The World: Latest Stories

The late Francis Bebey was a musical innovator from Cameroon who used the sounds of the natural world in his music, long before other artists were similarly inspired. Bebey's seminal album was "Tresor Magnetique." Now, that album has been remixed by a new generation of artists. Host Marco Werman speaks to Patrick Bebey, one of the musical pioneer's sons.

On two sides of the border bridge linking Calais (Callous), Maine, and St. Stephen, New Brunswick, residents are seething. Free trade between the two towns has been going on for decades. But that's up in the air with the new tariffs levied by the Trump administration. Despite the frustrations, both towns have agreed to put aside their country's disagreements and to "hug it out." Ari Snider reports from Maine.

Havana was once an outpost for the American mafia - a playground where organized crime families bought off local officials, raked in cash from drugs and gambling, and generally did as they pleased. Today, Chinese crime syndicates have set up their pseudo-colonies in parts Myanmar and are as big as small cities, housing casinos, brothels and, most-notoriously, scam compounds. Patrick Winn reports.

Caring for a newborn can be overwhelming for many new parents. Babies don't come with a manual, and the lack of sleep doesn't help. Home-Start UK offers help by sending trained volunteers into the homes of new families for whatever support they need. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.This story originally aired on Feb. 13, 2023.

Nepal's prime minister resigned after 22 people were killed over two days of protests. Anti-corruption demonstrations escalated in Nepal's capital Kathmandu today, as government buildings were set ablaze. The unrest was sparked by a social media ban, which has now been reversed by the government. The protests have grown into a wider anti-corruption movement that took to the streets on Monday. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain.

Loose Ends is an organization started by two friends, Masey Kaplan and Jen Simonic. They match up a growing roster of volunteer knitters with holders of unfinished projects. The World's Sarah Birnbaum shares the stories of kindness and generosity between strangers.This story originally aired in April 2023.

Warda Al-Jazairia was fondly known as "The Algerian Rose," with many fans simply calling her Warda. She was a a household name throughout the Arab world with a long, successful career. Now, a vinyl reissue of a concert she gave in 1975 is giving us the chance to look back at her success. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

The United States is one of the biggest importers of shrimp from India. Now that the Trump administration's whopping 50% tariff on Indian goods coming into the US has gone into effect, shrimp farmers in India are among those bracing for a hit. As Namrata Kolachalam reports, India could now lose its place as the top exporter of shrimp to the US.

An international team of scientists is exploring a vast source of drinking water deep under the sea floor off the coast of Massachusetts. As water scarcity increases, the team believes undersea aquifers could be a helpful source. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Brandon Dugan, a chief scientist on the expedition. He's a geophysicist at the Colorado School of Mines.

The "Irish spice bag" has become a staple of late-night Chinese takeout in Ireland - so much so that it was added to the Oxford Dictionary this year. But it's still hard to find in the United States. One Minnesota restaurant, however, is starting to change that. O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. in Minneapolis has added the spice bag to its menu, and the response has been so positive that it added the special appetizer to the full-time menu. Jacob Aloi reports.

In the mountains of northern Mexico, hidden fentanyl and methamphetamine labs are leaving behind something just as dangerous as the drug itself - chemical waste dumped into rivers, forests and farmland. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Sinaloa about the environmental cost of synthetic drug production.

The detention of more than 300 South Korean nationals at a car battery plant near Savannah, Georgia, last week came as a complete surprise to many in South Korea. The workers were rounded up at a factory owned by the Hyundai Motor Company, one of the biggest conglomerates in South Korea. President Lee Jae-myung said he hopes this sort of thing never happens again. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

The import of solar power technology from China to Africa has surged over the past year. Yet the continent still only produces about 1% of the world's total renewable output, despite being home to vast amounts of renewable resources. This is the backdrop of this week's Africa Climate Summit, ongoing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where national leaders are calling for more global investment. The World's Host Marco Werman spoke with Abay Yimere, a scholar of climate action in Africa and an advisor for the summit, about the state of renewable progress in African countries.

Israel today attacked an apartment in Doha, Qatar, where the top leaders of Hamas were meeting to discuss a US ceasefire proposal. Israel quickly claimed responsibility for the attack, and said it had notified the Trump administration ahead of the strikes, which the White House called an unfortunate incident" that did not advance peace in the region. The World's Shirin Jaafari spoke with Host Marco Werman.

In a conflict where choosing one side feels like the only option, Palestinian-Israeli actor Yousef Sweid dives into the chaos of identity, truth and family life in "Between the River and the Sea." Raised as a Christian-Arab kid in Haifa, now raising two Jewish-Arab kids in Berlin, he unpacks his "in-between-ness" in a new Berlin show that's playing to sold-out crowds. Rebecca Rosman has the story.

At least 17 people have died in Nepal's capital Kathmandu after clashes with police. Tens of thousands took to the streets across the country to protest a government ban on dozens of social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Host Marco Werman spoke to Rajneesh Bhandari, who was at the scene of the protests earlier today.

