A group of Americans who had been stranded in desert camps in northeastern Syria for years arrived back in the US on Tuesday. Also, water supplies in Mexico’s capital are at a historic low because of a combination of low rainfall, rising temperatures and outdated infrastructure. And, the IDF conducted air strikes in Rafah, where 1.4 million people are sheltering, and now controls the main border crossing with Egypt. It came as Hamas offered a counterproposal for a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner ...
May 07, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast In a statement, Hamas said it would approve the Qatari-Egyptian ceasefire proposal. Israel and the US say they are reviewing the deal. It's not the same one that was under consideration 10 days ago. For the people sheltering in Gaza, in the city of Rafah, we'll bring a ground-level perspective on the fast-changing situation, as well as a window into how civilians are navigating the uncertainty. Plus, the largest election in history is currently underway in India, with nearly a billion people cas...
May 06, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Turkish government announced it would suspend trade with Israel, until a permanent ceasefire is achieved and humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza without interruption. Imports and exports between Turkey and Israel totaled $6.8 billion last year. And, for the first time, researchers observed a wild animal treating a wound with a plant known by humans for its medicinal qualities, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. Also, lawmakers in the United Kingdom a...
May 03, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Until recently, Myanmar’s army was widely seen as undefeatable — too big and brutal to take down. An armed uprising started three years ago is now on a roll, capturing vast territory and leaving senior generals "demoralized," according to an army major who defected. And, Georgia’s capital city Tbilisi sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity, and it is currently the scene of a political confrontation over a Russia-inspired law that critics fear will stifle med...
May 02, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The rallying cry of many pro-Palestinian protestors is “divest from Israel.” University administrators and donors have so far rebuffed that demand. Many investment analysts argue that it's not feasible for universities to alter their portfolios and sell all assets linked to particular countries. And, this week, the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at two Philippine patrol vessels near a disputed territory in the South China Sea. The US has a mutual defense pact with The Philippines, so th...
May 01, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel is offering an "extraordinarily generous" deal and that, "the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas." But on Tuesday, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said whether there's a ceasefire or not, the Israeli military will launch a ground offensive into Rafah. And, au pairs come to the US to live with a family and care for the children. They are paid small stipends and work long days, which opens them to abu...
Apr 30, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast More trucks carrying aid are crossing the border into Gaza, and the relief group World Central Kitchen is resuming operations there, four weeks after Israeli soldiers killed seven of the group’s aid workers. Still, the situation in Gaza remains dire. And, Maori poet Tayi Tibble released a new collection of poems, "Rangikura" earlier this month to critical acclaim. Tibble talks with us about her youth, Maori identity, and what it means to connect with Indigenous groups beyond New Zealand. Also, h...
Apr 29, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast In the third and final part of our reporting series from Syria, we have the story of a woman who married an American member of ISIS. She shares the story of her life under the brutal extremist group and the challenges she faces now. Also, in Barbados, there's a public outcry over a potential land deal that involves property owned by a member of the British parliament whose family got rich from the labor of enslaved people on the island.And, Toronto is seeing an epidemic of car thefts. A vehicle ...
Apr 26, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast At its height, ISIS recruited and trained children to fight for its cause. Some participated in atrocities and appeared in propaganda videos. Others were brought to the so-called caliphate by their parents or they were born there. We hear about one young man from Trinidad who has been stuck there for 5 1/2 years. And, European police have busted a criminal ring that over a period of two years stole rare books by famous Russian authors from libraries across Europe. Europol says it has arrested fo...
Apr 25, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Thousands of people with perceived connections to ISIS remain locked away in detention camps across northeastern Syria. Some of the prisoners are children. We visited several sites in what's been called "Guantanamo on an epic scale." Plus, in Kenya, health care workers at public hospitals are on strike over insufficient pay. The strike has already had an impact, with some public hospitals no longer providing services. And, a look inside the European Union's struggle to keep economically and cult...
