The World: Latest Stories

The third time's the charm for Khun Narin's Electric Phin Band. Its first two albums were recorded using a homemade sound system set up in the group's village in northern Thailand. Now on their third album, the members have stepped into a professional recording studio in Pasadena, California. The location is different, but their heavy, surf-psychedelic rock sound is the same.

Have you ever wondered how a T-shirt, say from Primark, can cost as little as five euros ($6)? Well, one reason is that brands keep labor costs very low. But while workers in Pakistan and elsewhere say they're underpaid and mistreated, factory audits often paint a very different picture. A new report from the nonprofit organization "Labor Behind the Label" examines how these labor rights violations can continue unchecked. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Dan Ashby reports.

The Tule Lake Segregation Center in Modoc County, California, was one of 10 camps where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Eighty years after its closure, a group of pilgrims recently traveled there to pay tribute to the people who died in the camp. Jefferson Public Radio's Roman Battaglia reports that the survivors of the camp see parallels between their experience and the federal government's treatment of immigrants today.

The president of Colombia is calling for a major immigration crackdown. While the details are still unclear, any change would largely affect Venezuelan immigrants, who make up the largest immigrant population in the country. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Gracy Pelacani, professor at Los Andes University Law School, about what we know so far.

The US has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran's oil, shipping, weapons and financial networks. The move is part of Washington's broader effort to squeeze Iran's economy and increase pressure on its government. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Summertime is when many families pack their bags and get in planes, trains and automobiles for their vacations. Highlights for many youngsters are when they're going to another country. Planning activities in advance can sometimes lead to conflict between teenagers and parents, though. Maya Bhat shares one experience when her family was going to New Zealand, with GBH's Stories From The Stage.

New research finds Angola's peatlands stretch over an area four times larger than previously thought. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Mauro Lourenco, the study's author and senior researcher at The Wilderness Project, about the findings.

Over the weekend, a thousand Japanese people together pulled a 400-year-old castle about three feet closer to where it originally stood. It was moved a decade ago, so workers could fix a retaining wall damaged in an earthquake. Host Carolyn Beeler has the story.

For decades, Okinawa has prided itself as a hotspot for longevity. In 1999, the Japanese islands were listed as one of five blue zones," where people statistically live the longest, often into their 100s. A strong diet and emphasis on human connection were thought to be some of the biggest contributing factors. But research from a couple of years ago, suggested the entire concept of blue zones is a myth. In 2024, Rebecca Rosman examined the data and visited Okinawa to find what healthy habits could be gleaned from the lifestyle.This story originally aired on Dec. 12, 2024.

In June, the US opened a facility in Mexico to breed and release millions of sterile flies. It's part of an effort to curb the spread of the New World screwworm, a flesh eating parasite that has spread through Central America and into southern Mexico. Host Marco Werman spoke to entomologist Phillip Kaufman at Texas A&M University when the facility was in the final stages of being built.This story originally aired on Nov. 17, 2025.

Across Europe, migration is increasingly framed as a burden, as a problem to be solved. Whether it's the EU's new migration and asylum pact or the debate following the arrival of migrants in the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in late July - the focus is often on control and deterrence. Spain has tried to shift that narrative, recently granting legal status to large numbers of undocumented migrants and stressing the economic and demographic benefits of migration. Spain also announced the transfer of around 500 vulnerable migrant girls from Ceuta to mainland Spain, despite pressure from Brussels to prioritize returns. But Spain is not alone in offering a different perspective on migration. Pope Leo XIV has been doing the same. Reporter Annelise Finney reports.

In rural Ghana, pregnant women often have trouble getting to the hospital to give birth. Roads are narrow, rough and rocky, and it can take hours to go relatively short distances. Last year, The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reported on how one nonprofit is working to change that with cheap motorized tricycles.This story originally aired on May 8, 2025.

