Bibi hits pause on judicial overhaul plan
After weeks of mass protests in Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced he will hit pause on a controversial plan to overhaul the judicial system. The growing demonstrations have shuttered shops and universities, and grounded flights. And, Paul Rusesabagina, the man portrayed in the Hollywood film "Hotel Rwanda," has been freed from prison in Kigali. Two years ago, Rusesabagina ...
49m Mar 27, 2023
49m
US and Canada add restrictions to asylum agreement
The US and Canada have agreed to change a decades-old asylum agreement, putting more restrictions on migrants seeking protections in Canada. And, since the 9th century, monks, aristocrats and emperors have all tracked the date of "full flower" for cherry blossoms, providing an unusually complete record of spring coming earlier in Japan. Also, congressional leaders sparred with TikTok CEO Shou Z...
48m Mar 24, 2023
48m
Biden visits Canada for talks with Trudeau
US President Joe Biden is visiting Canada today to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and address Canada's Parliament in Ottawa. US-Canada border relations are at the top of the agenda. And, mice are plaguing tiny, uninhabited Marion Island located southeast of South Africa in the Indian Ocean. The invasive mouse population is threatening the birds, and conservationists say they need to go...
48m Mar 23, 2023
48m
The lingering toll of war
Kayla Williams was deployed to Iraq in 2003 as an Arabic linguist two days after the US-led invasion began. She talks about the long-term physical and psychological impact of the war on veterans. And, the International Monetary Fund and Ukraine have agreed to terms that pave the way for a $15.6 billion relief package, designed to prop up the government's intense military spending and the blows ...
47m Mar 22, 2023
47m
The risk of global banking 'contagion'
Contagion is a medical term, but it applies to the banking world, too. Investors are worried that the problems at a handful of American banks could ripple across the world economy and that unexpected surprises may be lurking. And, Ecuador finds a novel way to convert seized cocaine into cement. Also, the outgoing head of the UN’s World Food Program, David Beasley, has long argued that growing g...
48m Mar 21, 2023
48m
Iraq's 'Generation Freedom'
Monday marks 20 years since the start of “Operation Iraqi Freedom," the US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled the president, Saddam Hussein, and aimed to spread democracy in the country. We hear from those who lived through these turbulent and violent years. And, gay sex is already illegal in Uganda, punishable by life in prison. But a new bill making its way through the legislature would make i...
49m Mar 20, 2023
49m
International court issues war crimes warrant for Putin
The International Criminal Court said Friday that it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin for war crimes, accusing him of personal responsibility for the abductions of children from Ukraine. It was the first time the global court has issued a warrant against a leader of one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council. And, Turkey's President Recep Tayyi...
48m Mar 17, 2023
48m
Poland: 1st NATO member to give Ukraine fighter jets
Poland says it will send at least four Soviet-designed MiG fighter planes to Ukraine to aid in its war effort against Russian forces. Western nations previously avoided sending jets to avoid an escalation in the conflict. And, the International Atomic Energy Association is reporting missing nuclear material in Libya. There is major concern about who possesses 2.5 tons of natural uranium left ov...
48m Mar 16, 2023
48m
US, Russia ratchet up rhetoric over drone
The crash landing of an American reconnaissance drone struck by a Russian warplane and downed over the Black Sea is further rattling US-Russia relations. It’s unclear whether the incident was an error or a deliberate action. And, US law enforcement is taking some new steps against espionage and intellectual property theft on university campuses. But these measures are putting some researchers a...
48m Mar 15, 2023
48m
Cyclone Freddy returns to Mozambique
Cyclone Freddy is already the longest-lived tropical cyclone ever recorded. Now, it's returned to Mozambique for a second time in the past few weeks, bringing powerful winds and torrential rains. And, about half of the world’s population lives in areas at risk of dengue, a mosquito-borne tropical disease. Scientists have warned that climate change is likely hastening the spread of the mosquito ...
