The World: Latest Stories

Regina Spektor was born in Russia and lived there until she was 9 years old, when her family moved to The Bronx in New York City. The Russian musicians she was exposed to as a girl had a deep influence on the music she's made ever since. Spektor talked about those influences with host Marco Werman back in 2013.

One thing The World has done a lot of over the years is highlight up and coming global recording artists. Host Marco Werman and The World's show director April Peavey discuss some of their favorites from the show's music archives.That includes 71-year-old musician Ustad Noor Bakhsh, a master of the balochi benju. He's played his custom-made instrument throughout the northwest region of Pakistan. When ethnomusicologist Daniayl Ahmed came across a video of Ustad Noor Bakhsh online, he just had to find him.Plus, twin sisters Lisa-Kainde and Naomi Diaz are the daughters of late Cuban percussionist Miguel "Anga'" Diaz. Together the sisters are the musical duo Ibeyi. Host Marco Werman spoke to them in 2015 about their musical influences, including their dad, an alum of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club.

The famous Rumble in the Jungle was a fight between boxers Muhammad Ali and George Forman - that took place in Zaire, now Democratic Republic of Congo - in 1974. To help promote the match, organizers staged a three-day festival featuring headlining African and African American musicians. Decades later, some of the music was released in a collection called Zaire 74. Host Marco Werman spoke to South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela and American record producer Stewart Levine when the CD came out in 2017.

Artists often search for beauty in tragedy. Musician Valeria Castro is no exception.

Host Marco Werman and show director April Peavey discover and re-discover The World's music favorites. Back in 2012, we featured a young red-headed singer on his first US tour. Ed Sheeran came to The World's studio in Boston and introduced us to his debut single "A Team." He also schooled host Marco Werman in rhythm.

In a forest outside of Norway, a thousand spruce trees are growing. They were planted in 2014 and will grow for a century, when they'll be cut down and turned into books for a project called Future Library." The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Despite longstanding tensions between Armenians and Turks, a Turkish delicacy is prepared at an Armenian grocery near Boston. Kaymak, which sells for $30 a pound, is the Turkish version of clotted cream, often used to cut the sweetness of treats. It's a painstaking process to make it. GBH Radio's James Bennett II visits the grocery to see what all the fuss is about.

Cromwell Ojeda and his brother grew up in Dubai - two Filipino kids in an expat family - but in 2022, his brother moved to Canada where their family can finally gain citizenship. From the podcast "Movement," stories about music and migration, Meklit Hadero talks with Ojeda about losing his lifelong collaborator, and what it's like to make music and community in a place where people tend to come and go.

Sustained applause at concerts, film premieres and other events can mystify attendees as much as it chuffs the performers. Hosts Carol Hills and Carolyn Beeler listen for applause around the globe, which researchers say is universal.

The UN's highest court is calling on Israel to stop its military offensive in the city of Rafah in southern Gaza. An estimated 1 million Palestinians have now been displaced from Rafah as the Israeli military presses deeper into the city. This comes as the military also said it had recovered the bodies of three Israeli hostages from the enclave. Approximately 125 Israeli hostages remain in captivity. Host Carol Hills speaks with Alon Pinkas, a former Israeli diplomat, about the status of the hostages and Israel's growing isolation.

This year, more than half of the world's population, from India to the United States, is heading to the polls to vote for their next leaders. At the same time, there's growing concern over how artificial intelligence audio, images and videos are disrupting the election process by fueling confusion and misinformation. The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi reports ahead of the general election in South Africa.

The war in Sudan between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese national army has reached a new critical juncture. The national army is encircled in the city of El Fasher by the RSF in the region of Darfur, which is an epicenter of ethnic killings. Regardless, the United Arab Emirates keeps supporting the RSF despite its actions. The World's host Carolyn Beeler talks with Cameron Hudson, a former National Security Council advisor and diplomatic aide on Sudan, about what the UAE's support is, why it continues, and why no one has stopped it.

Thinking big has brought humanity ambitious, monumental feats of architecture - from the elegance of the Taj Mahal in India to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the world's largest structure. But many others haven't made it out of the blueprint phase. The World's host Carol Hills hears from Sam Lubell, the co-author of the "Atlas of Never Built Architecture," a compendium of buildings that were designed, but never got off the ground.

Mexico has put together a team of 77 athletes who are going to the Olympic Games in Paris this summer. Gustavo Solis, of KPBS, met with several members of the team, who hail from Baja California, the Mexican state that shares a border with the US state of California.

Ukraine's second largest city, Kharkiv, has become a target of Russian attacks in recent weeks and months. Today, Russian strikes killed seven people and injured at least 20 in the city. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Dmitri Alperovitch, chairman of the Silverado Policy Accelerator, about the situation on the ground in Ukraine as Russia continues to advance and Washington pledges more support for Ukraine's military.

Iran's president, Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash over the weekend, was seen as a strong candidate to replace the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. With Raisi out of the picture, who will replace the 85-year-old leader and why is it important?

