The World: Latest Stories

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.

The Syrian army has been fighting Kurdish forces in the city of Aleppo in the north of the country. The clashes are the most intense since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. The army ordered the residents in some neighborhoods to evacuate. On Friday, Syria's defense ministry announced a ceasefire. But as The World's Shirin Jaafari reports, residents say the violence and displacement is bringing back memories of years of civil war.

Billions of gallons of wastewater laced with industrial chemicals pour into the Tijuana River and reach the Pacific Ocean every year. The pollution also seeps into the earth and froths into airborne particles. People on both sides of the US-Mexico border say it is making them sick. Investigative reporter Philip Salata from inewsource in San Diego reports.

From a US military raid that captured Venezuela's president, to threats from the White House to take over Greenland, Europe's leaders have faced a week of escalating challenges from Washington. Leaders across the EU have responded cautiously, with some notable exceptions. But critics warn that restraint could hand the Trump administration exactly the advantage it's seeking. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

The European Union signed off on a major new trade agreement with four South American nations on Friday. It's composed of markets with more than 700 million people. But there's still a great deal of skepticism about it among some in Europe, including French farmers. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Experts think it might have been used by Celtic warriors during their ill-fated campaign to repel Roman invaders during the first century. The bronze war trumpet - called a "carnyx" - was discovered during excavations in east England, outside the town of Thetford. Archeologists are thrilled because this fragile metal horn is probably the most complete one ever found anywhere in the world. The carnyx was used to put fear into the hearts of enemy troops. The World's Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain.

Intense snow has blanketed much of Western Europe, forcing thousands of flight cancellations and chaos on major roads and railways. Things could get even worse over the next 24 hours as a new winter storm, named Goretti, makes its way across the UK and the Europe's northwest coast. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel has the latest.

Desflurane is a common drug used for anesthesia. But it has a surprising link to climate change, because the excess gas is often vented straight into the atmosphere where it is several thousand times more potent than carbon dioxide. As of Jan. 1 of this year, the European Union has restricted desflurane's use. For The Big Fix, The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Dr. Jodi Sherman about these connections.

Migration is as old as humanity itself. In today's world, it ebbs and flows as nations change their border policies with the times. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has been retracing the global path of the earliest humans on foot for the past 13 years. In that time, he has witnessed a lot of migration in real time. He joins Host Marco Werman to share his observations on how migration's role in the global zeitgeist has changed.

Delcy Rodriguez spent years as part of deposed President Nicolas Maduro's inner circle. Now, she has stepped into the role of Venezuela's de-facto leader as the country faces uncertain times. Long sanctioned abroad, Rodriguez wields unusual influence over the finance sector and ruling party in Venezuela. The World has this profile of Rodriguez, a longtime critic of imperialism, who now needs US support to stay in power.

Cuba's energy sector is feeling the pinch of the departure of the island's longtime ally, deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Mexico has stepped in to supply some oil, but not at levels high enough to replace supplies previously provided by Caracas. Jorge Pinon, who studies Cuba's energy infrastructure at the University of Texas at Austin discusses the implications with The World's Host Marco Werman.

Cubans are watching developments in Venezuela with growing unease. Fuel shortages are worsening the island's already severe economic woes. Ed Augustine, an independent journalist based in Havana speaks with The World's Host Marco Werman about increasing blackouts, long lines for fuel and the stress of everyday life in Havana.

Build Your Dreams (BYD) had a dream year in 2025, with nearly 2.3 million EV sales globally. It left Tesla in the proverbial dust, especially in Europe. BYD's secret: a wider range of EVs, cutting-edge technology and billions of dollars in government support. As for Tesla? Many drivers in Europe have been turned off by its founder, Elon Musk. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

There is a lot of exciting action at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) soccer tournament in Morocco at the moment. One of the most attention-getting moments has not been on the pitch but in the stands: a super-fan for the national team from Democratic Republic of Congo, who everyone knows simply as "Lumumba" because of his resemblance to DR Congo's first prime minister, the revered pan-Africanist Patrice Lumumba.

In international waters, 200 miles off the coast of Argentina, squid fishing is on the rise, and it's mostly being carried out by Chinese fishing crews. The scale of those operations poses serious threats to the coastal ecosystem, but because this is happening in international waters, the Argentine coast guard can do nothing but watch. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Ian Urbina, journalist and founder of The Outlaw Ocean Project.

"There's no place like home." But knowing exactly where that is can be complicated. That's something Chris Ko experienced firsthand, as a kid, moving from Guatemala to Texas to Taiwan. He takes listeners on that journey with him for GBH's storytelling series, Stories From The Stage.