49m Mar 14, 2023
49m
Israel rethinks its security strategy
Israel is taking another look at its security strategy following the restoration of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Israel had seen Saudi Arabia's anti-Iran stance as a bulwark in its security strategy. And, Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi was thrown into the global spotlight in 2008 after hurling his shoes at then-President George W. Bush. Two decades after the US-led invasion of I...
49m Mar 13, 2023
49m
Controversial immigration bill overshadows UK-France summit
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Paris on Friday with the aim to reset relations. The UK's new controversial immigration bill dominated the meeting, as it would ban all migrants arriving in Britain on small boats from the shores of France. And, Xi Jinping has secured a third term as general-secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. The position wiel...
48m Mar 10, 2023
48m
Georgian protesters celebrate big win
Lawmakers in Georgia say they’re now scrapping plans to introduce a measure that would have required media organizations and NGOs getting more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as “agents of foreign influence.” And, amid Russia's full-scale invasion in Ukraine, many of the country's top athletes returned back to their rigorous training routines. This fencer and wrestler are both...
48m Mar 09, 2023
48m
Georgia faces bumpy road to EU membership
Thousands of protesters in Tbilisi, Georgia, are speaking out against a bill that would require organizations receiving more than 20% of funding from international sources to register as "foreign agents." Many fear this legislation would push Georgia further from Western allies, and muck up aspirations to EU membership. And, last week, two Americans were killed in the Mexican city of Matamoros ...
48m Mar 08, 2023
48m
France on strike: Workers protest higher pension age
The French president is determined to raise the pension age to 64. But plenty of French workers are pushing back. For the sixth time this year, people across the country are walking off their jobs. And, the US and European police shut down a notorious cybercrime gang linked to Russia. After breaking into computer networks, the so-called DopplePaymer group demanded payment to unscramble sensitiv...
49m Mar 07, 2023
49m
After quakes, Turkey expands 'disinformation' law
The Turkish government has begun investigating journalists, media commentators and social media users accused of spreading misinformation about earthquake recovery efforts. If convicted, they could face up to three years in prison. And, former Prime Minister Imran Khan's speeches were banned by Pakistan's media regulator on Monday. The regulator said Khan was "spreading hate speech" in his rece...
49m Mar 06, 2023
49m
Israel's democracy in crisis
A group of Israeli activists traveled to a village in the West Bank on Friday, intending to bring a message of coexistence with Palestinians. But they were halted by Israeli soldiers. These rising tensions come amid a crisis of democracy in Israel. And, thousands of passengers were stranded in airports in Colombia and several other Latin American countries this week following the collapse of th...
48m Mar 03, 2023
48m
G-20 talks overshadowed by Ukraine rifts
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken unexpectedly met his Russian counterpart on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in New Delhi, India, on Thursday. But minimal actual dialogue seemed to take place amid deepening global rifts. And, Romania's Prime Minister Nicolae Ciucă introduced his new adviser, Ion, an artificial intelligence assistant. Also, a multiagency assessment from US intelligence offi...
49m Mar 02, 2023
49m
Nigeria elects new president
Bola Tinubu will be Nigeria's next leader, extending his party's rule. But the opposition is calling the election rigged and promising to challenge the results in court. And, African countries have mostly stayed on the sidelines of the Russia-Ukrainian war. Many African nations import large supplies of wheat and fertilizer from the two warring nations and they aren't eager to jeopardize those v...
49m Mar 01, 2023
49m
'Earthquake diplomacy' in Syria
Diplomats from many Arab nations are meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for the first time since the country's civil war began in 2011, when most of them severed ties. The visits follow the devastating earthquakes that hit the region earlier this month. And, the Taliban restricted the media and freedom of expression when they took power in August 2021. In the last two months, there's...
49m Feb 28, 2023
49m
Peace talks in Jordan as West Bank violence escalates
Palestinian and Israeli delegations began peace talks in Jordan on Feb. 26, just as a Palestinian gunman killed two Israelis and settlers burned cars and buildings in the West Bank. And, millions of Nigerians cast their votes for a new president over the weekend. Many voters applauded improvement in the election process, but others experienced violence at the polls. Now, comes the wait for the ...
