The World: Latest Stories

Iraq's date palms have taken a huge toll after years of war, drought and climate change. The World reports on one group's efforts to save them. (Originally aired June 1, 2023.)

One of the biggest music festivals in Europe, Primavera Sound, is part of a trend of music festivals expanding to more dates and more venues. Alan Ruiz Terol reports from Barcelona on how changes in the music industry are driving the expansion of these megaconcerts. (Original aired June 9, 2023.)

A Sudanese American woman in Sacramento is digitizing cassettes recorded with classic Sudanese songs going all the way back to the 1960s. In the process, she's created a music archive called Sudan Tapes Archive that more and more people are accessing. Reporter Hana Baba, of station KALW explains the work has taken on new urgency as war rages in Sudan. (Originally aired April 2, 2024.)

In Medillin, Colombia, visitors who use wheelchairs have a new option - electric hand bikes that pull wheelchairs and can reach speeds of about 30 miles per hour. They're offered by a tour company as part of a broader effort to make the city more accessible. Manuel Rueda reports from Medellin. (Originally aired Feb. 5, 2023.)

Georgia's beloved Borjomi mineral water, a ubiquitous drink available throughout the post-Soviet world that you could once find at most restaurants anywhere from Kyiv to Kyrgyzstan, has run into trouble. Borjomi's problems began during the war because a majority share of the company was owned by a Russian billionaire who was sanctioned. The sanctions made it difficult for Borjomi to do business internationally and the company's factory in Georgia temporarily halted operations. Reporter Levi Bridges has more on the Borjomi woes. (First aired June 13, 2024.)

The tensions between the US and China are at an all-time high over the South China Sea. Meanwhile, both countries are examining their nuclear posture toward each other. Host Marco Werman is joined by veteran journalist Jane Perlez to examine China's nuclear weapons program and evolving policy on using those weapons. It's part of our summerlong series with Perlez's podcast, "Face Off: the US versus China."

Leading up to the Paris summer Olympic games, and International Olympic Committee review panel will decide which Russian and Belarusian athletes are eligible to compete. Russian and Belarusian athletes have been sanctioned due to Russian's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Some countries have called for compete ban of the two countries from the Olympics. The World's Daniel Ofman reports on how one Russian athlete feels about competing in the Olympics as a neutral.

Following an alleged an assault on a minor in the Turkish city of Kayseri, anti-Syrian protests and riots erupted in a number of other cities. Syrian shops and businesses were destroyed in the anti-refugee violence. That also sparked a reaction in northern Syria against Turkish soldiers stationed there. Host Marco Werman speaks with Nigar Goksel, with the International Crisis Group, about the factors behind the violence and what consequences it could have for the region.

Hurricane season has started early and strong in the Caribbean. Jamaica's three international airports shut down Wednesday as residents braced for the arrival of Hurricane Beryl. Meteorologists fear torrential rainfall could trigger flash flooding and landslides across the island. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Evan Thompson, director of the Meteorological Service of Jamaica in Kingston.

Germans are known for being precise, and always on time. But for many years now, their trains have been chronically late. Germans are incensed, and major upgrades to the national railway system are planned. But in the meantime, their even more obsessive time-keeping neighbor, Switzerland, is thinking of excluding German trains from their network because of their tardiness. Marco Werman speaks with Christian Bottger, a professor of transportation at the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin who once worked for Deutsche Bahn.

In the Central African Republic, Russian paramilitaries under the banner of the Wagner Mercenary Group, and now in many cases under the umbrella of the Russian Ministry of Defense's Africa Corps, are accused of sexual violence against civilians. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Philip Obaji Jr., a correspondent for the Daily Beast, about his investigation in CAR which exposes systematic rapes of young women and girls by Russian paramilitaries.

The Spanish resort town of Marbella has instituted a new ordinance that bans peeing on the beach or in the sea. And if you're caught peeing, it'll cost you. The fine tops $800. There's no word yet on how lifeguards will identify holidaymakers having a stealthy wee beneath the waves. The World's Marco Werman has the details.

When he was a teenager, Mark Modrall had a love-hate relationship with the wilderness challenges he faced in summer camp. But during one especially rough storm in the Canadian outback, the flight of two birds lead to a life-changing revelation. He shared his experience with GBH's Stories from the Stage.

A large number of migrants to the US come via South America, and travel through the Darien Gap, a dangerous jungle between Colombia and Panama. Manuel Rueda reports from Capurgana, a Colombian village on the edge of the Darien, about the industry that has developed around guiding migrants through the jungle. (This story originally aired on May 10, 2023)

Sri Lanka's long-running civil war ended 15 years ago. But the tens of thousands of Tamil people gravely wounded in the fighting still bear the scars. Reporter Jason Strother says the women he met in northeast Sri Lanka who lost limbs feel particularly vulnerable to natural disasters - wherein it can be hard to flee to safety.

