The World: Latest Stories

The Olympic torch arrived in Dakar, Senegal, this weekend. Senegal is hosting the Youth Games next month. It's the first time the Olympic Games have been held on the African continent.

In Yemen, the Houthis - a rebel group backed by Iran - have seized more strategic territory along the Red Sea. This now includes islands in the middle of the narrowest portion of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a geographic bottleneck through which more than a tenth of global trade flows. The World's Carolyn Beeler learned more from Ibrahim Jalal, an independent security analyst and political advisor from Yemen.

When Beijing and Washington talk about AI safety guardrails, they often mean very different things. While the debate in the US has revolved around existential threats to humanity, China is more focused on threats to its ruling party. The World's Marco Werman and Samm Sacks, a senior fellow at New America and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, discuss the different approaches and the common vulnerabilities the two countries share.

After her reporting trip to Nepal to cover the devastating floods, Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Mingma David Sherpa. He's a world-record-setting mountaineer who has climbed and guided in the Himalayas since 2008. Which means he's had a front-row view of what warming temperatures are doing to the region.

Much of Norway came to a standstill last week as King Harald V was laid to rest after an elaborate state funeral attended by European royalty, global heads of state, and other leaders. To borrow a phrase from another late monarch, it truly has been an annus horribilis" or terrible year for the Norwegian crown. And yet, despite scandals that have dogged their family, a new King and Queen - Haakon VIII and Mette-Marit - are now in charge at the palace. And, if Lars Bevanger's instincts in Oslo are correct, they are likely to stay there.

Not far from the September 11 Memorial at Ground Zero is a statue of a modern US soldier on horseback. Officially, it's known as America's Response Monument." As rescue workers continued to work through the smoldering rubble at Ground Zero, Mark Nutsch spearheaded that response, leading a 12-man Green Beret unit that became famous as the "Horse Soldiers." Nutsch spoke to Host Marco Werman about how his vastly outnumbered team, together with Afghan allies, took the fight to the Taliban and al-Qaeda in the early days of the War on Terror. He joined the show from Somerset, Kentucky.

There were ceremonies and events across the country today to remember the nearly 3,000 people who were killed on Sept. 11, 2001, when 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked passenger jets and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and Shanksville, PA. Host Marco Werman reminds us of what happened on that day.

Host Marco Werman shares some personal recollections of 9/11 and also profiles two very different victims who died at Ground Zero, men from opposite sides of the globe: Father Mychal Judge, the chaplain at the time to the New York Fire Department, and Jupiter Yambem, the banquet manager at Windows on the World, the restaurant at the top of the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Susan Meiselas has worked for the famed photo agency Magnum Photos for 50 years. Her work has documented upheavals and conflicts in South and Central America, among other places. On September 11, 2001, she did not expect that conflict would come to her doorstep in New York City. She talks to Host Marco Werman near Ground Zero, next to a sculpture she captured in one of her most iconic photos from that day.

For some Arab and Muslim musicians in the US and the Middle East, the events of September 11th influenced both their content and style. Many wanted to present their identity and culture in a positive way. Danny Hajjar is a music journalist and fan of the Arabic global rap scene. He recently stopped by our studio in Boston to talk about a few of the artists to emerge in the post-9/11 musical landscape.

Nazma Khan was a young Muslim woman in the Bronx, already accustomed to being bullied because she wore a hijab, or the Islamic head covering. But after the 9/11 attacks, she says, the harassment became more frightening and more personal. Her experience was painful, but it also inspired her to start World Hijab Day. Khan tells her story in her own words.

Mohamedou Ould Slahi was imprisoned without charge at Guantanamo Bay for nearly 15 years.

From it's impact on students' education to its growing use on the battlefield in choosing targets, artificial Intelligence has multifaceted impacts on human life. But a former employee at the AI company Anthropic has taken to social media to warn that the technology could kill us all" by 2030. The World's Host Marco Werman spoke to two experts on AI to get their perspectives. Rumman Chowdhury is an AI ethicist and founder of Humane Intelligence. Daniel Kokotajlo is executive director of the AI Futures Project. He previously worked at OpenAI as a governance researcher specializing in scenario planning.