50m Feb 27, 2023
50m
A year of war in Ukraine
One year to the day after Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a "special operation" in Ukraine, we look back at some of the turning points in the ground war, the humanitarian crisis and the political fallout across the globe. We also break down some of the statistics to help illuminate what this war has meant for those living through it. Also, the war in Ukraine is shaking up global alli...
49m Feb 24, 2023
49m
Young Nigerians will determine their next president
Nigeria, the largest country in Africa, holds elections on Feb. 25. Most voters are under the age of 30, and see this moment as a chance to throw out the old guard that has ruled for decades. And, since early 2023, police in Haiti have been targeted by gangs. Angry officers have been protesting the killings of their comrades, but also demanding basic guarantees to do their job. Also, we hear fr...
48m Feb 23, 2023
48m
Zelenskiy's popularity soars in Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelenskiy has won praise as a heroic defender of democracy in the face of Russian aggression. As the war enters its second year, what does the public expect from its president? And, attacks on the Kyiv area have receded and rebuilding damaged areas is underway. But homeowners say the Ukrainian government isn't providing enough financial assistance to cover the cost of repairs. Also, t...
49m Feb 22, 2023
49m
Putin suspends START nuclear pact with US
Russian President Vladimir Putin's lengthy speech on Tuesday laid out his view on the war in Ukraine. He said Russia would step back from its last major nuclear arms agreement with the US. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden focused on the US' unwavering support for its allies in an address given in Poland. And, Russia continues to throw men and munitions at Ukrainian forces in an effort to take con...
49m Feb 21, 2023
49m
Biden visits Kyiv
Joe Biden showed up in the Ukrainian capital on Monday morning. The president's surprise visit to Kyiv coincides with the one-year anniversary on Friday of Russia's full-scale invasion. We'll hear from our team in the capital. Also, Poland has welcomed more than 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees since tanks rolled into Ukraine. But now, the Polish government plans to make some of them start paying...
49m Feb 20, 2023
49m
Nigeria cash shortage leads to protests
Nigeria's central bank updated the country's currency, the naira. Now, ATMs are running short on the new bills, leading to frustration that's erupted into street protests this week. And, India is set to become the world's most populous country. However, the Indian government couldn't carry out its detailed 10-year census in 2021 due to the pandemic. Also, Armenia is going on the diplomatic defe...
49m Feb 17, 2023
49m
Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks on Syria
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government has tried to argue that Western sanctions against it are hindering its aid efforts to help earthquake victims. But US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield says she isn’t buying it. And, Moldova, a small, landlocked nation that borders Ukraine, finds itself in a tussle between Russia and the West. Also, Nobel Peace Prize winner Ma...
49m Feb 16, 2023
49m
Balloons — a neglected area of military tech
US crews have located pieces of the Chinese balloon shot down off the coast of South Carolina earlier this month. In the last week, four more objects were shot down by the US. China is now accusing Washington of its own balloon espionage, which the US has denied. And, Crimean Tatars called Crimea their homeland for centuries. Now, Tatars who fled after Russia's 2014 invasion — and illegal annex...
49m Feb 15, 2023
49m
Turkey's Erdoğan faces tough reelection following earthquakes
Following the earthquakes that devastated Turkey and Syria, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has faced a mountain of criticism for his government's handling of the disaster. We hear why Turkish citizens in the country's southern provinces are upset with Erdoğan's government right now. And, as rescue teams cull through debris to locate victims in Turkey and Syria, families keep vigil by the side o...
49m Feb 14, 2023
49m
Arrests in Turkey over shoddy construction
Deaths from the Feb. 6 earthquakes in Turkey have climbed to more than 35,000. The country’s vice president said on Sunday that arrest warrants have been issued for over 100 people said to be involved in the construction of buildings that collapsed across the region. And, the epicenter of the earthquakes was 25 miles from Syria's western border, leaving a wake of destruction. Most of the damage...
