The World: Latest Stories

During Sunday's Super Bowl halftime performance, Bad Bunny shimmied up an electrical pole while singing his hit "El Apagon." The title translates to The blackout." Puerto Rico's electrical grid is notoriously faulty due to under-investment and an aging, centralized infrastructure. Ruth Santiago, an environmental and community lawyer who lives in Salinas, Puerto Rico, talks with The World's Marco Werman about the grid's current status and efforts to upgrade it.

If the left-leaning government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has its way, children under 16 will soon see apps like TikTok and Instagram disappear from their screens. Following Australia's lead, Sanchez says it's time for society to step up and protect kids from the onslaught of harmful content online. But pulling it off is complicated. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona

Mexico is sending two navy ships packed with humanitarian aid to Cuba as the island nation struggles with severe fuel shortages. Amid economic and military threats from the US, Mexico has had to proceed cautiously in supporting Havana, with which it has longstanding relations. The World's Marco Werman learned more from Arturo Sarukhan, former Mexican ambassador to the US.

Europe's beloved chestnut season is coming to an end. That's calling attention to new research on chestnut pollen deposits, which suggests chestnut trees may date back to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Scientists now believe the Romans planted chestnut forests across the continent, though more for the lumber than the earthy chestnuts. Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

The war in Ukraine is now approaching its fourth year- unimaginable in 2022 when the full-scale Russian invasion began. In the West, many consider the situation a catastrophe for the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin, who had expected a quick and decisive victory. But that's not the way it's portrayed from Moscow. As reporter Deborah Amos tells us, in addition to being a deadly time for soldiers, it was the first time Ukrainian and international journalists realized it was going to be deadly for them too.

On Sunday, the Israeli security cabinet agreed on new policies for the occupied West Bank that would make it easier for Jewish settlers to acquire Palestinian land. Critics say the moves amount to de facto annexation of large parts of the Israeli-occupied territory. US President Donald Trump has said that Israeli annexation of the Palestinian territory is not acceptable. The United Nations, along with a host of Arab and Muslim-majority states, responded with sharp criticism of the new Israeli policy. The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

In the days leading up to the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, excited young athletes have been posting videos of themselves opening up their boxes and bags of gear and Olympic apparel. From pajamas to ski suits, there is plenty of swag - and plenty of interest in it online. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are the first to feature a ban on ski wax that includes PFAS, the forever chemicals linked to a range of health problems and diseases. The chemicals had made the wax especially effective; now, athletes and wax techs are experimenting with less effective alternatives. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Julia Mehre Ystgaard, Canadian cross-country ski coach.

No, not the scary Terminator-like ones beloved of science fiction writers ... We're talking about the cute, helpful ones designed to help out in school. And yes - this really is a thing. A Norwegian company is already successful in 17 countries with a small robot that can represent absent pupils in the classroom. Lars Bevanger reports from Oslo.

Sanae Takaichi was taking a huge risk when she called for a snap election just 110 days into her first term as prime minister. Today, she won big. Her struggling political party - the Liberal Democratic Party - captured a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house of Japan's parliament. Takaichi is promising to push ahead on her conservative agenda. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Hong Kong authorities today sentenced pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai to 20 years behind bars. It's the longest punishment given so far under a China-imposed national security law that has quashed dissent on the island. Tom Grundy, editor-in-chief at the Hong Kong Free Press, speaks with The World's Marco Werman about the implications.

Ebo Taylor was one of Ghana's top musicians and an artist who garnered international attention for the country. Host Marco Werman tells us that his death was announced over the weekend by his son. We listen to a heartfelt song of Taylor's following the death of his first wife.

In a large archive building in Tirana, Albania's capital, a team recently began reviewing 45 years of films produced at the behest of former dictator Enver Hoxha. The team is slowly digitalizing decades-worth of documentaries, films and cartoons, ready for public release. But as Jamie Fullerton reports, there are those not so keen on calling attention to a dictator's handiwork.

The war in Ukraine is now approaching its fourth year. To understand how Ukraine reached this moment, we turn back to one of the most devastating chapters of the conflict: the siege of Mariupol. As reporter Deborah Amos tells us, in addition to being a deadly time for soldiers, it was the first time Ukrainian and international journalists realized it was going to be deadly for them too.

Newly released Epstein files are sending shockwaves far beyond the United States, fueling political crises, criminal investigations and renewed questions about some of Europe's most powerful figures. Britain's prime minister is battling for his political survival, Norway's monarchy faces scrutiny, and fresh human trafficking probes have begun in two EU countries. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has more.

Ten years ago, Philippine farmer Christopher Fadriga knew nothing about cacao. Then he discovered some old criollo cacao trees growing in people's backyards. The heirloom variety, which had long vanished from Mexico, was brought over by the Galleon Trade hundreds of years ago. Now, Fadriga's criollo cacao beans are the toast of chocolate lovers the world over. Dany Mitzman reports from Negros, in the Philippines.

