The World: Latest Stories

Balloons carrying thousands of packs of cigarettes have disrupted flights in Lithuania, as Vilnius Airport was forced to close for hours when dozens of them floated into the country's airspace.

The Trump administration recently named Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro a "narco-terrorist" and concerns are growing in the country about whether US intentions go beyond a war on drugs. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Phil Gunson, a senior analyst with Crisis Group, based in Caracas, about how people on the ground are reacting to a potential threat.

Cocaine use across Europe has surged over the past decade and drug cartels are adapting fast. Once routed mainly through major ports in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, traffickers have recently set their sights on a smaller, more unexpected corner of western Europe. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has more.

A new report from the climate think tank Ember finds that renewable energy sources made up more of the global electricity mix than coal for the first half of 2025. Host Marco Werman speaks with Ember global program director Raul Miranda about what drove this change.

Along India's Bay of Bengal, migrating elephants have arrived in a farming community - and they're destroying livelihoods while they're at it. But it hasn't been easy for the elephants, either. They've lost their native habitats, and the way climate change is progressing, that's likely to get worse - not better. Reporter Namrata Kolachalam followed two herds of elephants arriving in new territory, and brings us the story of how people are trying to respect the animals seeking refuge, while managing the crisis they've brought with them.

Most of us live in a world overflowing with sound: whirring bedroom fans, engines revving, cicadas chirping. But sometimes those sounds aren't just noise. They can also tell more pressing stories about the world around us. An installation at this year's Momentum Biennale in Norway explores the connections between nature, global issues and sound. Our reporting partners at Deutsche Welle, DW, sent Lars Bevanger to lend an ear.

South African prosecutors are reopening an inquest into the death of the prominent anti-apartheid activist Steve Biko, nearly 50 years after he died in police custody. Biko was the founder of South Africa's Black Consciousness Movement. He died in a prison cell in 1977, at age 30. Elna Schutz reports from Johannesburg.

The calls to ban Israel from international competitions have grown as the war in Gaza has dragged on. But there's been a notable uptick since a few weeks ago, when a UN commission of inquiry said Israel has committed genocide in Gaza. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

A Russian drone and missile strike on the Ukrainian city of Lviv was one of the most serious attacks on the city since Russia's full-scale invasion. On Monday, both Russian and Ukrainian officials reported a sizeable response from Ukraine, with attacks over 12 Russian territories. The World's Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

Millions of Muslims live in Russia, more than any European country. In many parts of Russia, people have practiced Islam for centuries. These are regions that used to be independent, where many different ethnic groups have lived alongside Slavic Russians. Many Russian citizens in these regions are proud of their ethnic and religious identity - even if they're no longer practicing. Levi Bridges has this look at how some young Muslims in western Russia are straddling national, ethnic and religious identities.

Earnest Shackleton's 1914 expedition to Antarctica is a legendary story of survival; his ship, the Endurance, was stuck and crushed by pack ice before sinking into the Weddell Sea. He and his crew were stranded for nearly three years before being rescued. Now, new research provides details on the fate of the Endurance; namely, that the ship itself was not strong enough for the conditions, and that Shackleton knew it. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Jukka Tuhkuri of Aalto University about his research on the structural problems with the ship.

India has the largest population of wild Asian elephants. Now, for the first time, elephants can be seen in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh as they're being pushed out of their natural habitats for varying reasons. This has led to more human-elephant encounters, which can be trouble, as reporter Namrata Kolachalam found out while tracing a herd in Chittoor in the first of two stories from the region.

Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman survey some global headlines flying under the radar.

We revisit a favorite story about a legendary singing couple from Mali, Amadou & Mariam. It centers on their 2024 single, "Mogolu," which means "the people" in the Bambara language. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.This story originally aired on July 17, 2024.

China wants to import more blueberries. Zimbabwe wants to export more of them. A new trade agreement will allow just that - and it will make Zimbabwean blueberries tariff free. Host Marco Werman speaks with Valeria Pineiro, senior research coordinator at the International Food Policy Research Institute, about ongoing shifts in the global food supply chain.

The WNBA has been growing internationally for years, and this season, scores of global talent made a name for themselves on the hardwood. A few are even competing in the WNBA Finals, which start tonight. But as The World's Bianca Hillier reports, players say the growth of the game isn't being matched with higher salaries.

Local politicians in Vasteras, Sweden, have voted to ask the national government to close down a Russian Orthodox church they believe is being used by the Kremlin as a spy hub. Supporters of the church say the parish and its followers are being treated unfairly due to Russophobia. Security Correspondent for Deutsche Welle, DW, Teri Schultz traveled to Vasteras to hear their stories.

The Church of England has appointed Sarah Mullally, the current bishop of London, to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury. This is the first time a woman has held the position. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Karen O'Donnell, dean and lecturer at the theological college Wescott House in Cambridge, UK, about the significance of this appointment amid a fractured Anglican church.

