The World: Latest Stories

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler offer a global roundup of news about animals that listeners might have missed.

Ri Il-kyu served as a North Korean diplomat in Cuba, up until he decided to defect to South Korea late last year. The details of his account appeared in South Korean newspapers on Tuesday. Ri's defection is the latest in a string of officials fleeing from North Korea over the last several years, and it will be embarrassing for dictator Kim Jong-un. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

There doesn't appear to be much doubt about who will win Monday's presidential election in Rwanda. The incumbent Paul Kagame has been in power for three decades, and the past three elections saw landslide victory after landslide victory. Critics have called him a strong man or dictator. To understand how his rule has shaped the country, host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Michela Wrong, who has covered eastern Africa as an author and journalist for Reuters and the Financial Times.

Anchored by volunteers and funded by donations, Istanbul's Open Radio is considered one of Turkey's last bastions of free speech. After a guest on a news program mentioned the 1915 Armenian genocide on air, Turkey's broadcast regulator issued the station a hefty fine, and told them to take the program off the air. They didn't. The World reports from Istanbul.

Dozens of people who had sought shelter in a makeshift camp were killed and many more injured in Israeli airstrikes on Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza. Al-Mawasi was previously designated a "safe zone" by Israel, which prompted thousands to seek shelter there. Israel's military leadership claim the strikes targeted members of Hamas' military leadership in Gaza. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Hassan Morajea, a regional access advisor with the Norwegian Refugee Council in Gaza, about the latest situation.

Political violence and increasing polarization in the United States have led much of the world to question what the country represents. Steven Levitsky, author of "Tyranny of the Minority," tells host Carolyn Beeler that violence frequently occurs in democracies. What matters most is whether political leaders rally in response, to ensure that democratic principles endure.

This weekend saw two of the biggest events in international soccer. The European Championship pit favorites Spain against underdogs England, who haven't ever won a Euro Cup. In the Copa America, South America's dominant team, Argentina, took on up-and-comers Colombia. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks about the competitions with The World's Gerry Hadden in Barcelona and Manuel Rueda in Bogota, Colombia.

The weekend's scene of a former American president, and current presidential candidate, being grazed by a bullet in broad daylight grabbed headlines around the globe. As the World's Matthew Bell reports, the reactions from international leaders came quickly.

Two days after winning Wimbledon, Czech tennis champion Barbora Krejcikova is back in the top-10 ranking of tennis players. Winning the women's singles title on Saturday catapulted her 22 places up the list, as host Carolyn Beeler explains.

During the past two weeks of nationwide anti-tax demonstrations, one institution has drawn the ire of many of the young Kenyans out on the street: The International Monetary Fund (IMF). They blame the IMF for encouraging Kenya's government to increase taxes in return for debt help and credit. It's not the first time the IMF has been criticized by Africans for giving loans that come with strict conditions. Now that Kenya's president has agreed not to sign the controversial bill, the question is how Kenya will address its debt problems. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from Nairobi.

For most of the world, silent films died out in the 1930s. But the one cinema in the world that still offers a regular schedule of silent films, with live piano accompaniment, is thriving. Theo Merz brought us the story from Brussels, Belgium, last summer.This story originally aired on July 5, 2023.

People in Tamaulipas State in northern Mexico are seeing a noticeable symptom of recent heavy rains: crocodiles showing up in towns, nearly 200 of them, since June. Hosts Carol Hills and Carolyn Beeler have more details.

It's been nearly three weeks since police deployed from Kenya arrived in Haiti to secure the capital, Port-au-Prince. But gangs continue to control much of the city. Host Carol Hill speaks with reporter Wildore Merancourt in Port-au-Prince about the situation on the ground there.

The US, Canada and Finland have just announced plans to work together to build icebreakers, a type of ship suited to the icy waters of the Arctic. The idea is to fend off growing Russian activity in the polar region, as climate change enables easier passage through once-frozen seas. The World's host Carolyn Beeler discusses the significance of this new effort with Katarzyna Zysk, a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies.

The nuptials of Indian billionaire Anant Ambani and pharmaceutical heiress Radhika Merchant this weekend in Mumbai are already a global spectacle, attracting international attention, and local criticism. Hosts Carol Hills and Carolyn Beeler have the story.

Chile's government is considering 81 proposals for new lithium projects. Lithium is crucial for making a transition to clean energy and Chile has the largest reserves of lithium ore worldwide. Host Carolyn Beeler talks about the challenges Chile faces as it tries to boost production of lithium, with Patricia Garip, a reporter based in Chile who focuses on natural resources.

