The World: Latest Stories

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler catch us up on a few stories flying just below the radar.

The World's Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman take us in the way back machine, to 1993, and the first release by the Senegalese super group Africando. The name of this track is Gouye Gui. In the Wolof language, it refers to the massive baobab trees found across Senegal. The song is an homage to the baobab's symbolism of longevity and wisdom.

Robot news has been coming fast and furious this month. One robot won a half-marathon in Beijing, others captured a Russian position in Ukraine. And last week, we learned of a robotic arm that beat table-tennis champions at their own game. To learn about this moment in robotics, The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke with Kenechukwu Mbanisi. He's an assistant professor of robotics engineering at Olin College in Massachusetts.

Mali's military junta is fighting off coordinated attacks across the country that began this weekend. Led by Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda-linked fighters, the country's defense minister was among those killed in one of the attacks. The joint militant forces have also claimed control of the northeastern city of Kidal. The Russian government-linked Africa Corps confirmed that it pulled out of the city. To help make sense of this complicated picture, The World's Host Marco Werman spoke to Ulf Laessing, a security analyst with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla are in the United States today for a four-day state visit marking the year of the 250th anniversary of US independence. The trip comes amid strained relations between London and Washington, after Britain resisted pressure to support US and Israeli strikes on Iran. The visit is being closely watched in London, where officials may be hoping it will help ease tensions between US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry joins Host Marco Werman.

They're just like normal, night-time raves, except totally different: They happen when other humans are having breakfast, and there are no alcohol or drugs in sight. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from a "coffee rave" in Barcelona.This story originally aired on Oct. 22, 2025.

In Syria on Sunday, landmark trials began that are expected to bring members of the Assad regime to justice. While the former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and others are being tried in absentia, Atef Najib, a former security chief - and the cousin of Bashar al-Assad - sat behind bars in the courtroom. The World's Host Marco Werman spoke to Amr Al-Azm, a Syrian historian at Shawnee State University, who joined from Doha.

The London Marathon yesterday saw a major record-breaking moment. It was the first time two competitors ran the race in under two hours. Sabastian Sawe of Kenya and Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia ran the marathon in 1:59:30 and 1:59:41, respectively. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler talks to David Monti, editor and publisher of Race Results Weekly, about this stunning record.

Last week, the US data and spy tech company Palantir posted a 22-point manifesto on the social media platform X. Based on a book by the firm's CEO, Alex Karp, the manifesto - variously described as the ramblings of a super-villain" and a parody of a RoboCop film" - has renewed concern about the aspirations and motivations of a company that is increasingly embedded in state infrastructure on both sides of the Atlantic. It's the contract with Britain's National Health Service that has proven the most controversial, as Lars Bevanger reports from Manchester.

In Mexico, the constitution guarantees universal health care. But for many, access remains out of reach. Long wait times, overcrowded clinics and persistent gaps in the system are pushing millions to seek care elsewhere - including low-cost pharmacy clinics. Now, the government says it plans to expand access and unify the system. But questions remain about whether those reforms can succeed without more funding and resources. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Mexico City on the gap between coverage on paper and care in practice.

A ceasefire is holding in Iran and life is slowly returning to a sort-of normal, as people grapple with the impacts of the war on their country. Some business owners have had to close up shop, and have no income. Others have seen their operations disrupted because of the ongoing internet blackout in the country. The World's Shirin Jaafari explains where things stand now.

Increasingly, European military readiness is bound up with its ability to respond to rapidly developing technology, such as drones. And the Ukrainian experience is showing that in this field, smaller, more agile security tech start-ups are playing an increasingly significant role. Ben Bathke was in Estonia's capital Tallinn to meet up with Ragnar Sass, an Estonian tech entrepreneur who has pivoted towards defense.

Representatives from over 50 countries are meeting in Colombia to discuss how to transition away from fossil fuels. Laura Ballesteros is among the attendees. She's a member of the Mexican Chamber of Deputies and represents the center-left party Movimiento Ciudadano - or Citizens' Movement." She spoke to The World's Host Carolyn Beeler from the conference in Santa Marta, Colombia.

A meeting of the G7 nations on the environment kicked off in Paris yesterday, but two words were barred from the agenda: "climate" and "change." France's ecology minister said all the ministers wanted to avoid a dispute with US President Donald Trump, who dismisses climate change as "fake news." The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

For years now, the north of Cameroon has been dealing with both separatist and militant insurgencies. The violence has displaced hundreds of thousands of people and the UN reports it has impacted the education of some 250,000 children. The International Rescue Committee has warned that girls are especially impacted as "hidden victims" of the conflict. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learns more from Antoinette Chibi, IRC's country director for Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

Temperature readings jump dramatically, right after someone bets a lot of money that it will be a hot day. What could explain it? A police investigation into apparent tampering with weather sensors at Paris's Charles de Gaulle airport suggests that someone tried to change reality, to match their wager. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

The Brazilian state of Bahia is home to some of the biggest names in Brazilian music, particularly Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso. A new voice from the state, singer-songwriter Melly, scored a Latin Grammy nomination with her debut album, "Amarissima." Melly has been performing in bars since she was 16. Born in a poor family with a dad who played in samba-reggae bands, Melly had to overcome a lot to pursue a career in pop music in Brazil, particularly as a Black, LGBTQ woman. Reporting from Bahia, Gisele Regatao has her story.

