The World: Latest Stories

Berlin has become a hot spot for dark humor, courtesy of Eastern Europeans who've come to the German capital to make a better life. Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and a bleak economy, stand-up comics are turning hard times into comedy gold. Alexa Dvorson reports from Berlin.This story originally aired on April 19, 2023.

Martin Luther King Jr. spent a month traveling through India in 1959 to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi was one of King's biggest influences, and King was well known in India as an American disciple of Gandhi's teachings. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks to Meghan Weaver from the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford University, who tells us more about King's historic "pilgrimage."

Hip-hop is a global force. But it doesn't always go over well with local governments. In Egypt, authorities have tried to 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 Marco Werman how young Egyptians are pushing hip-hop to the limit.This story originally aired on July 14, 2023.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered in the US for his leadership on civil rights, but that legacy extends to other countries, as well. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more on King's universal message.This story originally aired on Jan. 20, 2025.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion, many Ukrainian songs have become symbols of defiance and resilience in the face difficult circumstances. Aside from the national anthem, though, one song has stood out as representing Ukrainian sovereignty and perseverance. It's called "Oi u luzi chervona kalyna" or "Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow." Reporter Daniel Ofman has more.This story originally aired on Nov. 29th, 2022.

Fights between rival players and rival fans were just part of the craziness on Sunday at the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament. Senegal's coach took his players off the pitch after an especially bad call. A goal was called back and a penalty kick "humiliatingly" missed. Host Carolyn Beeler has all the details.

Food entrepreneur Ruby Chan tells the story of the sauce that launched her career. After growing up in her parents' Chinese restaurant, she wanted a desk job more than anything - and she got it. But an epiphany as a working mom sent her back to a recipe from her dad's kitchen. She explained it all as part of GBH's live storytelling program, Stories From The Stage.

Over the past few weeks, southern Australia has braced itself against severe fire conditions. Several major fires are still burning in Victoria. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with fire chief Chris Hardman about what lessons his team has learned from past fires, and the psychological toll the job takes on first responders.

Mhlama is a hearty, cheesy, buttery fondue meal served up for breakfast in Turkey. Farmers who needed a high-calorie infusion first thing in the morning invented the meal, and it's so heavy that you may not eat anything the rest of the day. It's now a staple of the region around the Black Sea. Reporter Fariba Nawa and her daughters went looking for the perfect mhlama in Istanbul.

The question of how to stop the spread of infectious diseases has been ongoing for decades, but came into sharp focus when COVID-19 gripped the globe in 2020. One way to slow diseases is by improving diagnostic tests, and making them more accessible, so that people can know earlier if they have something like tuberculosis in its early stages. As Chhavi Sachdev reports from Mumbai, India, new TB tests there could be a game changer.

In the first two weeks of the new year, 22 people were killed in the eastern state of Jharkhand, India, by a rogue, one-tusked elephant. Forest department officials are working to capture the elephant before it strikes again. Villagers are terrified of leaving their homes at night. The attacks also come at a time of growing human-elephant conflict across India. From Mumbai, journalist Namrata Kolachalam explains the ongoing challenges of living among elephants.

With votes tallied from about 50% of polling places, incumbent President Yoweri Museveni is projected to win reelection in Uganda. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Ebenezer Obadare from the Council on Foreign Relations about what this means for Ugandans.

Sara Mardini was not the only volunteer arrested for helping rescue migrants from the sea in 2018, but she was probably the most famous. She and her sister, Yusra, were refugees from Syria who survived a sinking boat by swimming the distance to shore, saving not only themselves but their fellow passengers, as well. Yusra went on to become an Olympic athlete. Sara was one of 23 rescue volunteers acquitted yesterday. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

The Trump administration has taken various steps to prevent students who want to come to the United States to study, including blocking student visas. When it comes to Harvard University and some other highly selective schools, though, it's not working very well. Kirk Carapezza covers higher education for GBH Boston. He talks through the numbers with Host Marco Werman.

As opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado meets US President Donald Trump in Washington, Venezuelans are watching with a mix of hope and unease. Widely seen as the face of the democratic opposition, Machado led the coalition that most independent observers say won Venezuela's 2024 presidential election. She spent months courting US support to push deposed President Nicolas Maduro out. But with Trump now sidelining her and working with figures from the old regime, many in Caracas are rethinking about what her role - and Venezuela's future - might look like.

As bitter cold descends on Ukraine, so has a fresh barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes. Recent attacks on transformer substations and power plants have plunged Kyiv into its worst wartime heating and power outage. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Kyiv Independent editor Jared Goyette about how the capital's residents are rallying in response.

