The World: Latest Stories

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.

Uptake rates for childhood vaccines in Great Britain are at their lowest in 15 years. This means more children will be at risk of serious diseases like measles, polio and whooping cough. Helen Bedford, a professor of children's health at University College London, discusses the sharp decline with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

Search and rescue operations continue in eastern Afghanistan following a deadly earthquake that hit the area on Sunday. The World's Shirin Jaafari has been speaking with aid workers on the ground to get the latest.

Max Richter's acclaimed 8-hour music composition known as "Sleep" - which brought overnight performances to Sydney, Berlin, Paris and beyond in 2015 - is turning 10. To celebrate, not only has the composer released a shortened version of the album (it's 90 minutes long, the length of one REM cycle), but he is touring once again with the live all-night affair, which plays to audiences snuggled up in bed, wearing comfy clothes, for dozing. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

Thousands of people have marched across Mexico in recent days to demand action on the crisis of disappearances. With nearly 130,000 people officially considered missing, families say the government effort has been inadequate. The World's Tibisay Zea joins a group of mothers in the northern state of Sinaloa as they search for their missing children.

National leaders have at times used government funding to force changes at universities. Hungary is one example. The World's Josh Coe reports on how Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban cracked down on higher ed in his country.

With fewer science students and researchers considering the US as a destination, there is concern of a brain drain from the American STEM community. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Marc Zimmer, chemistry professor at Connecticut College, about these concerns.

After the 2021 American withdrawal from Afghanistan, tens of thousands of Afghans who had helped the US military there were granted special visas to come and live in the United States. Among them was the Kabir family. Two sisters in that family have ambitious goals for their education, which they could not have received in their homeland. Reporter Adeline Sire met them and has their story, from Massachusetts.

In the wake of federal funding cuts that threaten scientists' jobs in the US, programs have emerged across Europe to attract those worried American scientists. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from a university in southern France where incoming Americans are referred to as scientific refugees."

The largest contingent of international students to the US comes from India. But with the new restrictions by the Trump administration, many Indian students are considering alternative destinations for college.

When international students return home from the US with a college degree in hand, they can have a lasting, beneficial impact on their communities. Reporter Briana Duggan profiles a Kenyan woman who studied computer science at Augustana College in Illinois and then returned to her small hometown to become an educator.

The US economy could lose $7 billion in spending and 60,000 jobs as a result of the bans and restrictions imposed by the White House on international students. That is according to NAFSA, the Association of International Educators. Host Marco Werman speaks with NAFSA's CEO, Fanta Aw, about the potential impact of visa restrictions.

Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she was disgusted" after altered photos of her and other women were found on an Italian pornographic website. It follows public outcry earlier this week over revelations about a an Italian Facebook group titled La Moglie, meaning My Wife," where men allegedly shared photos of their wives. To learn more, Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Cecilia Sottilotta, an assistant professor of politics at the University for Foreigners of Perugia. She joined the show from Rome.

Running a marathon is a big deal no matter where you do it. But running the Abbott World Marathon Majors - Berlin, London, Tokyo, Boston, New York and now Sydney - comes with additional benefits. There is more crowd support, more professionals in the field - and more money all around. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on how Sydney made the list ahead of the race this Sunday.

The Lebanese government is set to put forward a plan to disarm one the Middle East's most powerful militant groups - Hezbollah. The Shia group was created with funding and support by Iran in the 1980s, and has been part of the Lebanese security apparatus since. The group was dealt a heavy blow last year when Israeli forces targeted and killed its top leaders. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Oud player Sheikh Imam and poet Ahmed Negm were the most famous musical duo in Egypt in the 1960s and '70s. Then in 2011, their music became a rallying cry for protesters trying to topple Egypt's autocratic leaders. The story comes to us from Dana Ballout at the Kerning Cultures Network.This story originally aired on Jan. 12, 2024, and July 5, 2024.

Forty-seven-year-old Natalia Nagovistyna's husband, Sergey, died on a peak in Kyrgyzstan in 2021, with Natalia refusing to descend without him. This week, after being trapped herself for more than 15 days on an even more dangerous summit nearby, it appears Nagovistyna has met the same fate. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Twenty years ago today, disaster struck New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina arrived. But it wasn't so much the wind that caused destruction, it was when the levees breached, pouring water into the city. Other cities around the globe have suffered from similar circumstances, most notably the Netherlands in 1953 when a high-tide storm breached the dikes, flooding many parts of the country. Dutch engineers have been learning from this disaster ever since. So, in the aftermath of Katrina, experts and engineers in New Orleans looked to the Dutch. One of those experts is David Waggonner, co-founder of the architecture firm Waggonner and Ball. We first spoke to him in 2013, he's back again to speak to Host Marco Werman about the progress made.

