Israel launched an attack on Iran, targeting the country's nuclear program and military leadership. Several Iranian nuclear scientists were killed along with top military officials including the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps. An Israeli official has said the current offensive against Iran will continue for days. Also, a major conference convened in London to address knife attacks. And, a preview of the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins this weekend. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Ai...
Jun 13, 2025•49 min
A London-bound plane carrying 242 people crashed shortly after taking off from the Indian city of Ahmedabad on Wednesday. Officials have confirmed that there was a single survivor. The plane crashed into a hostel that houses medical students, several of whom also died. Also, in Syria, journalists are building a new media landscape in the post-Assad era. And, dinosaur bones found in Mongolia in the 1870s were recently analyzed: turns out, they're from a previously undiscovered species. Listen to ...
Jun 12, 2025•48 min
In the Philippines, an impeachment court convenes on Wednesday against Sara Duterte, the current vice president and daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte. With her father currently detained by the International Criminal Court, Sara Duterte is seen as her family's last hope to continue their political dynasty. Also, a Haitian church that's helping internally displaced people get back on their feet. And, K-pop superstars BTS announce a reunion, as two more members of the band complete their...
Jun 11, 2025•48 min
In Austria, a mass shooting took place at a secondary school in the city of Graz. Nine students were killed, and 12 people were injured. The primary suspect is a former student, but not much is known about his motives. This was the the deadliest school shooting in Austria's modern history. Also, the UK is embracing nuclear power as part of the country's clean energy transition. And, some workers in Switzerland commute to work by floating down a river. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn...
Jun 10, 2025•49 min
Since early June, Iranian truck drivers have been protesting for better pay and benefits. The action has seen drivers park their vehicles and refuse cargo deliveries in multiple provinces, disrupting transportation and supply chains. Labor activists in Iran say the strike reflects deepening economic frustration among workers already strained by inflation and sanctions. Also, the future of the global diamond trade as prices and demand drop. And, the world's smallest violin, thanks to nanotechnolo...
Jun 09, 2025•48 min
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms an allegation by lawmaker Avigdor Liberman that Israel is arming criminal groups in Gaza. Also, wildcard athlete Lois Boisson competes with top-ranked tennis players at the French Open in Paris. And, a look at how the Houthis in Yemen kept the US navy under constant pressure. Plus, a new project that documents seagulls devouring whatever they can find. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choice...
Jun 06, 2025•49 min
US President Donald Trump described his 90-minute conversation today with Chinese Leader Xi Jinping as "very good." The call comes as Washington and Beijing have been accusing one another of violating a trade truce that both nations had recently agreed to. Also, France saw a 46% rise in adult baptisms this past Easter. And, wildfires continue to burn across western and central Canada as the number of people who have been evacuated climbs to more than 30,000. Plus, the Stanley Cup Final gets unde...
Jun 05, 2025•49 min
The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a US-based firm that helped design and manage an aid initiative to deliver food to Palestinians in Gaza in areas controlled by the Israeli military, has withdrawn its team from the operation. Also, farmers express concern as Kenyan courts consider importing genetically modified seeds. And, Vietnam is scrapping its long-standing policy that families can only have two children. Plus, the semicolon could be becoming an endangered species. Listen to today’s Music H...
Jun 04, 2025•49 min
The US is planning to scale down its military presence in Syria from eight bases to one. We also take a look back at survivors of chemical attacks conducted by Assad regime forces during the Syrian civil war. And, exit polls show center-left Lee Jae-Myung winning the snap election in South Korea by a wide margin. Also, as officials in the US suspend visa interviews for all international students looking to study in the country, those from Latin America may be looking at other options. Plus, Japa...
Jun 03, 2025•49 min
Negotiators from Ukraine and Russia met in Istanbul, Turkey, today for peace talks as both sides continued to conduct airstrikes. The delegations agreed to a major prisoner exchange, but no ceasefire. Also, a new report documents a pattern of physical abuse and neglect toward Tibetan children at Chinese-run boarding schools that many are forced to attend. And, South Korea contends with a political divide, along with big economic and security challenges, as it heads to the polls for presidential ...