The framework for international law since World War II is no longer just being eroded at the margins. It's being cast aside altogether, deliberately and repeatedly. So says Michael Schmitt, a professor of international law at the University of Reading and professor emeritus at the US Naval War College. Schmitt tells The World's Host Carolyn Beeler that without adherence to the rules of the game, global chaos could ensue.

The White House is talking - again - about acquiring Greenland. US President Donald Trump's team says it's looking at all options - and that military force isn't off the table. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to people in Greenland to hear how the news is being received there.

For about 10 days, protesters across Iran have come out in the streets to call for the downfall of the government. The protests started when merchants in the capital, Tehran, took to the streets over the swift devaluation of the country's currency. But the demonstrations quickly spread to other parts of the country. The World looks into the significance of these events.

When Kelechukwu Ogu took his first international flight out of Lagos, Nigeria, in 2023, he did not know that people with visual impairment are often offered something they don't need: a wheelchair. In the US, he decided to talk to fellow blind travelers to find out how they feel about that misguided "accommodation." This is his story.

Militias are patrolling the streets of Venezuela. Independent journalists have been detained. It's all part of a crackdown signaling the country's authoritarian leaders are not relinquishing power, despite the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Elizabeth Dickinson, Latin America Deputy Director for the International Crisis Group in Bogota, Colombia, speaks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about the implications.

Each year, the venerable National Geographic puts out different lists of trends. Host's Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler look at the 11 biggest food trends expected around the world for this year.

The Israeli foreign minister visited Somaliland today. This, after Israel became the first nation to officially recognize the segment of Somalia as a country in December. Omar Mahmood, of the International Crisis Group, discusses the recognition and its strategic importance with Host Marco Werman.

Colombia's remote La Guajira region has become a focal point for global efforts to move away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy. Given its high wind speeds and solar radiation levels, the region has been long sought after by energy companies. Natalie Skowlund reports from La Guajira.

The goal is to vaccinate at least 100 million children in Nigeria. So far, more than about 50 million doses of the yellow fever vaccine have been administered. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler discusses the program with Chizoba Wonodi, a Nigerian health expert at Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health. Wonodi and her team supported the campaign on the ground in Nigeria.

A team of archaeologists in Africa has discovered evidence of the oldest known cremation of a human being on the continent. The site in northern Malawi dates back over 9,000 years, and includes dozens of bone fragments caked in layers of ash. Jessica Thompson, an anthropologist at Yale University, worked on the excavation project, and shared the significance of the findings with Host Marco Werman.

In January 2025, garbage workers - called bin workers in the UK - began taking industrial action in the city of Birmingham. In March, an all-out strike kicked off. Since then, tens of thousands of tons of garbage have piled up on the streets, attracting vermin. Pest control businesses in Birmingham say this has been their busiest year on record. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has the story.

Representatives from more than 30 countries met in Paris today, calling themselves the "coalition of the willing." The goal was to make concrete plans for Ukrainian security. French and German leaders each pledged to provide troops as part of a multi-national force to provide assurances for a desired ceasefire. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

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

Persistent global instability was the theme of 2025, and according to The Economist's annual issue filled with predictions for the coming year, in 2026, we should get enough answers to stop navigating through the fog. So says deputy editor Tom Standage, who oversees the World Ahead issue. Standage joins The World's Host Carolyn Beeler to talk AI, trade, shifting global alliances and more.

For centuries, wassailing marked the noisy, boozy end of the Christmas season. Groups of singers would roam from house to house on Twelfth Night, calling out blessings in exchange for food and drink - especially a hot, spiced punch called wassail. Over hundreds of years, the alcohol warmed with apples, citrus and winter spices is what remains. Jacob Aloi reports from MPR in Minneapolis.

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

A bluefin tuna has just fetched $3.2 million at a fish market in Tokyo. That price was paid by an entrepreneur who owns a chain of sushi restaurants in the country. The fish itself happened to be quite large, but a bluefin tuna scarcity due to overfishing likely contributed to the record-breaking price tag. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more details.

Almost one month after Cyclone Senyar struck Indonesia's island of Sumatra, the death toll has exceeded 1,000 and continues to rise. Roads in rural areas remain impassable, rendering thousands of storm survivors in dozens of villages cut off from vital humanitarian aid. Despite the provincial government's pleas for aid from foreign governments, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has so far refused. Dave Grunebaum reports from Aceh Province.