Singapore announced plans to offer parents $55,000 per child to encourage people to have more children. Like many developed economies, the city-state's leaders are worried about a rapidly aging population and declining birth rate. But as The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learned from Berkay Ozcan, professor of social and public policy at the London School of Economics, such incentives are a short-term fix to an ongoing problem.

With alarms, beeping monitors, slamming doors and more, hospitals are rarely quiet. The noise isn't just annoying; it can be harmful, and can interfere with a patient's ability to rest and a doctor's ability to work. But back in 2024, a group of international psychologists, designers and musicians reimagined what hospitals could sound like in the future. Bianca Hillier reports.This story originally aired on May 24, 2022.

Nine out of 10 countries have goals for increasing the amount of exercise their populations get. But globally, the percentage of people who meet recommendations for physical activity has not increased. That's partly because, while being inactive has similar detrimental health impacts as smoking, it's not a political priority to reverse the problem. Earlier this year, Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Andrea Ramirez Varela. She's an epidemiologist at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, and has been looking into why this is the case.This story originally aired on March 10, 2026.

Last month, Yonatan Shalev joined the newly formed Together party's political campaign in the lead up to pivotal October national elections. If elected, he would be the youngest Knesset member in Israel's history. He is a harsh critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current government, who he calls unworthy. He's been in the spotlight since forming "Shoulder to Shoulder" in 2024, an organization demanding ultra-Orthodox serve in the Israeli army. Stephanie Fried has a profile.

The turbulence surrounding the Strait of Hormuz has left ships increasingly vulnerable. Experts are concerned that this could, in turn, lead to a resurgence in Somali piracy, and they are already seeing a spike. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Omar Mahmood from the International Crisis Group.

Hiroshi Okuda, the former Toyota CEO who led the company to global domination, has died. He was the first president of the company who wasn't part of the founding Toyoda family, and his aggressive leadership style helped transform the brand into a 21st century powerhouse. The World's Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel looks back on Okuda's legacy, including the advent of the Prius, which sparked the boom in hybrid and electric vehicles that continues to transform the global auto industry today.

The war with Iran is testing one of the United Arab Emirates' most important economic propositions: a stable, globally connected hub even as conflict unfolds around it. The country just announced an embargo on Iran, long a major trade partner. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learned more from Rob Mogielnicki, founder of PoliSphere Advisory. He joined the show from Paris.

For decades, Haitian writer Lyonel Trouillot has been inspired by what he sees and hears around him. Some of these daily vignettes are collected in his latest book, "Simple Stories." Trouillot speaks to Host Carolyn Beeler.

This week, the Spanish government announced it would move 500 unaccompanied Moroccan girls from its North African enclave to shelters on the mainland, where they'll be safer. Extreme-right groups across Europe are capitalizing on the controversy to stage protests demanding mass deportations on non-Europeans. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

The Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo is now the worst in the country's history - and the second largest ever. That's prompting health officials to reshape their strategy. The new focus is relying on community leaders who already have local ties to build trust. Tim Birindwa is training those leaders. He's a community health coordinator with the International Rescue Committee. Birindwa speaks to Host Carolyn Beeler after having just spent nearly 10 weeks in the city of Bunia.

Rutshelle Guillaume was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and performs in places around the globe. She is determined to sing songs of courage, resilience and hope. One of her most recent tunes is called "Determinee." Host Carolyn Beeler spins the track for us.

Denmark is often ranked among the happiest countries in the world. It prides itself on its strong social welfare and a culture of coziness. But for asylum seekers, things aren't quite so comfortable. The government has a goal of zero asylum seekers - and that's divided one family between a new life in Denmark and, for one son, a life in limbo. Journalists Caroline Chaffiotte and Kaitlin Hlywa have the story from Denmark.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has traveled plenty of miles on foot since 2013 when he began his long walking journey across the globe. But he's also traversed a number of sea crossings, as well. We revisit Salopek's conversation with Host Marco Werman about those sea crossings, the types of ships he took and the people he met along the way.This story originally aired on April 28th, 2025.

