The World: Latest Stories

Thursday marked a milestone in Syria. For the first time since 2012, the US officially has a diplomatic presence there. Although the US Embassy has not reopened, on Thursday, the US flag was raised at the ambassador's residence in Damascus for the first time since the US left Syria in 2012. Carolyn Beeler speaks with Amr al-Azm, a professor at Shawnee State University about what comes next.

Longtime Estonia watcher and Deutsche Welle reporter Ben Bathke first fell in love with the Baltic country for its peaceful, prosperous, tech-savvy small-country vibe. Now, as Estonia finds itself at the forefront of Europe's bid to fend off suspected - and anticipated - Russian hybrid attacks, Bathke was drawn back again. His particular area of interest this time? Hybrid warfare, shadow fleets and the protection of critical deep-sea infrastructure.

The global banana company Chiquita has sacked thousands of Panamanian plantation workers after they went on strike to protest a new law curtailing their pension rights. After workers began blockading the Pan-American highway, Panama's government declared a state of emergency in the province of Bocas del Toro. The World's Marco Werman discusses the implications with Panamanian political analyst Rodrigo Noriega.

Dan Storper was 74 when he died last week in his adopted city of New Orleans. Arguably, no one in the US has done more to get Americans - as well as many around the globe who discovered Putumayo CD music compilations - listening to songs from around the globe other than Anglo-American pop. The World's Marco Werman has a remembrance.

It's been a good year for those obsessed about a potentially bad future - "preppers," as they're called. Preppers in Spain are seeing a big boost in interest, especially after last month's countrywide blackout; almost the only ones to ride out the darkness were the oft-maligned and mocked preppers. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

On June 1, Mexico will become the only country in the world where every judge in every court, including the Supreme Court, will be elected by popular vote. As the country prepares for this historic election, concerns are mounting over candidates with alleged ties to organized crime and religious groups. Activists say vetting has been weak, and former judges are alarmed. With long ballots and little public awareness, critics fear the reform may undermine, rather than strengthen, judicial integrity. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Mexico City.

Myanmar's civil war is the most lethal in Asia - a crisis that has dragged on more than four years and killed an estimated 50,000 people. Is there any way to stop this conflict? Myanmar's neighbors think so. Southeast Asian countries, along with China, are getting more forceful about brokering peace - or at least trying. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation was presented to the world as a solution for the severe hunger in Gaza. Backed by Israel with US private security, its first day of distribution was chaotic. On the second day, at least 48 people were wounded in gunfire from security forces, and one person is said to be dead, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with David Satterfield, who was special envoy for Middle East humanitarian Issues under President Joe Biden, about what aid systems work. And he discloses what he knows about Hamas' diversion of aid.

Forty years before the Holocaust, Germany used concentration camps and pseudoscientific experiments to torture and kill more than 70,000 Africans in what was then called South West Africa. German colonizers targeted the Ovaherero and Nama communities because they refused to give up their land and cattle. Carolyn Beeler speaks with Jephta Nguherimo, the founder of the Herero People's Memorial and Reconstruction Foundation, about the decadeslong fight to have the 20th century's first genocide recognized and what the descendants of the victims are still demanding from German government.

Turkish aviation authorities have announced they will fine passengers who stand up too early after a plane lands and crowd aircraft aisles while waiting to deplane. The penalties for that and other offenses could reach nearly $70. Other fineable infractions include unfastening seatbelts while the plane is still taxiing, or opening overhead bins before the plane has been parked - all of which Turkish Airlines has described as strictly forbidden." Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

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

Nigeria is witnessing major violence by Boko Haram the past few weeks. The group and its splinters are responsible for deadly attacks claiming dozens of people. Mass killings in Borno and Yobe states now underscore a troubling resurgence of extremist activity in the region. Marco Werman speaks with Nigerian security expert Al Chukwuma Okoli.

The World Meteorological Society latest annual report projects global temperatures will climb to record highs over the next five years - including the increasing likelihood that temperatures will breach the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold considered necessary to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with climate scientist Alice Alpert about what the WMO found, the consequences of our heat trajectory, and why it isn't too late to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Last week was Budget Day for New Zealand's government. The Minister of Finance, Nicola Willis, became the subject of controversy the next day when a local fashion house owner criticized her outfit for not being New Zealand-made. Some of Willis' colleagues in parliament protested the controversy by posting their own outfits on social media. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have the details.

Turkey's president has led the country for 22 years - first, as prime minister, then, as president. His latest call for a new constitution could keep him in power even longer. Meanwhile, protests against the imprisonment of his most-popular political opponent continue. Some critics say Erdogan has finally gone too far. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

Uber is partnering with Chinese software company pony.ai to launch self-driving robotaxis in the United Arab Emirates later this year. The unlikely partnership marks a new chapter in the global race to dominate the autonomous vehicle market. The World's transportation correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports.

Just in case you missed any or all of the amazing events in sports that took place over the past few days, hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler will dazzle you with some of the more-exciting achievements.

