US faces second mass shooting in under a week
Another city, another tragic shooting in the United States, this time in a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, on Monday. The shooter killed 10 people in a horrific mass shooting, again capturing the global spotlight less than a week after a shooting in Atlanta left eight dead. And, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has withdrawn his country from a treaty protecting women from gender-based...
49m Mar 23, 2021
49m
Migrants at the US-Mexico border await their fate
Migrants continue to arrive in large numbers at the US-Mexico border, with many more expected in the days ahead. The Biden administration is taking a lot of heat from many sides for not being adequately prepared. Also, an unlikely new alliance has formed between conservatives and progressives in El Salvador: They came together in opposition to foreign mining companies. And, Israel will hold yet...
49m Mar 22, 2021
49m
Top officials from US and China hold first talks since Biden presidency
Top US and Chinese officials have gathered face-to-face for discussions in Alaska. The meetings publicly got off to a rough start but officials say progress was being made behind closed doors. And, the US announced plans to send a total of 4 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Mexico and Canada. Also, the Iron Dames — an all-female professional racing team competing in Grand Touring end...
49m Mar 19, 2021
49m
Lawmakers to address immigration amid increase in migrants at US-Mexico border
The US House is considering two immigration bills that are expected to address citizenship for young immigrants and undocumented farmworker protection. The legislation comes as the Biden administration confronts a growing humanitarian challenge at the US-Mexico border. And, a group of London teenagers recently put up guerrilla road signs that highlight the disproportional effect of toxic air on...
49m Mar 18, 2021
49m
Concerns over a rise in anti-Asian violence after deadly shootings in Atlanta
Shootings at three Atlanta-area spas last night left eight people dead. Six of the victims were Asian women, raising concerns about the growing threat of anti-Asian violence. And, Dublin’s Violet Gibson is the Irishwoman you've probably never heard of who actually shot Benito Mussolini in 1926. Also, socially distanced dancers from the folk dance ensemble Shamrock Bhangra shake their stuff in f...
49m Mar 17, 2021
49m
Poor countries fall behind on coronavirus vaccination efforts
The United States now accounts for almost four out of every five coronavirus vaccine doses given across the Americas. But with the improved inoculation rollout, many poor countries are falling behind. And, a growing number of European nations are suspending use of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine because of reports of dangerous blood clots. That’s despite the fact that international regulators ha...
49m Mar 16, 2021
49m
(Special episode) Saving the world with 50-year-old I‪T‬
In December 2020, the company FireEye noticed that it had been the victim of a cyberintrusion. And it wasn’t the only one. About 18,000 companies and government agencies were breached — everything from the agency that controls America’s nuclear weapons to the agency that regulates the electric grid to a company whose products you probably use every day: Microsoft. So, what did they have in comm...
22m Mar 16, 2021
22m
10 years after the popular uprising that led to Syria’s civil war
As the Syrian revolution and civil war has played out over the last decade, up to 1 million Syrian refugees fled to Lebanon and many have stayed. And, Europe is facing a dangerous, new surge of COVID-19 cases, just as Italy, France and Germany suspend use of the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Grammys changed its category Best World Music Album to Best Global Music Album. What’s with the change in thi...
51m Mar 15, 2021
51m
Hope for a green economic recovery
A new report from Oxford and the UN has found that economic recovery spending has not been as climate-focused as many advocates have been hoping for. But there’s hope for the future. And, at his address to the nation Thursday night, US President Joe Biden said that all Americans over 18 will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine by May 1. But elsewhere in the world, the picture looks very differ...
49m Mar 12, 2021
49m
10 years after a disaster and tragedy in Fukushima
In May 2011, just weeks after the Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown, The World’s Marco Werman visited the port city of Ishinomaki, where more than 3,000 people died after a 9.0 earthquake triggered a tsunami that flattened much of the city. Ten years later, we return to Ishinomaki, after a decade of rebuilding. And, after a year into the pandemic, hate crimes against Asian Americans appear...
49m Mar 11, 2021
49m
Looking to the future after a year of the coronavirus crisis
The pandemic was officially declared one year ago by the World Health Organization on Thursday. It is hard to fathom the magnitude and the losses since then. The World looks to how psychologists are bracing for the ripple effects in years to come. Also, the immense challenge of the global vaccination effort has led to some creativity in making the jab accessible. And, a new art project in Japan...
49m Mar 10, 2021
49m
A discussion of race and racism in Britain
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s interview with Oprah Winfrey included revealing comments about the British royal family that has led to frank discussions in British society about race and racism in the royal palace. And, corruption convictions against former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva have been thrown out by the country’s Supreme Court, potentially paving the way for another...