49m Feb 13, 2023
49m
Quake survivors struggle for basic needs in Turkey, Syria
Across southern Turkey, countless numbers of people are sleeping outside, in tents or in their cars, worried about more powerful aftershocks following Monday's earthquake. More than 22,000 people are now believed to be dead in Turkey and Syria. And, anger mounts as emergency aid for Syrians slowly trickles into the northwest of the country. Also, Greek lawmakers voted to ban political parties w...
49m Feb 10, 2023
49m
'The disaster of the century'
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan visited areas in southeastern Turkey hit hard by a powerful earthquake on Monday and described it as "the disaster of the century." The estimated death toll has climbed to more than 20,000 people. And, badly needed aid is beginning to trickle into Syria, with six convoys entering the northwest to provide some relief to areas under rebel control. Also, millions of ...
48m Feb 09, 2023
48m
Turkey, Syria grapple with death tolls as some aid arrives
In Turkey, it's taken two days for government aid to reach some of the areas hardest hit by Monday's devastating earthquakes, leaving residents and volunteers to manage rescue and relief efforts. And much of the areas in northern Syria hit hardest by the disaster had already been devastated by years of civil war, making it even more challenging to bring in humanitarian relief. Also, this corner...
49m Feb 08, 2023
49m
Aleppo rescue efforts continue after deadly earthquake
Syria's northern provinces were badly hit by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the region on Monday. Rescue efforts continue as aid trickles in through the border crossing between Turkey and northwest Syria. And, aid workers are also pouring into southern Turkey to help with earthquake relief efforts, but many victims are in rural areas that are tough to reach, especially in the winter. ...
51m Feb 07, 2023
51m
Deadly earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria
Two massive, back-to-back earthquakes have left thousands dead and many missing or injured in the region of southern Turkey and northern Syria. We learn about the scale of devastation in a region where vulnerable populations are already struggling. And, the US missile that downed a Chinese surveillance balloon Saturday off the South Carolina coast may have taken with it efforts to repair US-Chi...
49m Feb 06, 2023
49m
On Friday, the US postponed a planned trip by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing.
On Friday, the US postponed a planned trip by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing. This comes amid controversy over a Chinese surveillance balloon currently floating over the western US. And, Canada's western province of British Columbia is starting a three-year pilot program to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of heroin, meth, ecstasy, or crack cocai...
50m Feb 03, 2023
50m
US and Philippines sign military base deal
The US is gaining access to four additional military bases in the Philippines following a deal signed between the US and Philippines on Thursday in Manila.  And, in recent weeks, US officials have loudly debated what weapons systems should be sent to Ukraine. But discussions about US goals and limitations in the war effort seem to be happening in quieter corners. Also, Shell and Exxon are repor...
49m Feb 02, 2023
49m
Pope visits DR Congo, Sudan to promote peace
On Tuesday, Pope Francis arrived in Democratic Republic of Congo to begin what he's calling an "ecumenical pilgrimage of peace." Peace is expected to be his main message in DR Congo and South Sudan. And, the US says Russia is violating the New START treaty, the last remaining nuclear arms agreement between the two countries, by not allowing American inspectors into Russian nuclear weapons facil...
49m Feb 01, 2023
49m
IMF economic forecast is positive — except for UK, Russia
The International Monetary Fund says that economic growth worldwide will exceed their previous expectations. The IMF did have some bad news for the UK: Their economic outlook looks worse than Russia, which has been heavily targeted with economic sanctions. And, Tunisians voted in a runoff parliamentary election over the weekend. Only 11% of eligible voters actually came out to vote — the same l...
50m Jan 31, 2023
50m
Pakistan suicide bombing targets mosque
On Monday, a suicide bombing targeted a mosque in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing over 30 people and injuring more than 150. The head of a group known as the Pakistani Taliban claimed on social media to have carried out the attack. And, a British Iranian consultant-turned-fixer for bribes has been sentenced to five years in prison in the United States. His work on bribes has tainted an estimated bi...
