The World: Latest Stories

The list of no shows" at the two-week COP29 climate conference in Azerbaijan is long: China, the US, Germany, Japan, Australia, France, Brazil and Mexico are all sitting this one out. Someone who did show up, though, is Tina Stege, the climate envoy for the Marshall Islands. In conversation with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler, she discusses how the countries most vulnerable to climate change are trying to fill the leadership vacuum.

The names being considered for key national security positions in President-elect Donald Trump's second administration are mostly familiar: Senator Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, Representative Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser, Representative Elise Stefanik as US Ambassador to the United Nations. But what do those choices indicate about Trump's foreign policy priorities, as well as his approach to dealing with the rest of the world as he prepares to return to the White House in January? Host Carolyn Beeler speaks to Peter Feaver, professor of political science and public policy at Duke University. From 2005 to 2007, he served as Special Adviser for Strategic Planning and Institutional Reform on the staff of the National Security Council.

From apple pie on Thanksgiving Day to Johnny Appleseed stories passed down for generations, the apple has been a symbol of American culture. But the first apples actually originated halfway around the world, below the towering, snow-capped mountains of Central Asia in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. And now, wild apples growing in that very region might be the key to ensuring the long-term survival of a fruit whose genetic diversity consists of more than a century of agricultural cultivation practices.

A cruise line is trying to woo Americans who are disappointed with the US election results. Lasting for the conspicuous duration of four years, the new offering is called the "Skip Forward" cruise. Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

Police in Italy say they have busted a major criminal art-forging network and seized 2,100 fraudulent works peddled by the ring. The artwork had been attributed to Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, British street artist Banksy and other big names in the modern art world. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Laurie Rush, co-author of The Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Property," about how a special branch of the Italian national police, the Carabinieri Art Squad, solve art crimes in Italy and around the world.

A Dutch court has overturned a 2021 case that ordered the oil giant Shell to cut its greenhouse emissions down by 45% before 2030. The 2021 ruling against the fossil fuel industry giant was considered a big win for climate activists and set a precedent in litigating corporations on their emissions. In conversation with Host Carolyn Beeler, Jonathan Verschuuren of Tilburg Law School in The Netherlands calls the court's decision a pyrrhic victory for Shell.

Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, nostalgia for the old days and ways of socialist East Germany is stronger than ever. Germans even have a name for the phenomenon: Ostalgie." From East German scooters to '80s hair metal, artifacts of the past are increasingly popular with some who grew up in the GDR [German Democratic Republic] and watched it disappear overnight - and even many who didn't. But it's controversial, because Ostalgie can move beyond favorite foods and bands, and into a problematic whitewashing of the misdeeds of the dictatorship.

Dominique Morisseau is a Haitian American playwright, who was raised in Detroit, Michigan. She's written extensively about her native city, but her newest, and perhaps most autobiographical, play shines its light on the island nation where her father was born. It's called "Bad Kreyol", and it looks at a pair of cousins - one from America, the other from Haiti - negotiating a difficult relationship. Jeff Lunden reports from New York, where the play premiered.

Emperor penguins are social birds that live in Antarctica, so it struck experts as curious that a single emperor penguin washed ashore in Australia this month. Officials in Western Australia are caring for the malnourished bird while determining what to do with it next, as Host Marco Werman explains.

Since Lebanon has been dealing with ramped-up airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion, not only have hospitals and clinics have been bombed, but doctors say they have also seen a sharp increase in premature births and miscarriages among Lebanese women. The World's Durrie Bouscaren looks at what it's like to be pregnant in wartime.

Haiti's Transitional Presidential Council has ousted leader Garry Conille after six months. They've named businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aime to the top spot. The ouster may violate the country's constitution. The Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles tells Host Marco Werman that if Conille doesn't step down, Haiti could find itself with two prime ministers, as armed gangs on the island continue finding new sources of weapons and funding.

Swastikas on classroom desks. Heil Hitler" in the hallways. In an open letter this spring, student council associations from the six former East German states warned of increased neo-Nazi incidents in their schools and radicalization and recruitment of their classmates online. Valerie Hamilton has the story.

Parts of India and Pakistan are blanketed in thick smog, with densely populated cities seeing record-breaking levels of pollution. Now, some are calling for the two rival nations to work together on new ways to fight the issue. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports on the unlikely possibility of smog diplomacy."

In an attempt to set a new world record, 1,000 musicians gathered on Mexico City's main plaza with trumpets, violins, vihuelas and bass guitars over the weekend. Host Marco Werman has the story.

Israel's new foreign minister today said that there has been what he called "certain progress" in efforts to end fighting with Lebanon's Hezbollah. Hezbollah denies any knowledge of a potential ceasefire. Host Marco Werman has more.

Following his election win last week, US President-Elect Donald Trump received congratulations from leaders across the globe. Reports have since come in that Trump spoke to his counterparts in Kyiv and Moscow as well. While President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine confirmed that he had an excellent" call, Moscow denies any such communication. Host Marco Werman spoke to Sam Greene, a professor of Russian politics at King's College London, about what's known as of now.

