The World: Latest Stories

Sara Mardini was not the only volunteer arrested for helping rescue migrants from the sea in 2018, but she was probably the most famous. She and her sister, Yusra, were refugees from Syria who survived a sinking boat by swimming the distance to shore, saving not only themselves but their fellow passengers, as well. Yusra went on to become an Olympic athlete. Sara was one of 23 rescue volunteers acquitted yesterday. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

The Trump administration has taken various steps to prevent students who want to come to the United States to study, including blocking student visas. When it comes to Harvard University and some other highly selective schools, though, it's not working very well. Kirk Carapezza covers higher education for GBH Boston. He talks through the numbers with Host Marco Werman.

As opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Corina Machado meets US President Donald Trump in Washington, Venezuelans are watching with a mix of hope and unease. Widely seen as the face of the democratic opposition, Machado led the coalition that most independent observers say won Venezuela's 2024 presidential election. She spent months courting US support to push deposed President Nicolas Maduro out. But with Trump now sidelining her and working with figures from the old regime, many in Caracas are rethinking about what her role - and Venezuela's future - might look like.

As bitter cold descends on Ukraine, so has a fresh barrage of Russian drone and missile strikes. Recent attacks on transformer substations and power plants have plunged Kyiv into its worst wartime heating and power outage. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Kyiv Independent editor Jared Goyette about how the capital's residents are rallying in response.

For about a week, Iranians have been unable to get online or make calls outside of the country. Yet many of them have shown up every night to protest the government. The World managed to reach some of them inside the country, who describe a brutal crackdown by the security forces.

On Wednesday, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff announced phase two of the Trump Administration-led Gaza peace plan, including governance by a 15-member "technocratic committee." But as The World's Host Marco Werman learned from Khaled Elgindy, senior fellow at the Quincy Institute, questions remain as to the implementation of the first phase and next steps.

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.

The vast majority of cars in Kenya are used, internal combustion vehicles. But a team of Kenyan engineers is trying to flip the country's automotive economy on its head with the first-ever Kenyan-made electric vehicle. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel has the unlikely story of TAD Motors.

Europe's first flights to study atmospheric rivers took off from Ireland today. The flights will focus on understanding the phenomena from the North Atlantic. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Marty Ralph, an expert on atmospheric rivers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

Thirty-something-year-old trumpeter from Portugal Jessica Pina has gotten some attention for her live remixes over pop hits. But it's her improvisational skills that stand out, as we hear from host Marco Werman.This story originally aired on March 22, 2024.

Russia - and increasingly Venezuela - are using a growing "shadow fleet" of false-flagged oil tankers to sell sanctioned oil. And it looks like many of the same ships are running routes for both countries. Reporter Durrie Bouscaren looks at what this use of sanctioned ships could mean for the risk of a wider conflict.

The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia. That means hundreds, possibly thousands of Somalis living in the US will have just two months to leave the US or face deportation. At the same time, US federal agents are investigating fraud allegedly perpetrated by - among others - individuals of Somali descent in Minnesota. The World's Host Marco Werman talks with Abdi Nor Iftin, author of the memoir, "Call Me American," about what it's like to be Somali American today.

A little-known amateur tennis player from Sydney beat some of the world's top male and female tennis players at an event ahead of the Australian Open. Jordan Smith went on to make himself a millionaire in Australian dollars after winning what's called a 1 Point Slam, where all the matches consist of just one point. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more on the life-changing win.

The foreign ministers of Denmark and Greenland met with US Vice President JD Vance today at the White House. On Tuesday, the prime minister of Greenland - Jens-Frederick Nielsen - said clearly, "Greenland does not want to be owned by the USA," and that "Greenland is not for sale." This morning, President Donald Trump was asked for his reaction to the statement from Nielsen. "I don't know who he is. Don't anything about him," Trump told reporters. "But that's going to be a big problem for him." The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

There are tens of thousands of children around the world waiting to be adopted, but the vast majority of them will never find a permanent family. This reflects a trend in a number of countries over the past 20 years of ending international adoptions. The World's Maria Noble Valdez wanted, as an adoptee herself, to know more.

As a delegation from Denmark meets with US officials in Washington for talks over the future of Greenland, many worry that these tensions could be the death knell of the US-led NATO alliance - and a boon to traditional adversaries like Russia. Carlo Masala is a NATO expert and the author of the book "If Russia Wins." He joined Host Carolyn Beeler from Munich, where he's a professor of international politics at the Bundeswehr University.