A rain bomb is an enormous amount of rain, dumped practically all at once, by hurricane-force winds blowing directly into the ground. Rain bombs can be deadly and they're really hard to predict. "Rain Bombs" is the title of a new documentary from The World's partners at NOVA. Sue van den Heever is an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University and is featured in the documentary. She recently spoke to Host Carolyn Beeler.

Viragezero is a Swiss super group in Geneva. All five musicians got together after having success with other bands in the city's vibrant music scene. As they get ready to hit the road and play summer music festivals in Europe, perhaps more songs like "Larmes De Feu" will be written in the back of their tour van. Host Carolyn Beeler has the details.

The late Kim Il Sung - the founding leader of North Korea's communist regime - is forever enshrined as the country's "Eternal President." It's a powerful cult of personality from which the regime still draws much of its authority. Kim himself was deeply religious - he was raised as a devout Christian. The modern North Korean state tries to keep the religious upbringing of its founder hidden, but it's really what enabled the regime's rise in the first place. That's the subject of Jonathan Cheng's new book, "Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea's Personality Cult." He joins Host Marco Werman to talk about it.

A 1995 law in the Philippines dictated that all salt sold in the country had to be iodized because of iodine deficiency among Filipinos. That led to the closing of many artisanal salt making businesses, mostly small family operations. But the Slow Food movement is trying to change that. From Negros Island, reporter Dany Mitzman has the story.

Israeli forces have killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her photographer colleague Zeinab Faraj in what officials in Lebanon are calling a war crime. The journalists were heading to southern parts of the country when they came under attack. They took shelter at an abandoned building, but according to The Committee to Protect Journalists and the Red Cross, the Israeli military stopped rescuers from reaching them. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Thousands of Afghans who served as interpreters, security contractors and drivers alongside US troops were promised safe passage to the United States. Now, many are in limbo. About 1,100 former partners and their families are currently stranded at a former US military base in Qatar. Shawn VanDiver, president of the aid group AfghanEvac tells The World's Host Marco Werman that the Trump administration is considering sending the Afghans to Democratic Republic of Congo.

Lupita Infante is the granddaughter of Mexican cultural icon Pedro Infante, but she is also an artist in her own right, carrying legacies from both sides of her family. Lupita is charting a new path for herself, while honoring and questioning the mariachi culture she's inherited. In this conversation, she discusses her artistic path with Meklit Hadero of the "Movement" podcast.

What, exactly, do we think of as "home." Is it a place? A feeling? Is it people? Sharing her experience on GBH's Stories from the Stage, Christine Boutros tells us how she learned to redefine "home" when her son moved halfway across the globe.

Spain shocked lots of people last year when it announced it would grant working papers to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who'd come to Spain without permission. The government calls it just and necessary. But it wasn't prepared for a deluge of applications pouring in during the first few days. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

Four years ago, the Restoration Ecology team at Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, published new research that uses super-sensitive microphones to listen to and analyze the health of soil. The researchers say this new method could replace traditional ones, which are expensive, disruptive and laborious. Reporter Bianca Hillier reports.This story originally aired on Sept. 18, 2024.

European Union envoys seem set to unblock a $106 billion loan for Kyiv, now that Ukraine is once again sending Russian oil to Europe. Officials in Kyiv have called the funding "a matter of life and death." Phillips Payson O'Brien tells The World's Host Marco Werman that Ukrainians are increasingly viewing the US as a foe.

In a 10-minute speech over the weekend, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney laid out a strategy for the country to move forward without economic or military support from the United States. He told Canadians that "the world is more dangerous and divided," and the US has changed its approach to former allies. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman explain.

Another ripple effect of the Iran war is reshaping the Caucasus. Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, nations long divided by closed borders and bitter disputes, are showing signs of cooperation - with plans to reopen key trade routes. From Deutsche Welle, DW's, Inside Europe program, Dorian Jones reports from Istanbul on the real promise these proposals hold.

Over the last decade, China has become a leader in manufacturing solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles. As oil and gas prices rise, countries are increasingly importing this infrastructure. Host Marco Werman speaks with Kate Mackenzie of "The Polycrisis" podcast about how this translates to soft power for China.

Nothing like a little light-hearted pop music to shift the mood. Co-hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler give a listen to an indie-pop quartet from Stuttgart, Germany, called Rikas.

Elections are supposed to give people a say in who governs their country, but nature can have an impact on elections. A report out today from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance found nearly 100 cases of disaster-disrupted" elections between 2006 and 2025. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Erik Asplund, a co-author of the study.