50m Jan 30, 2023
50m
Blinken heads to Middle East amid spike in Israeli-Palestinian tension
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will head to Egypt and onward to visit Palestinian and Israeli officials. He will arrive on the heels of an Israeli counterinsurgency raid that killed at least two civilians and ratcheted up tensions on either side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited South Africa this week. South Africa is planning on holding ...
50m Jan 27, 2023
50m
Contaminated cough syrup kills 300 children in Asia, Africa
The World Health Organization is calling for "immediate action" to protect children from contaminated cough syrup that has killed more than 300 children in Asia and Africa. The syrup has been linked to pharmaceutical manufacturers in India. And, Israeli soldiers conducted a raid on suspected militants in Jenin Camp, a Palestinian refugee camp. Their targets were members of Islamic Jihad, but ci...
49m Jan 26, 2023
49m
Germany to send tanks to Ukraine
Germany announced on Wednesday that it will send tanks to Ukraine to aid in its fight against Russian invaders. German support for the war in Ukraine marks a big shift in its defense policy. And in Canada, grocery store theft is at an all-time high. Some Canadians blame big grocery store chains for profiteering from inflation. Also, more than 50 people have been killed in Peru in protests that ...
49m Jan 25, 2023
49m
Ukraine corruption scandal ousts top officials
Ukraine’s government has fired more than a dozen officials, including a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, amid allegations of corruption. And, despite Turkey's promise to enroll Syrian refugee children in school, 1 in 3 are not attending classes. In Gaziantep, families say they've been barred from enrollment. Also, Amsterdam's hash cafés are legal but weed is not — across the EU. Th...
49m Jan 24, 2023
49m
Somali govt struggles to push out al-Shabab
Somalia's government has stumbled in its all-out campaign to push the insurgent group al-Shabab out of cities and villages. On Sunday, militants laid siege to the Mogadishu mayor's office. And, climate-vulnerable nations around the world have turned to the courts to try to force faster action. The island of Vanuatu recently asked the United Nation's highest court to weigh in on climate obligati...
50m Jan 23, 2023
50m
Defense chiefs fail to reach deal on tanks for Ukraine
European defense ministers met on Friday with US and Ukrainian officials to discuss aid for Ukraine. The focus was on battle tanks for Ukraine, and the verdict is still out. And, ahead of the Lunar New Year this weekend in China, many people are gearing up for their first holiday trip since tight pandemic restrictions were lifted. Also, an Iranian Canadian musician known as "King Raam" fears he...
48m Jan 20, 2023
48m
Ukraine calls for more heavy tanks
Ukraine says it needs heavy tanks. US Adm. James Stavridis discusses how a tank delivery would make a difference in the war with Russia. And, a Canadian agency that sets national standards for alcohol consumption is recommending Canadians dramatically reduce their alcohol intake. Also, President Emmanuel Macron wants to raise France's retirement age by two years to 64. The government claims it'...
49m Jan 19, 2023
49m
Why are so many Cubans leaving?
Over the last year, nearly a quarter million Cubans have migrated to the United States. We hear about why people are making what is often a dangerous journey. And, a helicopter crash in a Kyiv suburb on Wednesday took the life of Ukraine's Interior Minister Denys Monastyrsky, leaving a gaping hole in the president's team. Also, many are looking to Brazil's new government, led by Luiz Inácio Lul...
48m Jan 18, 2023
48m
Alleged Wagner Group commander defects
A man who claims to be a commander from the Wagner Group, a Russian mercenary group fighting in Ukraine, has fled to Norway. He says he is prepared to testify against the Wagner Group's founder and leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, about extrajudicial executions committed by members of the group. And, Mursal Nabizada could have fled Afghanistan with a humanitarian visa. But the former lawmaker remaine...
48m Jan 17, 2023
48m