The World: Latest Stories

About 900 American forces stationed in Northeast Syria have been attacked by militia forces in neighboring Iraq. The Americans act as a deterrence against ISIS and Turkey, both of which consider the Kurds in northeast Syria as their enemy. The residents in this area are on edge about the recent militia attacks and the possibility of a US withdrawal.

Russia is holding presidential elections on March 15, and results are nearly a given. Vladimir Putin has been in power in Russia since 1999 -as president or prime minister - and he's looking to secure his fifth term in office. Yet, some Russians are still trying to monitor the elections to point out various irregularities and falsifications.

As conflict continues to unfold in Haiti and Gaza, State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel joins The World's Carolyn Beeler to talk about US policy options in both places.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank have been barred from working in Israel. Tens of thousands in the West Bank who were doing building or agricultural jobs are out of work, and it's drastically impacting their daily lives and the lives of many shopkeepers as people tighten their belts.

Hundreds of Colombians have recently enlisted in Ukraine's military, as it tries to replenish its forces after months of heavy losses on the frontlines. But many are not going for ideological reasons.

New York City is home to over 700 languages, but some will soon cease to exist. Is there still time to save them? The World's Carolyn Beeler talks to linguist and author Ross Perlin about his new book, Language City: The Fight to Preserve Endangered Mother Tongues in New York."

The US has pledged $333 million so far to provide humanitarian aid to Haiti and to help bankroll a proposed international security force composed of police officers from Kenya. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Eduardo Gamarra, professor of political science at Florida International University, about the evolving US role in helping Haiti through a time of civil unrest and political upheaval.

Roughly 10 million people have been displaced and about 15,000 civilians have been killed due to fighting between two rival generals in Sudan. The ICC has been investigating current ongoing atrocities using a UN Security Council resolution from 2005. The World's host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Beth Van Schaack, the US ambassador-at-large for global criminal justice, about the situation.

Cyclists on the Gaza Sunbirds team have always dreamed of competing at the 2024 Paris Paralympics. But after Oct. 7, 2023, that dream took a backseat. Amid the Israel-Hamas war, the athletes have put their bikes to good use - delivering food to their community members in need.

Oppenheimer' is expected to win big at the 2024 Academy Awards. But one point of controversy is that the director did not depict any images of the devastating aftermath of the dropping of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Getting those images out to the public was a longtime quest for Herbert Sussan, then a 24-year-old filmmaker who filmed in Japan at the time.

The World's host Carolyn Beeler talks to reporter Halima Gikandi about how she undertook this reporting, and how donors can better vet the international children's organizations they financially support.

The World's host Carolyn Beeler talked with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek about his experiences walking through different parts of Saudi Arabia as a part of his "Out of Eden Walk" project.

This week, The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi has been bringing us stories about the dark side of orphanages, or children's homes, in Uganda. But things aren't all bad. As Gikandi reports, some organizations, like Ekisa Ministries, are doing things the right way.

Halima Gikandi's yearlong investigation has found several allegations of abuse and misconduct going back a decade at Noah's Ark Children's Ministry Uganda, which was founded by a Dutch missionary couple 20 years ago.

The World's Halima Gikandi's yearlong investigation has found several allegations of abuse and neglect at AidChild going back a decade.

For the past year, The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi has looked into Western-sponsored orphanages in Uganda, and seen what can go wrong. This is part one of her investigation.

The beaches in Dubai are equipped for the adjustment. They have floodlights, late-night dining options, games and rides. And the lifeguards remain on duty into the wee hours of the morning.

The World's host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Lynn Morgan, a medical anthropologist focused on Latin America, about Costa Rica's legal battles and religious debates about allowing access to IVF.

Guatemala's new president, Bernardo Arevalo, took office in January with a promise of battling corruption. This week, he introduced his anti-corruption team that's going to lead the charge. But it is not an easy road ahead. The expectations are high and there are many challenges.

Florida International University has cut ties with multiple Chinese academic partners and ended successful dual programs it's operated in China for years. Officially, the move is to comply with a state law that limits public agencies having a relationship with seven "countries of concern." University trustees remain tight-lipped about the decision, but WLRN's Danny Rivero reports that these university programs appear to be victims of anti-Chinese rhetoric in Florida.

Food is, of course, an important part of culture. A new exhibit at the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Skokie, Illinois, is exploring the role delis have played in Jewish culture and history. In America, many delis were founded by Holocaust survivors.

According to a recent report, dozens of journalists, human rights workers and political activists in Jordan have been targeted with Pegasus spyware over the past few years. It's one of the most widespread uses of spyware on civil society. Dina Temple-Raston, host and managing editor of the Recorded Future News podcast Click Here," has the story.

Camel racing is an ancient sport. There are records of races on the Arabian Peninsula that date back to the 7th century. These days, it's still hugely popular, with robot jockeys and cash prizes. But a new team is taking camel racing back to its roots - with a twist.

The UN says it's no longer able to run humanitarian aid operations in the Gaza Strip. In recent days, the number of relief trucks getting into the territory has dwindled. The World's host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Shaina Low of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Jerusalem, who says the situation in northern Gaza is especially bad.

Only around 20 residents have returned to the Kfar Aza kibbutz that was attacked by Hamas in October. One couple that returned is trying to maintain what remains and guide those who come to visit.

It's been nearly two years since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. With military aid held up in the US Congress, there are widespread reports that Ukraine is beginning to ration its ammunition. Drone manufacturing is one way Ukrainians are trying to become more self-reliant as the war continues. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Kyiv.

