The World: Latest Stories

In 1848, Ranald MacDonald, the son of a Chinook chief and a Scottish settler, staged a shipwreck near Rishiri Island to gain entry into Japan - then a closed country under isolationist policies. Despite being briefly imprisoned upon his arrival in Japan, MacDonald ultimately became a highly influential figure in fostering US-Japan relations. Rebecca Rosman brings us the story from Rishiri Island, in Hokkaido.This story originally aired on Feb. 4, 2025.

Fans of Hello Kitty might be drawn to the simple lines of the cartoon, or the "cute" style of Japanese culture. Leslie Bow takes the conversation much deeper. When Hello Kitty had her 50th birthday in Fall 2024, Host Carolyn Beeler talked to Bow about Hello Kitty's global fame and the meaning of the "Kawaii" style. Bow is a professor of English and Asian American Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.This interview originally aired on Oct. 31, 2024.

Japan's government says keeping older folks in the workforce is one way it hopes to bolster its economy as the working-age population decreases. But most medium- and large-scale Japanese companies are enacting mandatory retirement ages - at 60 or 65. As The World's Carolyn Beeler reports, those policies are complicating efforts to keep people working longer.This story originally aired on Dec. 2, 2024.

Beijing and Tokyo have reached an agreement for China to import fish from Japan. The move comes after a dispute over slightly radioactive water around the Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan. Meanwhile, the dispute between the US and Japan over tariffs on Japanese cars exported to the US continues. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

They go by a few different names, but Japan's "listening lounges" are going through something of a revival. They're music bars where simply sitting and listening to records is the main attraction. The World's Matthew Bell reports from Tokyo.This story originally aired on Feb. 25, 2025.

Thousands of people were displaced following an earthquake in Ishikawa province in Japan in January 2024. The epicenter was on the Noto Peninsula, an area known for its traditional lacquerware crafts. Reporter Hannah Kirshner talks with some of the artisans who relocated about how their centuries-old craft continues on.This story originally aired June 17, 2024.

In most so-called "mega-cities" with populations over 10 million people, traffic is a mega-problem, and so is the air pollution. But Tokyo - with a population of 37 million - bucks that trend with a massive public transit system. As our Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports, Tokyo may not serve as a model for other parts of the world.This story originally aired on Feb. 19, 2025.

Earlier this week, Israel bombed Evin prison in Tehran, long seen as a symbol of the Iranian government's repression. The facility has housed political prisoners, students, and activists for decades. Israeli officials called the strike a symbolic blow against oppression. But survivors describe terror and confusion, and a former hostage says the attack only deepens the suffering of those it claims to help.

Over the last several months, international students at US campuses have found themselves caught up in political havoc. The Trump administration has announced enhanced scrutiny of student visa applications. And specifically for Harvard University, has moved to block admittance for all international students. Some colleges abroad are now stepping in to help. Kirk Carapezza covers higher education for GBH Boston and joins Host Carolyn Beeler to discuss all this.

In Syria, tens of thousands of people with connections to ISIS have been detained for years in sprawling camps. The country's transitional government is now trying to clear those camps by sending prisoners back to their home countries. Levi Bridges reports the program is considered a success, but that success is now in jeopardy.

On the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu, more than a third of the population - out of about 10,000 - has applied for a chance to win a special climate change visa for Australia. The first-of-its kind visa program will allow 280 Tuvaluans to become permanent residents of Australia each year.

This week, Venice is the site of the Bezos nuptials - as Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and one of the world's richest men, marries Lauren Sanchez, a journalist, entrepreneur and astronaut. Venetians, themselves, however, don't seem to be entirely onboard with the party, as reporter Angelo van Schaik with our partners at Deutsche Welle, DW, has been finding out.

NBA Draft organizers didn't give Yang Hansen a prime seat at this week's Draft event in Brooklyn, New York. So, it came as a huge surprise when the Chinese center was picked 16th in the first round. The World's Bianca Hillier has more.

The Atacama Desert in Chile is home to a massive, and growing, mountain of discarded clothes and textiles. The items are remnants of secondhand clothes imported into the country to resell. To address the problem, the Chilean government has added textiles to its producer responsibility law. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with fashion geopolitics expert Barbara Pino about the problem, and the proposed solution.

Lalo Schifrin, the widely celebrated Argentine American film score composer, died yesterday at the age of 93. Schifrin was most well known for penning the "Mission: Impossible" theme music. But his career spanned seven decades and many styles of music. Host Carolyn Beeler dives into Schifrin's legacy.

