, and what that means globally.

Around the world, reported cases and deaths from COVID-19 are at an all time low. But global health leaders this week warned that the world still remains extremely vulnerable. The World's Elana Gordon has more on why.

Host Marco Werman introduces us to musician Nilufer Yanya from London, a creative force who did not want to be pinned down to a girl-group marketing scheme when she was 15. That allowed her, not surprisingly, to carve her own path.

Host Marco Werman introduces us to musician Nilufer Yanya from London, a creative force who did not want to be pinned down to a girl-group marketing scheme when she was 15. That allowed her, not surprisingly, to carve her own path.

France said it was packing up and leaving Mali back in February. For nearly a decade, French troops fought extremist groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaeda in the West African country. Two months later, 5,000 French troops remain in Mali and other neighboring countries. Host Marco Werman spoke with Daniel Eizenga, a research fellow at the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington.

In Pope Francis’s general audience at the Vatican on Wednesday, he urged Catholic husbands and wives to go easy on their mothers-in-law. The World’s Marco Werman reports.

Explosions this week in Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria, bordering Ukraine, are raising further questions about Russian plans in the region. It's not clear who was behind the explosions. But a Russian military commander said last week that the Kremlin plans to set up a corridor through southern Ukraine, connecting it to the separatist region of Transnistria, where about 1,500 Russian troops are stationed. “We are a fragile country in a fragile region,” Maia Sandu, Moldova’s president, said. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

It's been more than two months since Russia invaded Ukraine. But another conflict that Russia's been involved in hasn't fallen off of Moscow's radar: Syria. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Hanna Notte, a senior research associate at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, about Russia's continued interests in Syria.

Home prices in Canada rose 50% in 2021, far outpacing housing costs in the US. Canada's population is growing faster than most other industrialized nations, but many living there will never be able to become homeowners. Politicians are worried and are trying to hit the brakes, including banning foreigners from buying property for the next two years. But will it be enough?

Economic troubles and a volatile political situation has made life tough in Sudan. The country is still grappling with the fallout from a military coup last year. Still, amid all the chaos, people are carrying on with their lives. That includes enjoying their weekends. The World’s Halima Gikandi brings us this story from an animal rescue center in Sudan, which has become a popular place for families with children.

For decades, naval forces in several countries have used marine mammals, like dolphins, for mine detection and to patrol vulnerable waters. Now, new satellite imagery suggests Russia’s navy is using bottlenose dolphins to protect their Black Sea naval base. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with Sam LaGrone, editor of the US Naval Institute News about why dolphins are being used as military assets.

Millions of children were among the Ukrainians who fled to Poland after the Russian invasion of their country. It was the middle of their school year, and many parents have looked for ways to continue their education in Ukrainian, help them learn Polish and ease the trauma of war. Lydia Tomkiw reports on how children are keeping up with their education, and the special schools that have popped up to serve them.

Russian soldiers have occupied the southeastern Ukrainian city of Melitopol since February. The World’s host Marco Werman speaks with one of the city’s residents about the fears locals have, and how they deal with the new authorities who now control their city.

The World’s host Marco Werman introduces us to the Swedish family band Kolonien, a quartet that has led a folk revival for years. They are now somewhat of a house band for the environmental movement there.

It’s day two of a fire at a landfill in India’s capital, New Delhi. The monumental pile of waste at the Bhalswa dump is taller than a 17-story building and covers over 50 football fields-worth of space. The fire is raging amid a record-breaking heatwave across parts of Pakistan and India. The World’s Host Marco Werman spoke with Bharati Chaturvedi, the founder of Chintan, an environmental research and action group in India, who is based in New Delhi.

In April 1989, the American band Sonic Youth played for a crowd in Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv. In the audience was a teenaged Eugene Hutz, future founder of the rock band Gogol Bordello. Hutz tells The World how this concert changed his life and inspired him to find his own musical voice when he emigrated from Ukraine.

A scholar in Moscow was briefly detained at the end of February for protesting Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While hundreds of thousands of other Russians fled the country, this man decided to stay. The World’s host Marco Werman checks in with him to find out how he's doing as the Kremlin cracks down on dissent.

The US and Russia agreed to an unexpected prisoner swap today. Russia released former US marine Trevor Reed from custody, while the US released a Russian pilot. Both men were facing long prison sentences. The World's host Marco Werman spoke with Mary Ilyushina, a reporter for the Washington Post, about the rare diplomacy between the two countries.

