The World: Latest Stories

The national dish of Iraq is legendary: a butterflied river fish, grilled over a wood fire - in a recipe that dates back to Sumerian times. It's called Masgouf. But Iraq's multi-year drought has put the future of this fish in question, as authorities dismantle thousands of fish farms in a bid to conserve water. Reporter Durrie Bouscaren followed the masgouf trail, and brings us this story.

From NHL players appearing for the first time in 12 years to France's first appearance with a women's team, this year's Olympic hockey tournaments are making history. Host Marco Werman runs through a few key moments as the world's top hockey players face off for a spot on the podium.

The International Energy Agency has removed climate change from its list of priorities for the next two years, following threats from the US to withdraw from the advisory body. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Kate Guy, managing director of the Geopolitics of Climate Change and the Energy Transition at Columbia's Center on Global Energy Policy, about what this means.

On Friday, the US Supreme Court struck down much of the Trump administration's tariffs on foreign goods, which have been a cornerstone of its trade and foreign policies. The World's Host Marco Werman learns more from Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, an international consulting firm.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan began this week. It's a month of fasting, prayers and reflection for millions of Muslims around the world, and it's a special month for Ekhlas Ahmed and her family. They fled their home in Darfur, Sudan, when she was just 12 years old and were resettled in Portland, Maine. One Ramadan back home was particularly special and Ahmed shared the memory with GBH's Stories From The Stage.

US President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that he is considering a limited military strike on Iran in the coming days. He said the goal of the strikes would be to pressure the country into a nuclear deal. The threats of war come as many Iranians are marking the customary forty days of mourning for their loved ones who were killed during the anti-government protests. As The World's Shirin Jaafari reports, they are preparing for the worst, but also hopeful for change.

Yesterday in Austria, a judge handed down a guilty verdict in the trial of a mountaineer, whose girlfriend froze to death near the summit of Grossglockner, the alpine country's highest peak. The court found 37-year-old Thomas P. [they don't disclose full names of those facing conviction] responsible for her death due to gross negligence. The case has sparked debate in Austria and the wider mountaineering community about what we owe our climbing partners. The World's Host Marco Werman learns more from Antonia Rauth, a journalist at the Austrian newspaper Der Standard.

In recent months, analysts have noticed something odd happening in the middle of the East China Sea: Satellite images and ship tracking data show thousands of Chinese fishing boats arrayed in a perfectly straight line. William Yang, a Taipei-based senior analyst with Crisis Group, tells Host Marco Werman that this is an attempt by Beijing to build up its capabilities to assert control over disputed and critical waters.

At this year's Super Bowl celebrations, the NFL gave a considerable amount of attention to the gentler version of tackle football, flag football. This move highlights the growing popularity of the sport worldwide. KQED'S Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman has the story.

Military confrontations seem to be happening across the globe these days. One especially fraught area is the Persian Gulf, where a conflict between Iran and the US may be closer than ever. Sending warships to force concessions from a country is not new. The US, as well as other countries, have done this in the past. It's called "gunboat diplomacy," and as The World's Shirin Jaafari reports, it can be extremely risky.

In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, hundreds of thousands of people cover themselves in glitter for the biggest party in the world, Carnival. But most of that glitter is made of plastic, and it pollutes the environment. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with researcher Juan Diego Rodriguez-Blanco about the problem with glitter and the alternatives available.

A court in Seoul today sentenced former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to life in prison. In December of 2024 the conservative leader had declared martial law and sent military forces to the national assembly. His decree lasted only about six hours and soon after Yoon was impeached and arrested. Prosecutors had been seeking the death penalty. Reporter Jason Strother was outside the courthouse in Seoul when the verdict was handed down and shares details of the case with Host Marco Werman.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek is walking around the globe on foot. His project, called the Out of Eden Walk, started in January 2013. Paul marks 13 years on the road with Host Marco Werman, by looking back at the project's early days.

France is in turmoil on the eve of key legislative elections. A 23-year-old far-right activist was brutally beaten to death by far-left counterparts at a leftist political rally in Lyon last week. Police have arrested a bunch of suspects, including an aide to a member of parliament from the far-left France Unbowed party. The tragedy has stirred up France's surging National Assembly party, which is closer than ever to winning national elections next year, according to polls. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

In a development that's gripping the British public, not to mention other parts of the globe, police in the UK have arrested the former Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, for alleged misconduct in public office. His arrest follows the latest release of the Epstein files, which have prompted investigations into several senior figures in Europe in the last few weeks. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry shares details and analysis with Host Marco Werman.

Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca and French cellist Vincent Segal had known about each other for years, traveling in similar music circles and concert halls. But they never really had the chance to forge their own connection. Fonseca made the first move, suggesting they start playing music together. The result is both a friendship and an album: "Nuit Parisienne a la Havane." Host Marco Werman has more.

