As the Trump administration expands sanctions on Cuba to pressure regime change, one of its targets is GAESA, the military-run business empire behind hotels, dollar stores, banks and other key sources of hard currency in the country. Also, rights groups are concerned over European Commission plans to hold talks with the Taliban in Brussels about deporting some Afghans back home. And, New Zealand wants to change its landmark climate law by prohibiting liability for damages caused by climate chang...
May 20, 2026•50 min
US President Donald Trump says he has halted a “very major attack” on Iran for now because he wants to allow more time for diplomacy. Also, a tent city has sprung up along Beirut's renowned waterfront promenade where people displaced from their homes in southern Lebanon by Israeli airstrikes are living out the war. And, a general strike by transport workers over the rising cost of fuel brings Kenya to a standstill. Plus, researchers find what is believed to be the first poem written in the Engli...
May 19, 2026•50 min
Norway stands to make $78 billion this year from its oil and gas sales as the costs of the commodities continue to rise globally. Also, Philippines Senator Ronald dela Rosa is in hiding as government agents try to serve him with an ICC arrest warrant on charges of crimes against humanity for his role in the country’s bloody drug war. And, a look at why zoonotic diseases, spilling over from animals to humans, are on the rise. Plus, Cairo's historic downtown is experiencing a renaissance as Gen Z ...
May 18, 2026•49 min
Cape Verde will hold elections on Sunday with two candidates for prime minister who offer the classic choice between change or continuity. Also, the Eurovision Song Contest celebrates its 70th anniversary, but the event is overshadowed by controversy as five nations boycott over Israel’s participation and alleged voter manipulation at last year’s contest. And, Cuba's oil reserves have run dry, causing blackouts lasting more than 20 hours and widespread protests — the result of an ongoing US bloc...
May 15, 2026•50 min
Last year, Russia made slow but steady gains on the front line in eastern Ukraine. But now, effective deployment of Ukrainian drones, along with a host of other factors, have slowed the progress of Russian troops. Also, Pakistan is in the middle of a solar power revolution, increasing electricity generation from 2% to 25% over the past five years. And, a new law passed in Ottawa will remove the one-generation limit on citizenship based on descent, setting off a scramble among people seeking a po...
May 14, 2026•50 min
US President Donald Trump arrived in Beijing today for talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. The two leaders are expected to discuss their countries’ tech rivalry, the Iran war and the future of Taiwan. Also, a conversation with award-winning journalist Ann Curry about the conflicts in Sudan over the years. And, a look at New England’s white pine trees, once a strategic resource for Britain's Royal Navy. Plus, a network of around 2,000 volunteers help to rescue migrating baby turtles in Sou...
May 13, 2026•50 min
The UK has had four prime ministers in just four years, and now, Keir Starmer is fighting to avoid becoming the next political casualty. Also, doctors in Prague find a more accurate name for a condition affecting 1 in 8 women. And, French President Emmanuel Macron co-hosts a summit of some 30 African heads of state in Kenya. Plus, a look into professional rakugo storytelling, a Japanese art form dating back to the 14th century. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
May 12, 2026•50 min
Relatives of Mexico’s disappeared took to the streets yesterday for a Mother’s Day march, calling on authorities to do more to deter kidnappings, abductions and murders. Also, Russia’s war with Ukraine is posing a greater threat to coal than years of demands by environmentalists to cut back its use. And, the US-Israeli war with Iran has triggered a plastic shortage in Asia. Plus, we meet a Cypriot pediatric neurologist behind the discovery of an ultra-rare genetic syndrome. Learn about your ad c...
May 11, 2026•50 min
Russia’s annual Victory Day Parade this weekend is expected to lack the usual show of ballistic missiles and tanks. Meanwhile, a leaked security brief claims that President Vladimir Putin has tightened his personal security and faces increased threats of assassination and coup attempts. Also, according to a new report by the NGO Mercy Corps, only 4% of Gaza’s farmlands remain accessible to its residents for farming, with the rest being damaged in war or under Israeli control. And, Sir David Atte...