Military courts in Myanmar convicted Aung San Suu Kyi of corruption today. This increases the likelihood that the pro-democracy icon, now 76, will spend the rest of her life in prison. Suu Kyi was the country’s political leader until February 2021 when the military ousted her in a coup and locked her up, accusing her of a slew of crimes. The corruption charges bring her total sentence to 11 years, but she's facing charges that could bring on a prison term of more than 150 years. The World’s Patrick Winn speaks with host Marco Werman from Bangkok.

American crypto investors are flocking to Puerto Rico, lured by massive tax breaks and tropical weather. The growing community is hoping to attract curious locals. But as the world’s Tibisay Zea reports, not everybody on the island is happy about the newcomers.

Yesterday, we ran a story about Portugal's Golden Visa Program. The story gave the impression that foreigners can still purchase homes in popular areas, such as Lisbon, in order to qualify. But that part of the program ended on Jan. 1 of this year. Home buyers would have to purchase an older property in a rural area in order to be eligible for a Portuguese residency card. We apologize that this was not clearly stated.

Photographer Debdatta Chakraborty took the top prize at the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year competition. The winning photo, “Kebabiyana,” shows a kebab vendor engulfed in smoke at a street food market in Srinagar, in Indian-administered Kashmir. The World's Marco Werman has more.

In eastern Ukraine, Russian military forces are slowly making gains, capturing small villages as they continue to bombard the country with heavy artillery. Ukraine, though, is pushing back, with the support of weapons provided by the US and other partners. Yesterday, military leaders and diplomats from 40 nations, including the US, gathered in Germany. Many of them committed to supporting Ukraine's military with more weapons shipments. The World’s Host Marco Werman speaks with Vincent Castillo, a Professor of Logistics, at The Ohio State University. He also served for eight years as an infantry officer in the Army National Guard.

Moscow on Wednesday said it has cut off Poland and Bulgaria from receiving Russian gas, because the two countries have failed to make their payments in rubles, something Vladimir Putin has demanded. The European Union has countered that Russia is trying to blackmail countries that support Ukraine. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Environment Correspondent Carolyn Beeler, who is in Berlin, about the immediate implications of Moscow’s move.

Host Marco Werman digs into the music vaults for an appropriate accompaniment to an interview on aging, and the fact that women generally live longer than men, and shares with us Harry Belafonte, now 95 himself, and his classic "Man Smart (Woman Smarter)."

The oldest-known person in the world, Kane Tanaka of Japan, has died at the age of 119. Host Marco Werman discusses her longevity and the lives of other supercentenarians with Thomas Perls, a professor at Boston University School of Medicine and founder of the New England Centenarian Study.

Twitter is one of the world's most-influential public spaces. Its purchase by Elon Musk, who calls himself a “free speech absolutist,” is likely to shake up the role the global media platform plays. The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Human Rights Watch researcher Yaqiu Wang about how the Twitter sale might reverberate in China.

The children’s music Grammy generated some headlines last year when all the nominees were white, leading some nominees to resign in protest. This year, all the nominees in this category are artists of color. The World’s Sarah Birnbaum reports that the change strikes some nominees as bittersweet.

The mural has a long history in Mexico, with its most famous being created in the 1920s. Iztapalapa is on the outskirts of Mexico City, and it's at the heart of a trend to create new murals. Initially, the murals in Iztapalapa were designed to produce streets where women felt safe walking alone; but they took on a life of their own. The Economist's Mexico bureau chief Sarah Birke tells their story.

Sri Lanka witnessed major protests today at the presidential palace in the country's capital, Colombo. The protesters were angry over the shortages and prices of fuel and food. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Sri Lankan human rights activist Ruki Fernando about the causes behind the shortages and how they’ve affected the country.

This week, serious flooding hit communities on Australia’s east coast once again. It’s the second time in a month that heavy rains caused rivers to rise and people to head for higher ground. Hardest hit have been the popular surfing city Byron Bay and the nearby Lismore. Carol Hills spoke with Margaret Cook, a historian and author of the book, “A River with a City Problem: A History of Brisbane Floods," and learned that the flood historian experienced some flooding of her own.

For the past two years, COVID-19 safety measures have prevented many of the world's 1.8 billion Muslims from coming together in large groups for nightly meals during Ramadan. This year, the coronavirus is not as big of a worry. But sky-high food prices across the Middle East and North Africa are putting a damper on gatherings. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on what's driving the increase.