In early 2013, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek began an epic walk, following the path of the first human migration out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. Host Carol Hills speaks with Salopek - now two-thirds through his global journey - about his experience walking through Djibouti and sailing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the entrance to the Red Sea.

President Joe Biden warned Russia in 2021 that it would face devastating" consequences if opposition leader Alexei Navalny were to die in prison. On Friday, the White House announced more than 500 new sanctions on Russia. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland about Washington's other options.

In a country where most Arabs and Jews typically start going to separate schools starting at around kindergarten, one school in northern Israel is trying something different.

Life for children across Ukraine has changed significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion, almost two years ago. When air raid sirens go off, students are forced to run to bomb shelters. In Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, air raid sirens are more frequent because of the city's proximity to the Russian border. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from a local underground school in Kharkiv.

The grandsons of two now-deceased business partners are fighting over claims of whose grandfather invented the beloved Indian dish, butter chicken.

Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost exactly two years ago, the city of Lviv has become a rehabilitation hub for soldiers injured in the war, including many who have lost a limb. As some complete their recovery, they are eager to get back into sports. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from a soccer practice in Lviv.

The Department of Education released the revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid last December. The new version was supposed to make applying for financial help easier. Instead, a glitch has prevented students whose parents don't have social security numbers from completing the application. WBEZ reporter Lisa Kurian Philip spoke to three high school seniors in the Chicago area who are worried that unless there is a fix soon, they won't be able to afford to go to college.

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, tens of thousands of people - both soldiers and civilians -have been injured. Many of the people who have lost limbs are military veterans who are now going through rehabilitation. The World's Daniel Ofman recently visited Lviv, where many of those veterans are receiving treatment.

The World's Carolyn Beeler talks with Michael McFaul, a former ambassador to Russia and friend of Navalny's, about what his death means for the country and for his family.

When children contract COVID-19, they aren't as likely to get severely ill as adults. But long COVID can have a severe impact on kids, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Dr. Ziyad al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System, talks with The World's Carolyn Beeler about how and why kids' immune systems struggle with the condition.

Nation-state actors are changing their cyber tactics: China's Volt Typhoon and Russia's GRU are engaged in espionage operations, often infiltrating a company's routers, but the countries are also prepositioning for a conflict later.

To supplement their meager wages, many government workers in Venezuela are turning to side hustles that include driving taxis, baking cakes, selling clothes or taking care of pets. And that's having an impact on the quality of public services.

Volodymyr Tsema-Bursov is from the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. A few months after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he was captured by Russian forces. He spent the next 20 months in Russian captivity. Now he's back in Ukraine after being released in the biggest prisoner swap between Russia and Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Lviv.

In the year following catastrophic earthquakes in Turkey, the quest for accountability has been elusive. But a group of parents whose children died in a hotel collapse have brought a landmark criminal case to court.

Severe, dry winds during the harmattan season are not new in Ghana. But experts with the country's environmental agency say climate change is intensifying these weather conditions, leading to increased respiratory problems and poor air quality in Accra, the country's capital.

A slight rift has emerged within the group of families that have loved ones whom Hamas kidnapped on Oct. 7. Many of them want the Israeli government to move swiftly to bring the hostages home. But some are saying that Hamas should be defeated first, even if it takes longer to release the captives.

A record of about 2.5 million migrants showed up at the US-Mexico border in 2023, and many of them are requesting asylum. The system is now overwhelmed, with a backlog of about 3 million asylum applications pending in courts.

The European Union just signed a deal with the West African nation Mauritania: In exchange for hundreds of millions of dollars in investments, Mauritania has pledged to stop the tens of thousands of migrants heading by boat to Spain from its shores.

Seiji Ozawa, who led the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) for nearly three decades, died this week in his home country of Japan. The World speaks to Brian McCreath, who broadcasts the Boston Symphony Orchestra on WCRB in Boston,about Ozawa's life and legacy.

Since the latter half of the 20th century, the influence of Frantz Fanon has been felt in fields as distinct as psychiatry and postcolonial studies. A new book explores the "revolutionary lives" of the psychiatrist, writer and anti-colonial rebel, whose understanding of identity evolved through his travel and experiences, including confronting colonial hierarchies as a person of color in postwar France, and eventually joining the Algerian War of Independence. Host Marco Werman learned more from Adam Shatz, author of "The Rebel's Clinic: The Revolutionary Lives of Frantz Fanon."

Growing numbers of people desperate to get to the United States are crossing through gaps in the border wall that divides Mexico and California. US Customs and Border Patrol is overwhelmed. Several inewsource reporters spent 48 straight hours in and around the encampments near the Jacumba Hot Springs to watch how the journey unfolds.

Telecommunications and internet connectivity were cut off again across Sudan as millions of people face an ongoing civil war. UNICEF spokesperson James Elder just returned from Darfur, a particularly troubling epicenter of the violence, and spoke to The World's host Marco Werman about the latest conditions.

In early 2013, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek began an epic walk, following the path of the first human migration out of Africa about 60,000 years ago. Host Marco Werman speaks with Salopek, who's now two-thirds of the way along his global journey. Today, he talks about his first steps at the beginning of the walk in the Great Rift Valley in Ethiopia.

Hamas took over 250 hostages from Israel on Oct. 7, including 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin. His parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, have become high-profile advocates for bringing Israeli hostages home from Gaza. We hear from Hersh's parents in an interview with Israel Story," a radio show and podcast in Tel Aviv.