Few in Thailand doubt that, in the upcoming Feb. 8 election, progressives will win the most votes. Less certain is whether they will take power. For decades, Thailand has been stuck in a cycle: left-leaning candidates triumph in elections and then the old-guard establishment (the military and its network of judges) deems them unfit to rule. But there is hope that this time will be different. Patrick Winn reports from Bangkok.

Officials from the US and Iran met today in the Persian Gulf country of Oman. This is the first time the two sides are meeting since the US and Israel carried out military strikes in Iran to dismantle its nuclear program. The meeting also comes at a tense moment. Last month, Iran's security forces crushed a series of anti-government protests, killing thousands of people. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with Host Carolyn Beeler about the latest.

In the Slovak capital, Bratislava, a high profile re-trial is under way. Jan Kuciak, a 27-year-old investigative journalist, and his fiancee Martina Kunirova were shot dead in 2018 - a killing widely believed to be connected to Kuciak's reporting on corruption. The businessman suspected of ordering the killing has been acquitted on two occasions, but both times the verdicts were overturned by Slovakia's Supreme Court, citing serious flaws in how evidence had been assessed. Rob Cameron reports.

Today in Pakistan, a suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in the capital Islamabad. The attack during a Friday prayer service killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens more. While no one has yet claimed responsibility, the country's security forces have been locked in a growing fight with insurgents, especially along the border regions with Afghanistan. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learns more from Akbar Notezai. He's a reporter for the Pakistani news organization Dawn.

Host Carolyn Beeler brings us the sounds of Colombian trio Balthvs, who are bringing back the short-lived psychedelic music era in their country, with just enough funk to make it their own.This story originally aired on July 22, 2024.

When "Time Hoppers: The Silk Road" hits theaters this weekend, it will make history as the first animated feature film made by, for,and about Muslims to have a US theatrical release. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with director Flordeliza Dayrit about the film's characters and what it means for Muslim children to see them on screen.

National Geographic explorer Paul Salopek is on a global walk from Ethiopia to Tierra del Fuego, off the coast of South America. But such a walk wouldn't be possible without help along the way. That's why he has walked alongside dozens of walking partners on his journey so far. Paul joins Host Marco Werman and explains how those walking partners keep him moving, and what being part of his project means to them.

A curling team in a mountain town near Barcelona claims to have invented the sport, one year before the Scots, nearly 500 years ago. But the evidence for this is sketchy at best - as is the seriousness of the team itself. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Vallvidrera, Spain.This story originally aired on March 18, 2024.

The sport of curling has fans around the world, despite its humble origins on frozen lakes in Scotland in the 1500s. But the fandom gets a massive boost when the Winter Olympics come around, when a big order is placed at the company that manufactures all of the curling stones used at the Games. Reporter Bianca Hillier has the details.

"Oral" is a song musician Bjork composed more than 20 years ago, but it never worked for any of her albums. She came upon the composition around the same time that a critical report was published about the devastating impact salmon farming is having on communities in her native Iceland. So, "Oral" became the featured song, performed by Bjork and Spanish superstar Rosalia, in a campaign to help Icelandic towns whose economies are suffering.This story originally aired on Dec. 4, 2023.

The last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty, New START, expired on Thursday, leaving the world's two largest nuclear arsenals without legal limits on nukes for the first time in over half a century. While the US and Russia still possess the most nuclear warheads, some US policymakers argue the treaty was outdated because of China's own rapidly expanding stockpile. The World's Host Marco Werman turned to Heather Williams, director of the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to understand what happens next.

Famine conditions are spreading in Sudan's Darfur region, according to the IPC, the group that monitors global hunger. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, about what he saw on a recent trip to Sudan.

It's been nearly two months since a shooting rampage at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach took 15 lives. Mass casualty shootings are rare in Australia. This one has refocused attention on the country's gun ownership and hate law reforms, as Sydney Morning Herald reporter Daniel Lo Surdo tells The World's Host Marco Werman.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler present a few items in the news today that you might have missed.

This winter, around 20 monks from a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Texas are walking from their home in Fort Worth to Washington, DC. The 2,000-mile walk is to promote peace, and ask for federal recognition of the Buddha's day of birth. WUNC reporter Aaron Sanchez-Guerra checked in on the marchers' progress while they were in North Carolina.

After years of civil war, and the ouster of a brutal dictatorship, Syria is showing signs of becoming a society based on the rule of law. Officials in the interim government of Ahmed al-Sharaa say trials for former members of the Assad regime could begin this year. Reporter Deborah Amos in Damascus explains the challenges the new administration faces.

Leaders of a fringe ultra-conservative Catholic group called the Society of St. Pius X, based in Switzerland, say they're going to consecrate new bishops without consent from the Vatican starting this summer. This presents a challenge to Pope Leo XIV because, under Catholic doctrine, installing bishops outside of papal authority is an offense that leads to automatic excommunication. A Vatican spokesman says talks with SSPX, as the traditionalist group is known, will continue. But this would not be the first time a pope clashed with clergy from SSPX. Its founder was excommunicated in 1988.