This summer, Tokyo is set to surpass Paris as the second most popular destination for travelers from the US. As our Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports, the massive spike in tourism is fundamentally changing life - and the economy - in the world's largest city.

It's mango season, and that means people around the world are flocking to buy the popular fruit. In Belize, the village of Hopkins hosts an entire festival dedicated to mangoes. Stoney Ferguson of Memories Farm supplied the mangoes for this year's festival. He spoke to The World's Host Marco Werman about what makes the best mango and why he keeps his business local.

Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon has accomplished everything a professional athlete could hope for. She's a three-time Olympic champion and holds multiple world records. But today in Paris, she set her sights on perhaps an even more ambitious goal: running a mile in under four minutes. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Reporter Levi Bridges recently tagged along on a modern pilgrimage to a pair of underground mosques in remote western Kazakhstan. On his journey, he witnessed a Muslim community reconnecting with traditions they'd lost during the Soviet era.

You might think your beach resort wish list is already pretty exotic. But here's a spot you can add if you're up for it: North Korea. The "Hermit Kingdom" is opening a sprawling oceanfront complex in the Wonsan-Kalma tourist zone. Rachel Minyoung Lee, a Senior Fellow at the Stimson Center's Korea Program, tells The World's Host Marco Werman what's in store for tourists.

At least 16 people died in Kenya, most of them killed by police, during yesterday's protests across the country against police brutality. Around 400 injuries were reported in total, including wounded police officers. Host Carolyn Beeler has more details.

Thailand has sealed off its border with Cambodia - delivering a sharp blow to the country's economy. Everything, from goods to tourists, is now stopped from crossing over. This is the latest strike in a dispute between the two countries, one centered around a remote piece of border land that both countries claim. The World's Patrick Winn is following the story from Bangkok.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler update you on headlines in the news you may have missed.

UNICEF has raised a warning on the border between Sudan and Chad. Hundreds of thousands of children who have fled the war in Sudan - with or without their families - are malnourished. That's to say nothing of the increasingly fatal conditions within Sudan. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Alex de Waal, the executive director of the World Peace Foundation at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.

NATO allies have agreed to a dramatic boost in defense spending - pledging to invest 5% of their economic output by 2035. The agreement was reached at a NATO summit at the Hague today. The move will be seen as a major victory for US President Donald Trump, who has long accused European members of not spending enough on collective defense. But the decision wasn't unanimous in spirit. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry spoke to Host Carolyn Beeler.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler catch us up on a few global headlines flying under the radar.

Vietnam's parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty for eight criminal offenses, including embezzlement and espionage. One high-profile beneficiary of the change is a billionaire property tycoon who is one of Vietnam's richest businesswomen. Qunh Vi Trn, who runs the nonprofit Legal Initiatives for Vietnam, speaks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about the implications.

A leaked US Defense Intelligence Agency's assessment said the damage to Iran's nuclear program from American bombing pushed the program back by months. An Israeli intelligence assessment claimed it pushed it back years. The Trump administration insists it was "obliterated." The World's Host Marco Werman talks with Jeffrey Lewis, a professor at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, about the methods intelligence agencies use to determine what's going on.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended the NATO summit at the Hague today, and notably was wearing a suit. It's a departure from the military-style clothing he's worn since Russia's full-scale invasion of his country more than three years ago. Host Marco Werman has more on why the leader's wardrobe gets so much attention.

As frustration grows with a lack of solutions coming from the COP29 summit, one city in India serves as an example of making change on a local level. In 2013, Ahmedabad became the first city in South Asia to adopt a heat action plan, and although other cities have followed, Ahmedabad stands out as an example of active implementation of new policies. Reporter Sushmita Pathak visited there last summer, as temperatures soared, to bring us the story.This story originally aired on Nov. 18, 2024.

Canada has implemented both countrywide and regional ad campaigns to lure Americans north. They play on Canada's beauty and the seemingly dicey relationship between our two countries. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

Demonstrations in Kenya mark the one-year anniversary of anti-tax protests that left 60 people dead; others remain missing. They come on the heels of last week's protests against police brutality in the country. Awino Okech told The World's Host Carolyn Beeler that the protesters have more than one grievance with the government. She's a professor at the University of London in the UK and has been following the events in Kenya.

In Qatar, life revolves around managing the summer heat - and that means even cooling outdoor public spaces. Opened in 2022, Umm Al Seneem Park has the world's longest air-conditioned outdoor walking track. Last summer, The World's Durrie Bouscaren took it for a spin.This story originally aired on June 14, 2024.

