The World: Latest Stories

Security is the main issue on the minds of Ecuadorians as they go to the polls in the presidential runoff election on Sunday. Leftist Luisa Gonzalez is facing off against conservative president Daniel Noboa. Michael Fox reports from Quito that it's a tight race with major implications for Ecuador's future.

Anoush Froundjian grew up attending Armenian school on weekends, in the 1990s. But at her American school, on weekdays, she worried that her cultural heritage was a social liability. That all changed when she learned the words to a song.

As Jews around the world prepare for feasts known as seders commemorating the biblical exodus from slavery, there's a whole list of provisions people are busy gathering to bring the traditions to life. For Persian Jews, green onions - and lots of them - top the list. The ropelike spring greens come out during a particular song, and they're not used for cooking, but for mayhem. The World's Sarah Birnbaum explains.

The arrival of white storks in Europe has long heralded the beginning of spring. But ornithologists believe human driven climate change is making the birds arrive earlier. And some storks have stopped migrating altogether. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

It's the largest and most-intricate map to date of the neural activity and connections in a mammal's brain. Scientists used AI to track the equivalent of 4,000 kilometers of neural cables packed into a brain segment the size of a grain of sand. To carry out this task by hand would have taken decades, if not longer. The World's Carol Hills spoke with project lead Nuno da Costa of the Allen Institute about the significance of this achievement, and what it might tell us about our own brains.

Pedro Sanchez had planned his state visit to Beijing before the Trump administration's tariffs upended the global economy. But now, there's more on the line than a bilateral trade agreement. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

The cuisine of Nigeria packs in all kinds of global influences and ingredients: curries from India, sauces from China, spices from Lebanon. They all commingle with with a particular repertoire of staple ingredients from Nigeria. Food anthropologist and Nigerian native Ozoz Sokoh is out with a cookbook that's being hailed as the first comprehensive guide to home cooking in all six regions of the country. She joins host Carol Hills for a conversation about the flavors, ingredients, and recipes in her book - as well as the culture around eating in Nigeria.

According to a watchdog nonprofit called Statewatch, the UK Ministry of Justice's "Homicide Prevention Project" has used AI and government databases to determine whether convicted criminals are likely to commit murder in the future. Chris Jones, the director of Statewatch, told The World's Carolyn Beeler that the project sounds serious alarm bells from a human rights and civil liberties standpoint - in addition to sounding a lot like a famous science fiction plot.

Journalist Sarah Allely was knocked off her bike by a wrong-way driver in 2015. The experience left her with a traumatic brain injury - but also gave her insight into nature's role in recovery. Neil King looks into the relationship between nature and neurology in this excerpt from the Deutsche Welle podcast, "Living Planet."

In February, the US deported nearly 300 asylum seekers to Panama. Most of the deportees had come to the US not from Panama, but from Africa, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Asia, in many cases fleeing civil wars and religious persecution. Manuel Rueda spoke with those who ended up in Panama rather than their home countries, now living in limbo - as well as the religious institutions that have taken them in.

Today, a Turkish court ruled in favor of the release of more than 100 young people who were arrested for participating in pro-democracy protests. About 150 of their fellow protesters remain behind bars. Every morning, parents gather outside a high security prison to wait for their kids to come out. The World has the story.

Pokemon trading cards have been popular worldwide since the mid-'90s. Now, in an effort to help young people connect with older generations, a town in Japan's Fukuoka Prefecture has created trading cards depicting real, local heroes instead of fictional ones. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have the details.

Pearl divers in Kuwait used to make music with a complex rhythmic pattern, but when Kuwait banned pearl diving in 1955, the music stopped with it. That captured the imagination of Ghazi Faisal Al-Mulaifi, an ethnomusicologist who teamed up with Grammy Award-winning bandleader Arturo O'Farrill to bring those rhythms back to life. The World's Host Marco Werman has the story.

The US and Russia carried out a prisoner swap earlier today, resulting in the release of US citizen Ksenia Karelina. This is the second prisoner swap between Moscow and Washington in less than two months. The World's Daniel Ofman shares insights into the geopolitical backdrop for this development with Host Marco Werman.

An earthquake devastated Myanmar, leaving thousands dead. Nearly two weeks later, rescue operations have concluded, but the need for aid remains overwhelming. As The World's Patrick Winn reports, not enough is getting through as the military government blocks relief.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has traveled - on foot - through 21 countries, in a walk that's taken eleven years so far. Traveling at a human speed has given him glimpses of things people easily miss when traveling by plane, rail, or car. Salopek tells Host Marco Werman about some astonishing places that only a walker would discover.

Uganda is known for bananas. The tropical fruit grows there, and it's also a major culinary staple in the country. But banana growers in Uganda struggle to make a living, because of a bumper crop - there can be so many bananas that their monetary value plunges. That has Ugandan entrepreneurs seeking out uses for bananas beyond the culinary. Anita Elash visited some of the factories and farms trying to make a go of new banana products.