Less than two months before Hungary's national elections, Prime Minister Viktor Orban's political future hangs in the balance. For the first time since he took power, the rightwing populist faces a serious challenge: from a centerright candidate. Most independent polls show Orban's party trailing, though analysts warn that unseating Europe's longestserving prime minister will be no easy task. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

A deep underwater camera has shown, for the first time, that sharks are swimming in the Antarctic Ocean. The 13-foot "sleeper shark" was seen briefly on the camera, located 1,600 feet below the ocean's surface. Host Marco Werman has the details.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Air Force One yesterday that the US is in talks with Cuba. Meanwhile, Cuban officials say there are no high-level negotiations underway, but acknowledge that some messages have been exchanged. Peter Kornbluh, co-author of "Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations Between Washington and Havana," tells The World's Host Marco Werman that diplomacy and negotiations are possible, and even preferable, in ending the current crisis between the two countries.

With high-stakes diplomatic talks in Geneva this week, the city is a destination for human rights activists. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is among the leading pro-democracy figures attending the Geneva Summit for Human Rights and Democracy. For more than five years, she's headed the Belarusian opposition in exile. Tsikhanouskaya spoke with Host Marco Werman about the goals and direction of that movement.

A new bridge between the US and Canada is on the verge of a long-awaited opening. The Gordie Howe International Bridge crosses the Detroit River, connecting Michigan and Windsor-Ontario. The opening doesn't yet have an official date, but is expected in early 2026 - despite the US president's recent threats to keep it closed. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel explains.

Two years ago this week, Alexei Navalny died in a Russian penal colony in the Arctic. His Anti-Corruption Foundation once maintained a vast network of offices from Moscow to Siberia, aimed at exposing graft and supporting opposition politicians. That's all gone now. But many Russians who worked with Navalny are carrying on the work, from exile. Reporter Levi Bridges has our story.

The European Union has made it illegal to destroy clothing that's been manufactured, but not purchased. It's part of a wider effort to embed sustainability into the EU economy. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Barbara Pino, an expert in the geopolitics of fashion, about what this change means.

Aside from his mastery of acting and directing, Robert Duvall had two other loves in his life: his wife, the Argentine actor Luciana Pedraza, and tango. He met Pedraza by accident in the streets of Buenos Aires in the mid-'90s and they basically spent their years together, until his death at age 95 on Sunday, dancing the tango and making movies. Host Marco Werman tells us more.

About 60% of Indonesian men ages 15 and up smoke tobacco, the second highest rate globally according to the World Health Organization. Public health advocates point fingers at a local culture that views smoking as what makes a man, plus weak regulations and poor enforcement of existing rules. Dave Grunebaum reports.

The hostages taken by Hamas, dead and alive, are back home. But that's not the end of the ordeal for them and their families. It's expected they will need years of counseling to get over the trauma they experienced, both as hostages and relatives of hostages. Stephanie Freid reports from Tel Aviv.

Money sent home to Mexico by migrants in the United States fell last year for the first time in more than a decade. The nearly 5% drop ends an 11-year run of steady growth. Mexico is one of the world's largest recipients of remittances, and millions of families rely on that support. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Host Marco Werman gives updates on some stories that we've covered on the show recently.

Tarique Rahman, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sworn in as the country's new prime minister on Tuesday. The 60 year-old Rahman spent 17 years in self-imposed exile in London, before returning to Bangladesh late last year. He's the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and will be the first elected leader to take office since the youth-led protests toppled the previous government in Bangladesh in 2024. The World's Carolyn Beeler brings us an update from Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital.

At this week's India AI Impact Summit, Delhi is bringing together leaders of nations and tech for what it's proclaiming to be the first major summit on artificial intelligence hosted in the Global South. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Vinay Narayan, associate director at the Aapti Institute, a public research think tank. He joined the show from the summit in Delhi.

The American civil rights icon, Rev. Jesse Jackson, died today at the age of 84. His advisor James Zogby, pollster and co-founder of the Arab American Institute, traveled with Rev. Jackson throughout the Middle East. Zogby tells The World's Host Marco Werman that Jackson broke political taboos by mainstreaming dialogue with Palestinian leaders, and engaging with Arab Americans as a political constituency, rather than treating them as marginal or politically risky.

Floodwaters are beginning to recede in northwestern Morocco, and the roughly 188,000 people who were evacuated are beginning to look toward a return home. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Tiziana Bonzon, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies' North Africa delegation, about the long recovery process ahead.

Islas Marias, off Mexico's west coast, was known as "Mexico's Alcatraz" and was the Americas' last island prison until the penal colony closed in 2019, following controversy over terrible conditions and a history of political prisoners. Now, Mexico's navy, which runs the island, is allowing tourists to visit on restricted weekend tours. Journalist Jamie Fullerton spent the weekend there.

Patrice Nganang is an acclaimed Cameroonian author based in the United States. His new memoir, "Scale Boy," details his childhood in Cameroon. He speaks to Host Marco Werman about being deported from his own country, how Cameroonian President Paul Biya has stayed in power for so long and just what exactly a scale boy is.