Today, Pope Francis apologized for the Roman Catholic Church's role in “deplorable” abuses at Canada's residential schools. He spoke of his indignation and shame, and promised to come to Canada for an official visit. First Nations, Inuit and Métis delegates met with the Pope at midday, capping a week of meetings at the Vatican. Host Carol Hills speaks with Katsitsionni Fox, who traveled with the delegates and attended today’s ceremony.

There's a skyrocketing number of people attempting to cross the Darién Gap, the challenging terrain of mountainous and dense jungle connecting South and Central America. Many are Venezuelans fleeing economic and political turmoil at home. To better understand what's motivating these departures, Carol Hills spoke with Colombia-based reporter Manuela Rueda.

The number of people passing through the Darién Gap in recent months has gone down. But a rising number of people from Venezuela have been making the risky crossing in recent weeks. The World's Tibisay Zea reports on what is motivating Venezuelans to take one of the world's most dangerous routes for migrants.

Today, Friday, April 1, at noon, the official draw for the eight groupings of the 32 teams that will compete in the 2022 soccer World Cup in Qatar. Host Carol Hills raises the curtain briefly on the event.

In recent years, world leaders have grappled with the question of how climate change will impact people's lives in the future. But in Somalia, climate change is already having a profound impact on people's lives and their sources of livelihood. The current drought, which has displaced more than 600,000 people, is the latest example of that. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Galkayo, Somalia.

Six weeks after Russia invaded Ukrainian territory, the war rages on. Russia's military has made gains in southern and eastern Ukraine, but Ukraine's military continues to push back with force. Ukrainian officials believe that Russia may be changing its strategy to focus on holding onto its territorial gains. Host Carol Hills speaks with Michael Kofman, director of the Russia studies program at the Center for Naval Analyses.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has given various reasons to justify his decision to order an attack on Ukraine. But one thing he talked about early on was religion. Putin suggested that Orthodox Christians in Ukraine were under threat and needed protection. Putin is also getting steady support from Patriarch Kirill, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow. Kirill has said that this war is necessary and a fight of good against evil. How do religion and nationalism play a role in this conflict? This special podcast episode is part of The World’s “Sacred Nation” reporting project.

Cherry trees are blossoming early this year in places such as Tokyo, Washington, DC, and Vancouver, Canada. Scientists at the University of British Columbia were curious to learn about peak cherry blossom times around the globe and what they can tell us about climate change Host Marco Werman has the story.

As the Russian military wages war in Ukraine, inside Russia, the government is clamping down even harder on its efforts to control the press. Using the word "war" or "invasion" referring to the situation in Ukraine is not tolerated. Moscow has also branded several publications as "foreign agents" or "extremist organizations." Earlier this week, the country's last remaining independent newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, said it was suspending operations. Ivan Kolpakov is the editor in chief of Meduza, a Russian-language online news publication based in Latvia. He speaks to host Marco Werman from Riga, Latvia.

Egypt received billions of dollars worth of investments from Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar this week. A lot of it has to do with the war in Ukraine and the price of wheat. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Mirette F. Mabrouk, director of the Egypt program at the Middle East Institute, about the state of Egypt's economy.

On April 5, the International Criminal Court (ICC) will take up the case of a Janjaweed leader who is charged with rape, torture and murder in the Darfur region of Sudan during 2003 and 2004. It is the first trial at the ICC to address war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Darfur. Marco Werman speaks with Rebecca Hamilton, associate professor of law at American University's Washington College of Law, and author of the book, "Fighting for Darfur."

Somalia has been through severe drought before. In 2011, drought in the Horn of Africa killed more than 250,000 people. Now, the United Nations is warning that Somalia is on the brink of famine once again, facing the worst drought in more than 40 years. Already, there are reports of rising child malnutrition, livestock dying, and half-a-million people leaving their homes in search of food and water. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports from Somalia.

You break a bone, there’s a doctor. Your car breaks down, there’s a mechanic. But if your smartphone stops working, it’s often easier to just buy a new one. But the constant churn of trashing and buying new electronics isn’t just bad for your wallet, it’s also bad for the environment. To reduce e-waste, Austria is starting a nationwide program to encourage consumers to repair the old, instead of buying the new. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sepp Eisenriegler, the owner of the Repair and Service Center in Austria and also helped found Umweltberatung, an environmental consulting organization.

