The World: Latest Stories

Volodymyr Tsema-Bursov is from the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. A few months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was captured by Russian forces. He spent the next 20 months in Russian captivity. Now he's back in Ukraine after being released in the biggest prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Lviv.

In the year following catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey, the quest for accountability has been elusive. But a group of parents whose children died in a hotel collapse have brought a landmark criminal case to court.

Severe, dry winds during the harmattan season are not new in Ghana. But experts with the country's environmental agency say climate change is intensifying these weather conditions, leading to increased respiratory problems and poor air quality in Accra, the country's capital.

A slight rift has emerged within the group of families that have loved ones whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7. Many of them want the Israeli government to move swiftly to bring the hostages home. But some are saying that Hamas should be defeated first, even if it takes longer to release the captives.

A record of about 2.5 million migrants showed up at the US-Mexico border in 2023, and many of them are requesting asylum. The system is now overwhelmed, with a backlog of about 3 million asylum applications pending in courts.

The European Union just signed a deal with the West African nation Mauritania: In exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, Mauritania has pledged to stop the tens of thousands of migrants heading by boat to Spain from its shores.

Seiji Ozawa, who led the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for nearly three decades, died this week in his home country of Japan. The World speaks to Brian McCreath, who broadcasts the Boston Symphony Orchestra on WCRB in Boston,about Ozawa's life and legacy.

Since the latter half of the 20th century, the influence of Frantz Fanon has been felt in fields as distinct as psychiatry and postcolonial studies. A new book explores the "revolutionary lives" of the psychiatrist, writer and anti-colonial rebel, whose understanding of identity evolved through his travel and experiences, including confronting colonial hierarchies as a person of color in postwar France, and eventually joining the Algerian War of Independence. Host Marco Werman learned more from Adam Shatz, author of "The Rebel's Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon."

Growing numbers of people desperate to get to the United States are crossing through gaps in the border wall that divides Mexico and California. US Customs and Border Patrol is overwhelmed. Several inewsource reporters spent 48 straight hours in and around the encampments near the Jacumba Hot Springs to watch how the journey unfolds.

Telecommunications and internet connectivity were cut off again across Sudan as millions of people face an ongoing civil war. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder just returned from Darfur, a particularly troubling epicenter of the violence, and spoke to The World's host Marco Werman about the latest conditions.

In early 2013, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek began an epic walk, following the path of the first human migration out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. Host Marco Werman speaks with Salopek, who's now two-thirds of the way along his global journey. Today, he talks about his first steps at the beginning of the walk in the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia.

Hamas took over 250 hostages from Israel on Oct. 7, including 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin. His parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, have become high-profile advocates for bringing Israeli hostages home from Gaza. We hear from Hersh's parents in an interview with Israel Story," a radio show and podcast in Tel Aviv.

Israel has signaled that it's planning toexpand operations in the city of Rafahin southern Gaza. About a million Palestinians are crammed into the city near the Egyptian border after repeatedly being told to move south, and now they say they have nowhere left to flee. The World's host Carolyn Beeler speaks to Yousef Hammash, who works with the aid group the Norwegian Refugee Council, and moved there months ago with this family.

In El Salvador, the official results of Sunday's presidential elections are still not in, but that didn't stop President Nayib Bukele from declaring victory on social media - and he looks slated to win. He was up for reelection, in a country that doesn't allow reelection in its constitution. Bukele is extraordinarily popular. But many say the future is concerning.

The town of Pazarck and its surrounding villages were devastated during the earthquakes in Turkey last year. Displaced survivors are spending the winter in tents and containers. They say aid is limited and they've been overlooked by the government, due to their cultural identity.

Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have all experienced military coups in the past few years. They say the regional trade organization is not helping them fight terrorism but rather imposing severe sanctions on them. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Ghana on the implications of their withdrawals.

In the months since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, Iran has increased its cyber-hacking operations, according to Gil Messing, the chief of staff at Tel Aviv-based Check Point Software. The Click Here" podcast talks to Messing about the latest.

It's an observation as old as humans gathering around campfires: Light at night can draw an erratically circling crowd of insects. In art, music and literature, this spectacle is an enduring metaphor for dangerous but irresistible attractions. And watching their frenetic movements really gives the sense that something is wrong- that instead of finding food and evading predators, these nocturnal pilots are trapped by a light.

In Colombia, one company is introducing visitors to the city of Medellin by taking them around on wheelchairs that are pulled by electric handbikes and can reach speeds of about 25 mph. The tours are led by people with disabilities and are part of a broader effort to make the city more accessible to all, led by a very persistent businessman. Manuel Rueda reports.

Over the course of nearly two years Russia has committed countless violations, crimes, and atrocities in Ukraine. However, as of now, the International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for only one crime of deportation of children from Ukrainian occupied territories into the Russian Federation." The issue of kidnapping Ukrainian children is ongoing, as thousands of kids are still in Russia, separated from their families and their homes.

The Haitian population of Miami has remained unchanged since the beginning of the century, with about 30,000 people. But little remains of the neighborhood that Maria and Viter Juste founded in the 1970s that came to be known as Little Haiti.

Venezuela has been ramping up nationalist propaganda campaigns as a border dispute intensifies over Essequibo, a remote region that is rich in oil and gold. The push to take it over began in early December with a referendum asking voters if this territory should be turned into a Venezuelan state. Manuel Rueda reports from Caracas on how this issue plays into upcoming presidential elections in Venezuela.

More than 10 million people have been displaced by the ongoing war in Sudan. They're hoping for an internationally mediated end to the conflict and a new democratic government for their country.