Susan Retik joined forces with another woman whose husband was killed on 9/11 to create Beyond the 11th. It's a charity that helps widows in Afghanistan who have been afflicted by war, terrorism and oppression. Host Marco Werman speaks with Susan Retick about her feelings on the attack, about the program she created and the annual bike ride that kicked off today to raise money for her organization.

The World's Carolyn Beeler investigates what could have been done better to prevent what is likely to amount to several thousands of deaths in Nepal, following the deadly avalanche and flooding that hit in late August. As she reports, Nepalese officials believe their future safety requires an international commitment.

They go by a few different names, but Japan's listening lounges are going through something of a revival. They are music bars where simply sitting and listening to records is the main attraction. In fact, some of these establishments have strict rules against conversation and other distractions like cell phone photos. It's all to maximize the listening experience, which often relies on extraordinarily expensive vintage stereo equipment that almost nobody can afford at home. The World's Matthew Bell reported this story from Tokyo last year.This story originally aired on Feb. 25, 2025.

The Colombian Paca Digestora Silva - the Silva digester bale - is a processing method for organic waste that has spawned a social movement. The unique composting method was developed in the 1980s by Colombian forester Guillermo Silva, but only took off in the late 2010s and surged during the pandemic. Tasha Sandoval has the story from Bogota about this attempt to keep organic waste out of the local landfill.

Guest Maria Mitri with the Friends Committee on National Legislation argues that today's militarized immigration enforcement grew out of the post-9/11 War on Terror." National security tactics that were developed abroad, she tells Host Carolyn Beeler, have increasingly been brought home.

The political combination that could move Spain to the far-right would bring together the Populist, anti-immigrant Vox party in a coalition with Spain's center-right Popular Party. The two groups don't always see eye to eye, but they do smell the same thing: power. A poll this week suggests it's within reach, albeit barely, with just over 50% of voters saying they'd back the bloc. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

This Friday marks the debut of a new album from Morocco. It's a collaboration between opposite ends of the musical spectrum. On one end, Bnat Louz, or the Almond Girls," perform traditional ahwach music from Morocco's rural south, while Casablanca band Raskas combines digital beats and electric guitar. The album is part of a larger effort to carry Morocco's vast musical heritage into the future, using an unlikely vehicle: electronic music. From Casablanca, Lauren Schenkman reports.

A delegation from Jamaica is asking King Charles to seek guidance on whether Britain is obligated to pay reparations for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.

Not every virus or disease responds to medicine. And the number of drug-resistant bugs is growing. It's largely the result of overusing antibiotics in medicine and agriculture, when pharmaceuticals end up in our water and soil. The World Health Organization has called antibiotic resistance one of the most complex and frightening health challenges of our time. Without urgent action, drug resistant infections could kill 10 million people per year by 2050. For Deutsche Welle, DW's, "Living Planet" podcast, Neil King looked at what can be done.

A new collection of music from the remote African islands of Sao Tome and Principe is a revelation. This nation in the Atlantic Ocean doesn't get a lot of attention, but as we hear in songs by bands from the 1960s and '70s, like Sangazuza, it's worth listening up.This story originally aired on Jan. 15, 2026.

The US recently sent its last forward-deployed aircraft carrier in the Pacific, the USS George Washington, to the Middle East. With so many eyes right now focusing on events in the Persian Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz, some security analysts are concerned that the US is taking its eye off the ball when it comes to China. The World's Aaron Schachter learned more from Mira Rapp-Hooper, a visiting fellow at The Brookings Institution in Washington.

The hopes and dreams of thousands of Japanese who were incarcerated in camps during World War II were crushed. Many were never able to reconcile what their lives could have been and what they did become. Paul Watanabe, a professor at University of Massachusetts, Boston found out what his mother lost when she was on her deathbed. He shared it with GBH's Stories From The Stage.

