Chinese President Xi Jinping is wrapping up a tour this week of Southeast Asia where he has been selling the idea of China as a force for economic stability and prosperity. He has also criticized President Donald Trump's trade policies as destructive to the global economy. We'll look at how that message is being received. Also, Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars in the the electric vehicle industry in preparation for a post-oil future. And, the legacy of Indigenous runner Tom Longboat...
Apr 18, 2025•47 min
As Haiti celebrates 200 years of independence from France, Thursday marks a particularly fraught anniversary. On April 17, 1825, Haiti and France signed the Indemnity Agreement, requiring Haiti to pay France to compensate slave-owning colonists for Haitians' freedom. Now, Haitian activists want their money back. Also, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is headed to Paris to discuss the war in Ukraine. And, Canada's new professional women's soccer league just kicked off its first season. Listen to...
Apr 17, 2025•48 min
A federal court in Denver has found a former member of Gambia’s military guilty of torturing five people accused of involvement in a failed coup against the West African country in 2006. This constitutes a rare prosecution in the United States for torture committed abroad. Also, the UK's Supreme Court passed a ruling on the meaning of the word "woman" as used in the country's Equality Act from 2010. In a unanimous decision, the court said that "woman" refers to people assigned the female gender ...
Apr 16, 2025•49 min
Tuesday marks two years since civil war broke out in Sudan. Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has created an immense humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced, and hundreds of thousands facing famine. A look at how things reached this point in Sudan, and where the country is headed. Also, Mexican border cities like Tijuana are emptying out as migrants give up trying to enter the US. And, the Ghanaian government is reforming the country's gold export...
Apr 15, 2025•49 min
This past weekend, Iran and the US held their first round of talks about Iran's nuclear program. Both sides described the talks as "positive" and "constructive." The two delegations will convene in Rome for a second round of talks later this week. Also, Tijuana's uphill battle to keep its waterways and beaches free of sewage and pollution. And, the existential threat faced by two of France's most beloved cheeses. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Apr 14, 2025•47 min
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez becomes the de facto trade representative for much of Europe, on a visit to China. And white storks arrive in Europe every spring, and they're starting to arrive earlier. Experts say that's because of climate change. Plus, why historic homes in Iran are being turned into boutique hotels, restaurants and cafes. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Apr 11, 2025•48 min
The US and Russia carried out a prisoner swap earlier today, resulting in the release of US citizen Ksenia Karelina. Also, hippos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are dying of a surprising cause: anthrax. And, a look into the struggle to get aid into earthquake-devastated Myanmar. Plus, a Japanese town is using trading cards inspired by Pokémon to build connection between generations. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Apr 10, 2025•49 min
President Donald Trump has paused his sweeping new tariffs, with one exception: those levied on China. Beijing is retaliating by hitting US goods back. How Chinese leadership sees the escalating trade war. Also, how new banana products could help transform agriculture in Uganda. And what exactly makes Jamaican rum Jamaican? Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Apr 09, 2025•48 min
The Palestinian Red Crescent is demanding an international investigation into the Israeli attack last month on a convoy of ambulances and emergency workers in southern Gaza that killed 15 people. Also, Sussex University in the UK is offering a new degree called Climate Justice, Sustainability and Development. And, the US and DRC close in on a new minerals deal. Plus, a look at how collaboration in space is still possible amid geopolitical tensions. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn ab...
Apr 08, 2025•49 min
Heavy US tariffs against much of the world will kick in on Tuesday at midnight. Few will be hit has hard as Cambodia — where nearly a third of the country’s economy is generated by selling goods to Americans — as Cambodian exports to the US are set to face a 49% tariff. Also, Doctors Without Borders reports that 1/5 of all primary care visits in Gaza deal with illness caused by a lack of access to clean water as the enclave faces acute water shortages amid an Israeli blockade. And, the Ivory Coa...
Apr 07, 2025•49 min
South Korea's Constitutional Court unanimously voted to remove President Yoon Suk-yeol from office. This after months of deliberation following Yoon's declaration of martial law. But although the court has made its decision, experts say the turmoil and political polarization that have erupted in South Korea over the last few months, aren't going anywhere. Also, in Ghana, a meningitis outbreak is ravaging communities, partly because the new strain is particularly dangerous, and partly due to soci...