49m Mar 09, 2021
49m
The women who play a vital role in the fight against COVID-19
On this International Women’s Day, The World takes a look at the groundbreaking role women have played during the pandemic in the research and innovation of coronavirus vaccines. Also, across Latin America, demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest against gender violence. And, one visible change since President Joe Biden took office is a steady rise in the number of migrants at the US...
48m Mar 08, 2021
48m
A global lens on China's National People's Congress
China's National People's Congress began Friday by setting out broad plans for economic growth. Environment observers around the world are also keeping an eye on plans from China’s top lawmaking body for reducing carbon emissions over the next five years. And, for years, the US military has depended on Afghan interpreters for languages and advice on local norms. But when troops return home, the...
49m Mar 05, 2021
49m
Deadly Myanmar crackdown becomes test for the West
The deadly crackdowns by Myanmar security forces on demonstrators protesting a military coup are raising alarm in the West. How the US responds to calls for action on Myanmar is becoming a test of President Biden's foreign policy team. And, Pope Francis travels to Iraq on Friday for a three-day visit, despite the pandemic and escalating violence. Also, a team of multidisciplinary researchers ha...
49m Mar 04, 2021
49m
Coronavirus Conversations: Grieving and mental health amid the coronavirus pandemic
Despite vaccination campaigns underway, the end of the pandemic is still a way off and the death toll continues to weigh on the mental health of people around the world. How do you grieve amid the ongoing suffering? As part of The World's regular series of conversations with Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as a special feature in our podcast feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated...
37m Mar 04, 2021
37m
Brazil’s continuing struggles with the pandemic
On Tuesday, Brazil experienced its highest daily death toll from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Hospital systems across the country are overwhelmed and scientists say a new variant spreading there appears to be more contagious. Also, global carbon emissions dropped by 7% in 2020 compared to 2019. And, a recent decision by the Cherokee Supreme Court to remove the words "by blood" from...
49m Mar 03, 2021
49m
Biden administration faces pressure over US sanctions on ICC
The Biden administration is evaluating the sanctions former President Trump imposed on members of the International Criminal Court over the ICC's investigation of possible war crimes by US forces in Afghanistan. Prominent groups are calling on the Biden administration to lift those sanctions. And, President Biden held his first video conference with his Mexican counterpart, President Andrés Man...
49m Mar 02, 2021
49m
Myanmar’s increasingly deadly crackdown on protesters
Police and troops in Myanmar are intensifying a crackdown on unarmed protesters. They opened fire on civilians, killing at least 18 people on Sunday and wounding dozens. And in Pakistan, past vaccine programs have been hindered by a mix of conspiracy theories, a CIA operation and opposition by religious leaders. Will it be different with COVID-19? Also, it was a big night for Chloé Zhao who on ...
49m Mar 01, 2021
49m
US airstrikes target Iranian-backed militia facilities in Syria 
The US launched airstrikes in Syria on Thursday, targeting facilities near the Iraqi border used by Iranian-backed militia groups. And, Israel wasn’t the first country to begin vaccinations, but the pace and scale of its vaccination campaign have made it a world leader in shots per capita. Also, scientists have dated the oldest rock art painting from a cave in remote northwestern Australia usin...
50m Feb 26, 2021
50m
France develops new way to deal with vaccine skepticism
France has one of the highest rates of vaccine skepticism in the world. In order to address this, the government created a citizen advisory committee to help set vaccination policy. And, a mixed-use mini-city on the outskirts of Vienna showcases what’s possible for green building, mobility and sustainability. Also, fans planning to watch the gilded Olympic torch pass by on its route through Jap...
49m Feb 25, 2021
49m
What’s next in the pandemic after hopeful signs with Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
A review by the US Food and Drug Administration found Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine shot for the coronavirus is safe and effective — sending a strong positive signal throughout the world. So, what does that mean for the pandemic? And, in a landmark ruling, a German court convicted a Syrian intelligence officer for aiding and abetting torture and abuse in Syria. Also, a herd of 20 plai...
49m Feb 24, 2021
49m
The challenges of China’s coronavirus vaccination campaign
China's goal is to inoculate about 70% of its population. That's nearly a billion people, and it's got a big challenge. And, widespread protests have erupted every night for the last week in Spain protesting — and often clashing with police — over the imprisonment of rapper Pablo Hasél. Also, archaeologists have unearthed a large-scale brewery in Egypt dating back 5,000 years.
50m Feb 23, 2021
50m
Anti-coup demonstrations in Myanmar turn deadly
Ever since Myanmar’s military led a coup, demonstrators have flooded the streets of major cities. Now, the tense standoff between the military and the popular uprising has taken a deadly turn after the deaths of three protesters. And, the COVID-19 vaccine effort is in many ways like no other, even to organizations like UNICEF, which has been working on vaccine outreach for decades. Also, NASA’s...