Russia's military captured four Ukrainian border villages in the Sumy region of Ukraine on Tuesday. It follows an intense bombing campaign of Ukraine's cities and towns over the weekend by Russian drones. It also comes as Moscow holds a major security conference over the next two days. Host Marco Werman speaks with Samuel Charap, a senior political scientist at RAND, about the latest developments in the war in Ukraine and remaining prospects for peace.

Over 50,000 mpox cases have been reported across the African continent since January, with the number of deaths approaching 2,000, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One of those countries dealing with an outbreak of the disease is Malawi. As the president of Malawi's Society of Medical Doctors Dr. Victor Mithi tells host Carolyn Beeler, USAID cuts have made fighting the disease in Malawi much harder.

As Ghana prepares for a presidential election this weekend, cocoa farmers are focused on what the candidates propose to help the troubled sector. Ghana is one of the world's top producers of cocoa beans, but extreme weather and pests are taking a toll on yields. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman visited some cocoa farms and production facilities in eastern Ghana to hear what people there think could help the industry.

A new analysis shows that between 2022 and 2023, China's Belt and Road Initiative invested more in wind and solar than fossil fuels. This is a first for the global "hub and spoke" trade system launched by China in 2013. Diego Morro of Boston University's Global Policy Development Centers speaks with host Carolyn Beeler about the new cleaner projects and whether they represent a long-term shift or a one-off.

This year marks a half-century since the end of the Vietnam War. A well-known memorial in Washington, DC, pays tribute to the US service members who lost their lives in that war, but few memorials honor the Vietnamese who fought alongside them, or the hundreds of thousands who came to the US in subsequent years. A new memorial project in the Little Saigon neighborhood of Dorchester in Boston aims to do just that. Reporter Heidi Shin talked Ngoc Tran Vu and Linh-Phoung Vu, artists behind the 1975 Project, and community members who are participating.

Yaroslav Simkiv has played the trumpet for over 50 years and is a recognizable figure in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv. Several times a day, he plays his instrument from the towering mayoral building in Lviv's main square to announce the time of day. But these days, Simkiv has taken on a more serious role, bidding a musical farewell to Ukraine's fallen soldiers. From Lviv, Emily Johnson reports.

David Bliss grew up hearing stories about his great-aunt Bertha, a once-energetic woman who ran her own shop in the small German town of Husen. But he knew very little else about her until he found a high school in Husen, which for decades has had students research the lives of Holocaust victims. Bliss' journey to memorialize his great aunt unearthed debates about such memorials in Germany, including those over the "Stolperstein," or "Stumbling Stone" project. Rebecca Rosman traveled to Husen and Munich to tell this story.

A combination of ancient knowledge and modern research techniques may be closing the gap between who some of the earliest people to settle in Taiwan could have been and its current residents. The key to the earliest chapters of Taiwan's history may lie in the stories and traditions of groups like the Saisiyat Indigenous people. Ashish Valentine reports from the mountains of northern Taiwan.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler remember Cuban musician Luis Manuel Mirabal Vazquez, who died last year at age 91. A founding member of the Buena Vista Social Club, Mirabal was considered one of Cuba's greatest trumpeters.

Chile's biggest carnival is kicking off at full speed on Monday. As many as 150,000 people have traveled to the northern Chilean town of Arica to participate. But this is not your typical carnival. Most of the dances and music come from Bolivia. And it is a celebration of Indigenous Aymara, Quechua, and Afro-Chilean identities. Michael Fox has the story, from Arica, Chile.

Yury Grigorovich has been described as one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century. He was the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet from 1964 to 1995, which he is said to have led with an iron fist. The World's Sarah Birnbaum has more on his life and legacy.

A multi-car pileup on a congested highway. That's a worst-case scenario for drivers. But that's exactly what engineers have created, on purpose, using the runway of a former military base in Scotland. This is all part of the setup for a new PBS documentary called "Ultimate Crash Test." The show's co-executive producer, Tom Adams, spoke to The World's Host Carol Hills.

The leader of Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has reportedly threatened to resign, according to reports in the Bangladeshi press. The 84-year-old Nobel Prize-winning economist has been steering the country since an uprising toppled the regime of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina last year. The World's Host Carol Hills learned more from Zafar Sobhan, the editor of Counterpoint, a Bangladeshi news site. He joined the show from the capital Dhaka.

When Spain went dark for a day, on April 30, the tiny village of San Vicente del Monte went about business as usual. The town maintained power because of an experimental lithium battery that many other municipalities had declined to try out. The World's Gerry Hadden explains.

Two long-running conflicts in Africa are facing very different prospects right now. In Democratic Republic of Congo, a war between the state and the M23 rebels - backed by Rwanda - may be on the verge of a peace settlement. That's according to US President Donald Trump. But in Sudan, the civil war is becoming more destructive. And now, the US is accusing the Sudanese army of using chemical weapons. Both of these conflicts are top priorities for Ambassador Troy Fitrell, who spoke with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

It's been five years since George Floyd was killed by a police officer in Minneapolis, sparking one of the largest global protest movements in recent history. From the streets of London to Sydney, his death ignited a reckoning with racism, policing and historical injustice. Statues of slave traders were pulled down in the UK. In Australia, calls for accountability over Indigenous deaths in custody grew louder. Across continents, people demanded systemic change. Half a decade later, the question remains: What, if anything, has truly changed? The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

On Thursday, Denmark's parliament voted to raise what's already the highest retirement age in Europe. As a result, the new retirement age in the country will hit 70 in the year 2040. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Carol Hills have more.