When man-made structures like highways and train tracks block animals' paths, they have a consequential decision to make: Do they try to cross and risk getting hit? Or are they forced to stay in their location, away from access to food and environments they need to survive? For decades, ecologists across the globe have argued that wildlife crossings are crucial in eliminating this dilemma. The World's Bianca Hillier looks into the history of these crossing structures and how they're increasingly necessary today.

It's called Akira Comics and, among it 60,000 volumes, you'll find everything from the Japanese manga style that inspired its name to fantasy literature to classic Marvel superheroes. But Akira is more than just shopping. Its decor is designed to transport clients to fantasy realms, from "The Lord of the Rings" to "Star Wars" to medieval Europe. The World's Gerry Hadden takes us on a tour of Akira, on Madrid's north side.

Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman give updates on global stories we've been following.

Hours before two Palestinian men killed at least six people in Jerusalem, US President Donald Trump had issued an ultimatum for Hamas, saying that the group must accept a deal put forward by the US and agreed to by Israel. There will not be another warning," Trump said on social media. The deal would require the release of all hostages by Hamas in exchange for Israel releasing Palestinians it holds. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with Host Carolyn Beeler about the latest.

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) will be inaugurated this Tuesday. Damming the Blue Nile, which flows from Ethiopia into Sudan and Egypt, creates the largest hydropower plant in Africa, and the eighth largest in the world. But the GERD has also caused mounting tensions with its downstream neighbors, Egypt and Sudan. The World's Host Marco Werman spoke with political scientist Hana Attia about the unresolved issues surrounding the GERD.

An Italian designer and an American gigolo: The genius of the recently late-Giorgio Armani would have been discovered without the silver screen, but his fashions appearing as they did on Richard Gere in the title role of the 1980 movie "American Gigolo" certainly helped. It accelerated the adoption of Armani's elegant but cool, relaxed style in Hollywood and beyond. Co-hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have an appreciation.

India is in the midst of a massive campaign to curb a growing population of feral dogs because the animals spread rabies. But while dogs play a role in the disease's spread, the problem actually goes back to the decline in the country's vulture population. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Chris Bowden from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds about this link between vultures, dogs and human health.

Aid workers have finally reached the mountain village in Sudan that was devastated by a landslide last Sunday. Hundreds are said to have been killed, yet there's no official number. According to the BBC, aid workers used donkeys with supplies of food and medicine to reach Tarseen. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

For centuries, a bronze statue of the "Lion of St. Mark" has stood watch atop a column in the heart of Venice. The distinctive winged lion has been a symbol of the Italian city, though there's been much debate about its origins. Researchers from the University of Padua have now determined that the lion is in fact from China. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Massimo Vidale, who co-authored the study, to find out more details on their conclusion.

Jamaican voters handed Prime Minister Andrew Holness a third term in office on Thursday. While he has earned praise for dramatically lowering the country's homicide rate with a tough-on-crime approach, analyst Rosalea Hamilton told The World's Host Carolyn Beeler that critics are concerned about the populist politician's track record on civil liberties and the economy. Hamilton is the founding director of Jamaica's Institute of Law & Economics in Kingston, Jamaica.

The Trump administration has cut or delayed funding for programs that helped Iranians evade government censorship and internet blackouts. Now, the future of these programs are in limbo.

Amanda Anisimova has been on a revenge tour at this year's US Open after a disastrous end to Wimbledon earlier this summer. Now, she has the chance to clinch the trophy. She just has to beat the defending champion and World #1, Aryna Sabalenka, to do so. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Germany's new gender self-determination law is sparking political debate after a convicted neo-Nazi changed their legal gender and demanded to serve their prison sentence in a women's facility. The law, introduced late last year, was designed to make it easier for trans and non-binary people to change their legal gender and name. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has more.

When Chinese Leader Xi Jinping strode into Tiananmen Square for this week's massive military parade in Beijing, he arrived with Russian President Vladimir Putin on his right and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un on his left. This was just one of many wins for Kim, who wants to be accepted on the international stage as the leader of a normal country, instead of a global pariah. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

In one of Sao Paulo's largest favelas, winding alleys and the absence of formal addresses long kept postal workers and online shopping out. During the pandemic, residents launched their own solution: Favela Brasil Xpress, a community-run delivery service that now handles more than 1,600 packages a day. The project has spurred new jobs, drawn in Brazil's postal service, and even inspired a Google mapping initiative to put the favela on the grid. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from the tangled streets of Paraisopolis.

Torrential rains have driven nearly 2 million people from their homes in Pakistan's Punjab province. And according to officials just across the border in northern India, more flooding is coming. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Tufts University professor Hassaan Khan about the role climate change and infrastructure are playing in the devastating monsoon season.

Singer and music producer Ghaliaa Chaker - who's known professionally just as Ghaliaa - was born in Syria, and moved to Abu Dhabi as a child. As part of our series Movement about music and migration, Meklit Hadero speaks with Ghaliaa about how she gained confidence in her voice, and in herself as a musician.This story originally aired on May 3, 2024.