The government in Egypt has approved the biggest rent overhaul in decades. It plans to do away with rent caps and rules that let tenants and their heirs stay in their homes forever. Renters worry the change will mean they will be priced out. Landlords say this change is long overdue. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Young people across Morocco have taken to the streets to protest the shortcomings of the country's health and education systems. A violent government crackdown has left at least three people dead. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Moroccan journalist Aboubakr Jamai about the developing story. He's currently dean of the Donna Dillon Manning School of Global Affairs in Madrid.

Adults-only venues - particularly hotels and restaurants - are on the rise in France, where more than half of adults like the idea of a buffer from child's play. But some experts, and government officials, see banning kids from certain spaces as not just cruel, but detrimental to society. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Perpignan on a new government campaign to bring kids back into the fold.

Lithuania's capital city, Vilnius, unveiled what it's calling the first-ever electric passenger riverboats. The catamaran-style boats can hold 32 people, and they do a 30-50 minute loop. The city's mayor is trumpeting the new service as an environmental and economic boon, but as Host Carolyn Beeler explains, some see it as a boondoggle.

This week is supposed to be all laughs in Saudi Arabia's capital, where the Riyadh Comedy Festival is entering its second week. It's billing itself as the world's biggest comedy festival" - and big names are headlining. But Abdullah Alaoudh told The World's Host Marco Werman that the event sits uncomfortably alongside the Saudi government's notorious human rights abuses. The senior director on Countering Authoritarianism at the Middle East Democracy Center in Washington explains that the event is a state-funded distraction from the government's human rights abuses.

The Israeli military has stopped a large aid flotilla - with dozens of boats and more than 400 activists. It had been heading toward the shores of the Gaza Strip. Live-streamed videos showed Israeli forces boarding boats and detaining passengers and crew. The government there says it will now deport them. The multinational Sumud Flotilla left from Barcelona, Spain, over a month ago with a goal of breaking Israel's naval blockade and delivering food and medicine to Palestinians in Gaza. From Barcelona, The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

Brazilians are the largest immigrant community in Massachusetts. They are also being arrested in larger numbers by federal agents across the state since US President Donald Trump returned to office. GBH's Phillip Martin says fear is ricocheting through the community - even among those who once supported Trump during his election.

Japan's Asahi beer manufacturer recently announced plans to expand its European distribution. But the company has also been battling a cyberattack that halted operations in Japan. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

Two people died and four others were seriously injured after an attack at a synagogue in Manchester in the UK. British police shot and killed the attacker and said they are treating the incident as a terrorist attack. The assault took place on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has vowed to step up security at synagogues across Britain. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry joined host Marco Werman with the latest.

Citizens of Barbados, Belize, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines can now live and work in any of the four countries without requirements for visas, residency permits or other extensive paperwork. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Rosalea Hamilton, founding director of Jamaica's Institute of Law and Economics in Kingston, about the plan.

The Arctic is warming faster than anywhere else on Earth, which means communities living there are already adapting to changing climate conditions. In Tasiilaq, a town of about 2,000 people in remote East Greenland, subsistence hunting and fishing are still major sources of food and livelihood, and shrinking seal hunting seasons due to smaller ice floes coming down the fjord in the summer are changing what - and how - locals hunt, fish and get around. The World's Carolyn Beeler brings us the story.

Scientist and global activist Jane Goodall, who turned her childhood love of primates into a lifelong quest for protecting the environment, died on Wednesday at the age of 91. Goodall died of natural causes, the Jane Goodall Institute said in a social media post. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

A new musical in London is revisiting the history of Britain's Black Power movement and the secret police unit that worked to undermine it. "Black Power Desk," which takes its name from a covert Scotland Yard operation launched in the 1960s, explores how authorities attempted to infiltrate and destabilize the movement's leaders. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has more.

Pope Leo XIV delivered his most extensive comments yet on climate change and the environment today. He spoke at a three-day Catholic conference outside of Rome, 10 years after the ground-breaking papal teaching on the environment from Pope Francis. Leo called on Catholics and "people of good faith" around the world to build on that legacy. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Rangers, firefighters and members of Namibia's military have successfully contained a wildfire in Etosha National Park. The fire burned nearly a third of the park and lasted a week. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Pauline Lindeque, the World Wildlife Fund's Namibia Director of Wildlife and Landscape, about the impact this has had on biodiversity in the nature reserve.

People in Afghanistan say the internet has been partially restored. This comes after two days of a complete shutdown of the internet across the country. The Taliban restricted access, saying that it can lead to immoral behavior. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

A series of ocean currents in the Atlantic drive heat northward and control much of the world's weather. Scientists believe the current - called the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC for short - will slow down this century due to global warming, and some fear the circulation might collapse entirely. The melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet could be a major factor in the future health of the AMOC. The World's Carolyn Beeler traveled into a fjord in Greenland with scientists studying glacial meltwater to better understand what it could do to the AMOC.