Civilians waiting for food at hubs operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation are being shot and killed nearly every day. Now, a group of international legal experts has signed onto a letter warning that private military contractors and others working with the GHF may be criminally liable for the attacks and the displacement of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Philip Grant of the Geneva-based group TRIAL International describes the implications to Host Carolyn Beeler.

During World War II, citizens of London spent long stretches of time taking refuge in tunnels beneath the city when German bombing raids flew above. Those tunnels were later used by British Telecom, and then later sold to Angus Murray. In a venture backed by private equity, he plans to open them fully to the public. Host Marco Werman talks with Murray about what the tunnels are like and what people visiting them in the future can expect to see.

If everyone knows the attack-retaliate script of war, and the damage that it can do both physically and financially to a country, why do countries continue to act out the script? And given the predictability of this endless drama, what are the options now for Iran following Israeli and US strikes? Host Marco Werman speaks with Tufts Fletcher School political scientist Monica Toft.

The most popular foreign playwright in Russia, is London-born Irish playwright Martin McDonagh. He is known in the US as the award-winning Hollywood director and screenwriter behind films such as "In Bruges," " Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" and "The Banshees of Inisherin." In Russia though, McDonagh is known for his plays, which are staged frequently throughout the country. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

The global construction industry is looking for ways to replace concrete, which is responsible for 8% of global carbon emissions. One growing trend is using reinforced timber. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Robert Mendelsohn, a professor of forestry at the Yale School of the Environment, about his recent study assessing the market dynamics of "mass timber," its role in reducing carbon emissions and whether it could result in more forests being planted.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday claimed that a ceasefire was holding between Israel and Iran, though each side has claimed that the other has violated the agreement. Meanwhile, European Union officials are urging both sides to ratchet down the fighting - and the rhetoric. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have the latest.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler highlight a few global headlines flying under the radar.

Some residents in a downtown Barcelona building are hoping to shut down illegal Airbnb flats in their building - not by denouncing the apartment owners, but by scaring off the renters with big orange signs warning them of steep fines for staying the night. Other Barcelona residents are protesting with loaded water pistols, hoping to send a clear message to tourists: "We don't want you here." The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

New emissions guidelines in the UK require the environmental review of fossil fuel projects to consider the emissions released when fossil fuels are burned, not just the pollution tied to the extraction process. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Paul de Leeuw, director of the Energy Transition Institute at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, Scotland, about the guidelines and the larger struggle of balancing emissions reductions with energy demand.

Donna Burke has the most famous voice heard in Japan. The Australian expat first moved to the country in the 1990s, hoping to make it as a singer. Now, she's the voice of the Tokaido Shinkansen, commonly known as the bullet train, and her announcements are heard by more than 400,000 people in Japan every day. The World's Jeremy Siegel first reported this story from Japan in January.This story originally aired on Jan. 15, 2025.

"El Eternauta," Argentina's legendary sci-fi comic, is now a Netflix sensation. But behind the alien invasion and apocalyptic snow lies a darker truth - its creator was disappeared by the dictatorship. The World's Latin America Correspondent Tibisay Zea reports on how this story became a tool of memory and resistance.

US strikes on three nuclear sites over the weekend have sparked fear among nearby residents. With communications down, people are scrambling for information amid concerns about radiation. Experts and the UN say there's no major contamination, but distrust of the Iranian government has fueled anxiety. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

While Iran denies having a nuclear weapons program, the US and Israel have justified their strikes on the country by saying it exists and the threat is urgent. Host Marco Werman speaks with Darya Dolzikova, a nuclear proliferation expert at The Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies in the UK.

Former Olympic fencer Thomas Bach has held sport's most powerful role for the past 13 years. Now, Kirsty Coventry - who won seven swimming medals at five Olympic Games - is taking over. The World's Bianca Hillier shares the details with Host Carolyn Beeler.

The Vera C. Rubin observatory in Chile harbors the world's most powerful digital camera, which is now being used to photograph space in unparalleled detail - and quickly. Andy Lawrence, the Regius Professor of Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, explains what it's like to experience these images and what the camera's pictures mean for scientific progress.

Thailand's prime minister has angered the army. That's never a comfortable position in a country where the military has a history of seizing power from elected leaders. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is accused of betraying the army in the midst of a heated border dispute with Cambodia, its smaller neighbor. Many Thais are now wondering if her premiership will survive this ordeal. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

The Brooklyn Museum is opening a Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room. The immersive installation invites the audience to admire Buddhist art and reflect. But as Gisele Regatao reports from New York, it raises questions about ownership and whether sacred objects belong in museums.