A 700-year-old fresco discovered on the wall of a convent church in northern Italy suggests that luxurious Islamic tents were used to cover altars in medieval European churches, as Sarah Birnbaum first reported last winter.This story originally aired on Feb. 10, 2025.

The Danish government is strengthening its military. Partially fueled by uncertainty about its relationship with the United States, Denmark is increasing the length of mandatory military service from four months to 11 months. The country is also ending a rule that allowed women to opt out of serving. In Denmark, Deutsche Welle, DW's, Teri Schultz visited the first class of conscripts beginning their training under the new system.

Russian dissident Alexei Navalny died in prison two years ago today. Russian authorities said he died of natural causes, but many Russia watchers immediately suspected poisoning. Those suspicions have now been confirmed by labs that analyzed samples taken from Navalny's body and confirmed the presence of a potent neurotoxin. Host Marco Werman has more details.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio got a standing ovation when he spoke at the multinational Munich Security Conference over the weekend. That's got a lot to do with the fact that his address fell short of the hardline populism that Vice President JD Vance brought to the event a year ago. But Rubio's travel schedule after the conference wrapped up also sent a message. He went straight to Slovakia and Hungary, two countries that have embraced far-right, Euro-skeptical views and proven to be reliable friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

With 16 sports across eight locations, keeping up with the two-week Milan Cortina Winter Olympics can be overwhelming - even for the athletes themselves. Award-winning sports journalist Sarah Spain caught The World's Host Marco Werman up on women athletes going for gold. She's the host of "Good Game with Sarah Spain" and joined the show from Cortina, Italy, where she's been reporting on the ground.

After years of draining retirement accounts across the globe, Southeast Asia's scam compounds face a reckoning. In the past two months, Thailand has bombed one compound network, Myanmar's military has shelled another one. Now, the action has shifted to Cambodia, where police are raiding compounds left and right. As Patrick Winn reports from Bangkok, the driving force behind this crackdown is China, which is embarrassed that scam compounds are often owned by Chinese nationals and target Chinese citizens.

Brazil's Sao Paolo state passed a law this week that allows pets to be buried next to their owners. This is thanks to one town's love for a dog named Bob who stayed by his owner's grave for 10 years until the dog's own death in 2021. Host Marco Werman offers the details.

It's almost Valentine's Day, so we're treating you romantics out there to a lesson in dramatic expressions of love. In Mexico, there's a flower delivery trend you need know about. Because why just send flowers, when you can send a whole show? The World's Tibisay Zea checked it out for us last summer.This story originally aired on July 11, 2025.

Tarique Rahman, the leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), has emerged as the big winner in this week's pivotal election. The 60-year-old son of a former prime minister will take the oath of office as the new prime minister on Sunday. Rahman's BNP was the frontrunner going into Thursday's vote. He's promising to strengthen the country's democracy and improve security. The World's Carolyn Beeler reports from the capital, Dhaka.

The rain on the Iberian Peninsula simply will not stop. Multiple storms have swept through in the past several weeks, causing extreme flooding along with dangerous winds. In Portugal, the government declared a state of emergency. Several people have died, thousands of people have been forced to evacuate, and infrastructure meant to contain floodwaters has collapsed, bringing down part of a major highway. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Joao Dinis, the climate action director for the city of Cascais, about what has happened and how he thinks about climate adaptations going forward.

Students in Gaza are slowly getting back to their education after more than two years of war. Israel's strikes in Gaza destroyed or damaged almost all of the schools. Students and their families were forced to flee their homes, many faced hunger and a constant threat of death. Today, some of the students are finally returning to class. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

World leaders and diplomats from roughly 120 countries are in Germany today for the Munich Security Conference, where strained transatlantic ties have taken center stage. Opening the event, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the familiar international order no longer exists." NATO's strength, he said, depends on trust among allies, and no country, not even the US, can go it alone. The conference will also hear discussions on Iran, the war in Ukraine and the future of Gaza. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has the details.

Kenyan President William Ruto has announced that the government will reopen two checkpoints along the border with Somalia, after nearly 15 years of closure. The border was closed to due attacks in Kenya by the militant group Al-Shabaab, based in Somalia. Ruto said there would be heightened security at the border checkpoints, but critics say Al-Shabaab remains a significant threat. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Nationwide protests in Bangladesh managed to bring an end to years of repressive rule by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Those demonstrations were led by young people, many of them students. They had high hopes for bringing democratic change to Bangladesh. But where do they stand now, as the country voted on Thursday in one of the the most consequential elections in the country's history? The World's Carolyn Beeler reports from the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.

A Ukrainian athlete competing in the men's Skeleton events has been disqualified by the IOC for wearing a helmet with the faces of victims killed by Russia in the war. And a Super League conceived five years ago by 12 of Europe's top soccer clubs officially disappeared today. Host Marco Werman has the details.

"Don't jump up and down," is the advice these days coming from winners of Olympic medals. Numerous exuberant athletes have seen their medals fall from their necks, hit the ground and break. Host Marco Werman explains what's going on.