A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University's ability to enroll international students. A temporary restraining order now stops the government from pulling Harvard's certification with the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which allows schools to host international students with visas. Host Carolyn Beeler gets the latest from GBH Higher Education reporter Kirk Carapezza.

A shrine on the outskirts of Damascus has long been a prominent destination for Shias from around the world. Its golden dome glistens in the sun and the outer walls are covered in tiles from Iran. But the shrine's connection to Iran goes beyond aesthetics. Iranian guards once protected the holy site - but they also helped keep Syria's former leader, Bashar al-Assad, in power. The World's Shirin Jaafari has the story.

Pakistan's military is once again popular among civilians. This comes after an eruption in fighting between Pakistan and India earlier this month. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sahar Khan, an independent South Asia analyst, about the shift itself, and how the military is likely to use this support to its own advantage.

Most efforts to combat malaria have focused on killing mosquitoes. But as mosquitos develop a resistance to insecticide, scientists are trying something different. They're targeting the parasites feeding off of mosquitoes, in hopes of clearing the infections and preventing further spread. Harvard researcher Alexandra Probst discusses the breakthrough with The World's Host Marco Werman.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek's walks through the countryside of Japan have been unexpectedly lonely. That's because he's been trekking through a region undergoing depopulation. Host Marco Werman speaks with Salopek about his all-too-rare encounters with people on this stretch of his journey, as well as the difference between traveling through natural landscapes that are uninhabited and traveling through towns that once thrummed with life, gone quiet.

The transition to a lower-carbon world will require copper, and much more than is currently being produced. Demand for the metal is expected to outstrip the supply within the next decade. Host Carolyn Beeler discusses the predicament with Adam Simon, a professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan.

Iran's parliament ratified an agreement between Russia and Iran to strengthen economic ties. It's a non-binding alliance that calls for more cooperation in banking and arms trade, as well as some degree of collaboration in dealing with common adversaries. Nicole Grajewski is a fellow in the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. She joins Host Carolyn Beeler to talk about what's behind this warming relationship - and what it means for the rest of the world.

Immigration lawyers are sounding alarms over what they say is an escalating immigration crackdown in Maine. They say that border patrol agents are arresting people who have valid work permits, no criminal record and are following lawful pathways to permanent status. Maine Public Radio's Ari Snider takes a closer look.

At 11 years old, Harvey Goodbody has mastered the piano - in six months. His online videos have earned him fans across the globe. But he also entertains in his own hometown. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

According to industry numbers from April, Chinese automaker BYD sold more electric vehicles in Europe than Tesla. That's a first. It's also happened fast: BYD didn't begin selling EVs in Europe until 2022. Host Carolyn Beeler discusses BYD's success in Europe and what it means for the EV industry as a whole with Ben McWilliams, an analyst with Bruegel, a European think tank.

The war in Gaza is straining Europe's relations with Israel. Britain suspended trade talks with Israel this week. EU officials say they're reviewing commercial relations. And the UK's top diplomat described Israel's recent plans to expand the war in Gaza as morally unjustifiable." Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland discusses what's at stake with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

A new highway in Turkey does something different when drivers veer off the road. Instead of the usual rumble strips, sound vibrations on the asphalt play Mozart's sonata number 11, also known as the "Turkish March." Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain.

A new law in Spain - nicknamed Evictions Express - aims to give property owners a way to get rid of squatters, and fast - within 15 days. But some are skeptical. The law relies on an overwhelmed court system, with cases routinely ending up getting delayed for months, sometimes years. This, as housing prices continue to rise, making it harder for people to pay rent as legal tenants. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

A group of paleontologists are picking through a prehistoric graveyard in a remote corner of Alberta, Canada, to solve a 72-million-year-old puzzle. They want to know why thousands of dinosaurs are buried there, under layers of dirt and dust. Host Marco Werman speaks with Emily Bamforth, a paleontologist working at the site. She's also the curator of the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum.

Turkish officials say they've caught Chinese intelligence using fake cell phone towers to eavesdrop on Uyghurs and the Turkish government. After five years of flying under the radar, the leader of that operation was caught, and the methods behind it have been exposed. Ragip Soylu is the Turkey Bureau Chief for Middle East Eye, and he breaks down how it worked for The World's Host Marco Werman.

After delaying an earlier ultimatum, the European Union has passed a new sanctions package against Russia. It comes as a result of Russia rejecting plans for a 30-day ceasefire that the US, the UK, and Ukraine signed off on, bringing negotiations to a standstill. The World's Daniel Ofman looks at the potential impact of further sanctions, given the current state of the Russian economy.