The world's largest iceberg, named A23a, has been drifting in the Antarctic for a decade, and has found itself in warming ocean waters. Warm water and icebergs don't mix. Scientists believe the once trillion-ton mass of ice has only weeks to live. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

Eight world-class and Olympic swimmers, representing all four UK nations, have been making their way along the River Thames this week, seeking to cover 124 miles in a relay-style swim. The swim is meant to raise awareness about the UK's dirty bathing waters, which advocates say is a major issue. If the waters were cleaned up, they could be used for recreational swimming, which could boost moods, activity levels and even bring in tourism money. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on the journey.

A new patient safety initiative dubbed Martha's Rule" has rolled out across hospitals in England. It's designed to empower families to request an urgent medical review when their concerns are not being addressed. Merope Mills campaigned tirelessly for the innovation. It's named for her daughter, as she explains to The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek is tracing the path of human migration on foot. But how to cross from one hemisphere to the other? Ancient humans walked across a land bridge between Russia and Alaska, which no longer exists. So, Salopek had to cross the ocean on a commercial shipping container ship. He tells Host Carolyn Beeler about life on the high seas, and the influence geopolitics have had on his walking route.

Trump administration officials are talking about more military strikes against suspected drug gangs in the southern Caribbean. It follows a US attack on a small boat from Venezuela that US President Donald Trump says killed 11 "narcoterrorists." The reaction in Latin America has been mixed. The World's Matthew Bell has our story.

Since independence from Russia in 1918, Finland's air force used the swastika as an emblem, but even after World War II - during which the country fought alongside Nazi Germany - the symbol persisted on flags representing some air force units. While Finland's use predates the association with the Nazis and the Holocaust, its air force said it sought a new design that matched the country's "current identity." The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Teivo Teivainen, who authored the recently published book History of the Swastika." Teivainen said the move coincides with Finland's NATO membership.

The process of becoming a permanent resident of the United States often takes many years. During that time, immigrant applicants cannot leave the country. This is what happened to Grace Talusan's family. They came over from the Philippines when she was just 3 years old. So, they did all their traveling across the US. Talusan shared her experiences with Stories From The Stage, produced by GBH's TV channel WORLD.This story originally aired on Jan. 9, 2024.

Finland's capital has reached a major milestone when it comes to road safety: a whole year straight with no traffic fatalities. As The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports, Helsinki has some lessons for other cities around the globe trying to make their streets safer.

Germany has long been one of Israel's strongest allies in Europe. It's a partnership shaped by Berlin's acknowledgment of responsibility for the Holocaust and its pledge to protect Jewish life after World War II. Successive German leaders, including current Chancellor Friedrich Merz have called Israel's security a matter of national duty. But as the war in Gaza continues, that relationship is under increasing strain. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Only one survivor has been reported after a landslide decimated a village in western Sudan. A local armed group there said over a thousand people were killed, and they're calling on the international community to help bring in aid - a challenging situation in a country fractured by civil war. Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Alex de Waal from Tufts University about the situation.

China's leader Xi Jinping told the crowds watching today's massive military parade in Beijing that "the Chinese nation is a great and self-reliant nation that is never intimidated by bullies." It was clearly a message aimed at Washington. But China's neighbors in Asia are certainly taking note, as well. Experts say today's public display of Chinese military hardware is further confirmation that a new arms race is well underway. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Albert Laguna, an associate professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, Race and Migration at Yale University, is teaching a new class this semester called "Bad Bunny: Musical Aesthetics and Politics." The course will put the rapper's music into context and teach students about the colonial relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States, which is a key theme Bad Bunny explores in his lyrics. The World's Bianca Hillier went to Yale's campus to learn more.

It was a powerful image loaded with unmistakable political symbolism: A broadly smiling Chinese leader Xi Jinping, flanked by Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un, watching a massive military parade roll through Beijing's Tiananmen Square. Simon Rabinovitch, The Economist's Beijing bureau chief discusses the substance behind today's showmanship with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

Violent protests have been going on for more than a week in Indonesia. At least six people are dead and 20 are missing, according to a monitoring group. The demonstrations were sparked in part by revelations about special perks and benefits given to politicians in the country. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler caught up with Sidney Jones, an adjunct professor of Indonesian affairs at New York University and longtime expert on Indonesian affairs, for the latest.

Some 20 ships carrying people from more than 40 countries left Barcelona, Spain, on Monday for a two-week journey toward Gaza. Along the way, more boats from Tunisia and Italy will join them. Earlier attempts to pass Israeli warships have failed but this is the biggest flotilla yet, and activists hope their sheer numbers will make a difference. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

There are plenty of jokes and lots of laughs. But Chinese language open mic events called "Nuzhizhuyi" - which translates to "feminism" from Mandarin - are not just about stand-up comedy. These get-togethers in New York City also serve as opportunities for activists, students and young professionals to meet, engage in group therapy and share perspectives on life in both the US and China. The World's Matthew Bell has our story, from one of our summer favorites.This story originally aired on July 4, 2025.

In Norway, there's a lucrative new resource in the North Sea: more oil. It's the biggest oil reserve to be found in almost a decade. The problem is, it could postpone a scheduled phaseout of Norway's North Sea oil production. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Espen Moe of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology about the tensions at play.