Apr 24, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Britain’s Parliament has passed contentious legislation aimed at deterring asylum-seekers from heading to the UK. People arriving via small boats or any other “irregular means” will be deported to Rwanda where their asylum cases will be heard. Also, a new report by the Swiss investigative organization Public Eye says that several popular Nestle products sold in lower-income countries contain added sugar, often at high levels, while the same products, when sold in Switzerland, do not. And, a fami...
Apr 23, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast The head of military intelligence for Israel, Aharon Haliva, has resigned, saying his directorate failed to alert the military and nation in time to prevent Hamas's Oct. 7 attack. Also, the US House of Representatives passes another spending package worth $61 billion for Ukraine. And, a German bank has frozen the account of Judische Stimme (Jewish Voice). It comes amid a string of confrontations between the German government and Jewish artists and intellectuals who criticize the war in Gaza and ...
Apr 22, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Voting has begun in India in what's being called the largest election in recorded history. Nearly 1 billion people are eligible to vote in the election, which will happen over the next six weeks. Also, US and Iranian officials confirm an Israeli attack on the Iranian city of Isfahan, which is home to several key military sites. And, there’s a growing social media campaign to boycott Canada's biggest grocery store chain, Loblaws, as prices rise across the market. Plus, the UN describes the curren...
Apr 19, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Qatar has been holding negotiations between Israel and Hamas aimed at securing the release of Israeli hostages and bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza. But those efforts have so far failed and Qatar is taking heat for its role from politicians in Washington. And, British surgeon Dr. Khaled Dawas completed his second trip to Gaza last week. He tells us about deteriorating health care conditions in the conflict zone. Also, repeated volcanic eruptions on a remote island in the Indonesian archipelago...
Apr 18, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Heavy rains have dumped more than two years worth of precipitation on Dubai and surrounding nations. It’s in an extreme weather event analysts are linking to climate change. More than five inches of rain fell in 24 hours. And a controversial bishop in Australia is the latest victim of a knife attack. It’s the second-highest profile knifing in three days. Also, a new landmark agreement between the Haida Nation and the British Columbia government recognizes Haida title over all of Haida Gwaii, an ...
Apr 17, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast What is the US' role at this moment in the Middle East, and does the Biden administration hold sway over what comes next? We speak with Retired Admiral John Kirby, who is the spokesman for the National Security Council. Also, Ukraine's leadership has been calling on the US and other partners to replenish its air defense and artillery stocks. Right now, Ukraine is rationing artillery on the front lines, while being outgunned by Russia at a rate of 5 to 1. And, venting when you're angry is often s...
Apr 16, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast Iran used hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend. It's a turning point in the hostility between the two countries, and in the regional conflict in the Middle East. We have the latest on Israel, Iran and the US role in a deepening crisis as well as reaction inside Iran to weekend attacks on Israel. Plus, a kora player from The Gambia defies deep family traditions around the musical instrument by becoming the first woman to ...
Apr 15, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ten years ago on Friday, the militant group Boko Haram kidnapped over 200 young women from a secondary school in Nigeria. A decade later, we hear how things have turned out for those women and their families. Also, The World's team in Israel has spoken with the parents of an American-Israeli hostage about efforts to keep pressure on their government — and international community — to bring their son and the rest of the hostages home. And, a city in Thailand has too many monkeys. The situation ha...
Apr 12, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast The World continues its weeklong series from Israel. According to a new survey, more than 70% of Israelis think Netanyahu should resign now, or as soon as the war in Gaza comes to an end. But there are stark divisions over what should happen next. Also, this year, the US will accept 125,000 refugees, the highest number in decades. That means local aid groups in American cities will be mobilizing to facilitate a smooth landing for new residents as they settle into their new homes. Plus, the movie...
Apr 11, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast With polls opening this month in India, farmers are angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2021, Modi made a rare concession by repealing farm laws after they were met with massive monthslong protests in Delhi. Now, farmers are returning to the streets. Also, the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza is also being felt by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories. One area the impact is being felt is around the critical resource of water. Also, Russia often targets Ukrainian apartment bu...