May 08, 2026•50 min
Since the start of the US-Israeli war with Iran, the government in Tehran has executed 25 political prisoners — the highest number in such a short span of time over the last three decades. Also, India is cracking down on illegal sand mining. And, the first year of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy has been marked by “extraordinary tension.” Plus, end times beliefs that shape global conflict. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
May 07, 2026•50 min
The UN is warning that there's an "unprecedented" crisis in the Persian Gulf with 20,000 sailors trapped there since the beginning of the Iran war in March. Also, eight people are now suspected to have been infected by hantavirus, a rare but severe disease onboard a cruise ship currently moored off the West African island nation of Cape Verde. And, US military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Pacific Ocean are intensifying, but the public is short on details about the operation. ...
May 06, 2026•50 min
Relations between the US and Europe are once again under strain, with President Donald Trump threatening to pull thousands of American troops from the continent. Also, the Hindu nationalist party of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating big electoral wins, including in West Bengal, the country’s most populous state and a bastion of the opposition. And, Norway, which is the world's largest producer of farmed salmon, is contending with fish farms that also come with nutrient pollutio...
May 05, 2026•50 min
The US Navy says it is now providing “guidance” to commercial shipping vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. But because of the strait’s geographical constraints, protecting vessels from threats will be far from easy. Also, this year’s Beijing Auto Show was all about SUVs, but these cars are not like other gas guzzlers. And, the Nigerian government is planning to repatriate its citizens amid surging anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa. Plus, Cameroonian singer Irma adds her own twist in a p...
May 04, 2026•50 min
Today is May Day, when workers mark the anniversary of the birth of the labor movement in the United States. It’s an international movement that sees marches and protests demanding better pay and stronger protections for workers. Also, US prosecutors have indicted the sitting governor of Sinaloa state in Mexico and nine others, alleging ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. And, Colombia's government has announced a controversial plan to kill dozens of hippos that have been roaming freely in one of the co...
May 01, 2026•50 min
Hungary’s incoming prime minister is moving quickly to make his mark. Péter Magyar, who takes office next month, met top European officials in Brussels this week to set out his plans to restore the rule of law in Hungary. Also, after a long political impasse, wealthy oligarch and political outsider Ali al-Zaidi is tapped to become Iraq's new prime minister. And, a look at who the new supreme leader of Iran really is. Plus, on International Jazz Day, The World speaks with Puerto Rican folk musici...
Apr 30, 2026•50 min
The war in Iran has caused a massive crunch in the global supply chain, but nothing has been hit harder than jet fuel, with its prices more than doubling. Also, the United Arab Emirates says it will leave OPEC, a consortium of oil producing countries, on May 1. And, Spain is searching people to fill its vacant shepherding jobs. Plus, a look at the future of Chinese EVs in Mexico. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Apr 29, 2026•50 min
Mali's military junta is fighting off coordinated attacks across the country, led by Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda-linked fighters, in violence that’s left the country’s defense minister dead. Also, a look at the latest in the world of robotics. And, across Europe, new recycling plants are promising to recycle hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic waste using a technology called chemical — or "advanced" — recycling. Plus, the annual marmalade festival kicks off in the UK. Learn about your a...
Apr 28, 2026•50 min
Mexico’s government says it plans to expand access to health care and unify the system, but questions remain about whether those reforms can succeed without more funding and resources. Also, Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla are in the US for a four-day state visit, but their trip comes amid strained relations between London and Washington after the UK resisted pressure to support US and Israeli strikes on Iran. And, landmark trials have begun in Syria that are expected to bring members o...
Apr 27, 2026•50 min
A G7 meeting on the environment kicked off in Paris yesterday, but in an effort to avoid a dispute with the Trump administration, two words were barred from the agenda: "climate" and "change." Also, the conflict in northern Cameroon is impacting education, especially for girls. And, smaller, more agile security tech start-ups are playing an increasingly significant role in European military readiness, especially in places like Ukraine. Plus, the Swiss super group Viragezero in Geneva gets ready ...
Apr 24, 2026•50 min
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. Also, thousands of Afghans who assisted US troops were promised safe passage to the United States, but the Trump administration is now considering sending many who remain in limbo to Democratic Republic of Congo. And, the author of a new book about the late founding leader of North Korea's communist regime Kim Il Sung discusses the n...