The Biden administration plans to end contentious COVID-19 border restrictions created by the Trump administration. Title 42, launched at the beginning of the COVID–19 epidemic, allows US Customs and Border Protection to expel migrants back to their home countries or to Mexico, in the name of infection control, without allowing them to seek legal protection to stay in the US. Host Marco Werman speaks to Julia Preston, who covers immigration for The Marshall Project.

An abortion rights activist is going on trial for the first time in Europe — charged with helping a woman to have an abortion. Justyna Wydrzyńska with the Polish activist group the Abortion Dream Team faces trial in Warsaw on April 8. The Polish government passed a law in January 2021 making abortion illegal in all but the most exceptional of circumstances. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Russian officials claim they are scaling back their military offensive in Ukraine. Marie Yovanovitch isn’t buying it. The former US ambassador to Ukraine tells The World’s Marco Werman she thinks Moscow isn’t ready for real peace negotiations.

Six weeks into the war in Ukraine, with gas prices rising for American consumers, President Joe Biden has ordered the release of 180 million barrels of oil from the US strategic reserves. That's the largest ever. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Carolyn Beeler about what the move will likely mean for global energy markets and the environment.

A four-legged robot built by Boston Dynamics has been deployed to wander around the ruins of ancient Pompeii, Italy, identifying structural and safety issues while inspecting underground tunnels dug by relic thieves. Host Carol Hills tells how Spot the robot dog is helping archaeological park managers gather data to help preserve and protect the historical site.

Brazil is known for its successful anti-tobacco policies and low smoking rate. But it's now considering lifting a ban on e-cigarettes. Proponents argue that the devices might help wean people off of smoking, but Theo Ruprecht reports from São Paulo that, even though they are illegal, e-cigarettes are disproportionately being used by young people smoking for the first time.

A 35-year-old British woman breaks the world record by rowing solo for 3,000 miles. Victoria Evans rowed from the Spanish Canary Islands to Barbados in 41 days to help improve the conditions for women in sports.

The British Museum opened a new Stonehenge exhibit this month examining the wider prehistoric world surrounding Stonehenge. The period described by the museum — from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age — echoes “a restless and highly connected" world we live in today, with migration, social change and advances in technology. Host Marco Werman spoke with the exhibit's curator Neil Wilkin.

The Jewish composer Eugen Engel died at Sobibor extermination camp before he could see his life's work, “Grete Minde,” performed. The score was buried away in a San Francisco basement for nearly 80 years. Now, it has been brought to life at last. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

In southern Ukraine, Russian forces are bombarding the port city of Mariupol. The city's mayor, Vadym Boichenko, called it a humanitarian catastrophe. Mariupol is being besieged by Russian forces — people in the city lack electricity and access to food and water. According to Ukrainian authorities, about 160,000 residents remain in Mariupol. Before the war, the city had a population of about 430,000. Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Solohub speaks with host Carol Hills from Zaporizhzhia, in southern Ukraine.

What's it like to interview Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in person right now? We hear from a reporter who got inside Zelenskiy's bunker location. Arkady Ostrovsky is Russia and is the Eastern Europe editor of The Economist.

A Palestinian gunman shot and killed five people on Tuesday night in a town outside of Tel Aviv, Israel. The victims were two young Israeli fathers, a police officer and two immigrants from Ukraine. This was the third deadly attack in the last week. Israel's prime minister, Naftali Bennett, said the country is facing "a new wave of terror." Host Carol Hills gets the latest from AFP reporter Daniella Cheslow in Tel Aviv.

Diébédo Francis Kéré, who grew up in Burkina Faso, and was one of the first children to be educated in his village, has dedicated his career to creating structures from scarce resources that serve the people of his country and other parts of Africa. Host Marco Werman speaks to him about his work.

Andriy Kolesnyk lives in a contested suburb of Kyiv called Irpin. When Russian soldiers broke into his home, they found his two passports and were convinced he was a spy. Kolesnyk explains how he survived an execution attempt, and then watched the soldiers rob his home and drink all his liquor.

The president of the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, is in Washington this week. He's making the case for international recognition of Somaliland as an independent country. The World's Halima Gikandi spoke with President Bihi about his objectives on this diplomatic mission.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is trying to push through a raft of bills that opponents have dubbed a "death combo" for the environment. One of them would allow mining on Indigenous territory. The war in Ukraine has threatened a crucial supply of fertilizer from Russia and Bolsonaro wants mining expanded to create a domestic source of fertilizer. Marco Werman speaks with Adriana Ramos, coordinator of Brazil's Socio-Environmental Institute, an influential nongovernmental organization in Brazil.