Italy is preparing to host the Winter Olympics this week and for the first time in the Games' history, the event will be split between two cities. Milan, the country's fashion capital, and Cortina d'Ampezzo, high in the Dolomite mountains, will share hosting duties across a vast area stretching hundreds of miles. But the scale of the event is only one of several challenges facing this year's Winter Games. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

A statement released by the White House this week described the culmination of the Mexican-American war as a legendary victory" that reasserted American sovereignty, and expanded the promise of American independence across our majestic continent." Albert Camarillo, a professor of history at Stanford University, revisits the conflict's history with The World's Host Marco Werman.

In Libya, officials said Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of the late strongman Moammar Gadhafi, has died. The 53-year-old was reportedly found shot to death, though further details are scarce. Before his father was toppled and killed in the 2011 uprising, Seif was a public defender of his family's regime. The country has been fractured by civil war and a fragile ceasefire since. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui. He joined the show from Tripoli in Libya.

A month after US forces captured former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, some signs of change are emerging - from small protests to opposition figures resurfacing. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has proposed a sweeping amnesty law that could free hundreds of political prisoners. But families and human rights groups remain wary. The World takes a look at the hopes and doubts behind the proposal.

Scientists in Cambodia are using audio recordings to track endangered gibbons in the Central Cardamom Mountains. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with scientist Ratha Sor about why the presence of these primates are an indicator of ecosystem health.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro is in Washington today for a visit with US President Donald Trump. The meeting follows months of barbs exchanged between the two leaders, including claims by Trump that the Petro is a "drug lord" and threatening military intervention. But, as the International Crisis Group's Elizabeth Dickinson told The World's Marco Werman, the two countries have long relied on each other to fight the drug trade.

The city of Angkor was once the seat of the Khmer Empire in Southeast Asia. Starting about the year 802, Angkor flourished. But by 1430, the city was mysteriously abandoned, then swallowed up by jungle. Now, cutting-edge technology is revealing what likely led to Angkor's collapse. Sarah Klassen is an archaeologist at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and one of the researchers featured in the new PBS NOVA documentary. Klassen recently spoke to Host Marco Werman.

Russia's massive overnight attack on Ukraine included hundreds of drones and a record 32 ballistic missiles. Meanwhile, troops on the front line, like Sgt. Andrii Shadrin, say conscripts are having a tough time filling the shoes of more experienced soldiers. Shadrin speaks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about the fate of the Donbas, and what the territory he's defending will ultimately mean for how this war ends.

Austin Appelbee was enjoying a morning on the water with his mother and two younger siblings, kayaking and paddleboarding. That is, until the wind picked up and the water became choppy, pushing them farther out to sea and unable to paddle back. But Austin braved the ocean and swam for hours by himself back to shore to alert emergency services, who dispatched a helicopter and rescued his family. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more details.

After a brutal crackdown on protesters earlier this month, the Iranian government has now launched a campaign of arrests across the country. Families say their loved ones are being held incommunicado. Human rights advocates say detainees are kept without official charges, legal access or family contact. And then, there are those who have gone missing, with no news of their whereabouts.

Spanish weather forecasters are facing an alarming jump in online attacks. It's not because they're getting the forecast wrong, but because they increasingly link extreme weather events to climate change. Meteorologists say the hate, harassment and threats are starting to affect their work. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

El Bosque is a former fishing village on Mexico's Gulf Coast that has been abandoned because of rising sea levels. This is not uncommon in some places around the world, but it was the first time to happen in Mexico. Alvaro Cespedes, from the WWNO podcast "Sea Change," has the story.

Brazil's revered singer Caetano Veloso was already in bed when he heard the news that he and his sister Maria Bethania had won the Grammy for Best Global Music Album, "Caetano and Bethania: Live." Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler offer a taste of a classic that they cover.

Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman review global headlines flying just under the radar.

El Bosque, along Mexico's Gulf Coast, was once a thriving fishing village - until the water started rising. Now, its residents have been forced to flee their homes because of more extreme weather and rising sea levels caused by climate change. For the podcast Sea Change, produced by WWNO in New Orleans, Alvaro Cespedes introduces us to one woman determined to fight for the village's future - even as her neighbors flee the encroaching waves.

Spain's tennis phenom, Carlos Alcaraz, won the Australian Open over the weekend. And at 22, he became the youngest player ever to complete a Grand Slam - winning all four major tennis tournaments in a single year. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

This year, countries, including the UK and Ghana, committed to bans on the destructive practice of bottom trawling. That's where weighted nets are dragged across the ocean floor to scoop up large catches of sea life. In Cambodia, one island community is using a more tangible strategy. Locals on Cambodia's Koh Sdach are dropping large cement blocks in near-shore waters, lying in wait to snag a trawling boat's fishing net. The blocks can also help promote biodiversity and increase fish populations by serving as artificial reefs. Leila Goldstein spoke with fishermen at sea on Cambodia's waters.