Jun 02, 2025•49 min
The White House says it's working on a ceasefire deal for Gaza and that Israel has agreed to the proposal. Hamas is reportedly reviewing the offer, which would include a temporary truce and the release of Israeli hostages. Also, the UN has proposed a plan to do away with physical passports, replacing them with facial recognition technology. This, in a bid to streamline air travel. Also, as Voice of America wanes, Russian state media fills the void. And, a museum exhibit sheds light on Vincent Va...
May 30, 2025•49 min
Poland’s presidential election this weekend is more than just a vote — it’s a pivotal moment for the country’s democracy. At stake is the future direction of Poland, with voters choosing between two starkly different candidates: a right-wing populist opposing abortion and LGBTQ rights, and a pro-European liberal who has marched in Warsaw’s pride parade. Also, how a drop in the number of international students would impact Harvard's athletic dominance. And, the UN's plan to make passports a thing...
May 29, 2025•49 min
Mexico is set to become the first country in the world where every single judge is elected by popular vote. But as the country prepares for its first nationwide judicial election, concerns are mounting about many of the candidates. Activists say they have not been properly vetted, and numerous candidates have alleged ties to organized crime and religious groups. Also, Myanmar junta and rebels are facing political pressure from neighboring countries to end the civil war there. And, why many Pales...
May 28, 2025•49 min
Russia's military captured four Ukrainian border villages in the Sumy region of Ukraine on Tuesday. It follows an intense bombing campaign of Ukraine's cities and towns over the weekend by Russian drones. It also comes as Moscow holds a major security conference over the next two days. Also, a US-backed aid group has begun distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip. But Hamas has warned Palestinians to stay away from distribution sites, claiming that the aid group is using those sites to ga...
May 27, 2025•48 min
For Memorial Day, we have stories of conflict and devotion, and how they are told through memorials. A well-known memorial in Washington, DC, pays tribute to the US service members who lost their lives in the Vietnam War, but few memorials honor the Vietnamese who fought alongside them, or the hundreds of thousands who came to the US in subsequent years. A new memorial project in the "Little Saigon" neighborhood of Dorchester in Boston aims to do just that. Also, Chile’s biggest carnival is kick...
May 26, 2025•49 min
A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. Also, five years after the killing of George Floyd in the US, a look at the global reckoning that ensued over racism, policing and historical injustice. And, Bangladesh’s interim leader, Muhammad Yunus, threatens to resign over political turmoil in the country. Plus, a look at the one village in Spain that didn’t lose power during last month’s blackout. Listen to toda...
May 23, 2025•50 min
Germany is deploying 5,000 troops to Lithuania, marking the first such permanent deployment to another country since the end of World War II. Also, immigration lawyers are sounding alarms over what they say is an escalating immigration crackdown along the northern US border in Maine. And, Iran and Russia ratify a new agreement to strengthen economic ties, with more cooperation in banking and arms trade. Plus, an 11-year-old boy in the UK teaches himself to master the piano in only six months. Li...
May 22, 2025•49 min
Turkish officials say they've caught Chinese intelligence using fake cell phone towers to eavesdrop on Uyghurs and the Turkish government. Also, Spain uses a new eviction law to crack down on squatters as housing prices continue to rise. And, European officials have launched a "tidal wave" of condemnation against Israel for its war in Gaza. Plus, a woman is raffling off her two bedroom house located just outside the coastal city of Sligo in Northern Ireland. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail...
May 21, 2025•48 min
Police in El Salvador have arrested Ruth López, a prominent human rights defender who headed the anti-corruption unit at the rights group Cristosal. Also, Ontario approves billions of dollars for four small modular nuclear reactors, making Canada the first G7 country to implement them for civilian use. And, the World Health Organization approves an agreement to prevent, prepare for and respond to future pandemics. Plus, sonideros are gaining widespread popularity and becoming a symbol of cultura...
May 20, 2025•48 min
Displaced Syrians are returning to their homes following years of civil war. One photographer, Alaa Hassan, who was 25 years old when the uprisings against former President Bashar al-Assad began, hopes to now document the loss and rebirth of his country. Also, US President Donald Trump holds separate phone calls with the leaders of Ukraine and Russia as fighting continues. And, hunger and starvation are on the rise in Gaza as Israel's government approves a plan to distribute limited aid and lift...