Photographer Khrystyna Kulakovska spent 15 years in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol. Now she’s trying to learn what's become of friends and family there. On Wednesday, Kulakovska reached her friend Masha who had just managed to escape from Mariupol. Kulakovska tells The World’s Marco Werman about the conversation.

When the pandemic hit his home city of Istanbul, Ahmet Faruk picked up an old passion: drawing. He wandered around the city, looking for forgotten, underappreciated buildings. Then, he brought them to life on the pages of his sketchbook. Lately, he has been focusing on Islamic architecture, specifically, mosque domes and minarets. The World’s Shirin Jaafari spoke with Faruk.

China’s zero-COVID-19 policy is being severely tested by omicron as the country battles its highest numbers of COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic two years ago. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World's Rebecca Kanthor in Shanghai, who is in lockdown with her family.

Thousands of Russians have fled their country in the past weeks — many who oppose the war, and have been longtime critics of President Vladimir Putin. But with the EU closing its skies to Russian planes, there aren’t many places they can go. This has made cities like Tbilisi, Dubai, and Istanbul new hubs for the Russian opposition. The World’s Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

European infrastructure and processes are fast developing to receive tens of thousands of new refugees. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Andrew Geddes, director of the Migration Policy Center, about the challenges for Europe as a mass of refugees arrive from war-torn Ukraine.

On the day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addresses Congress, The World’s Marco Werman takes a step back to look at the leader’s trajectory from comedian to symbol of resistance.

To some, the vision of Russian oligarchs might entail luxury yachts, private jets and palatial mansions. But in recent weeks, the US and European governments have piled on sanctions against influential Russian oligarchs. How much influence do they have over Putin? Host Marco Werman spoke to Anders Åslund, who says you can’t be a billionaire in Russia without close Kremlin connections. He’s a former Swedish diplomat and economic advisor to Russia in the 1990s after the fall of the Soviet Union.

As companies from McDonald’s to IKEA close down in Russia, ordinary Russians have rushed to get what could be their last Big Mac or Starbucks latte. But the impacts on the Russian economy are wider than the loss of big international franchises and companies. Host Marco Werman speaks with John Quelch, dean of the Herbert Business School at the University of Miami.

After two years of pandemic, there are many countries that continue to have entry restrictions because of COVID. Some, like the US, require a negative test and approved vaccination. Others, like Japan, only allow citizens and visa holders to enter. As The World’s Lucía Benavides reports, this has become one more hurdle for multinational families separated by borders.

News of the pandemic is getting complicated. That’s because globally, after several weeks of declines, reported infections are on the rise again. Host Marco Werman speaks with The World’s Elana Gordon, who’s been following the virus, about what this means.

When the Taliban seized control of the Afghan government in August of 2021, there was deep concern over the erosion of progress made over the rights of women, judicial reforms and basic human rights. Since then, poverty and food insecurity have eclipsed those concerns. Host Marco Werman speaks with Omar Samad, of the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center, about the impact of Taliban rule on daily life in Afghanistan.

In January, the EU put in place new rules that banned chemicals in some colors of tattoo ink. Tattoo artists and shop owners have been struggling since then. Tom Carstensen reports from the tattoo chair in Copenhagen.

Hungary is one of Russia’s closest allies in Europe and its prime minister, Viktor Orban has been one of President Vladimir Putin's most consistent cheerleaders. But the Russian invasion of Ukraine has made things complicated for the Hungarian leader. Ahead of a crucial election in Hungary on April 3, Orban is struggling to keep the European Union and NATO onside while not upsetting Russia. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

For one couple in New Zealand, the Guinness Book of World Records is the place that potato dreams go to die. In November, Colin and Donna Craig-Brown, of Hamilton, New Zealand, thought they had unearthed the world's biggest potato. They named the 17-pounder "Doug," put a hat on it, and wheeled it around town in a wagon. Alas, they received an email from Guinness last week stating that DNA tests cofirmed, "sadly, the specimen is not a potato." Marco Werman digs into the details.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a dual British Iranian citizen, is on her way home to the UK following her release by the Iranian government. Zaghari-Ratcliffe was detained for years due to a debt dispute between the UK and Iran. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Ali Vaez, Crisis Group's Iran project director, about the release of Zaghari-Ratcliffe and the latest in negotiations to restore the Iran nuclear deal.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed Congress on Wednesday, speaking from Kyiv from a video feed. He made an emotional appeal for more American help to fight the Russian military. Zelenskiy said peace in the world depends on strong nations leading the way. Specifically, Ukraine's president asked for America's help to close Ukraine's air space, imposing a no-fly zone. For more on Zelenskiy's speech and the Biden administration's response, host Marco Werman spoke with former US Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor.