For about a week, Iranians have been unable to get online or make calls outside of the country. Yet many of them have shown up every night to protest the government. The World managed to reach some of them inside the country, who describe a brutal crackdown by the security forces.

On Wednesday, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced phase two of the Trump Administration-led Gaza peace plan, including governance by a 15-member "technocratic committee." But as The World's Host Marco Werman learned from Khaled Elgindy, senior fellow at the Quincy Institute, questions remain as to the implementation of the first phase and next steps.

A new collection of music from the remote African islands of Sao Tome and Principe is a revelation. This nation in the Atlantic Ocean doesn't get a lot of attention, but as we hear in songs by bands from the 1960s and '70s, like Sangazuza, it's worth listening up.

The vast majority of cars in Kenya are used, internal combustion vehicles. But a team of Kenyan engineers is trying to flip the country's automotive economy on its head with the first-ever Kenyan-made electric vehicle. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel has the unlikely story of TAD Motors.

Europe's first flights to study atmospheric rivers took off from Ireland today. The flights will focus on understanding the phenomena from the North Atlantic. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Marty Ralph, an expert on atmospheric rivers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Thirty-something-year-old trumpeter from Portugal Jessica Pina has gotten some attention for her live remixes over pop hits. But it's her improvisational skills that stand out, as we hear from host Marco Werman.This story originally aired on March 22, 2024.

Russia - and increasingly Venezuela - are using a growing "shadow fleet" of false-flagged oil tankers to sell sanctioned oil. And it looks like many of the same ships are running routes for both countries. Reporter Durrie Bouscaren looks at what this use of sanctioned ships could mean for the risk of a wider conflict.

The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia. That means hundreds, possibly thousands of Somalis living in the US will have just two months to leave the US or face deportation. At the same time, US federal agents are investigating fraud allegedly perpetrated by - among others - individuals of Somali descent in Minnesota. The World's Host Marco Werman talks with Abdi Nor Iftin, author of the memoir, "Call Me American," about what it's like to be Somali American today.

A little-known amateur tennis player from Sydney beat some of the world's top male and female tennis players at an event ahead of the Australian Open. Jordan Smith went on to make himself a millionaire in Australian dollars after winning what's called a 1 Point Slam, where all the matches consist of just one point. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more on the life-changing win.

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US Vice President JD Vance today at the White House. On Tuesday, the prime minister of Greenland - Jens-Frederick Nielsen - said clearly, "Greenland does not want to be owned by the USA," and that "Greenland is not for sale." This morning, President Donald Trump was asked for his reaction to the statement from Nielsen. "I don't know who he is. Don't anything about him," Trump told reporters. "But that's going to be a big problem for him." The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

There are tens of thousands of children around the world waiting to be adopted, but the vast majority of them will never find a permanent family. This reflects a trend in a number of countries over the past 20 years of ending international adoptions. The World's Maria Noble Valdez wanted, as an adoptee herself, to know more.

As a delegation from Denmark meets with US officials in Washington for talks over the future of Greenland, many worry that these tensions could be the death knell of the US-led NATO alliance - and a boon to traditional adversaries like Russia. Carlo Masala is a NATO expert and the author of the book "If Russia Wins." He joined Host Carolyn Beeler from Munich, where he's a professor of international politics at the Bundeswehr University.

Fireworks light up the sky on New Year's Eve in much of the world. In the Netherlands, they also leave behind a troubling aftermath. According to a new government report, two people were killed and more than 1,200 injured by fireworks this year. The Dutch government hopes an upcoming ban on consumer fireworks will reduce that toll, but critics question whether it will make a difference. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was in Japan today, where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two leaders declared a commitment to work more closely together to help bring stability to the region. One point of major tension in recent weeks is China, which has been locked in a diplomatic dispute with Japan over Taiwan. Another wildcard is US President Donald Trump. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Iranian state TV aired new footage on Tuesday that shows piles of black body bags they say hold the bodies of demonstrators killed while protesting. While the communications blackout continues, some footage of those protests is coming out. Meanwhile, in a post on social media, US President Donald Trump told Iranians to continue protesting and to "take over your institutions." We bring you the latest updates.

Movies on VHS - it's ancient, by modern standards. And yet, from Barcelona to Paris and beyond a handful of shops have managed to keep their doors open. They're peddling, not just films, but nostalgia. They're also projecting films in their own backroom theaters, and at at least one, they'll also rent you a VHS player to be able to watch the tape you take home. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

There's already a lot happening here on Earth in 2026 - as you've heard on The World. If you need a break from it all, consider casting your eyes skyward. This year has a lot of celestial events in store for the stargazers among us. The World's Host Marco Werman learns more from Phil Plait, an astronomer and columnist for Scientific American magazine.