Panama's new president is vowing to stop migration through the treacherous jungle region known as the Darien Gap. In a deal signed with the US, Washington will pay the deportation costs of those entering the Central American country illegally. Host Marco Werman speaks with Juan Pappier of Human Rights Watch about the challenges of closing this popular migration route.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban made a surprise visit to Kyiv on Tuesday and met with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. It's Orban's first visit to Ukraine since Russia's invasion more than two years ago. Marco Werman speaks to Yaroslav Trofimov of the Wall Street Journal about how the fraught relationship between Kyiv and Budapest goes way back and concerns the Hungarian minority in Ukraine.

Israel's top generals seem to want a ceasefire in Gaza, even if it keeps Hamas in power. That's a deal-breaker for some in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition. They say they'll quit the alliance if the war ends with Hamas undefeated. Journalist Noga Tarnopolsky in Jerusalem speaks with The World's Marco Werman about who's in charge of Israel's military campaign.

A new law that provides refugees with a path to Indian citizenship went into effect in March. But it's controversial because it excludes refugees who are Muslims. There were widespread protests in 2019 when it was first passed and now India's supreme court is hearing a bunch of petitions against it. Reporter Sushmita Pathak has the story.

At least 87 people were feared dead in a stampede at a Hindu religious gathering in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. A large crowd had gathered on an area of open ground in response to a call from a religious leader. A local official says the incident happened due to overcrowding at the time when people were trying to leave the venue.

Sunday marked the final day for athletes to qualify for the Paris Olympics. The World's Bianca Hillier speaks with host Marco Werman about a few of the different ways athletes can secure their ticket to the Games.

Over the weekend, Iranians voted in the first round of presidential elections despite much voter apathy. That apathy was on display as voter turnout hit a historic low. The vote will now continue into a runoff, however, between the top two candidates - reformist Masoud Pezeshkian and ultraconservative Saeed Jalili - as neither candidate received more than 50% of the vote. Host Marco Werman speaks with Iranian journalist Azadeh Moaveni about voter apathy and the choices Iranians will have to make despite the disillusionment with the system.

A year in to a major policy reversal, analysts say Turkey's return to mainstream economics seems to be paying off, with consumer inflation nearing its peak. But the reality on the ground shows consumers are still struggling with rising prices. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

The conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine seem to be top on the global diplomatic agenda, despite the catastrophic famine conditions that grip Sudan. The US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, tells The World's Marco Werman that while headlines focus on Gaza and Ukraine, US diplomats view the humanitarian situation in Sudan as the most-dire in the world."

President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is pushing for a radical reform to overhaul a judiciary he accuses of corruption. One of the most-contentious changes would be that judges at all levels will be elected by popular vote, instead of being appointed based on merit. The reform will likely be approved as soon as September, even when critics flag it as an authoritarian move that is politically motivated. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Mexico City.

For a long time, people have performed CPR to the beat of Stayin' Alive by the BeeGees. But if that's not your jam, a new report by the American Heart Association found that you can also perform CPR to beat of "Titi Me Pregunto."

For young people still in school, there are few sweeter words than summer vacation." But for students in Ukraine, these are tough times. The school year for public school kids just wrapped up last week. And their whole education experience for both Ukrainian students and their teachers has fundamentally changed. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.

The winning votes for the National Rally is a blow to centrist President Manuel Macron, who called the snap vote as a referendum on his mandate - and on the very direction France, and Europe, should be headed. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

It was a debate for American voters. But Thursday night's encounter between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump has made headlines across the globe. To get more on how the rest of the world has been reacting to the event, The World's Marco Werman catches up with Europe correspondent Orla Barry.

Host Marco Werman gives us a listen to Quebec singer Dominique Fils-Aime, who, after competing on La Voix," TVA's version of The Voice" nearly 10 years ago, is headlining this weekend at the Montreal Jazz Festival.

Paris is preparing to host the Summer Olympics in just a few weeks, but it's not the first time the Games have come to town. The World's Bianca Hillier takes a look back at the 1900 and 1924 editions.

A Turkish court case that exposed an Iranian kidnapping ring offers a blueprint for Iran's operations against dissidents abroad. Reporter Fariba Nawa finds a source to guide her through some of the inner workings of Iran's secret plot.

Almost since the beginning of the war in Gaza, we have been hearing the words "on the brink of famine." Who determines what is famine, and what exactly does it mean? As The World's Aaron Schachter tells us, it's complicated.

Babymaking is tantamount to national service in Japan, where the government says population decline is the biggest crisis Japan faces." That's why local governments in Japan have set up their own dating services. The World's Patrick Winn gets a tour of one such service, and a man and a woman who tried it out.