The world's top tennis stars are in London, battling it out on the famed Centre Court at Wimbledon. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on the competition as the remaining athletes head into the finals this weekend.

Mystic troubadours in India and Bangladesh have been singing songs that draw from the teachings of Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism. They're called The Baul. Reporter Philip Salata takes us inside a musical tradition that goes back hundreds of years.

This week, CIA director Bill Burns and President Joe Biden's top Middle East adviser, Brett McGurk, traveled to the Middle East to meet with Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials. The meetings are part of the latest efforts to reach a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports on what's happening in those talks, and where peace negotiations stand.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek is on a 24,000-mile, transcontinental journey and he's traveling the slow way: on foot. In this installment, he talks about the local foods he's eaten along the way. He tells host Marco Werman about some of the dishes he's tasted, from a meat dumpling stew in the Palestinian West Bank to fresh fruits and vegetables gathered on a Turkish farm to pizza in rural India.

On the third day of talks, as members attend dinners and press briefings at the NATO summit in Washington, The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry updates us on key moments so far, as well as the prevailing focus on how US presidential elections this November might impact the alliance going forward.

Panama has started to build a barbed wire fence in the Darien jungle between South and Central America. The goal is to stop migrants from reaching the US. But by blocking the trails most frequently used by the migrants, the fence has instead just re-routed people on their journeys, pushing them to take dangerous detours. Manuel Rueda has the story from Bogota, Colombia.

Church membership is down across the US, and some churches in Maine have even had to close their doors. But a very different trend is playing out in some of the state's African immigrant communities, where recent arrivals are fueling a proliferation of new congregations.

Rare elephants known as "supertuskers" live along the border of Tanzania and Kenya, and the two countries are at odds over whether to allow hunters to kill the elephants. "Supertuskers" are known for their massive tusks, weighing upwards of 100 pounds each - tusks so long they scrape the ground as the elephants walk. Host Carolyn Beeler discusses growing disputes over how to protect the iconic "supertusker" with conservationist Amy Dickman.

It's been more than nine months since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, and there's no end in sight to the fighting in Gaza. Israeli soldiers are increasingly returning to areas they previously cleared of Hamas, because the militants have reappeared. The World's host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Miri Eisin, a former colonel in the Israel Defense Forces, about Israel's military strategy.

In a 1995 episode of The Simpsons, the US hip-hop band Cypress Hill plays a set with the London Symphony Orchestra. Ever since, fans have lobbied for the groups to get together in real life. Last night, it finally happened. The World's Bianca Hillier has the details.

Fentanyl made in Mexico kills nearly 75,000 people in the US annually, according to the CDC. Yet a report just issued by the US Defense Department shows that Mexican seizures of US-bound fentanyl have dropped dramatically. What has gone up are Mexican seizures of meth. Host Marco Werman explores why with Chris Dalby, the director of World of Crime, a think that investigates transnational organized crime. He's also the author of "CJNG: A Quick Guide to Mexico's Deadliest Cartel."

According to the United Nations, aid deliveries into Gaza have decreased by two-thirds since the Israeli military began its operation in Rafah in May. The UN and Palestinians blame Israel for the problem. Israel says it's aid agencies and the chaos in Gaza that's to blame. Reporter Rebecca Rosman looks at the logistics of getting aid and commerce into the territory. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has urged Palestinians remaining in Gaza City to leave, warning that the city would remain a dangerous combat zone.

An unexpected moment during a childhood visit to the Great Wall of China prompts Alexis Chen Johnson to consider the complexity of trying to answer to the question, "Where are you from?" She shares her experience on GBH's storytelling project, "Stories from the Stage."

AntiBot4Navalny is a small but mighty group of researchers who are battling Russia's disinformation campaigns in cyberspace. They've been revealing Russia's disinformation efforts to the world and punching way above their weight. Dina Temple-Raston from the "Click Here" podcast reports.

European cities are struggling to manage the number of tourists. It's sparked protests in cities like Barcelona and Venice - which have added tourist taxes and entry fees. Copenhagen is trying to get ahead of the pack with a sustainable tourism program that rewards tourists for good behavior. Host Marco Werman speaks with Alexander Josiassen, a professor at the Copenhagen Business School, about the benefits and perks of the program.

To English speakers, the word, "peanut" isn't especially funny. But saying "peanut" in Serbian, "kikiriki", puts a smile on your face; Serbs consider it the funniest word in their language. But why is that the case? Psycholinguists have discovered some clues, as Patrick Cox reports.

As the global order shifts, Washington has shown decreasing interest in continuing to be Europe's "first responder in perpetuity" when it comes to military defense. So says Stephen Walt, professor of International Affairs of Harvard University's Kennedy School. Walt joins The World's host Carolyn Beeler to discuss what it would look like for Europe to assume responsibility for its own defense.