May 19, 2025•49 min
The United Arab Emirates is set to become home to the largest artificial intelligence campus outside of the US. The deal was struck in a meeting Thursday between the US and the UAE. The 10-square-mile campus will be built in Abu Dhabi, requiring 5 gigawatts of power capacity. We look into the energy implications of the plan. Also, in Australia, a murder trial where the defendant is accused of serving poisonous mushrooms to dinner guests becomes a nationwide spectacle. And, the story of a Spanish...
May 16, 2025•49 min
Russian and Ukrainian officials are meeting on Thursday in Istanbul to discuss a potential end to the war for the first time in more than three years. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy showed up for the meeting in-person; Russian President Vladimir Putin did not. We have the latest updates and analysis from those talks. Also, the mental health crisis caused by climate change, and the emerging ways people are addressing it. And, new insights into the love life of William Shakespeare. Listen...
May 15, 2025•48 min
President Trump's announcement that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted was met with elation by Syrians, but the country still has a long way to go to recover from years of civil war and brutal dictatorship. Also, the German government banned an extremist group known as the Kingdom of Germany, which believes Germany is a monarchy. And, a look back at the life of José Mujica, Uruguay's former president who lived staunchly below his means. Plus, the Swiss Moroccan musician who found his home in ...
May 14, 2025•48 min
As President Donald Trump heads to the Middle East, a look at how the countries he plans to visit are trying to position themselves. Also, the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, has announced it will disarm and disband. That marks the potential end of the group's four decadelong insurgency against the Turkish military. And, the former president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has won a mayoral election despite his detention by the International Criminal Court. Listen to today’s Music Heard o...
May 13, 2025•48 min
Hamas has released the last living American hostage that was held captive in Gaza. That comes days before President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit the region. Hamas has not said what it expects to receive in return for the release. Also, Pope Leo XIV's roots in Chiclayu, Peru. And, a close look at Barcelona's "superblocks": pedestrian areas designed to keep cars out. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
May 12, 2025•48 min
Pope Leo XIV gave his first mass as pontiff today and is being celebrated across the globe, including in Peru, where he carried out decades of missionary work and became a naturalized citizen. Also, the US cuts $50 million in medical aid to Zambia following a corruption investigation. And, Sudan cuts ties with the UAE as drone attacks on Port Sudan continue for a sixth day. Plus, the National Gallery in London is unveiling an early renaissance painting this weekend that’s considered to be a Euro...
May 09, 2025•50 min
Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost of the United States has been elected the 267th pope. The 69-year-old is from Chicago, Illinois, and will be known as Pope Leo XIV. Also, after dozens of community kitchens providing desperately needed food to Palestinians in Gaza were shuttered this week, the US is asking aid groups to back a new Israeli aid plan run by US security contractors. And, a nonprofit group in rural Ghana is using cheap motorized tricycles to help pregnant women get to the hospital to g...
May 08, 2025•48 min
Indian jets launch airstrikes on nine sites inside Pakistan in retaliation for a militant group's attack on mostly Indian tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir two weeks ago. Also, ongoing hunting and the growing effects of climate change are contributing to the dropping numbers of manatees in the Amazon region but local efforts are underway to bring them back. And, Syria's Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa is in France for discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron. Plus, the Men's Wor...
May 07, 2025•49 min
More than a hundred Catholic cardinals from 70 different countries will convene for a secretive conclave on Wednesday to select a new pope. It's not clear who will ultimately be chosen to lead the Catholic Church next. Also, drone strikes by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces have been pummeling Port Sudan for three straight days. And, Germany’s parliament confirms Friedrich Merz as the country’s next chancellor, but only after failing to secure enough support in a first-round vote earlier in...
May 06, 2025•48 min
Israel’s security cabinet has approved a new military offensive designed to “capture” Gaza and hold it indefinitely. The plan would relocate many of Gaza’s 2 million residents to the south and shutter hundreds of community kitchens. Also, North Korea confirms that it sent troops to fight in Ukraine, but with tens of thousands of Russians killed in the fighting, a new report finds that Moscow is turning to Pyongyang now to reinforce its workforce. And, the International Cricket Council says it wi...
May 05, 2025•49 min