Venezuela's new government says it will free an important number" of political prisoners - a gesture US President Donald Trump is already taking credit for. But only a few dozen have been confirmed released so far, while nearly 800 people are still believed to be behind bars. In Caracas, families are camping outside prisons, searching for loved ones and demanding transparency, as The World explains why the release process has been slow and opaque.

After losing Malawi's general election last fall, former President Lazarus Chakwera took the dogs at the presidential palace home with him to keep. The new president, Peter Mutharika, is now arguing that Chakwera is not allowed to do that because the dogs are civil servants. Their custody dispute has escalated into a legal battle that remains open. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

Arabic music filled the air of Laura Elkeslassy's Moroccan Jewish childhood home in Paris, especially on Fridays before Shabbat. But she didn't grow up speaking Arabic, so she didn't understand the words. In New York as an adult, Laura's search for a wedding song takes her on a rich musical, spiritual and political journey - leading to a bookstore in Jerusalem where she discovers that this work to preserve her culture is a continuation of what her ancestors began.

Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to stay warm and dry as fierce winter storms topple damaged buildings and destroy flimsy plastic shelters. Salma Altaweel, a support manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council, says staying warm and dry is all but impossible. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with the NRC's Shaina Low about how new Israeli restrictions on aid groups are complicating relief efforts.

As President Donald Trump pushes for US control of Greenland, we look at which natural resources the territory has - and what the obstacles are to accessing them. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Patrick Schroder, a senior research fellow at Chatham House in the UK.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Canadian prime minister will fly to China this week. Mark Carney is looking to improve Canada's overall relationship with Beijing, but boosting trade is at the top of his agenda. Carney's government says it's aiming to double non-US exports over the next 10 years. This will be a tricky visit for the prime minister, however, because of the risks that come with moving closer to China. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Europe's night trains have been making a comeback in the last few years, with overnight sleeper services once again linking cities like Paris and Berlin, and Vienna and Amsterdam. But the revival has faced major obstacles, including limited backing from many European governments. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

It's been a week since a US military operation removed Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro from power, and questions continue to swirl about what life in the capital looks like now. We take a look from Caracas at the mood in the streets, new US travel warnings, safety concerns, hurdles to getting in and out of the country and why so many foreign journalists are stuck across the border.

The opposition to Iran's theocratic republic is a fragmented movement, with some of the most visible leaders in exile or in the diaspora. Nahid Siamdoust, an assistant professor of Media and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin discusses the competing visions in Iran's fight for change with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

Protests in Iran have turned deadly, with hundreds feared shot and killed by security forces. The government shut all communications with the outside world, making it difficult to get accurate information from the ground. But a few have been able to get through, using Starlink, a satellite internet network. A doctor living in New York tells The World that protesters have reached out to him for help.

With roots in India and an upbringing in Singapore, singer Dhruv found fame on TikTok, hitting the charts in East Asia. He moved to the US to study at Yale University, but then realized music was really what he wanted to pursue. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler spin Speed of Light," a single from Dhruv's debut album.This story originally aired on Aug. 21, 2024.

Malaysia and Indonesia have moved to block Grok, the AI chatbot feature on the social media platform X, citing concerns that the chatbot is being used to produce sexually explicit images. Many countries are grappling with how to respond to the misuse of AI for the production of exploitive sexual content online - including deep fakes and child pornography. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Nana Nwachukwu, an AI governance expert and researcher at Trinity College Dublin.

Ai, a chimpanzee who spent decades as a research subject at Kyoto University, has died at the age of 49. Ai spent her life participating in studies into the cognition of chimpanzees, and was renowned for her exceptional intellect among her fellow chimps. She knew the English alphabet, Arabic numbers and over a hundred Chinese characters. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have the story.

The Iranian government has cut off internet access to citizens as protests across the country reach levels unseen since the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that started in 2022. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learned more from Sina Azodi, director of Middle East Studies at George Washington University, where he specializes in US-Iran relations. Azodi joined us from Washington.

Twin mountain gorillas were born in Africa's largest national park, the Virunga, in Democratic Republic of Congo. As Host Carolyn Beeler explains, years of conservation efforts have helped restore the gorillas' dwindling population.

Yoon Jong Gye, widely considered the father of Korean fried chicken, died late last year at the age of 74. Since its creation, the dish has surged in popularity and can now be found in restaurants around the globe. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Kevin Kim, associate director of the Asian American Center at the University of North Carolina, to discuss the distinctive taste and influence of Korean fried chicken.

A coder in Sweden thought it would be funny to see what ChatGPT says when it is stoned, whether on weed, coke or ketamine. So, he created a chatbot plug-in that people are actually paying to use. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.