The Biden Administration has faced an uphill battle in its efforts to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and transfer some detainees to other nations, including Oman. An effort to airlift Yemeni prisoners to the Sultanate in October was suspended after war broke out in Gaza. Host Carolyn Beeler learns more from Retired Air Force Col. Morris Davis, former chief prosecutor at Guantanamo.

Severe tornadoes have been rolling through several Midwestern states in recent days, causing extensive damage and a number of fatalities. The United States experiences the most and the deadliest tornadoes in the world, but they do happen on every continent except Antartica. Host Carolyn Beeler gets a global look at tornadoes with Jana Houser, an atmospheric scientist at Ohio State University who specializes in tornadoes.

Today, Kenyan President William Ruto will be at the White House for a historic state dinner celebrating 60 years of diplomatic relations with the United States. It's the first state visit of an African head of state since 2008. This comes as Kenyan police are expected to arrive in Haiti to lead a controversial multinational UN force backed by Washington. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi.

China is holding military drills around the island of Taiwan this week, just following the inauguration of a new president who advocates for stronger defense against China. Meanwhile, the political parties in Taiwan are sharply divided, leading to legislative gridlock. From Taipei, Ashish Valentine reports that tens of thousands of people have hit the streets in protest.

Omar Geles, the Latin Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and accordionist from Colombia, has died at the age of 57. Host Carolyn Beeler offers a musical remembrance of the popular artist whose loss is being mourned today across Latin America.

A new vaccine study from Duke University suggests scientists are making advances towards a vaccine for HIV/AIDS. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, an infection disease expert at Brigham & Women's Hospital, about how this new potential vaccine works and what it means for the long battle to cure HIV/AIDS.

Marathons around the world are filling up fast, and many are setting new records for participation. The World's Bianca Hillier spoke with runners and race directors across the globe to hear why they choose to lace up.

It may be hundreds of miles away from any coastline, but the Bavarian capital of Munich is home to one of the world's most iconic - albeit dangerous - waves. The Eisbach wave, apparently appeared overnight in 1972, after the city submerged several concrete blocks under a bridge to block the river's strong current. This created an accidental constant flowing wave effect - one which experienced surfers immediately seized upon. Reporter Rebecca Rosman reports from Munich.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting an active hurricane season in a forecast released today. The agency expects up to 13 hurricanes, and up to half of those could be Category 3 or greater. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

Fred Dewilde, a graphic novelist and survivor of both the 2015 Bataclan and 2016 Nice attacks, died earlier this week by suicide. His 2018 graphic memoir "La Morsure" or "The Bite" was a bestseller in France and told the story of how he coped with experiencing both attacks. Dewilde was a regular on French television speaking about his experience as a survivor. He was also an active member of Life for Paris, a support group for the survivors of the November 2015 attacks. In a statement, his family said he struggled to live with the trauma of the attacks. Rebecca Rosman reports from Paris.

The Aral Sea, which spans the borders of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, used to be the fourth largest lake on the planet. It was home to many species of fish, as well as a thriving fishing industry. All of that changed when Soviet policy depleted the lake's water by diverting it to far-flung agriculture, turning a giant fresh water lake into a much smaller salt water lake. An engineering project turned things around - but the progress is once again on shaky ground. Levi Bridges reports from western Kazakhstan.

In the 1980s, a mime artist found himself in the midst of a university protest in Brazil's capital. Hit with an urge to speak out, the actions he took landed him in the global spotlight. Antonio Rocha shared his experience on "Stories from the Stage," a production of GBH's World TV.

Spain, Ireland and Norway say they will recognize a Palestinian state on May 28. They'll join 139 countries, including seven members of the European Union, who've already taken the step. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Khaled Elgindy, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, about the implications of recognition and Israel's growing isolation.

Despite the situation in Afghanistan, tourism has gone up there. The Taliban says the country hosted about 10,000 visitors last year, up from 7,000 the year before. Host Carolyn Beeler explores the pros and cons of making the journey.

Istanbul-based musician, Ayfer Duzda, has spent 25 years traveling through southeastern Anatolian villages, documenting Kurdish folk songs. Duzda arranges the vanishing melodies into full-ensemble pieces, artfully incorporating traditional techniques for the modern ear. Despite challenges performing her work in Turkey, she hopes to share Kurdish music with a new generation of listeners. Durrie Bouscaren first reported our story last fall.

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea ruled Tuesday that greenhouse gasses are a form of marine pollution, and it laid out governments' legal obligations to reduce that contamination and limit global warming. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh, professor of law at the University of Amsterdam, about how this new tool that could bolster legal efforts by island nations to persuade industrial nations to reduce carbon emissions.

This year's International Booker Prize was awarded to Jenny Erpenbeck's novel "Kairos." It's the first translated German work to win the prize. Erpenbeck shares the prize with noted translator Michael Hofmann. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks to Hofmann about the work of a literary translator, which he says can sometimes feel like the equivalent of building a road.