A British singer, Tom Odell, performed Friday at a transit point for Ukrainian refugees, a train station in Romania's capital Bucharest. His song, “Another Love,” is the background for a viral TikTok video showing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a 2019 Paris peace conference that failed to end the conflict with Russia. Marco Werman has the story and the music.

Zin Mar Aung is Myanmar’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Well, she’s one of them. The country currently has two governments. A military junta that seized power in a coup last year. And a revolutionary government set up by elected officials who escaped the army’s clutches. Zin Mar Aung serves the second one. Both sides vow to destroy the other in an ongoing civil war. The World’s Patrick Winn interviewed Zin Mar Aung, who he called at an undisclosed location.

The conflict in northern Ethiopia has been marked by what the United Nations calls “extreme brutality." Especially toward women. The UN and human rights organizations have been concerned about “widespread” sexual and gender based violence. The World’s Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi recently traveled to the Amhara region to learn more.

The name Marina Ovsyannikova may not be familiar to you, but you probably have heard about what she did. Ovsyannikova is an employee of the Russian state T-V station "Channel One." On Monday, she interrupted a live news broadcast holding a hand-lettered sign protesting the war in Ukraine. She was in court on Tuesday, charged with violating administrative laws and faces up to 10 days in jail. Marco Werman has more.

Across Europe, tens of thousands of people took to the streets last weekend to protest Vladimir Putin's war against Ukraine. Many people in Russia are also protesting, often at great risk. According to OVD-Info, an independent human rights group in Russia, since Feb. 24, the day the war started, more than 14,000 people across Russia have been detained for protesting. Host Marco Werman speaks with Moscow-based political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann.

War continues in Ukraine with a steady flow of grisly news: apartment buildings bombed; a maternity ward destroyed; nearly 3 million Ukrainians refugees. But Russian state media shows an alternate version of reality, one where Russia is “iberating” Ukrainian cities from what the Kremlin calls Nazis in a so-called “peacekeeping” mission. Ukrainians with families watching Russian state media propaganda say they’re living a reality their loved ones may or may not believe — including Maria Moroz, an event planner who fled the city of Kharkiv. Every day, she video calls her relatives in Crimea, hoping to show them the truth that they won't see on TV.

Syria marked the 11th anniversary of the start of peaceful protests back in 2011 on Tuesday. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Karam AlHamad, a Syrian human rights activist, about his reflections on the start of the uprising in Syria and what advice he can offer to Ukrainians facing similar circumstances.

The Mosul University’s library in northern Iraq was known as one of the finest in the Middle East, before ISIS took control of the city in 2014. The battle to retake the city in 2017 practically destroyed the library. But since then, it has been rebuilt, and recently reopened to the public. Yasmine Mossiman was there for the reopening celebration, which represented a return to the arts and culture in a city devastated by war.

For the past two years, Hong Kong has been a COVID-19 success story. Contact tracing, quarantines, surveillance and other measures have kept the coronavirus largely at bay. Now, the omicron variant is blowing past those defenses. The virus is overwhelming hospitals and morgues, and the region is experiencing the highest per capita death rate in the world. Host Marco Werman speaks with Karen Grépin, a public health researcher at Hong Kong University, about how this happened and what can be learned.

Russia's war against Ukraine continues as the Russian military's artillery and bombing campaign intensify throughout the country. Overnight, Russian missiles hit Kyiv amid ongoing fighting in the outskirts of the city. Host Marco Werman speaks with Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Solohub, he joins the program from Kyiv.

India's first feature documentary to be nominated for an Academy Award tells the story of the only news agency in India run by Dalit women, belonging to India’s oppressed caste. The World’s Marco Werman talks with Rintu Thomas, director and producer of “Writing With Fire,” a film about journalism’s power to break traditions.

Pop superstar MØ is out with her third album. After collaborations with Justin Bieber and Major Lazer, MO decided to rewire and work with Scandinavian women. Host Marco Werman gives us a taste of her single, "Wheelspin."