Fireworks light up the sky on New Year's Eve in much of the world. In the Netherlands, they also leave behind a troubling aftermath. According to a new government report, two people were killed and more than 1,200 injured by fireworks this year. The Dutch government hopes an upcoming ban on consumer fireworks will reduce that toll, but critics question whether it will make a difference. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung was in Japan today, where he met with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. The two leaders declared a commitment to work more closely together to help bring stability to the region. One point of major tension in recent weeks is China, which has been locked in a diplomatic dispute with Japan over Taiwan. Another wildcard is US President Donald Trump. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Iranian state TV aired new footage on Tuesday that shows piles of black body bags they say hold the bodies of demonstrators killed while protesting. While the communications blackout continues, some footage of those protests is coming out. Meanwhile, in a post on social media, US President Donald Trump told Iranians to continue protesting and to "take over your institutions." We bring you the latest updates.

Movies on VHS - it's ancient, by modern standards. And yet, from Barcelona to Paris and beyond a handful of shops have managed to keep their doors open. They're peddling, not just films, but nostalgia. They're also projecting films in their own backroom theaters, and at at least one, they'll also rent you a VHS player to be able to watch the tape you take home. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

There's already a lot happening here on Earth in 2026 - as you've heard on The World. If you need a break from it all, consider casting your eyes skyward. This year has a lot of celestial events in store for the stargazers among us. The World's Host Marco Werman learns more from Phil Plait, an astronomer and columnist for Scientific American magazine.

Venezuela's new government says it will free an important number" of political prisoners - a gesture US President Donald Trump is already taking credit for. But only a few dozen have been confirmed released so far, while nearly 800 people are still believed to be behind bars. In Caracas, families are camping outside prisons, searching for loved ones and demanding transparency, as The World explains why the release process has been slow and opaque.

After losing Malawi's general election last fall, former President Lazarus Chakwera took the dogs at the presidential palace home with him to keep. The new president, Peter Mutharika, is now arguing that Chakwera is not allowed to do that because the dogs are civil servants. Their custody dispute has escalated into a legal battle that remains open. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

Arabic music filled the air of Laura Elkeslassy's Moroccan Jewish childhood home in Paris, especially on Fridays before Shabbat. But she didn't grow up speaking Arabic, so she didn't understand the words. In New York as an adult, Laura's search for a wedding song takes her on a rich musical, spiritual and political journey - leading to a bookstore in Jerusalem where she discovers that this work to preserve her culture is a continuation of what her ancestors began.

Palestinians in Gaza are struggling to stay warm and dry as fierce winter storms topple damaged buildings and destroy flimsy plastic shelters. Salma Altaweel, a support manager for the Norwegian Refugee Council, says staying warm and dry is all but impossible. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with the NRC's Shaina Low about how new Israeli restrictions on aid groups are complicating relief efforts.

As President Donald Trump pushes for US control of Greenland, we look at which natural resources the territory has - and what the obstacles are to accessing them. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Patrick Schroder, a senior research fellow at Chatham House in the UK.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the Canadian prime minister will fly to China this week. Mark Carney is looking to improve Canada's overall relationship with Beijing, but boosting trade is at the top of his agenda. Carney's government says it's aiming to double non-US exports over the next 10 years. This will be a tricky visit for the prime minister, however, because of the risks that come with moving closer to China. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Europe's night trains have been making a comeback in the last few years, with overnight sleeper services once again linking cities like Paris and Berlin, and Vienna and Amsterdam. But the revival has faced major obstacles, including limited backing from many European governments. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

It's been a week since a US military operation removed Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro from power, and questions continue to swirl about what life in the capital looks like now. We take a look from Caracas at the mood in the streets, new US travel warnings, safety concerns, hurdles to getting in and out of the country and why so many foreign journalists are stuck across the border.

The opposition to Iran's theocratic republic is a fragmented movement, with some of the most visible leaders in exile or in the diaspora. Nahid Siamdoust, an assistant professor of Media and Middle Eastern Studies at the University of Texas at Austin discusses the competing visions in Iran's fight for change with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

Protests in Iran have turned deadly, with hundreds feared shot and killed by security forces. The government shut all communications with the outside world, making it difficult to get accurate information from the ground. But a few have been able to get through, using Starlink, a satellite internet network. A doctor living in New York tells The World that protesters have reached out to him for help.

With roots in India and an upbringing in Singapore, singer Dhruv found fame on TikTok, hitting the charts in East Asia. He moved to the US to study at Yale University, but then realized music was really what he wanted to pursue. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler spin Speed of Light," a single from Dhruv's debut album.This story originally aired on Aug. 21, 2024.

Malaysia and Indonesia have moved to block Grok, the AI chatbot feature on the social media platform X, citing concerns that the chatbot is being used to produce sexually explicit images. Many countries are grappling with how to respond to the misuse of AI for the production of exploitive sexual content online - including deep fakes and child pornography. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Nana Nwachukwu, an AI governance expert and researcher at Trinity College Dublin.