Since the current war in Gaza began nearly three years ago, a small number of US medical professionals have been rotating in and out of posts in the Strip's few functioning hospitals. In the new documentary "American Doctor," director Poh Si Teng follows three of those American physicians, including one who is Jewish and another who is Muslim. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with Teng and Dr. Thaer Ahmad.

When the new academic term begins soon at colleges and universities, some classrooms and labs in the US may be missing instructors, while students across the Atlantic are likely to see some new faces and hear some different accents in the halls of European academia. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Anna Pujol-Mazzini explains, from France.

A gas leak at a dockyard in southern Bangladesh last week is believed to be responsible for the deaths of eight people while they were dismantling a ship. The breaking down and recycling of a ship's components for scrap has long been a major industry in the country. But the leak highlights dangers and costs for both people and the local environment. Salman Saeed is a Bangladeshi journalist based in Dhaka who joined The World to discuss.

Catrin Finch is a world-renowned harpist from Wales and is known for her collaborations with Irish fiddlers and with Senegalese kora players. But in her latest recording, she performs solo. It features recent works that Finch, now in her 40s, composed and dedicated to her 13-year-old self. Host Carolyn Beeler offers soothing sounds from Finch's album "Note to Self."This story originally aired on March 5, 2026.

Britain will hold its first "National Day Recognizing Victims and Survivors of Terrorism." On Friday, more than 300 survivors are expected to attend an event in central London. The day comes as the UK's terror threat level remains at severe. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Loneliness is killing people. The World Health Organization reports more than 800,000 people die each year from causes linked to loneliness; social isolation has been shown to increase the risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes, among other illnesses. To try and tackle this problem, in 2018 the UK launched a national loneliness strategy, becoming the first nation to do so. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Alex Smith, one of the architects of that strategy, for our new solutions series, The Loneliness Diagnosis.

The Friedrich August Refuge, a hotel and restaurant 7,500 feet up in the Italian Dolomites, is being overrun with tourists. That might sound like a good thing, but locals are frustrated because most people are coming just for krapfen, the donut-like pastries, that are being promoted by influencers on social media. Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

An anti-corruption investigation reaching into the highest ranks of Ukraine's government and a former defense minister's call for elections are adding to political tensions in Kyiv. Financial Times Chief Ukraine Correspondent Christopher Miller speaks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about the anti-graft probe, the ousted defense minister's challenge and whether or not Ukrainians are ready for wartime elections.

A Chinese cargo company just launched the first regularly scheduled shipping route through the Arctic. The Northern sea route from China to Europe is more passable than ever before due to melting ice in the Arctic, which allows vessels to bypass choke points in the Middle East. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learned more from Gubjorg Rikey Hauksdottir, program manager for the Center for Arctic Studies at the University of Iceland in Reykjavik.

Terada Honke Sake brewery is like a shrine to the microorganisms that brewers must cooperate with to make sake. The workers there sing traditional songs as they pound steamed rice to make a fermentation starter with ambient yeast. Last fall, reporter Hannah Kirshner captured these rare sounds in an audio postcard and she tells the story of why the owner brought back the old songs.

When Theresa Okokon was a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, she decided to go on a whitewater rafting trip. It broke all the rules of the Corps and didn't end up well. She shared her experience with GBH's Stories From The Stage.

AI is changing the way information about conflicts gets out, not just by creating fake images, but by making it harder to know what's real. In places like Iran and Gaza, people who have lived through violence are finding themselves having to prove that their stories, and even their suffering, are real. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

\While conflicts rage across the globe, Turkey may just stand on the brink of ending a struggle that has lasted nearly half a century. The Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, launched an insurgency against Turkey in 1984 with the aim of creating an independent state. But in February last year, a turning point came when imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan called on the group to disarm and dissolve. And this week, hope took tangible form as the Turkish parliament passed a law paving the way for rebels to return and reintegrate into society. Dorian Jones reports.