This week, the first contingent of Kenyan police arrived in Haiti as part of a multinational security mission to address gang violence there. While Kenya's leaders have applauded the police for their track record in peace and security, they face growing scrutiny at home. Over the past week, police have been criticized for their violent and deadly crackdown on anti-tax demonstrators. The World's Africa correspondent Halima Gikandi reports from Nairobi.

The former president's collection is being returned to Dakar after decades in France. It's considered culturally significant as Senghor was a monumental figure in Senegalese and African history. Host Marco Werman speaks with Kelly Duke-Bryant, a professor of history at Rowan University, about why this is a significant moment for Senegal and Senghor's collection.

A project in South Africa aims to reduce demand for rhinoceros horns by making them radioactive. Host Marco Werman speaks with professor James Larkin at the University of the Witwatersrand, who is inserting small quantities of radioisotopes into the horns of live rhinos, allowing for their detection by monitors at border stations and reducing their value as a commodity.

The feudal principalities of far northern Pakistan - home to walled villages, yak herders, glacial rivers, golden poplar forests and snow leopards - held off, or played off, would-be conquerors ranging from Alexander the Great to imperial Great Britain. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek, whose globe-spanning journey on foot brought him through this remote region that is on the cusp of change.

The two men vying to be Britain's next prime minister engaged in a testy TV debate last night. Barring some unforeseen event, Keir Starmer, the Labour party leader is expected to be the next occupant of 10 Downing Street following a general election on July 4. For many British voters though, he remains an enigma. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Operas are often performed in Italian, German or French. That's why there are what's called surtitles" or supertitles" projected above the stage. They translate the lyrics into the audience's main language. That doesn't help blind and low-vision audience members, though. So now, an opera company in New Zealand has come up with an accessible solution. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

An appeals court in Paris has ruled that an international arrest warrant issued by France against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is valid. The warrant was issued against Assad in connection with alleged crimes against humanity and chemical weapons attacks in Syria in 2013. Host Marco Werman speaks with Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about how Assad has gone from international pariah to reputational rehabilitation and acceptable state-player.

Lamine Yamal won't turn 17 until July 13 - the day before this summer's Euro Cup final in Berlin. He may well be on the pitch for that match, in what would mark a spectacular start for a kid racking up "youngest ever" records at home and abroad. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Mataro, Spain.

For several hours on Wednesday, the central square in Bolivia's capital La Paz was overtaken by a rogue general and armored vehicles trying to ram the government palace. Within hours, the coup attempt had been quelled by Bolivia's President Luis Arce but the political and economic tensions that underlie it remain. Host Marco Werman explores them and their inevitable link back to former Bolivia's former President Evo Morales with Michael Paarlberg, professor of Latin American politics at Virginia Commonwealth University.

For the first time, scientists have evidence suggesting the painted lady butterfly can make the 2,600-mile trek across the Atlantic Ocean, from West Africa to South America, without stopping. In this week's issue of Nature Communication, a team of scientists describes how it made the discovery by studying pollen grains found on the insects. Entomologist Gerard Talavera discusses the findings with The World's host Carolyn Beeler.

Six candidates, including one moderate, were selected by Iran's Guardian Council to run in snap presidential elections on June 28. Two have since dropped out. Many voters say a heavy crackdown on the Woman, Life, Freedom movement following the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini have left them with no faith in the electoral system. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

Today, WikiLeaks founder Jullian Assange walked out of a courtroom on the US territory of Saipan a free man, after pleading guilty to a single charge of publishing US military secrets.

Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been selected as the next secretary-general of NATO. He will succeed Jens Stoltenberg of Norway, whose tenure lasted ten years, on Oct. 1. Rutte takes over the alliance as the war in Ukraine drags on and European nations mull over their own security. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sean Monaghan, visiting fellow with the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), about what Mark Rutte brings to the job.

An order of Spanish nuns have holed up in their 15th-century convent in a stand-off with the Catholic Church over issues mundane and spiritual. The mundane: The nuns wanted to sell one property to buy an old convent elsewhere but the Vatican blocked the sale. The Spiritual: The nuns have aligned themselves with a far-right priest who adheres to the belief that the current Pope is not legitimate. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

For a week now, thousands of people in Kenya have been taking part in unprecedented demonstrations against a proposed finance bill. Yesterday, Kenya's president accused some demonstrators of treason after they stormed parliament. But today, he changed his tune and conceded to the demands of demonstrators as criticism mounted over the deadly police response. The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi reports from the capital Nairobi.

South Sudan is no stranger to violence since the time of its independence. That violence has caused humans to migrate as they flee war and conflict. At the same time, antelope migration across South Sudan has not only been uninterrupted, the species is actually thriving. Host Marco Werman speaks with Steve Boyes to find out more.