50m Feb 22, 2021
50m
White House breaks with Trump’s 'maximum pressure' policy, calls for Iran talks
In a break from the previous administration, the White House announced that it is ready to meet with Iran and other signatories of the 2015 nuclear deal. And, getting soldiers and militias fighting wars to lay down their weapons for a vaccine rollout seems unlikely. But Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary General Jan Egeland suggests it can happen, and it can be a first step to ending conflicts...
49m Feb 19, 2021
49m
Rolling blackouts affect millions and force factory closures in Mexico
The freezing temperatures have resulted in rolling blackouts across Texas, that extend to most of northern Mexico. Millions are stuck without power and thousands of factories have shut down. And, Australian Facebook saw a total news blackout on Thursday after the company preempted a proposed law that would have forced the company to pay media organizations for news content on the tech platform....
49m Feb 18, 2021
49m
South Africa coronavirus vaccination campaign underway after rocky start
There were cheers and applause on Wednesday in Johannesburg, South Africa, where the country's first coronavirus vaccines were administered after the country’s national rollout was halted after a complicated and disappointing start. And, the United Kingdom on Wednesday approved the world's first coronavirus human challenge study. Also, Peter Gabriel has re-recorded his classic song “Biko” with ...
49m Feb 17, 2021
49m
France's Marine Le Pen attempts to remake her image
Politician Marine Le Pen is the face of the far-right in France. But, for the past few years, she's been trying to remake her image and recast her National Rally party away from its extremist roots. And, a resistance is taking root after more than two weeks since Myanmar’s military detained elected officials and seized total power in a coup. Also, for many Polish Americans, Fat Tuesday goes by ...
50m Feb 16, 2021
50m
Chinese staying put for this year's Lunar New Year
China is successfully controlling the spread of COVID-19 infections. But people there aren’t taking chances this Chinese New Year — they’re staying put. Also, over the weekend, former US President Donald Trump was acquitted in the Senate impeachment trial. However, some lawmakers are now calling for further investigation into the events of the Capitol breach — including creating a 9/11 style co...
49m Feb 15, 2021
49m
Biden to keep Trump-era China tariffs for now
In a call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden said he would keep tariffs on China in place since the Trump administration for the time being. In the UK, with new Brexit rules, British musicians say the industry is in jeopardy. Also, Friday is Chinese New Year, a time for celebration when streets and restaurants overflow with food and festivities. But the pandemic has hit some Ch...
49m Feb 12, 2021
49m
Biden administration sanctions Myanmar military officials over coup
As protests over a military takeover continue in Myanmar, on Thursday, the Biden administration announced new sanctions against the country's top military officials who led the coup. The sanctions will prevent the generals from accessing more than $1 billion in Myanmar government funds held in the US. And, for years, conflict, insecurity and lack of economic opportunities sent many Afghans to n...
50m Feb 11, 2021
50m
As the impeachment trial gets underway, security in the US Capitol is on high alert
As prosecutors from the US House made their case for the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, security was on high alert in Washington. There are more police and National Guard and access to the Capitol building is tight — but how long will this continue? And, opposition activists and lawmakers are demanding that Haitian President Jovenel Moïse step down. Also, an ancient conch shell t...
48m Feb 10, 2021
48m
A global lens on Trump’s second impeachment trial
As the second historic impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump begins in Washington, The World explores the question: What do the trial and the siege of Capitol Hill have in common with the rise of right-wing, populist politics in some eastern European countries? And, a report about how to reconcile the French and Algerian people, commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron, has...
49m Feb 09, 2021
49m
(Special episode) Duluth, not as cold as you think!
Darlene Turner is an Inupiaq Eskimo living on a battle line. Not the military kind, the climate change kind. With less sea ice to buffer storms, the ocean is washing away chunks of her village and its residents have made a difficult decision to relocate. “Would you relocate?” she asks. Experts believe stories like Turner’s are just a precursor to a massive migratory trend that could have milli...
28m Feb 09, 2021
28m
Myanmar demonstrators protest military rule following coup
A week ago, Myanmar's military ended the country's brief experiment with democracy, leading a coup and taking full control over the government. But in recent days, crowds of protesters have taken to the streets to say otherwise. And, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says lifting sanctions is a prerequisite to getting back to the negotiation table with the US on the nuclear deal. Als...
49m Feb 08, 2021
49m
In US foreign policy reset, Biden advocates for diplomacy
US President Joe Biden delivered what many viewed as a morale boost to the foreign service on Thursday. In his first major foreign policy speech as president, Biden declared that "diplomacy is back." And, the world is witnessing the biggest vaccine campaign in history. Now, eight weeks since the first COVID-19 shots arrived, where are we with vaccine rollout? Also, an all-female rowing team bas...