Apr 04, 2025•49 min
Sweeping new tariffs on imports to the US amount to a tectonic shift in trade policy, one that critics say undermines norms around globalization that delivered prosperity to the US and its trading partners. Also, Hungary has begun proceedings to leave the International Criminal Court. And, a huge chunk of ice broke off of Antarctica, revealing a thriving ecosystem in the waters underneath. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Apr 03, 2025•49 min
The ceasefire which had halted fighting between Israel and Hamas for two months seems long ago and far away. On Wednesday, Israel announced a major expansion of its military advance in Gaza, vowing to seize ‘large areas’ of land and displace residents. Also, President Donald Trump is trying to initiate talks with Iran about the country's nuclear program, but his goals for the talks have not been specified. Iran has agreed to negotiate indirectly with the US. This, after Trump pulled the US out o...
Apr 02, 2025•49 min
As Myanmar ramps up its response to the earthquake that struck last week, those efforts are being complicated by the country's civil war. The military government has been blocking emergency aid from entering areas controlled by armed resistance movements. That's leaving earthquake-stricken areas deprived of doctors, medicine, and bare necessities like food and water. Also, South Korea is reckoning with the dark past of its international adoption system. And, a visit to Africa's only Bahai temple...
Apr 01, 2025•48 min
In Myanmar, the official death toll continues to climb three days after a devastating earthquake, but still reflects only a fraction of the number of deaths estimated by the United States Geological Survey. The challenges are now compounded by the country's civil war, as government forces launch air strikes against resistance fighters near the epicenter of the quake. Also, French far-right politician Marine Le Pen has been convicted of embezzlement, and barred from seeking public office for five...
Mar 31, 2025•48 min
A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand today, killing dozens of people in both countries. Also, former US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns discusses the implications of the world’s shifting geopolitical situation. And, Israel strikes southern Beirut in Lebanon saying it targeted a Hezbollah drone storage facility. Plus, a new borrowed word in the Oxford English Dictionary that describes a feeling so intense you can't help but have a physical reaction to it. Listen to today...
Mar 28, 2025•47 min
South Korea is fighting the largest forest fires in the country's history. Emergency crews and volunteers in the dry and windy southeast region are working to put out the flames and help evacuate residents. Also, forecasts for international tourism show that numbers are down sharply for travel to the US amid souring international opinions and ramped-up immigration enforcement. And, the UK climate activist group Just Stop Oil says it’s ceasing its disruptive protests. Plus, singer and storyteller...
Mar 27, 2025•49 min
Hundreds of Palestinians in northern Gaza held spontaneous protests against Hamas and called for an end to the war. Also, for decades, Europe has leaned on the US for security, but there are growing calls for the bloc to be more militarily self-sufficient — an ambitious goal that not all EU leaders agree on. And, it's been 10 years since the start of the Saudi-led airstrike campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. Plus, China-based Mixue Bingcheng is set to surpass McDonald's as the world's larges...
Mar 26, 2025•48 min
Increasingly brazen armed gangs are taking control of most of the roads leading into and out of Port-au-Prince, as control slips away from Haitian police and Kenyan-led multinational forces. Also, a court in Tokyo has ordered the once-powerful Unification Church in Japan to be dissolved in a case against the religious group that goes back to the 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And, the beating and arrest of Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-...
Mar 25, 2025•48 min
A presidential primary organized by the party of jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, galvanizes millions of voters across Turkey. Also, Costa Ricans are being asked to help pick coffee beans amid a labor shortage in their country, as Nicaraguan migrant farmers stay home over the risks of crossing the border. And, a new graphic cookbook — complete with recipes and comic book-style illustrations — tells the backstories of the unique names behind some Chinese dishes. Plus, for a few days startin...
