Host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories that remind us just how small our planet really is.
Rezaie gets into the car with the Sağlams. But he already knew he was being tricked. His suspicions had begun long before he climbed into the car, back at the kebab restaurant when the Sağlams introduced him to an American woman. Fariba Nawa tries to untangle the story of the American woman, and finds out how Rezaie foiled the kidnapping plot against him.
In Bangladesh, large-scale student protests have taken a violent turn, with clashes between demonstrators and police resulting in bloodshed. We'll have the latest on this developing story. Also, in the east African country of Malawi, members of the LGBTQ community face discrimination in the health care system there. And, in the city of Girona, in northeast Spain, frustration with tourism has turned against an unlikely demographic: people on bicycles. The World's Gerry Hadden pays a visit to find...
A Manhattan court finds New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, former head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, guilty of acting on behalf of Egyptian intelligence and steering money and weapons to the country. Also, there's been a spike in COVID-19 this summer. Host Carolyn Beeler explores whether certain aspects of summer life might be contributing to the spread. And for those who love the Trader Joe's "Everything But the Bagel" seasoning blend, beware. It's banned in South Korea. That's becau...
Venezuela’s authoritarian regime has spurred millions of people to leave the country. But they still want the chance to vote out the current president, Nicolás Maduro, in this month's election but are being shut out. Also, a Russian court has convicted the well-known Kremlin critic Masha Gessen for spreading false information. The conviction and sentencing was in absentia, but the decision means the award-winning writer faces eight years in prison if they return to Russia. And, we look at the ep...
We'll dig into reactions to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump from abroad, and examine how the incident fits into a broader trend of political violence in democracies worldwide. Also, the government of Cyprus declared a “migrant emergency” in April, when more than 2,000 people arrived there by sea in the first three months of 2024. Many of them are Syrians, and now the Cyrpus government has stopped processing their asylum requests. And, our reporters in Spain and Colombia bring us stor...
The US, Canada and Finland announce plans to work together to fend off growing Russian activity in the polar region. Also, the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl on the small islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And, gangs continue to control much of Port-au-Prince nearly three weeks after Kenyan police arrived in Haiti. Plus, mystic troubadours in India and Bangladesh sing songs that draw from three different faiths. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air ....
The CIA director and a top Biden adviser are in the Middle East this week to meet with Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials. It’s part of the latest efforts to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Also, Panama starts building a barbed wire fence in the Darien jungle between South and Central America to stop migrants from reaching the US. And, African migrant communities in Maine are creating new congregations to fill the gap as US church membership declines. Plus, a look at food fr...
The US is showing decreasing interest in continuing to be Europe's “first responder in perpetuity” when it comes to military defense. Also, aid deliveries into Gaza have decreased by two-thirds since the Israeli military began its operation in Rafah in May, according to the UN. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has urged Palestinians remaining in Gaza City to leave, warning that the city would remain a dangerous combat zone. And, European cities are struggling to manage the number of tourists, wit...
As NATO turns 75, some trace the roots antagonism between the alliance and Russia to the 1990s, when the Soviet Union and the West were negotiating the terms of German reunification. Also, reformist Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran's presidential election. And, blind football, one of the most-popular sports of the Paralympic Games. Plus, a look at hilbe, a tasty condiment important to Yemenite Jews that’s considered a folk medicine, a cure all and a source of strength.
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. But that victory was thwarted by a coalition of center and left parties unifying at the last minute. Also, NATO is at a crossroads as it marks its 75th anniversary. And, around 20% of the National Samsung Electronics Union walked off the job for the first time, protesting for higher pay and better working conditions. Plus, Lebanon remains ho...
Britain has a new prime minister. Keir Starmer has moved into 10 Downing Street, after the Labour Party trounced the ruling Tory party in a historic landslide election. Also, another election is playing out in Iran. Voters are taking part in a runoff for the presidency on Friday. The choice is a stark one between a hard-liner and a reformist. But voter apathy is running high. And, Biniam Girmay of Eritrea became the first Black rider to win a stage of the Tour de France.
New information is coming in. Fariba Nawa and her team are running it down.
For The World's Independence Day special, we celebrate with a sort of "mixtape" of reprisals of summer-themed stories from across the globe about everything from music festivals to an old-school beach drink to palm trees in Iraq.
We have the latest on Hurricane Beryl as it hits Jamaica. Also, doping scandals and the invasion of Ukraine have barred Russian athletes from participating in the Olympics. We hear how some will still compete in Paris. Plus, China is doubling the size of its nuclear weapons arsenal, part of its global competition with the US. And chronically late German trains are testing a cultural stereotype and patience.
Israel's military ordered Palestinians in Khan Younis to evacuate, indicating that a new Israeli military offensive there could be imminent. Also, a law passed earlier this year in India created a new pathway for refugees to get citizenship. But the legislation is controversial because it excludes Muslims. Plus, Panama's new president is vowing to stop migration through the treacherous jungle region known as the Darien Gap. This won't be easy. Last year, more than 500,000 people passed through t...