Mexico's largest university is in an admissions crisis after its first fully online entrance exam produced unusually high scores and allegations of cheating. Now, tens of thousands of applicants are being asked to take the test again - including students who may have earned their spots fairly. The scandal is also exposing a deeper problem: fierce competition for a limited number of places at Mexico's most prestigious public universities. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Florence Pouya is studying aerospace engineering at MIT, and is currently on a summer internship with NASA. As an adolescent, Pouya was a member of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team (the Afghan Dreamers"), which became famous worldwide when they participated in the first Robot Olympics" in Washington, DC, in 2017, and then when an MTV documentary and a feature film were made about them. Amy Bracken has her story.

For years, foreign aid has financed essential health services across Africa. Now, following the dismantling of USAID and the disruption of programs that supported health systems, African governments face a difficult question of whether they can realistically replace the money. But a new survey shows that young people in Africa think this could be a moment of change for the continent. Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports from Ghana's capital Accra.

The US military has been conducting deadly strikes on boats it says are carrying drugs off the coast of Latin America. Now, the US Defense Department says it's expanding that maritime campaign to land. Jeremy McDermott, co-director of the Colombia-based investigative organization InSight Crime, speaks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about what's driving the new approach.

The death of Jason Arday, a Black professor at the University of Cambridge, has sparked a debate in Britain over the media scrutiny he faced in the weeks leading up to his death. Arday made history in 2023 when he became the youngest Black professor appointed to the prestigious university. But last month, he faced allegations of plagiarism, which he denied, and he resigned from his post in early August. Arday was found dead at his home in London on Friday. Now, his supporters are questioning the role of both the British media and Cambridge University. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

In 1993, a new species was discovered in the swampy forests of Africa: the Niger Delta red colobus monkey. Within 20 years, most of the monkeys had been wiped out by hunting and habitat loss. The dire situation prompted one researcher to launch a community-led program to save the primates. Carolyn Beeler explains what happened.

Last month, China instituted the so-called Ethnic Unity Law." The government says the new series of regulations is aimed at promoting unity and patriotism. But for China's more than 50 ethnic minorities, the regulations impose the Chinese language in schools and public life. Eduardo Castillo, China bureau chief with The Associated Press, was given rare access to Tibet in a government-led visit last month. He joins the show from Beijing to discuss.

In August 2021, a GoFundMe post pleaded for help getting the Afghan Girls Robotics Team out of Afghanistan. They had become celebrities in their country, with leaders calling them the future of Afghanistan. Then, they were wanted by the Taliban. All made it out, and many are thriving in the US and Mexico, while still struggling with homesickness and the knowledge of their loved ones' suffering. Reporter Amy Bracken has the story.

Campaigns for this year's presidential election in Brazil began on Sunday. Incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is running against Flavio Bolsonaro, son of his former rival. They are the two leading candidates, but a third politician - US President Donald Trump - may be a large influence on the race. Michael Fox reports.

At least six people have died from heat stroke in Sonora, Mexico, this year, and experts say the city of Hermosillo needs to find ways to cool down. As the climate warms globally, Hermosillo is digging into a relatively simple solution to help solve its urban heat problem: trees. In addition to city and state tree planting initiatives, those led by community volunteers have also taken root in recent years. Nina Kravinsky from KJZZ reports.

The fifth Corgi Race Vilnius drew dogs and their owners to the Lithuanian capital's Vingis Park on Saturday for what organizers said was the biggest edition yet. There were competitors from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Estonia, Germany, Ukraine, the Czech Republic, the United States and Britain - the country most closely associated with the breed, famously a favorite of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

Athens' Panathenaic Stadium is getting its first deep clean in more than a century. It's a U-shaped stadium in Greece made entirely of white marble, and it's being buffed up ahead of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The Athens stadium will serve as the ceremonial send-off point for the Olympic flame. Host Carolyn Beeler has more on the stadium where the first modern Games were held in 1896.