A gunman opened fire on tourists at Mexico's Teotihuacan pyramids, killing one Canadian and injuring more than a dozen others. The attack at a UNESCO World Heritage site shows ongoing security challenges in one of the country's most visited destinations, just as Mexico prepares to host matches for the World Cup. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

For almost two months, the survival of "Timmy," a whale stranded in shallows off Germany's Baltic coast, has captured the country's attention and gone viral globally. With official efforts to rescue Timmy called off, privately funded campaigns to save him have polarized Germany and raised ethical concerns about prolonging the whale's suffering. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Fabian Ritter, a marine biologist and member of MEER, a Berlin-based marine mammal conservation group.

A new wave of investors is eyeing Venezuela, drawn by the promise of massive natural resources, cheap assets and a potential economic rebound after years of crisis. The government is opening key sectors and restoring ties with the US - but major risks remain. While some early movers are taking a chance, many companies are still holding back, waiting to see how new rules play out in a country where politics, instability and uncertainty still remain. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Japan rolled back restrictions today on its sale of weapons abroad, reinterpreting its pacifist post-World War II constitution. Yuki Tatsumi, senior director at the Institute for Indo-Pacific Security tells The World's Host Carolyn Beeler that the timing of the announcement reaches back to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and is motivated in part by the security threats Japan faces from China.

Host Marco Werman spins sounds from the innovator of the Hindustani slide guitar, Debashish Bhattacharya, a track titled, "The Sound of the Soul."This story originally aired on March 21, 2023.

"Fika" is the very Swedish ritual of meeting people for coffee, sweets and some reflection on life. The World's Joshua Coe learned the fine line between a regular brunch date and "pure fika" at a coffee shop in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Brazilian cinema has received strong global attention recently, with films like "I'm Still Here" and "The Secret Agent" earning a slew of Oscar nods. But many filmmakers say these films reflect a limited group of voices. Reporter Julia Franca explores issues of funding, gender and access in the Brazilian film industry.

Every five years, the United Nations looks for a new secretary-general. Job interviews began today in the assembly chamber to start the search for the next one. There are four candidates, less than half the number when there was an opening 10 years ago. As The World's Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain, the UN's first secretary-general called it "the most impossible job on earth."

The European Union's top court has ruled that Hungary's anti-LGBTQ+ law breaks the bloc's core values. The decision targets a 2021 law that bans content about LGBTQ+ people from schools and primetime TV. Supporters in Hungary said the law was about protecting children. But judges at the European Court of Justice say it goes much further than that.

The war in Lebanon displaced roughly 1 million people from their homes in the south of the country. The Israeli military ordered them to leave, and it has since occupied some parts of the country. But last Thursday, US President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. Five days into that ceasefire, some have moved back to the south - to what is left of their homes. Others say they have no choice but to stay in Beirut. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

How long is the English coast? Or, for that matter, the coast of Portugal, Brazil or Kenya? Turns out, experts are not in agreement, thanks to a phenomenon of measurement called the coastal paradox. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with independent geographer Katherine Sammler about what these disagreements mean for geopolitical relationships.

On Sunday, a robot called Lightning, made by Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker, won a half marathon in Beijing in just 50 min, 26 sec. That's several minutes faster than the human world record-holder, Uganda's Jacob Kiplimo, who finished the same distance in 57 min, 20 sec, earlier this year in Lisbon. Several other robots in the race outran humans for the first time. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Hidden for centuries, music by women composers of the Renaissance has largely remained outside the public canon. Musica Secreta is a British ensemble dedicated to researching and performing this repertoire, combining historical scholarship with an all-female sound world. Deutsche Welle, DW, arts journalist Breandain O'Shea guides us through the pure loveliness.

Hatshepsut is likely a name many people have never heard. Even though she was pharaoh of Egypt for 22 years and one of the most powerful women in antiquity. That's because two decades after her reign she was purposely, and methodically, erased from history. Reporter Sarah Birnbaum has the story.

Six months after a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, conditions remain dire. And serious reconstruction has yet to begin. The cost of rebuilding the enclave's infrastructure alone is estimated at more than $71 billion. That's according to a new report released today by the United Nations and the European Union. The World's Host Marco Werman discusses the implications with Sean Carroll, president of American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA), a relief organization with deep roots in Gaza.

When a music festival becomes a history lesson: New York City stalwart rockers The Strokes made headlines with their second set of the final weekend at Coachella. They ended with a song they rarely play, "Oblivius," and its chorus "What side you standing on?" as a video montage of US and CIA involvement in overseas assassinations and regime change efforts played on screens behind them with captions. Reaction has been mixed, says Host Marco Werman.

Over the weekend, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hosted a first-ever summit of progressive leaders. He used the event to condemn the US-Israeli war on Iran and called on the European Union to sever diplomatic and trade ties with Israel. Though it's unlikely to happen, there are signs that Europe is developing a more unified stance against Israeli military action in Gaza, Lebanon and beyond. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.