Hilbe is a legendary condiment, believed to have been mentioned in the Talmud, the ancient Jewish book of laws. It's considered a folk medicine, a cure all, a source of strength and also just really tasty. Reporter Sarah Ventre has the story of how Yemenite Jews proliferated hilbe, and why it's nearly impossible to find outside of Israel.

The Machangara River runs through the Ecuadorian capital of Quito. And the river has rights, eligible for litigation, under the Ecuadorian constitution. In a recent case, the court ruled in favor of the river, and now, the government must clean it up. The World's host Carolyn Beeler talks with Natalia Greene, a longtime environmental activist in Ecuador, about the ruling.

Increasingly, West Africans leaving their home countries are turning, not to Europe, but to the US, to make new homes. KQED's Katherine Monahan reports on the long, dangerous route to the border, where new challenges still await them.

One of the sports included in the 12-day Paralymics this summer is blind football. That's soccer, played by athletes with visual impairment or blindness. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry joins players at a training session in Paris.

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic was offended by what sounded like booing during his match against Denmark's Holger Rune. But it turns out, the crowd was chanting his opponent's name - Rune. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have the story.

Some trace the roots of Russia-NATO antagonism to the 1990s, when the Soviet Union and the West were negotiating the terms of German reunification. That's when Western nations discussed NATO's expansion eastward with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. Historian Mary Sarotte talks with The World's host Carolyn Beeler about pledges made in that era.

Masoud Pezeshkian, a reformist, has won Iran's presidential election. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, about what this means for politics in Iran, as well as predictions for how the new president will govern alongside Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei.

The Colombian ensemble Los Gaiteros de San Jacinto, or the Pipers of San Jacinto, was founded in the 1950s with the aim of raising up Colombian culture. And through several generations of musicians, they keep finding popularity among new audiences. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler share a taste of their music, and what cumbia would have sounded like when it was first innovated.

Andrii Shadrin is a 28-year-old Ukrainian corporal who serves in a unit that repairs and replaces equipment damaged on Ukraine's eastern front. He tells host Carolyn Beeler how he was caught in an ambush this weekend, and why new Western military aid hasn't halted the Russian offensive west of Donetsk.

Turkey's relationship with NATO is alternately described as "thorny," "a headache" and sometimes even "a marriage of convenience." The World's Durrie Bouscaren takes a deeper look at how early enthusiasm for Turkey's membership when it joined in 1952 gave way to turmoil, leaving Turkish officials with the sense that the US does not always act in Turkey's best interest - and vice versa.

Innoss'B is on a quest to not only play music, but also to combat malnutrition in Democratic Republic of Congo. In recent months, he's partnered with The United Nations World Food Programme and released new music, too. Innoss'B speaks to The World's host Marco Werman about both.

Cape Verde is an island nation off the west coast of Africa, but most of its citizens live off-island. As his country celebrates its 49th year of independence, Cape Verde's Prime Minister Ulisses Correia e Silva says the most important responsibility of Cape Verdeans, wherever they live, is to vote.

The city of East London, South Africa, is trying to change its name to something less colonial. But the name the city really wants is already taken. The World's hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler explain.

A week ago, France's far-right National Rally party looked poised to win the country's snap parliamentary election, called by centrist President Emmanuel Macron in June. That victory was thwarted by a coalition of center and left parties unifying at the last minute to defeat the far-right. The World's Gerry Hadden gets reactions in rural villages, where the National Rally party draws much of its support, to better understand the concerns of ordinary French people outside of big cities.

Boeing plans to plead guilty and accept a major fine of a half billion dollars. This comes in the case of the Boeing 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019. Boeing also plans on strengthening its safety program and its executives will meet with the families of the victims. Host Marco Werman speaks with Nadia Milleron, a parent of one of the victims from the 2019 crash, about the deal and whether or not the families will accept it.

Thirteen years since Syria's civil war broke out, Lebanon remains home to the largest Syrian refugee population per capita in the world: roughly 1.5 million people. Now Lebanese politicians say they must be sent home. Many employers have stopped hiring Syrians for menial jobs. Municipalities have issued new restrictions and even evicted Syrian tenants, according to news reports. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports from Lebanon.

Oud player Sheikh Imam and poet Ahmed Negm were the most-famous musical duo in Egypt in the 1960s and 1970s. Then in 2011, their music became a rallying cry for protesters trying to topple Egypt's autocratic leaders. The story comes to us from the Kerning Cultures Network.