EU leaders gathered in Copenhagen today, just days after airspace intrusions by unidentified aircraft closed Danish airports. As the drones menaced NATO's eastern flank, Washington was gathering top US military brass in Quantico, Virginia - focused not on external threats, but on what the White House calls the enemy within." Shashank Joshi, defense editor at The Economist, tells The World's Host Carolyn Beeler how European allies view that juxtaposition.

In less than five years, Pix - Brazil's free, instant payment platform - has reshaped the country's financial landscape. More than 150 million Brazilians now use it daily, from big-city retailers to street vendors and homeless people. Its explosive growth has sidelined credit cards and cash, making Brazil one of the world's leaders in digital payments. But this homegrown fintech experiment is making waves far beyond Brazil: US officials and banking lobbyists see Pix as a potential threat to American-controlled payment systems like Visa and Mastercard. The World's Tibisay Zea brings us this report from Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Darien Gap is a treacherous stretch of jungle in Central America that for years saw hundreds of thousands of migrants making the risky trek north to the US border. But what was once one of the world's more dangerous and heavily used migration routes is now nearly empty of people. Reporter Manuel Rueda tells host Marco Werman that the dramatic change is due to the Trump administration's changes to the the US asylum process.

The Mohawk Institute was the longest-running and largest residential school in Canada. Over some 140 years, an estimated 15,000 children attended the school in southern Ontario before it closed its doors in 1970. Today, on the country's National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the former school building is reopening as a historic site and museum to share the stories of survivors. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman highlight a few global headlines that might have flown under the radar.

Author Tim Queeney has a new book out, "Rope: How a Bundle of Twisted Fibers Became the Backbone of Civilization," that delves into the ways rope has been used - for good and ill - through human history. He tells Host Carolyn Beeler that this global story is both magnificent and very dark.

US President Donald Trump said today that he'll give Hamas "about three or four days" to respond to his ceasefire proposal for Gaza. "It's going to be a very sad end," Trump said, if the Palestinian militant group rejects the deal. It was announced yesterday at the White House during a joint appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Governments across the Middle East say all parties should agree to the Trump plan. But it's hard to find much enthusiasm among Israelis and Palestinians for the sort of broader "Middle East peace" that Trump is talking about. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

The United Nations mission in Kabul is urging the Taliban to reverse its shutdown of the internet and other telecommunications across the country. It says the government imposed the blackout and has cut off Afghanistan from the outside world. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

Canadian authorities now consider an Indian crime organization known as the Bishnoi gang a "terrorist entity." The gang was linked by Canada to the assassination of a Sikh activist in the country. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Canadian journalist Stewart Bell. He's an investigative journalist with Global News, where he covers national security issues in Canada.

Inspired by Gen Z protests in Kenya, Nepal and Peru, youth in Madagascar have taken to the streets - and after facing government violence, they've secured major concessions. Today the country's president dissolved the government, agreeing to replace cabinet ministers with new officials. Gyude Moore, a non-resident fellow at the Center for Global Development, describes the implications to The World's Host Marco Werman.

An American private contractor arrested in Havana. Cuban intelligence agents serving long prison sentences in the United States. And a spy swap that sets the stage for a historic rapprochement between the US and Cuba. It sounds like a Hollywood thriller but it's all true. The story unfolds in a new eight-part podcast from Audible and Foreign Policy magazine called "I Spy: The US, Cuba and the Secret Deal That Ended the Cold War." Host Marco Werman learns more from the series creator, Dan Ephron, who is the executive editor of Foreign Policy magazine.

Italy and Austria just finished digging a massive tunnel through the Alps. It's nearly 4,600 feet deep, and when the project is complete it will be the longest underground railway in the world. European authorities say the link - known as the Brenner Base Tunnel - will transform travel through the area, cutting travel times in half, and significantly reducing carbon emissions. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports.

On Monday, US President Donald Trump met with Israel's prime minister in Washington for the fourth time in eight months. Benjamin Netanyahu told Fox News over the weekend that he's "working on" a Gaza ceasefire deal outlined by the Trump administration, but that the deal was not yet finalized. News reports describe a three-page, 21-point peace plan from the Trump administration that includes an immediate truce, release of all hostages by Hamas and an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. It remains to be seen whether or not Netanyahu's far-right government can get behind the plan. The response from Hamas to the proposal is another unknown. The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

Around 300,000 years ago, at least seven different species of humans roamed the Earth. But now, Homo sapiens are the only humans left. And a new television documentary series from The World's colleagues at NOVA digs into why that is. It's called "Human." British paleo-anthropologist Ella Al-Shamahi, hosts the "Human" series. She speaks to Host Carolyn Beeler.

The driest non-polar place on earth, the Atacama Desert, is currently covered with carpets of colorful blossoms. This natural spectacle only happens once or twice every 10 years, and three years ago it prompted the Chilean government to name this region a national park. Here, researchers are finding clues to deal with climate change and extremely dry conditions. The World's Tibisay Zea first reported on this phenomenon in 2022, from the Atacama Desert.This story originally aired on Oct. 17, 2022.