A panel of experts sent by the UN Security Council arrived in Port Sudan on Sunday. They're looking into possible war crimes committed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been locked in a war with the government for more than a year and a half. Cameron Hudson is a former CIA analyst and national security official for multiple US administrations who's kept a close eye on Sudan; he joins Host Marco Werman to discuss this recent development.

The four-letter f-word is part of the unique set of profanities that cannot be uttered on public radio, but its history and use is no less fascinating. Perhaps even more so in light of its taboo. Details about its roots continue to emerge, as shared by Jesse Sheidlower, a lexicographer and assistant adjunct professor at Columbia University.

Playwright Michael Shayan's one-man play about his mother and growing up as a first-generation Iranian American begins a national tour in Denver. Each night, Shayan transforms into his mother Roya, hosting a traditional Nowruz celebration. The show's origins trace back to a simple recorded conversation between Shayan and his mother. From Colorado Public Radio, Eden Lane reports.

News of the US election result is being discussed across Africa. While leaders of countries from Nigeria to Zimbabwe shared statements of congratulations with a triumphant Donald Trump, reactions vary widely across the continent. Host Carol Hills spoke with Christopher Isike, director of the African Center for the Study of the United States at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

COP29 opens on Nov. 11 in Azerbaijan, a major exporter of oil and natural gas. While some environmentalists are horrified that an oil producing nation will again host the conference, others are hopeful it will help bring results. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

European leaders met Thursday in Budapest, Hungary, for a summit of the European Political Community. Host Carol Hills covers some of the discussion, including US President-elect Donald Trump's likely impact on support for Ukraine and NATO, agreement by leaders that Europe must do more for its own defense, and friction between EPC members. Also, Germany is holding events to mark the 35th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, an event that heralded the end of the Cold War and led to the unification of Europe. Nothing manifested the division of Germany - and the European continent - as powerfully as the 13-foot concrete barrier. Reporter Alexa Dvorson witnessed the wall crumble as it was blasted open, and looks back on the event with people whose lives were shaped by it on both sides and those confronted with its aftermath today.

The Great Indian bustard bird was once a common sight across much of India. Today, however, the species is considered close to extinction. But recently, wildlife conservationists in India have managed to artificially inseminate a female Great Indian bustard bird. Host Carol Hills speaks with Tushna Karkaria, a lead veterinarian working on the Bustard Recovery Program at the Wildlife Institute of India, about the methods used in artificially inseminating the species and what it means for its future.

More than a week on from the deadly floods that destroyed parts of eastern Spain and led to the deaths of at least 218 people, recriminations are flying over who should be held responsible. In Germany, three years after catastrophic floods hit the northwest region of the country, questions of accountability are still being asked. Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth but scientists say many local governments are badly prepared for weather related disasters. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Does Jazz need saving?" So asked a CBC interviewer a few years ago of Quincy Jones, the composer, musician and bandleader who died this week. His answer gets at the American cultural imprint still admired by the rest of the world. And we offer music from Blue Note recording artist South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini as a coda.

Donald Trump's victory will have major consequences in East Asia, where the Biden administration has tried to urge countries surrounding China to collectively blunt Beijing's rise as a military power. Attempting to checkmate" China, as President Joe Biden puts it, has been painstaking work. Asian leaders now wonder: will Trump keep it up? The World's Patrick Winn reports.

A ballet about the life and work of Oscar Wilde is breaking new ground in the stubbornly conservative genre. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Stay out of trouble. Don't think you can get rich fast. Stay in school. Just some of the moral lessons Ghanaian musician Kofi Kinaata sings about in his tune "Auntie Ama." Auntie is his mom's pet name, but in Ghana it's often used for any adult female in the family or community. She's a woman who leads by example, instilling traditional Ghanaian values and customs.

On Friday, Australia's government will introduce what it's calling "world-leading" legislation to ban children under 16 from social media. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the proposed laws are aimed at mitigating the "harm" social media is inflicting on Australian children. Host Carolyn Beeler gets more details about Australia's plan and where it sits globally among the efforts to rein in social media use in a conversation with Peter Etchells, professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University in Bath, England.

Somalia has been in a state of civil war for decades and that's left it financially weak and in debt. This week, the US moved to cancel $1.1 billion in Somalia's outstanding debt, representing just over a quarter of the country's overall foreign debt. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Harry Verhoeven, an expert on the political economy of the Horn of Africa, about what this debt forgiveness will mean for Somalia.

Israel has carried out thousands of strikes in Gaza and Lebanon since the start of the war last October. Footage shot by eyewitnesses, as well as survivors' testimonies, raise serious ethical and legal questions about some of those attacks. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler spotlight recent climate-related stories that may have escaped the headlines.