As predicted, the French president's election gamble is paying off — for his political rivals. Emmanuel Macron called for early elections and over the weekend, his centrist alliance came in third, while the far-right party of Marine Le Pen won the first round of voting with 33%. What it means for France, and for Europe. Also, he is on his way out as Mexico's president, but Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador still wants to complete a radical reform of the country's judiciary. And celebrations in Brazil ...
Kenya begins its deployment of police to Haiti just as Kenyans are drawing attention to policing issues at home. When this week's demonstrations in Nairobi escalated, police were accused of excessive force in their response, which included widespread use of tear gas, as well as deadly shootings. Plus, Thursday night's US presidential debate drew strong reactions from throughout the globe. We'll hear global perspectives and takeaways on the televised representation of America's presidency and Ame...
There's a convincing explanation for Mohammad Shabani's death, but the evidence is incomplete. While Fariba Nawa waits for a crucial piece of evidence to be analyzed, she tries to find out how far Iran will go to silence dissidents. A Turkish court case exposes an Iranian kidnapping ring and offers an answer. Fariba finds a source to guide her through some of the inner workings of the secret operation.
Many young Iranians say they plan to boycott Friday’s election to replace the late-President Ebrahim Raisi. Also, a look at the political fault lines behind the attempted coup in Bolivia. And, An appeals court in Paris has ruled that an international arrest warrant issued by France against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is valid. Also, who is Keir Starmer, the Labour party leader expected to be the British prime minister. Plus, scientists find new evidence that the painted lady butterfly is ma...
Kenya’s president concedes to protesters following a week of unprecedented demonstrations against a proposed finance bill. Also, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been selected as the next secretary-general of NATO. And, WikiLeaks founder Jullian Assange walks out of a courtroom on the US territory of Saipan a free man after pleading guilty to a single charge of publishing US military secrets. Plus, French Chilean rapper Ana Tijoux releases her newest album, “Vida.”...
Thousands of people have taken to the streets to reject a finance bill underway in Kenya’s parliament, with some demonstrations turning deadly. Also, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for compulsory service, effectively putting an end to a longstanding exemption for the group. And, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has reached a plea deal with the US Department of Justice. Plus, Cameroonian singer and guitarist "Irma" pays homage to ...
A series of seemingly coordinated attacks on synagogues and Orthodox churches took place in the Russian republic of Dagestan over the weekend, killing at least 20 people, and injuring dozens more. Also, sword duels with real blades have been barred for centuries throughout Europe. But every year — across Germany and Austria — hundreds of male university frat house members still undergo a secretive, violent and bloody sword-fighting ritual, using real sharpened blades. And, more than 1,300 pilgri...
Latvians mark the summer solstice by celebrating the longest day of the year. Also, a new discovery of a rare genetic mutation of one family in Colombia may present an opportunity to learn how the body could naturally resist Alzheimer’s. And, new mothers in different parts of the world find that preparing the traditional foods of their own mothers and grandmothers from their home countries can ease the transition to motherhood. Plus, a look at the intersection of fashion and sports as Paris host...
In the city where the dissident Mohammad Shabani died, Fariba Nawa finds evidence that points towards his cause of death.
Russia and North Korea have sign onto a new partnership, vowing mutual aid if either country is attacked, while South Korea responds by saying it will consider sending weapons to Ukraine. Also, French President Emmanuel Macron joins several African leaders to kick off a planned $1 billion project to accelerate the rollout of vaccines across Africa after the COVID-19 pandemic exposed gaping inequalities in access to them. And, farmers in northern Israel say the war in Gaza has devastated their bu...
Juneteenth marks a celebratory milestone in the history of emancipation in the US, but the legacy of slavery persists, not just in the US but across the globe. Also, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was just sworn in for his second term in office, despite his party losing a decadeslong majority in a recent parliamentary election. And a new series that will run throughout the summer examines key themes in the tense relationship between the US and China. The first installment of "Face Off" ...
The annual Muslim pilgrimage known as the Hajj isn't just a spiritual journey; it's physically strenuous, too. Travelers to Mecca and Medina this year have braved dangerous heat. Host Marco Werman speaks with a Muslim American who's there right now, participating in the ritual. Plus, Polish abortion rights activists reflect on 30 years of some of the strictest abortion laws in the region just as those laws appear likely to change. And the Turkish government's latest attempt to deal with stray do...
A UNICEF representative based in Gaza joins us from inside the territory with insights on what a proposed pause in fighting would — and wouldn't — accomplish on the ground. Plus, in a diplomatic shakeup, China is recalling two of its diplomats to Australia. Not the highest-ranking ones, but probably the most famous: giant pandas at the Adelaide Zoo, are going back to China. And, classic American folk tunes meets beloved ragas from India. The home of country music — the Grand Ole Opry in Nashvill...
Pope Francis convened a meeting with an unexpected audience while at the G7: more than 100 comedians from 15 different countries. Also, we air Part 3 of the series “Lethal Dissent,” which looks at the death of an Iranian poet living in Turkey. And, Qatar tries to beat the heat by air conditioning outdoor spaces. Plus, a new project tries to prove that gamers do, in fact, “touch grass.”
The death of poet Mohammad Shabani, an Iranian dissident living in Turkey, catches his friends, family, and supporters by surprise. Fariba finds one of Mohammad Shabani's confidantes and learns new details about his life in exile before he died.