The podcast "Things That Go Boom" tells the tale of one man in Europe who helped gun-rights advocates get around firearms restrictions on their continent by circulating instructions for printing 3D guns. Host Laicie Heely brings us this story, with reporting from British journalist Lizzie Dearen.

Representatives from 60 American businesses are in Iraq this week, courtesy of the US Chamber of Commerce. The war-torn country is hoping this large delegation is a sign that American companies have gotten serious about investing in Iraq. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Abbas Kadhim, who directs the Iraq Initiative at the Atlantic Council, about the likelihood that foreign investors will address Iraqis' greatest needs.

Three officials in Iran have been fired after deploying an emergency helicopter to dry out a soccer field flooded with rain. Their idea DID work, though. The field was dry in time for the game. The World's Marco Werman has the details.

Late last year ,authorities in Jamaica updated the geographical indicator designation for Jamaican rum, barring products that are aged overseas from receiving the label. Now, National Rums of Jamaica - which owns two of the country's six distilleries - is challenging that regulation. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke with intellectual property expert Enrico Bonadio at City University of London about the benefits of geographical indicators like the ones up for debate, and the role of rum in Jamaican history and culture.

President Donald Trump has ordered a 90-day pause on his sweeping new tariffs, with one exception: the massive levies on goods from China. Beijing has retaliated against the increase, imposing 84% tariffs on US goods beginning Thursday. The World's Carolyn Beeler talks with Evan Medeiros, director of Asian studies at Georgetown University about who will blink first in the high-stakes global game of chicken.

Rescuers in the Dominican Republic are digging through rubble, looking for survivors, after a tragedy at a nightclub. The Jet Set music club in Santo Domingo was packed when the entire roof caved in, shortly before 1 a.m. on Tuesday morning. More than 120 people died. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

Dissent, in the form of activism or journalism, is stifled in Cambodia. But artists there are finding subtle ways to tackle controversial topics, from environmental devastation to rapid urbanization. Reporter Leila Goldstein recently visited a growing new art complex in the city of Siem Riep that's giving artists space to display bold work that conveys their unique visions.

We have some fancy news today that you might have missed. Our stories look at a Belgian prince, queen bees and a Brazilian judge living under an assumed aristocratic name for decades. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain.

The Trump Administration's Africa adviser says the US is working on a deal that would would give American companies more control of critical mineral assets in Democratic Republic of Congo. That would be in exchange for more support to the government in Kinshasa. Host Marco Werman speaks with Jason Stearns, the founder of the Congo Research Group at NYU.

Greenhouse gas emissions hit record highs last year. That's in part because extreme heat drove up demand for electricity to power air conditioning, particularly in China and India. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

A recent UK survey found that 72% of teenagers want more relevant and rigorous climate change education. Now, Sussex University is answering that call with a new degree called Climate Justice, Sustainability and Development." The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

In March, the Arctic is typically more frozen over than at any other time of year. But this year, the region had a record low amount of sea ice cover in March. That's according to new data from Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler discusses those findings and what it means for people living in the Arctic with Twila Moon, a scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Colorado.

If you're in Germany, the current season is Spargelzeit, or "asparagus time." That's when the beloved white asparagus is harvested. White asparagus has a taste - and agricultural pedigree - distinct from the more familiar green variety. Michael Bruckmann runs a restaurant at Winkelmanns Spargelhof Klaistdow, a farm in Beelitz, Germany.

Last month, Israeli forces fired on a convoy of ambulances and emergency workers in southern Gaza, killing 15 people. One worker in the convoy remains missing. The Palestinian Red Crescent says the attack constitutes a full-fledged war crime." The health care and social services organization is urging an international investigation into the incident. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Kenyans may be known for their running prowess, but a new sport is on the move there: basketball. The NBA and International Basketball Federation created a top-tier professional league in Africa six years ago, and this is the first season that a Kenyan team has made it into that league. Briana Duggan has the story from Nairobi.

This year, the Miss Ivory Coast national beauty pageant announced a new rule: Contestants are no longer allowed to wear wigs during the competition. Instead, the winner will need to have a natural hair style. While Ivory Coast's pageant is the first in Africa to prohibit wigs, it's a discussion happening across West Africa about beauty standards. Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Rena Ogwanighie, a fashion and beauty writer for the online magazine Marie Claire Nigeria, who joined the show from Lagos, Nigeria.

When British Bengali musician Tara Lily stopped along the shores in Goa, India, the sound of the ocean reconnected Lily to her father and Indian ancestors. A similar feeling happened when she traveled north to Mumbai. Both places influenced the writing on her debut album "Speak in the Dark." Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler tell us more.