Ai, a chimpanzee who spent decades as a research subject at Kyoto University, has died at the age of 49. Ai spent her life participating in studies into the cognition of chimpanzees, and was renowned for her exceptional intellect among her fellow chimps. She knew the English alphabet, Arabic numbers and over a hundred Chinese characters. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have the story.

The Iranian government has cut off internet access to citizens as protests across the country reach levels unseen since the Woman, Life, Freedom protests that started in 2022. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learned more from Sina Azodi, director of Middle East Studies at George Washington University, where he specializes in US-Iran relations. Azodi joined us from Washington.

Twin mountain gorillas were born in Africa's largest national park, the Virunga, in Democratic Republic of Congo. As Host Carolyn Beeler explains, years of conservation efforts have helped restore the gorillas' dwindling population.

Yoon Jong Gye, widely considered the father of Korean fried chicken, died late last year at the age of 74. Since its creation, the dish has surged in popularity and can now be found in restaurants around the globe. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Kevin Kim, associate director of the Asian American Center at the University of North Carolina, to discuss the distinctive taste and influence of Korean fried chicken.

A coder in Sweden thought it would be funny to see what ChatGPT says when it is stoned, whether on weed, coke or ketamine. So, he created a chatbot plug-in that people are actually paying to use. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

The Syrian army has been fighting Kurdish forces in the city of Aleppo in the north of the country. The clashes are the most intense since the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024. The army ordered the residents in some neighborhoods to evacuate. On Friday, Syria's defense ministry announced a ceasefire. But as The World's Shirin Jaafari reports, residents say the violence and displacement is bringing back memories of years of civil war.

Billions of gallons of wastewater laced with industrial chemicals pour into the Tijuana River and reach the Pacific Ocean every year. The pollution also seeps into the earth and froths into airborne particles. People on both sides of the US-Mexico border say it is making them sick. Investigative reporter Philip Salata from inewsource in San Diego reports.

From a US military raid that captured Venezuela's president, to threats from the White House to take over Greenland, Europe's leaders have faced a week of escalating challenges from Washington. Leaders across the EU have responded cautiously, with some notable exceptions. But critics warn that restraint could hand the Trump administration exactly the advantage it's seeking. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

The European Union signed off on a major new trade agreement with four South American nations on Friday. It's composed of markets with more than 700 million people. But there's still a great deal of skepticism about it among some in Europe, including French farmers. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Experts think it might have been used by Celtic warriors during their ill-fated campaign to repel Roman invaders during the first century. The bronze war trumpet - called a "carnyx" - was discovered during excavations in east England, outside the town of Thetford. Archeologists are thrilled because this fragile metal horn is probably the most complete one ever found anywhere in the world. The carnyx was used to put fear into the hearts of enemy troops. The World's Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain.

Intense snow has blanketed much of Western Europe, forcing thousands of flight cancellations and chaos on major roads and railways. Things could get even worse over the next 24 hours as a new winter storm, named Goretti, makes its way across the UK and the Europe's northwest coast. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel has the latest.

Desflurane is a common drug used for anesthesia. But it has a surprising link to climate change, because the excess gas is often vented straight into the atmosphere where it is several thousand times more potent than carbon dioxide. As of Jan. 1 of this year, the European Union has restricted desflurane's use. For The Big Fix, The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Dr. Jodi Sherman about these connections.

Migration is as old as humanity itself. In today's world, it ebbs and flows as nations change their border policies with the times. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has been retracing the global path of the earliest humans on foot for the past 13 years. In that time, he has witnessed a lot of migration in real time. He joins Host Marco Werman to share his observations on how migration's role in the global zeitgeist has changed.

Delcy Rodriguez spent years as part of deposed President Nicolas Maduro's inner circle. Now, she has stepped into the role of Venezuela's de-facto leader as the country faces uncertain times. Long sanctioned abroad, Rodriguez wields unusual influence over the finance sector and ruling party in Venezuela. The World has this profile of Rodriguez, a longtime critic of imperialism, who now needs US support to stay in power.

Cuba's energy sector is feeling the pinch of the departure of the island's longtime ally, deposed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Mexico has stepped in to supply some oil, but not at levels high enough to replace supplies previously provided by Caracas. Jorge Pinon, who studies Cuba's energy infrastructure at the University of Texas at Austin discusses the implications with The World's Host Marco Werman.

Cubans are watching developments in Venezuela with growing unease. Fuel shortages are worsening the island's already severe economic woes. Ed Augustine, an independent journalist based in Havana speaks with The World's Host Marco Werman about increasing blackouts, long lines for fuel and the stress of everyday life in Havana.

Build Your Dreams (BYD) had a dream year in 2025, with nearly 2.3 million EV sales globally. It left Tesla in the proverbial dust, especially in Europe. BYD's secret: a wider range of EVs, cutting-edge technology and billions of dollars in government support. As for Tesla? Many drivers in Europe have been turned off by its founder, Elon Musk. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.