The Chilean band Calle Mambo likes to shake things up, both musically and lyrically. Whether its combining Latin rhythms with electronic beats or touching on topics like migration and the environment. It's all there in the title track of the group's latest album "Retumba la Tierra" - the Earth trembles. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

There are few worse feelings than being stuck behind a long line of cars at a traffic light. Now, Google has developed an artificial intelligence program aimed at fixing the problem. It's called Project Green Light, and it analyzes Google Maps data to come up with recommendations for traffic engineers to reduce gridlock and cut emissions. As The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports, it's already being used - with success - in cities around the globe.

When people think of asylum seekers, they often picture desperate journeys to the United States. But this year, dozens of Americans, many of them transgender, have been seeking refuge in Europe, particularly in the Netherlands. They say they fear persecution at home. Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order recognizing only two genders: male and female. Yet, for US citizens, winning asylum in the Netherlands is anything but straightforward. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

This is the first summer tourism season that international flights have been able to fly into and out of Greenland's capital of Nuuk, using the new international airport that opened in November. It's part of a larger effort to increase tourism, with the government aiming to double tourist visits and boost tourism revenue and employment by the end of the next decade. But with more tourists, there comes more headaches. The World's Carolyn Beeler is just back from Nuuk and brings us her report.

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest has been an annual event since 1965. Run by the UK's Natural History Museum in London, this year's contest drew a record-breaking 60,636 entries. The World spoke with the French photographer behind one of top 100 images, depicting a sloth clinging to a fence post in Costa Rica. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

Russia's massive overnight strike on Kyiv killed at least 19 people and injured many dozens more. Journalist and Kyiv resident Jared Goyette describes the nightly question that people face: whether to wait out incoming fire or whether the attack is severe enough to go to a shelter. Goyette describes what last night was like to Host Marco Werman.

As many as 19 people were killed in overnight Russian missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, making it the deadliest attack on the city since July. The missiles also hit the European Union's headquarters in the city, bringing heavy condemnation from European leaders, who feel increasingly responsible for the success of peace talks. To learn more about the latest on the diplomatic front, Host Marco Werman spoke to Nicu Popescu, the head of the European Security Program at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

A top United Nations official in Jerusalem says that the situation in Gaza is sinking deeper into disaster, marked by rapidly mounting civilian casualties, mass displacement and, now, famine." Meanwhile, in the West Bank, things continue to "spiral dangerously downward," according to Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process. But in Israel, there are signs people are growing weary of the war, even as Israel's government plans a new offensive centered on Gaza City. The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

France, Germany and the United Kingdom today triggered the snapback mechanism to end sanctions relief against Iran. Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and curator of "The Iranist" newsletter, speaks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about the implications.

From the first green plums of spring to late summer pomegranates, a seven-acre public fruit garden in Istanbul, Turkey, allows visitors to pick their own produce. The project is part of a growing global trend to plant fruit trees in public spaces for everyone to enjoy. But it's not an entirely new practice. Centuries ago, most humans probably had a "food forest" right next door. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

Two years have passed since the leader of the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary force, was killed in a suspicious plane crash. Since then, Wagner forces deployed in the West African country of Mali have "melted down" says a new investigative report from The Sentry. Host Marco Werman gets the latest from The Sentry's executive director, Justyna Gudzowska.

The Circling Sun is a jazz collective that hails from Auckland, New Zealand, or as the ensemble refers to its country in the Maori language: Aotearoa. There are nods in the music to Maori culture, but the group's main influence is Brazilian jazz from the 1970s. Co-hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman give the group a listen.

If you flew anywhere this summer, you were probably offered the option of buying a carbon offset when you bought your tickets. It's an option that's marketed as a way to support forestry or renewable energy projects, to offset the carbon emissions of the trip you're taking. Deutsche Welle, DW's Kathleen Schuster examined whether offset credits actually do what they promise, in this excerpt from the DW's environment podcast "Living Planet."

Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan has taken flak for filming scenes for an epic reimagining of Homer's "The Odyssey" in Western Sahara, a territory occupied by Morocco. Activists warn that Morocco doesn't give human rights observers and journalists the same warm welcome Nolan received. The World's Host Marco Werman got insight into the issue with Maria Carrion, the executive director of FiSahara, an annual film festival that spotlights the work of the Sahrawi people of Western Sahara. She's based in Madrid.

Some foreign shippers are suspending US package deliveries as a customs tax exemption for low-value goods comes to an end this Friday. Andy Wu, an associate professor of business administration at Harvard Business School, talks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about the implications of the global delivery pause.