To achieve climate justice, philosopher professor of Georgetown University Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò suggests the world uses the tool of reparations to connect the dots between current-day climate destruction and legacies of colonialism. Today, host Marco Werman speaks to Táíwò about his new book, "Reconsidering Reparations," and about how a global system of reparations can help redistribute wealth, prosperity and power.

In a controlled study in the UK, 36 volunteers were deliberately infected with COVID-19 to help scientists better understand the disease. In a study out this month, yet to be peer-reviewed, researchers determined that the research methods were safe. Lead researcher at Imperial College Chris Chiu explains the research methods and findings to The World's host Marco Werman.

Go to any poetry reading, and you’ll probably encounter “poet voice” — that monotone way of reading with pauses where pauses should not be. A version of poet voice exists in all aesthetic traditions, all schools and all cultures. The World’s Sarah Birnbaum reports.

The first original Netflix production is causing controversy in the Middle East. The film is called "Perfect Strangers" and explores themes of female sexual liberation, homosexuality, and beyond. The World's Marco Werman spoke with New Lines magazine Middle East editor Kareem Shaheen about the film and why it's caused so much controversy.

Refueling after grueling competition is crucial for Olympians. In Beijing, because of the COVID-19 protocols, athletes can't eat at local restaurants. That makes the dining halls and food services even more important, and it can take years to put those menus together. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Researchers in the Loango National Park in Gabon first observed an adult chimpanzee treating a wound on her son's foot by rubbing an insect on it in 2019. They took notice and commenced a 15-monthlong study to see how often it happens. Turns out, pretty regularly, and it suggests something new: that chimps have the capacity for "prosocial behaviors," basically doing something to help others when there's no cost or personal gain for them. Marco Werman speaks with Simone Pika, a professor of Comparative Bio-Cognition at University of Osnabruck in Germany and co-director of the Ozouga Chimpanzee Project in Gabon which conducted the research.

Mass protests in Sudan continue this week, more than three months after the military seized power in a coup. More than 70 people have been killed, and hundreds have been injured during these demonstrations. But that hasn't stopped a grassroots network of resistance committees. Last week, US Sen. Chris Coons said he's nominating them for a Nobel Peace prize. The World's Halima Gikandi brings us the story from Khartoum.

Natural gas prices are soaring, and that's threatening a centuries old glass industry in Venice, Italy. Glass from the island of Murano in Venice is internationally known for its crystalline, vivid colors. John Last reports on why it's difficult to make the glass industry more energy efficient.

More than 1 million Covid tests have been administered in Beijing since participants in the Winter Games began arriving there on Jan. 23. COVID-19 protocols inside the Olympics bubble are strict, and there have been complaints about the restrictions. But as Larry Lage of The Associated Press tells host Marco Werman, people inside the bubble are making it all work.

A court in India will decide whether young women attending schools and colleges in the southern Indian State of Karnataka can wear their hijab to class. Six young women who were barred from college for wearing the Muslim head scarf, filed suit and sparked protests and mobs across Karnataka, causing thousands of schools and colleges to shut down. Host Marco Werman speaks to Zakia Soman, founder of the Indian Women’s Muslim Movement.

Eighteen-year-old Chinese American athlete Eileen Gu gambled big, performing a difficult maneuver that gave her enough points to win gold in the free ski competition in Beijing. Host Marco Werman captures the moment of her breathtaking jump, and the buzz that followed.

Last week, 19 migrants were found dead from exposure near Turkey's border with Greece. Turkey has accused Greek patrol agents of arresting them, taking their clothes, and forcing them back into Turkey. Greece denies this. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from a Turkish village near where the bodies were found.

President Joe Biden and Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz met on Monday at the White House amid the crisis over Ukraine. Germany and the US are seeking to establish a united front despite small differences over the future of the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Constanze Stelzenmüller, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institution in Washington, about German-US relations and the future of the pipeline.

In Spain’s northeast region of Catalonia, Spanish is not the primary language, it’s Catalan. Since 1983, public schools there have been taught entirely in Catalan — an effort to reinstate the language after it was banned for 40 years. But that could all change after a recent ruling from Spain’s highest court demanded at least 25% of classes be taught in Spanish. The World’s Lucía Benavides reports this has reignited a decadeslong debate around language in schools.