Remember back to the Paris Olympics, when the gold medal winners of the track and field competitions euphorically rang an enormous bell right after winning their events? That bell was delivered on Thursday to Paris' Notre Dame cathedral, where it will be installed above the altar. Host Marco Werman has more.

Ninety percent of the world's diamonds are processed in Surat. But these days, the mood in India's diamond city is lackluster, because business has never been worse, and a lot of people are out of work. It's all a distant ripple effect caused by war in Ukraine. Reporter Sushmita Pathak has the story.

It's hard to wrap your head around, but a joint venture between British and Icelandic companies is developing a space-based solar power plant that they hope can deliver enough electricity to power up to 3,000 homes back on Earth. The project will use satellites to collect sunlight in space through solar panels and then transmit it as radio waves to a ground station, where it will be converted into electricity for the grid. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Cal Tech's Ali Hajimiri, Bren Professor of Electrical Engineering and Medical Engineering and co-Director of CalTech's Space-Based Solar Power Project.

In the same week Kamel Daoud was awarded the prestigious Prix Goncourt in France, he was excluded from the Arab world's largest book fair held in Algeria. Host Carolyn Beeler looks at why he's both beloved and condemned.

Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, on Tuesday evening, citing a lack of trust. The prime minister's decision comes as Netanyahu's coalition grapples with the issue of ultra-Orthodox men serving in Israel's military. Gallant had just signed off on a plan to draft thousands of ultra-Orthodox recruits into the army. But two religious parties in Netanyahu's coalition are against the draft bill. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

The price of lithium, which helps power electric vehicles, has plummeted. A large supply coupled with weak demand is believed to be behind the drop in prices. Host Carolyn Beeler explores the factors affecting the price drop and what it means for EVs with journalist Patricia Garip.

This week, Sweden announced it was nixing plans for 13 offshore wind farms. Defense Minister Pal Jonson said Monday that the wind farms presented a security risk. In fact, he said, they could drop Sweden's reaction time to potential Russian missile strikes. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Magnus Christiansson, a senior lecturer at the Swedish Defence University.

This week, authorities in Paris began the first phase of a program to reduce traffic congestion in the center of the city. Host Carolyn Beeler explains how the new Zone a Trafic Limite, or ZTL, will change how Parisians get around.

Migrant children who enter the US illegally are placed in facilities overseen by the US Office of Refugee Resettlement. These are meant to be temporary stays - just long enough for the federal government to connect each child with a relative, sponsor, or foster home. But as Gustavo Solis reports from KPBS in San Diego, children from African and Middle Eastern countries are staying much longer than expected - and longer than kids from everywhere else.

It's no exaggeration to say the entire globe has been watching the race between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. And now that Trump is the president-elect, reactions are coming in from across the globe. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with three of The World's reporters to hear more about impressions from Mexico, Europe and the Middle East.

Only two places in the world do not allow divorce. One is the Vatican. The other is the Philippines. Much of the island nation's population is staunchly Catholic. Filipino priests and bishops preach that divorce is anti-family" and must remain forbidden. But a movement to legalize divorce in the Philippines is gaining traction. The World's Patrick Winn reports.

Armenian Christians in the Old City of Jerusalem say their community is facing an unprecedented threat. It stems from an ongoing legal dispute over a real estate deal signed three years ago. But this isn't just a real estate squabble, they say. Members of the small minority community of Armenians, who have lived in Jerusalem for centuries, are fearful about their future in the holy city. From Jerusalem, The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Andy Davis from New Hampshire is an identical twin. He and his brother are very different in almost every way. But they do share one common view - that is their hope for the planet. Davis remembers a visit with his twin in Burkina Faso that stands out to remind him of their bond. He shares his experience with GBH's Stories From The Stage on World TV.

Russian troops in eastern Ukraine are capturing more territory, after launching what one Ukrainian commander calls one of the war's most powerful" offensives yet. Host Carolyn Beeler checks in with Andrii Shadrin, a 28-year-old sergeant in Ukraine's military, serving in the Donetsk region.

The Central Asian grain, kernza, was brought to the US in the 1930s as feed for livestock. It's recently been found that its deep root system makes it a sustainable crop that's good for the environment. Problem is, there's no market for it. Enter craft beer. Eric Schmid of St. Louis Public Radio has the story.

DHL's logistics hub in Leipzig, Germany, is sophisticated and enormous. So, when parcels in the facility started catching fire, at first, it was confounding and concerning. But it wasn't long before European spies and law enforcement figured out what was happening. They say Russia was sending incendiary devices through the mail. Host Marco Werman speaks with Wall Street Journal reporter Bojan Pancevski who got the inside story.

Morocco recognized the Israeli state in 2020. In exchange, Israel recognized Moroccan authority over the disputed Western Sahara. It was a win-win, until Oct. 7, 2023. Since the Hamas attacks and the ensuing war, domestic pressure on Morocco to cut ties with Israel has grown. But King Mohamed Vl is resisting. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Rabat.

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, as of this week, 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 and what the annual race will mean for the land down under.