A few decades ago, Venezuela was considered one of Latin America's strongest democratic examples. Then it became an autocracy. Correspondent Hannah Dreier began reporting from Venezuela in 2014 when the first major exodus from the country began. Dreier, now an investigative reporter for the New York Times, speaks with The World's Host Marco Werman about how the country's democratic institutions began to hollow out.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has appointed a former Canadian minister to be his new economic advisor. It's the latest in a spate of changes to Zelenskyy's cabinet following a corruption scandal in the the country's nuclear sector. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Andrii Borovyk, head of the corruption watchdog Transparency International Ukraine, about the changes and what they indicate about Zelenskyy's priorities as the war continues.

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is now in US custody, facing drug-related charges - but inside Venezuela, the fallout is just beginning. In Caracas, residents describe fear, brief celebration and a return to caution as power shifts to long-time insider Delcy Rodriguez. Some worry that US pressure and oil sanctions will deepen hardship, while others see a rare opening for change. The World's Tibisay Zea brings voices from the streets of the capital.

China is adding new restrictions on 13 chemicals used to make fentanyl - the synthetic opioid behind most overdose deaths in the United States. Those chemicals flow from China to Mexico, where cartels produce most of the illegal fentanyl that enters the US. But experts say the new rules may have only limited impact. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Mexico City.This story originally aired on Dec. 10, 2025.

China now produces nearly three-quarters of the world's electric cars, and no city embodies that dominance more than Shenzhen, home to industry giant BYD. The city of 20 million people is a global hub of clean transportation and high-tech innovation. As The World's Jeremy Siegel reports, Shenzhen's transformation has roots in Apple's decision produce the iPhone there 20 years ago.This story originally aired on Dec. 4, 2025.

Taiwan has a new envoy to Finland, and he is also the lead singer of a renowned Taiwanese heavy metal band. After months of trying to set up cultural exchanges that drew little to no interest, Freddy Lim decided to stage a heavy metal concert. The event was a big success, in large part because Finland has the highest number of metal fans per capita. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.This story originally aired on Dec. 4, 2025.

Forty years ago, Shenzhen, China, was little more than a cluster of villages, home to a few hundred thousand people. Today, it holds roughly 20 million residents and ranks among the world's fastest-growing megacities. Yet, unlike other urban centers that have ballooned at similar speeds - Mumbai or Lagos, for example - Shenzhen has largely sidestepped the air pollution, overcrowding and failing infrastructure that often accompany rapid expansion. The World's Jeremy Siegel visited Shenzhen and breaks down how that was accomplished.This story originally aired on Dec. 2, 2025.

When writer Robin Reif's adopted daughter wanted to know where she came from, she decided it was important to go back to China to find answers for her daughter. So, they flew 7,000 miles to try and find a slip of paper that had been left with her daughter as a baby. Reif shared this memory with GBH's Stories From the Stage.This story originally aired on Oct. 14, 2025.

Even as the US slaps hefty tariffs on Chinese goods, the country's trade surplus is on the rise. Eswar Prasad, an economist who specializes in trade policy at Cornell University joined Host Marco Werman to shed light on what's driving the trend, and what it means for the global economy.This story originally aired on Dec. 9, 2025.

Some of the auto industry's biggest innovators gathered in Shenzhen, China, earlier this year for the Automotive World China Exhibition. From electric cars to self-driving sanitation vehicles, the event made it clear that the future of transportation is already here - and China is leading the way. The World's Jeremy Siegel reports.This story originally aired on Dec. 5, 2025.

The new Japanese prime minister sparked a diplomatic flare up this fall, when she said that Japan would get involved if China were to attack Taiwan. The back and forth came at a time when Taiwan's leaders were stepping into the international spotlight to talk about the importance of defending democracy. The World's Matthew Bell reports.This story originally aired on Nov. 13, 2025.

Musician Meklit Hadero is a friend of The World and reporter of the music series Movement. She speaks to Host Marco Werman about some musical highlights from the past 30 years, including a few recent favorites.

Music has always been an essential part of The World. Since day one, the show has featured music being made and celebrated across the globe. Host Marco Werman dips into the archives to share some of his favorites, including a conversation he had with the late singer Marianne Faithful.

The World has been covering the awe of nature alongside the threats posed by climate change since the show began 30 years ago. Host Carolyn Beeler walks Marco Werman through highlights of that reporting, from Paris and Antarctica to Brazil and beyond, and shares some of the most intriguing sounds to emerge from one-on-one encounters with the natural world.

Thirty years ago today, The World went on the air for the first time. To help us celebrate this milestone, we turn to Neil Curry who helped create the show and was The World's first executive producer. We also hear from our reporters Matthew Bell and Shirin Jafaari, who discuss how their coverage of major global news evolved after the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.