Berlin-based Syrian singer Siba Alkhiami, or simply "Siba," wrote "Dounana" - or "Without Us" - two years ago out of anger of the destruction of Gaza and the bombing of Palestinians. A year ago, she released it as a song and it's slowly gone viral. We listen to "Dounana" and hear from Siba that it's relevance has gone beyond Gaza. It's a song about colonialism and how it impacts Indigenous people.

Around 1.5 million Chinese tourists visited France last year. Beyond Versailles or the Eiffel Tower, there's another destination that's high on many Chinese visitors' lists: Montargis, a working-class town about a 90-minute drive from Paris. That's because a Chinese work-study program in the early 20th century left a lasting mark on China's history. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Lisa Bryant reports from Montargis.

The United Nations voted on Friday in favor of adopting a resolution to replace the Mercator projection, which distorts the size of the world's landmasses, with one that represents the continents more accurately. The resolution passed almost unanimously, with only a single country voting no: the United States. Marco Werman has more details.

Israel does not allow absentee voting, forcing the 500,000 Israeli ex-pats eligible to vote to choose between an expensive trip home or sitting out the country's most consequential election in years. To help Israelis return, the AID Coalition, a US-based nonprofit organization, launched an initiative called Fly&Vote. From Tel Aviv, Stephanie Freid reports.

Flooding is common in Nepal. But the avalanche that triggered water and debris to surge down the Trishuli River was of an entirely different magnitude. The World's Carolyn Beeler explains what caused the disaster, and what role scientists say climate change may have played.

In the South Pacific archipelago of Fiji, HIV cases have spiked in the past five years. It is estimated that 1 in 60 adults currently lives with the virus. A drug epidemic and stigma have made the transmission difficult to keep under control. Host Marco Werman talks to Sharon McLennan, a scientist with Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, about this issue.

Some 800 students and teachers in Central Java got food poisoning last week, just after lunch time at a local high school. Officials were forced to end the day early as bathrooms were overwhelmed with people in the throes of intestinal distress. As Host Marco Werman explains, this was yet another embarrassing moment for Indonesia's government and its ill-fated free lunch program.

Two paintings by the French Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir were stolen from a museum in southern France Tuesday morning. It's the latest in a growing trend of "smash and grab"-style museum heists across Europe, says Arthur Brand, an independent art detective who has helped authorities recover artwork after similar thefts. He spoke to Host Marco Werman from Amsterdam.

As the United States honors its workers this Labor Day, it's been 250 years since the nation was founded. A defining ideal in the Declaration of Independence is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," but when it was written, they were meant to not only be American pursuits. The Declaration explicitly addresses the larger world. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with historian Nathan Perl-Rosenthal, author of the 2024 book The Age of Revolutions: And the Generations Who Made It."This story originally aired on June 4, 2026.

We look at how the colonies' fight for independence is taught elsewhere - namely, in the countries whose authority was defeated: England, France and Spain. Reporter Gerry Hadden has our story.This story originally aired on June 10, 2026.

The British Empire wasn't the only colonial power in what is now the United States. Several competing colonization projects led by the Spanish, Dutch, French and others laid the foundations of American history. Their distinct patterns of settlement help explain many of the political divides that continue to shape the US today, says historian Colin Woodard. He tells The World's Host Marco Werman that, over the centuries, these rival visions also influenced how American democracy evolved.This story originally aired on July 1, 2026.

Two-hundred and fifty years ago, the American Revolution sent shockwaves around the globe. At the same time, events taking place outside the US impacted how democracy grew in America. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with historian Heather Cox Richardson about how the contradictions inherent in the American experiment have played out on the global stage.This story originally aired on June 15, 2026.

The story of the American revolution, as its typically told, is the story of two parties in conflict: the British crown and the rebelling colonies. But this story ignores the role North America's sovereign tribal nations played in the revolution, and the impact it had on Indigenous people around the world. For our series on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Yale University historian Ned Blackhawk, about this complicated history.This story originally aired on June 26, 2026.