Apr 10, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast We continue our focus on Israel and the Palestinian territories, with a trip to the West Bank. When the war in Gaza finally ends, the Biden White House is looking for “revitalized” leadership from the Palestinian Authority, which has sworn in a new technocratic government. But it’s not generating a lot of excitement from Palestinians, who are feeling deeply pessimistic about what’s happening in the Gaza Strip. Also, Sharren Haskel is a member of Israel's Knesset, or parliament, from the New Hope...
Apr 09, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hamas' deadly attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7 left an estimated 1,200 people dead and 250 taken as hostages. Most of the world first saw the terrifying videos and images from the Nova music festival. We hear from witnesses who bore the brunt of these attacks and how they feel today. And, Israel is still planning to attack the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Nearly half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been pushed there to take shelter as Israel continues to strike hard...
Apr 08, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The killing of seven international World Central Kitchen staff members in an Israeli strike has brought a firestorm of criticism upon Israel. US President Joe Biden called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel responded by opening up a border crossing with the Gaza Strip. And, engineered quartz is the most popular choice for kitchen counters in many parts of the globe, including the US and Australia, but the tradespeople who cut and polish them...
Apr 05, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast In Israel, the ultra-Orthodox community has been exempt from military service. But Israel's Supreme Court just ruled that yeshivas — Jewish religious seminaries — are being cut off from government funding because they don't send students into the military. And, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek talks about his time in Cyprus, where he found the vestigial border line that divides the island's Greek and Turkish communities. He walked through an abandoned tourist city, a relic of a border w...
Apr 04, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Quartz is popular because it looks like marble but is cheaper and needs no maintenance. But the silica dust produced during mining and manufacturing can make it deadly. We hear from Turkish miners about their experiences. And, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan Wednesday morning, with the worst damage located in the east coast city of Hualien. Early reports say that nine people have died, with nearly 1,000 injured and many others still trapped. Also, residents of the city of Raqqa in north...
Apr 03, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast World Central Kitchen (WCK), one of the few aid groups distributing food in Gaza, has suspended its work there, along with others. The move comes on the heels of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strike that killed seven WCK workers after they left a warehouse in two armored cars. And, Israel's airstrikes on WCK workers and the Iranian Embassy annex in Syria are drawing criticism from the international community over a potential violation of the rules of war. We hear how the IDF selects its targets...
Apr 02, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast Israeli protesters from various groups have come together to demand elections and the removal of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. To put pressure on the government, they've set up a tent city in front of the Knesset — Israel's parliament — in Jerusalem. And, Turkey's main opposition party, the CHP, won municipal elections in 35 of the country's 81 provinces Sunday, which included Turkey's largest cities. The results are a blow to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's party, the AKP. Also, a...
Apr 01, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The World looks at the price of higher education for international students in the United States in this special podcast. American universities make the US the No. 1 choice among students from abroad. But nowhere else is tuition as expensive, leaving many people in debt. Universities depend upon international students’ high tuition fees to balance their books since foreign students can't rely on federal aid. To realize their dreams, some people are starting off by going to community colleges for...
Mar 29, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s been one year since Russian authorities detained Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter. This week, a closed-door court in Moscow extended his detention by three months. He’s the first US journalist to be apprehended under suspicion of espionage in Russia since the Cold War ended. Also, in Turkey, Ramadan is a chance to enjoy evening concerts, and traditional musicians often book several gigs each week. But nonreligious concerts are few and far between during the holy ...
Mar 28, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast Andrii Shadrin is a 28-year-old Ukrainian corporal who serves in a military unit that repairs and replaces equipment damaged in frontline fighting. Shadrin describes what it’s like to return to the battlefield after an injury, when military equipment and ammunition are in short supply. And, Nuha al-Junaid, a Yemeni woman in exile, has been speaking with people across war-torn Yemen and in the diaspora. Their voices show a diversity of experiences that reveal how life does not stop for war. Also,...
Mar 27, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