Dozens of howler monkeys are dying in the jungle of Tabasco, a state in southeast Mexico, due to high temperatures caused by intense heat waves and drought. Neighbors and volunteer veterinarians have tried to save them by bringing water and food. Host Carolyn Beeler has the details.

Sweden, a Scandinavian nation that has long prided itself on social equality, now faces a growing wealth gap. The rise of Sweden's "super rich" is a trend that worries journalist Andreas Cervenka, author of "Greedy Sweden." He tells host Carolyn Beeler why inequality is rising so rapidly in Sweden.

Many young Thai men become ordained Buddhist monks, even if temporarily. It's a way of honoring one's family and serving the religious community. But this isn't an option for most Thais living in the US. Char Daston from member station WPLN attended the ordination of one man in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, who took on the challenge of becoming a monk.

Who doesn't have a fond childhood memory that's grown hazy with time, especially because there was never a photo to solidify it in the mind's eye? Well, now a Spanish AI company is creating the image on paper based just on the memory. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

Large parts of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil are still waterlogged three weeks after heavy rains flooded the state. Local and federal governments have promised to rebuild homes and businesses. But people are still digging out and, as Michael Fox reports, more rain is in the forecast.

US President Joe Biden calls the International Criminal Court's plans to seek arrest warrants for the leaders of Israel and Hamas "outrageous." Since the court was created almost a quarter-century ago, the US has failed to become a state part to the court, even though it helped create it. Carolyn Beeler speaks with David Scheffer, former US ambassador at large for war crimes issues and a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.

South Korean officials are banning a group of videos and catchy songs glorifying North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un. The songs, released in April, refer to Kim as a "great leader" and a "friendly father" and became big hits online. South Korea's media regulator called the songs and videos "psychological warfare." Host Carolyn Beeler has the details.

Severe turbulence is being blamed for the problems on board a Singapore Airlines flight today that left one man dead and dozens more injured. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

Security forces rescued 350 hostages from Boko Haram captivity in Nigeria yesterday. The hostages had been held in a forest enclave by the militants before they were rescued. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Al Chukwuma Okoli, a professor of political science in Nigeria, about the state of Boko Haram and what this means for Nigeria.

Investigators in Britain this week released an explosive report detailing how more than 30,000 UK residents contracted HIV or hepatitis from tainted blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. Survivors of the contamination and their families have welcomed new pledges of compensation. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Cara McGoogan, the author of "Blood Farm: The Explosive Big Pharma Scandal that Altered the AIDS Crisis."

The Dali, the container ship that struck Baltimore's Key Bridge, is now free of the wreckage, but still in Baltimore harbor as it is prepared for offloading. Its crew members are still on board, operating the ship as they remain the subjects of an investigation. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Sal Mercogliano, professor of maritime history at Campbell University, about the crew and their duties, obligations, and rights, as they are prevented from going ashore.

For all of May, people on both sides of the US-Mexico border are trying to document as many species of plants as possible. Naturalists have discovered that there are many species that are now hard to find in the United States, but healthy populations can be found across the border, and now wall, in Mexico. But tagging these species in Mexico can also be a challenge, in part because of risks from cartel activity. Host Carolyn Beeler talks with Sula Vanderplank, a field researcher for Next Generation Sonoran Desert Researchers, about the push to document species before it's too late.

The top prosecutor at the International Criminal Court today announced a request for arrest warrants from top leaders from both Hamas and the Israeli government. Karim Khan said that he has reason to believe that Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, along with the Israeli defense minister, and three top leaders from Hamas all "bear criminal responsibility" for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

In 1873, Levi Strauss teamed up with a tailor to add rivets - the small, circular pieces of metal - to denim pants to make them more durable. This created the industrialized version of blue jeans that the company still sells today. But many people think that history means that Levi's, the company, invented denim, the textile. An exhibition in Paris is helping to shed light on the real background. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

The Toussaint L'Ouverture Cultural Center of Massachusetts is set to celebrate its groundbreaking in Boston tonight. It will act as a gathering place and resource for local Haitians. And organizers hope it will also help the legacy of one of history's great leaders live on. GBH's Esteban Bustillos has the story.

An estimated 15 million people are expected to descend on Paris this July for the Olympic Games. The French government has promised that all spectators will be able to reach the sports venues via public transport. A new train line is also set to run from Orly, one of the city's key airports, out to the main Olympic sites. Not all Parisians are convinced that their transport network is up to the task, though. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports from Paris.

In the Republic of Georgia, a controversial bill that's been denounced as "the Russian law" is once again poised to be enacted. The president of Georgia vetoed the measure on Saturday; today, the speaker of the Parliament promised to override that veto. As host Carolyn Beeler reports, similar legislation in Russia is used to crack down on independent news media, nonprofits, and activists who are critical of the Kremlin.