As the United States commemorates its 250th birthday this year, we celebrate by listening to two songs that arrived from overseas and became a part of the country's early history. Host Marco Werman explains.

Giorgia Meloni has reached a milestone few Italian prime ministers have come close to: Today, she becomes Italy's longest continuously serving prime minister since the fascist dictator Benito Mussolini was in power. Her four-year run in office is particularly notable in a country famous for political instability and frequent changes of government. Meloni is marking the occasion with a rally in Bari. But some political analysts warn that her position may not be as secure as it appears. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

It's the last days of summer and many of us might be looking for a final road trip or holiday. Indian journalist Akshobh Giridhadas loves to travel, and on a trip to the Indian Himalayas many years ago, he encountered some unexpected hospitality. He shared his adventure with GBH's Stories From The Stage.

In Nepal today, some welcome but unexpected news. Two survivors were rescued - alive - from the tunnel of a hydropower plant, some nine days after getting trapped by last week's devastating floods. As the days have worn on, hopes were fading that any of roughly 500 hydropower workers believed to be in tunnels would be recovered alive. Carolyn Beeler continues her reporting from Kathmandu, Nepal, and joined Marco Werman to share updates.

Next Friday will mark 25 years since the September 11, 2001, attacks. A special edition of the show that day will look back at the global impact of the event and what followed. Andrew Sullivan is executive director of No One Left Behind, a nonprofit advocating for Afghan allies of the US. Before that, Sullivan deployed to Iraq and later commanded a company in Afghanistan. In conversation with Host Marco Werman, he recalled the significance of the event on his decision to join the military.

Spanish Women's Football League has announced it will subsidize the procedure of freezing their eggs for players on the national team. Some big stars have been lobbying for this option, as many professionals don't want to interrupt their careers to become mothers. But others say the league simply doesn't want its players getting pregnant while actively playing. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

It's one of Germany's smaller states, and it's not usually the center of national attention. But this weekend, all eyes are on the eastern German region of Saxony-Anhalt. A strong result for the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, could have implications not just for the state itself, but for Germany's political future. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Thomas Sparrow has more.

Germany's far-right AfD party has been using a particular moped brand for its campaign: the Simson Schwalbe, often described as the "Vespa of East Germany". The Jewish heir to the founding family is fighting to protect the company's legacy. Deutsche Welle, DW's, Matthew Moore reports on how the moped has been turned into a political vehicle.

After trade talks between Canada and the US fell apart, Canadians see Trump administration antics as a threat to their sovereignty. And they've been fighting back - boycotting US alcohol, avoiding US produce, canceling US vacations and posting nasty memes. But the Canadian government is in a tricky position, trying to play to a rise in domestic anti-American sentiment while maintaining relationships with Canada's biggest ally. Katie Toth reports from Nova Scotia.

Experts and officials have pointed to a collapsing glacier high up in the Himalayas as the trigger of the deadly flash flooding in Tibet and Nepal last week. Climate scientists warn that global warming may make glacial collapse - and the subsequent landslides and flooding they can cause - more frequent. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek recently joined an expedition of scientists studying the link between climate change and a landslide-induced tsunami in Alaska, and tells Host Carolyn Beeler what he learned.

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta remains in crisis mode more than a month after tens of thousands of migrants crossed in from Morocco in just over a day. Spain has gone to great lengths not to implicate Morocco in the incident. But Spanish papers report that Spain's border agency has given a judge a dossier that concludes the Moroccan government was in fact behind the chaotic border crossing in which more than 100 people died. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

The global food supply chain relies on three things: seamless trade, cheap energy and a stable climate. All are under growing pressure, according to Evan Fraser of the University of Guelph in Ontario. Fraser and The World's Host Marco Werman discuss the climate and geopolitical shocks challenging the global food system and what governments can do to protect the vulnerable.