Apr 23, 2026•50 min
European Union envoys seem set to unblock a $106 billion loan for Kyiv now that Ukraine is once again sending Russian oil to Europe. Also, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney lays out a strategy for the country to move forward without economic or military support from the United States. And, Spain announced last year that it would grant working papers to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who'd entered the country without permission, but it wasn't prepared for the deluge of applications that so...
Apr 22, 2026•50 min
The war in Lebanon has displaced roughly 1 million people from the south of the country. Despite a 10-day ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, and although some have returned to what’s left of their homes, others say they have no choice but to stay in Beirut. Also, Japan has rolled back restrictions on its sale of weapons abroad, reinterpreting its pacifist post-World War II constitution. And, a new wave of investors is eyeing Venezuela, drawn by the promise of massive natural resources, chea...
Apr 21, 2026•50 min
Six months after a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, conditions remain dire. The cost of rebuilding the enclave’s infrastructure alone is estimated at more than $71 billion. Also, Spain takes the lead as European relations with Israel fray. And, New York City stalwart rockers The Strokes made headlines with their with their song “Oblivius" at Coachella, accompanied by a video montage of US and CIA involvement in overseas assassinations and regime change efforts. Plus, a robot called Lightning won...
Apr 20, 2026•50 min
Nearly 900 Rohingya refugees were reported missing or dead in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal in 2025, making it the deadliest year on record. Also, Turkey sees two school shootings in one week. And, India launches a new generation of night trains. Plus, Mehmet Ali Sanlikol brings us the sounds of the electric oud. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
Apr 17, 2026•50 min
Today the Trump administration announced a temporary 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel. Also, long-time foes in Libya took part in joint US-led military exercises this week in an attempt by Washington to unite rival factions. And, leaders in northern Nigeria react to US accusations of “Christian genocide.” Plus, dating companies in Japan are finding ways to work around a law requiring couples to officially have the same last name. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choice...
Apr 16, 2026•50 min
Today marks three years since the start of Sudan’s civil war in which thousands are believed to have died and as many as 14 million have been forced to flee. Also, a new video game that’s designed to help people get on H-1B visas to work in the US. And, Ukraine showcases its rapid advances in high-tech warfare, complete with unmanned robots. Plus, Turkey thanks Spain for its opposition to the Israeli-US war in Iran — with hair transplants. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Apr 15, 2026•51 min
For the first time in more than 30 years, delegations from Israel and Lebanon are meeting for direct talks in Washington, DC. Also, a new documentary by PBS’s FRONTLINE looks at a deportation deal between the presidents of the US and El Salvador. And, Pope Leo XIV, who is in Algeria as part of his Africa tour, has condemned those who wage war and brushed off criticism from US President Donald Trump. Plus, the induction of Fela Kuti and Sade Adu to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame marks the first...
Apr 14, 2026•50 min
The election results in Hungary are seismic. After four consecutive terms under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, people voted overwhelmingly on Sunday for opposition leader Péter Magyar to take the country in a new direction. Also, as negotiations between the US and Iran fail, a discussion about how the dismantling of diplomatic expertise in the US has hindered current efforts to end the war. And, the largest international group representing commercial pilots is calling for pilots to have "final and...
Apr 13, 2026•50 min
The Trump administration has deported as many as 15,000 people to countries they are not from, ranging from Mexico to South Sudan. Also, whale sightings in the Gulf of California have dropped in recent years, telling us something about the health of a vital ecosystem. And, the US and Israel saw groups of ethnic Kurds based in Iraq as potential forces to arm Iranian protesters and help bring regime change, but such an intervention never materialized. Plus, how our brains’ process for making memor...
Apr 10, 2026•50 min
Waves of deadly Israeli airstrikes in Beirut and southern Lebanon are threatening to derail the US-Iran truce. Also, concerns are growing that authoritarian tactics to squash basic rights are returning to Indonesia, given increasing threats made against activists, influencers and journalists. And, the UK and Norway are tracking Russian submarines in the North Sea. Plus, the jar of Nutella that appeared across the screen during a livestream of the Artemis II mission around the moon. Learn about y...
Apr 09, 2026•50 min