Heavy US tariffs against most nations on Earth kick in Tuesday at midnight. Few will take a beating as hard as Cambodia. Nearly one-third of the country's economy is generated by selling goods to Americans, mostly cheap clothing, and they'll soon suffer a 49% tariff. As The World's Patrick Winn reports, Cambodians are confused by President Donald Trump's claim that Cambodia - one of the poorest countries in Asia - is ripping off the US and making a "fortune."

Doctors Without Borders reports that of 82,000 primary care visits in Gaza, 1/5 of them are for illnesses caused by a lack of access to clean water. The amount of water available to each Palestinian in Gaza, on average, is also shrinking toward dangerously low levels. Israeli authorities' blockade of fuel and electricity is a major factor, as they assert that some of those resources could be used by Hamas.

The US State Department has revoked the visas for South Sudanese nationals. The move comes with the sub-Saharan country on the brink of a renewed civil war. Rebecca Hamilton, the executive editor of Just Security and a professor of law at American University, discusses the implications with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

With massive budget cuts in scientific research in the US, a lot of American scientists are looking overseas to continue their investigations. Europe is on their radar, because universities and governments across the continent are creating space for them and offering competitive salaries. Some say this could be the start of a massive scientific brain-drain for the US. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Marseille, France.

Once upon a time, American films didn't get much traction in communist China. But the blockbuster hit "Titanic" changed everything in 1997. Since then, Hollywood's fortunes in the Chinese market have been tied to fluctuations in the US-China political relationship. Host Marco Werman gets the history and current status of Hollywood in China from Jane Perlez, host of the podcast "Face-Off: the US vs. China."

Yesterday, Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals scored his 895th career goal. That put the 39-year-old superstar captain ahead of the former record holder, Wayne Gretzky, who congratulated him in a ceremony on the ice, along with a host of other top echelon athletes. Today, he was also congratulated by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The World's Daniel Ofman reports that what's often missed is Ovechkin's pro-Kremlin politics.

This week, someone transformed a line from the 2009 Lady Gag hit, "Bad Romance," from "I don't want to be friends" to "I don't want to be French." And then they set it free on TIkTok. Millions of mostly Europeans have copied the meme, with videos poking fun at the French, many of whom have not found it amusing. Their own, pro-France memes have now gone viral too. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Paris.

A new investigation by the New Arab news outlet has revealed that Maltese hunters travel as far as Egypt to hunt migratory birds commonly found in the EU. Often these birds, like the Maltese falcon, are illegal to kill in the EU due to regulations and wildlife laws. Host Carol Hills speaks with Mahmoud Elsobky, an investigative journalist with The New Arab, about this illegal hunting activity.

Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Carol Hills catch you up on headlines in the news you may have missed.

A new trend is taking over social media. Users use Chat GPT Pro to render selfies, portraits, memes - whatever - in the style of Hayao Miyazaki, the artistic genius behind movies like "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro." India's Prime Minisher Nahendra Modi, Donald Trump, and Elon Musk have gotten in on it, using the feature to create propaganda images. Others have used it on violent or dark images like the murder of George Floyd. The World's Sarah Birnbaum explains.

At NATO headquarters in Brussels on Friday, foreign ministers from across the alliance wrapped up meetings about their collective defense. One of the subjects at the top of the agenda was the war in Ukraine. Some leaders, like UK Foreign Minister David Lammy, accused Russian President Vladimir Putin for dragging his feet in peace negotiations. The World's Daniel Ofman speaks with host Carol Hills about the current state of negotiations between the US, Russia and Ukraine.

Irish writers punch well above their weight when it comes to literary awards. The small country of just 5 million people has had four Nobel literature laureates and six Booker prize winners. But now, some of its most-celebrated authors are facing a battle they never expected - against artificial intelligence and the company at the center of the storm - is tech giant Meta. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

In northern Ghana, families are reeling from a deadly meningitis outbreak. The disease spreads fast, striking without warning-one day, a loved one has a fever; the next, they're gone. Hospitals are struggling to keep up, and fear is growing as more people fall ill. The usual vaccines aren't working, and doctors are up against a dangerous strain they can't easily stop. From Ghana's upper west region, Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports. This story was produced with support from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

As the world braces for the impact of US tariffs, Brazil is hoping its strong economic ties with China will keep its export economy humming. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke to Oliver Stuenkel, a political analyst at the Getulio Vargas Foundation, a Brazilian university. He's currently a visiting scholar at the Harvard Kennedy School and joins the show from Cambridge, Massachusetts.

March Madness is down to the Final Four teams on both the men's and women's sides, and many athletes on the remaining rosters are international students. The World's Bianca Hillier shares a few of their journeys to the States, and how they're playing in the NCAA tournament.

A large crowd of protesters erupted in cheers when the announcement came from South Korea's Constitutional Court. All eight of the judges on the court agreed that Yoon Suk-yeol had violated the basic principles of a democratic state" and would be removed from office immediately. The country remains deeply divided politically. South Koreans will now vote for a new president in 60 days. The World's Matthew Bell reports.