The Israeli spyware company called NSO Group and its Pegasus software are pretty well-known at this point. The powerful spyware has been sold to authoritarian governments around the world and used by those governments to snoop on political rivals, activists, lawyers and whoever else they targeted. Now allegations are coming out that Pegasus was also being used by Israeli police to spy illegally on Israeli citizens. Reporter Ariel Oseran in Tel Aviv explains the latest to host Marco Werman.

Scientists in South Africa have figured out a way to make their own version of Moderna’s vaccine against COVID-19. It’s one part of a long process, but many view this as a big step in effort to expand access to lifesaving vaccines across Africa. So, how’d they do it? The World’s Elana Gordon reports.

Imagine a high-speed rail line running from China through Southeast Asia — all the way down to Singapore. That's a similar distance from Paris to St. Petersburg. The modern railway is called the Pan-Asia Railway and China’s government has big plans to build it. The first leg of the railway just opened in December. But the project is off to a shaky start — and there are more signs of trouble on the horizon. The World’s Patrick Winn joins us from Bangkok.

Nuclear negotiations between the US and Iran are said to have entered their final phase in Vienna. US Special Envoy Robert Malley says the Biden administration is prepared to lift most but not all sanctions. Meanwhile, Republican senators in the US have demanded that the treaty be submitted to the Senate for approval, which is a change in position from their outright opposition to the nuclear deal which the Trump administration withdrew from in 2018.

The government of President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua rounded up dozens of political opposition leaders ahead of the election in which he was reelected last November. Now, some of those dissidents are being sentenced to up to 15 years in prison for social media posts critical of the government. The World’s Latin America correspondent Jorge Valencia reports.

The presidential campaign season officially begins in the Philippines on Tuesday, with candidates holding rallies across the country. Reporter Ashley Westerman brings us the scene from the proclamation rally of Isko Moreno, mayor of Manila, and considered a proxy for current President Rodrigo Duterte, who is term-limited. And she checks in the rallies of the other front-runners, Ferdinand "Bong Bong" Marcos Jr. and Vice President Leni Robredo.

French President Emanuel Macron met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, one day after Macron met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a marathon five-hour session. Diplomatic efforts to reassure Ukraine of Western support comes as the Russian military is positioned on three sides of Ukraine. The World's Daniel Ofman explains from eastern Ukraine that people are staying calm, but preparing themselves for the worst.

Host Marco Werman tells us about the 5-year-old Moroccan boy Rayan who captivated the hearts and eyes of his country as he was trapped in a well for several days. He did not survive, but as one Middle East scholar said, Rayan showed us that regardless of creed or ethnicity, we will stand together.

Tributes pour in for the Nightingale of India, Lata Mangeshkar, who died on Sunday at the age of 92. Her singing career spanned 70 years. Reporter Chhavi Sachdev reports from Mumbai on the singer's legacy.

India was founded as a secular democracy. But more than six decades since the country's constitution laid out protections for minorities, Hindu nationalists have increasingly gone on the attack. Many have become emboldened by right-wing Hindus who are in power. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has often refused to condemn acts of violence against minorities. In fact Hindu leaders have taken part in inciting violence. Jason Palmer, who hosts the Economist's podcast The Intelligence, shares the magazine's reporting.

Over the past decade, Captagon, a stimulant drug, has become more and more popular in the Middle East. Its production saw a boost during the war in Syria and it's now thought to be one of the most popular drugs among affluent youths in the region. The World’s Shirin Jaafari reports.

Big companies around the world have promised to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by sometime before mid-century. But according to a new analysis of 25 corporate net zero targets from companies including Ikea, Google and Amazon, the math doesn't add up for many of these pledges. Host Marco Werman has more.

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict began in 2014, Russia has tried to exploit and pressure Ukraine on the battlefield and also in cyberspace. Over the past eight years, Ukraine has bolstered its cyberdefense capabilities, however, it has still suffered from severe cyberattacks. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Kyiv.

Ottawa’s mayor has declared a state of emergency, calling ongoing truckers' protests against COVID-19 restrictions "completely out of control.” The World’s Marco Werman speaks with Stephanie Carvin, Ottawa resident and former national security analyst for the Canadian government, about how officials hope to tap down the protests and whether coercion might be counterproductive.

Thousands demonstrated in major cities across Brazil this weekend, decrying the fatal beating of a Congolese immigrant that was captured on a security camera. The Brazilian government has yet to speak out about the killing, but protestors say the death of Moise Kabagambe is part of a larger pattern of racial violence. Reporter Michael Fox has the story.