Undocumented students have been lobbying the University of California for the right to work legally on campus for more than a year. They argue that the UC's 4,000 students who are not US citizens still need a way to earn a paycheck and get the same kind of academic work experiences that their peers do. But, federal immigration law prohibits hiring anyone without work authorization. And last week, UC regents voted against changing hiring rules. From San Francisco, KQED's Madi Bolanos reports.

The World's hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler talked with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek about his experiences walking across China and beyond as a part of his "Out of Eden Walk" project.

The World's host Marco Werman previews two of the artists who are featured as part of the 24th annual edition of International Guitar Night touring North America.

Following the resignation of Harvard president Claudine Gay, some professors warn that political encroachment in academia is a sign of the times - and rising authoritarianism. GBH's Kirk Carapezza reports.

Cuban government officials announced a new package of austerity measures, which includes massive hikes for transportation fares, as well as fuel, electricity and natural gas, and further restrictions on businesses. The new plan will go into effect on Feb. 1.

Alice Bloch talks about her research with the descendants of Holocaust survivors who have replicated the Auschwitz tattoo.

This week, NATO launched its largest military exercise since the Cold War. The military drills are taking place across Germany, Poland and the Baltics and will continue through May. European officials and military leaders have warned that if Russia's military isn't stopped in Ukraine, a NATO country could be targeted next.

This week, jazz fans in Haiti will once again gather for the 17th annual PapJazz Festival. The event draws enthusiasts from across the island, as well as international jazz aficionados. Festival organizer Milena Sandler says the gathering in Port-au-Prince is "an act of resistance" amid security and economic challenges in Haiti.

The Biden administration wants Israel and the Palestinians to get serious about restarting a long-stalled plan for a two-state solution. The European Union is saying the same, and so are Arab leaders, along with others across the international community. But Israel's current government is digging in its heels.

Migrants from African countries represent a very small fraction of the people crossing the US southern border, but their numbers have significantly increased in the past year. A combination of factors is causing this trend.

Migrants from African countries represent a very small fraction of the people crossing the US southern border, but their numbers have significantly increased in the past year. A combination of factors is causing this trend.

Leopoldstadt" is a gripping play about the changing fortunes of a Jewish family in Austria. In 2023, it won a number of Tony Awards, including for best play. Now, a new production of Leopoldstadt" is being performed in Riga, Latvia. And the choice of director has helped it draw a lot of attention.

The AfD, or Alternative for Germany, has been around for over a decade and has significant public support. But there's been widespread protests against them since news broke that AfD members had met with neo-Nazis to discuss mass deportations from Germany.

While most of Europe is getting tough on migrants and asylum-seekers, residents on one Canary island are taking a more friendly approach to newcomers. The people of El Hierro, part of the Spanish archipelago, say they can relate to the long journey many people make in search of a better life - because it reflects their own recent history.

Ehud Eiran, who was a foreign policy aide to former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and is an assistant professor in international relations at Haifa University in Israel, speaks to The World's host, Carolyn Beeler, about the situation.

On Jan. 22, a temple of Lord Ram will open its doors in Ayodhya, in northern India. The temple stands where the Babri mosque once existed, before it was torn down by a Hindu mob. The occasion marks a victory for Hindus and a sorrowful reminder for Muslims of the ongoing tensions between the two groups in a Hindu-majority country.

Turkey is famous for its elaborate breakfasts, featuring a huge spread of a wide variety of foods that can take hours to eat. Critics say the traditional breakfast is indulgent and leads to food waste. Others say it's part of the culture and here to stay.

In the Chinese American community in New York City, almost half of older adults are living in poverty, and paying rent is tough. Particularly given the gentrification of New York City's traditional Chinatown in lower Manhattan. Some agencies are trying to help them.

Healthcare professionals are struggling to treat a staggering number of patients in Gaza. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with Nick Maynard, a surgeon who recently returned to the UK after leading an emergency medical team in Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza.

Birdwatching is a rapidly growing and lucrative part of the tourism sector worldwide, but women make up a very small minority of professional guides. Uganda Women Birders, a bird guide club, is revolutionizing the industry by encouraging and supporting women who want to get into the business. Anita Elash reports from the town of Entebbe, Uganda.

Gender-based violence has become a systematic problem in Haiti, with rape incidents on the rise. Activists say the documented cases are just the tip of the iceberg.

The fighting between Sudan's Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary militia broke out last April following tensions over integrating the two forces. Those plans were part of an effort to transition Sudan to a civilian-led democracy after years of dictatorship. Now, the country is experiencing one of the worst humanitarian emergencies in the world. The fighting has led more than 7 million people to flee their homes.

Over the course of two years, Sima shares her struggle to make a life in the US in the podcast Stranger Becomes Neighbor." The evacuation from Afghanistan is just the beginning of a story that is still developing.

The small Baltic nation of Estonia is experiencing a folk music renaissance, with young musicians bringing traditional songs and instruments to the forefront in an attempt to reassert a unique Estonian identity and keep the country's ancient heritage alive.

In 2021, the NCAA made major headlines when it announced that student athletes would finally be allowed to monetize from their name, image and likeness. The market for NIL deals, as they're called, has exploded, bringing in an estimated $1 billion annually. But international student athletes have yet to be included in lucrative deals due to visa laws. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Commercial surrogacy is banned in many European countries. In the US, the laws vary from state to state. The pope wants to see the practice outlawed worldwide.

It's been 100 days since renewed fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 7. The World's host Marco Werman discusses the latest with professor Nathan Brown.