Mar 24, 2025•48 min
Heathrow, one of the world's largest airports, has shut down after a fire broke out Thursday night at an electric substation, effectively knocking out the airport's power. We hear about the potential causes behind the fire at the substation and how vulnerable airports are to these kinds of incidents. Also, in Sudan, pro-government troops have retaken control of the presidential palace in Khartoum. The palace was previously held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who say the battle is not ...
Mar 21, 2025•49 min
Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, was arrested last week by the International Criminal Court. That makes him the ICC's highest-profile prisoner ever. While in office, he spearheaded a so-called "war on drugs" that killed up to 30,000 people. The relatives of the victims are now ready to face Duterte in court. Also, a look at the end of the ceasefire in Gaza and renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas. And, Namibia is inaugurating its first female president this week....
Mar 20, 2025•49 min
In Turkey, a political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been detained. The mayor of Istanbul was arrested during a raid on his home, and accused of corruption and assisting a Kurdish militant group in the country's south. Press conferences and demonstrations have been banned in the country for four days. Also, the ongoing impact of Voice of America in former Soviet republics in central Asia. And, March Madness is here — we have a look at a Ukrainian player making an impact on Notre Da...
Mar 19, 2025•48 min
Israel launched a series of attacks in Gaza overnight. Palestinian health officials say more than 400 people were killed in the strikes, one of the highest death tolls in a single day since the start of the war. This comes after negotiations involving Israel and Hamas failed to reach a deal to release the remaining hostages and maintain the ceasefire. Also, the ongoing efforts to deal with the environmental impact of Agent Orange in Vietnam. And, a visit to a fertility temple in Bhutan. Listen t...
Mar 18, 2025•48 min
A nightclub in North Macedonia caught fire over the weekend, killing 59 people and injuring more than 150 more. Authorities have arrested suspects implicated in the deadly blaze. A look at how that fire started, and the ripple effects across the country. Also, how the war in Ukraine has had an impact on Jewish life in the country. And, we meet a man entertaining North Koreans with magic tricks. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air . Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices...
Mar 17, 2025•49 min
The price of one ounce of gold has hit a new record: $3,000. This comes as the stock market faces a lot of volatility amid international trade wars and inflation. Also, a ceasefire between the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and Turkey could have widespread effects on Turkey, Iraq and Syria. And, Norway's team has been barred from the ski jumping world championships being hosted by Oslo over suspected modifications to the team’s ski jumpers' suits. Plus, a new bill could bring back bistros to thou...
Mar 14, 2025•49 min
Many Catholics in Argentina are praying for Pope Francis’ recovery — and hoping that he will finally come back his home country on a papal visit. Also, Bangladesh's interim government tries to retrieve money laundered by members of the previous government. And, a new UN report details sexual and gender-based violence by Israeli forces against Palestinians. Plus, Donatella Versace steps down after nearly 30 years at the helm of the luxury fashion house started by her brother. Listen to today’s Mu...
Mar 13, 2025•48 min
The Trump administration has revoked Chevron's license to pump oil in Venezuela, accusing its president of not making progress on electoral reforms. In response, Venezuela said it will stop receiving deportees from the US. Also, a new abortion clinic opens across from the Polish parliament despite the country’s strict abortion ban. And, Syria’s interim government signs a deal with the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish militia that controls the northeast. Plus, a London comedy club bans audie...
Mar 12, 2025•48 min
Following eight hours of negotiations in Saudi Arabia today, the US and Ukraine say that Kyiv will accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, if Moscow also agrees. Washington also pledged to lift a freeze on intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine. Also, former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was detained on an ICC arrest warrant and will likely stand trial for crimes against humanity. And, the Balochistan Liberation Army claims responsibility for a train highjacking involving more t...
Mar 11, 2025•48 min
Approximately a thousand people are estimated to have been killed in Syria's coastal region after violence that followed an attack on government forces last week. Since then, members of Syria's Alawite community have been attacked and killed. Also, economist and politician Mark Carney is named Canada’s new prime minister. And, many immigrants now fear sharing their stories in the United States. Plus, Bolivia’s administrative capital, La Paz, has the longest — and highest — cable car system in th...
Mar 10, 2025•48 min