48m Feb 05, 2021
48m
Reuniting families after Trump’s zero-tolerance immigration policy
It's been over three years since the Trump administration began separating families at the US-Mexico border as part of a zero-tolerance policy. This week, President Joe Biden announced a task force to reunite families, but some people have already been doing the arduous work searching for parents. And, almost a year into the pandemic, societies around the world are faced with immense contradict...
49m Feb 04, 2021
49m
Farmers’ protests in India garner celebrity support
The protests led by farmers in India are entering their third month with no sign of ending. Now, global celebrities are weighing in on the standoff including Rihanna and Greta Thunberg. And, the people helping manage vaccine shortages and rising cases of the coronavirus in populations across African countries are some of the best equipped for responding to infectious diseases and the pandemic. ...
47m Feb 03, 2021
47m
Military coup in Myanmar raises alarms at home and abroad
In Myanmar, a military coup has outraged citizens. Some of their elected leaders have been detained and cut off from the world and no one knows if the army will lock up even more civilians. And, Tuesday, President Biden signed three executive orders to alter US immigration policies. Also, a new study published by the Lancet shows that Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is nearly 92% effective against C...
48m Feb 02, 2021
48m
A second weekend of widespread protests across Russia
For a second weekend in a row, demonstrators across Russia came out to the streets to call for the release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny from jail. And, Myanmar’s military has seized power in a coup. The takeover happened before dawn on Monday with politicians taken from their homes and detained. Also, while concerns are growing over the limited supplies of approved COVID-19 vaccines,...
48m Feb 01, 2021
48m
The race to vaccinate as new coronavirus variants emerge
The global race toward the mass vaccination of populations continues to face hurdles around the world just as new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus are identified. And, the United Kingdom, with one of the highest COVID-19 mortality rates per capita in the world, has a new way to stop the spread of the coronavirus by putting people in hotels to quarantine. Also, long before Wuhan beca...
48m Jan 29, 2021
48m
Immigration among priorities for new Biden administration
The Biden administration has been undoing several controversial policies of the last four years including former President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration. And, with less than six months until the Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to take place, officials are still finalizing plans for how to keep athletes safe from the coronavirus. Also, cleaning, cooking and taking care of children is work...
49m Jan 28, 2021
49m
Biden’s pick for US ambassador to the United Nations faces Senate hearing
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday held a confirmation hearing for President Joe Biden's nominee to represent the US at the United Nations, veteran diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Also, a new study suggests that the global economy will take a major hit if low- and middle-income countries aren’t able to vaccinate their populations. And, more and more Arab women are becoming pr...
50m Jan 27, 2021
50m
Farmer protesters in India demand to be seen and heard
Thousands of farmers took to the streets of India’s capital on Tuesday as part of monthslong protests against agricultural laws that farmers say put their livelihoods at risk. Vishavjit Singh, a Sikh American artist and activist, suggests there’s an important similarity between the farmers in India and minorities in the US: the need to be seen and heard. And, President Joe Biden’s longtime conf...
48m Jan 26, 2021
48m
Things That Go Boom: A forward-looking foreign policy
Just after President Dwight D. Eisenhower assumed office on Jan. 20, 1953, deep in the middle of the Cold War, his greatest adversary died. The speech that followed is considered one of his best, though not his most well-known. Today, it’s not hard to imagine Eisenhower standing up before us and making the same case he did almost 70 years ago. In this episode of "Things That Go Boom," The World...
26m Jan 26, 2021
26m
Mexican President López Obrador tests positive for the coronavirus
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — known to flout wearing a mask — said Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatment for mild symptoms. And, civil rights groups are raising concerns about moves by the US Congress to strengthen laws to investigate and charge domestic terrorists suggesting it could result in the targeting of Black and other diverse comm...
48m Jan 25, 2021
48m
Biden ends controversial travel ban on majority-Muslim countries
The Biden administration announced plans to overturn former President Donald Trump’s travel ban on refugees and travelers from many Muslim-majority countries. And, as President Biden and his foreign policy team get to work, one country presents some big challenges: China. Also, the rumor mill heated up on Thursday after a London newspaper reported the Summer Olympics would be called off. But of...
48m Jan 22, 2021
48m
A year later after the coronavirus lockdown in Wuhan
A year after the first lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China, there are two different narratives: one of heroism and teamwork, and another about loss and pain. And, after four years of the US reneging on international agreements and rolling back domestic environmental regulations, what does the Biden-Harris administration have to do to regain trust and lead the world...
47m Jan 21, 2021
47m
Coronavirus Conversations: Schools disrupted amid the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has forced school systems around the world to piece together patchworks of in-person, remote and hybrid learning programs. What’s the latest science on children and COVID-19? As part of The World's regular series of conversations on the pandemic with Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as a special in our podcast feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discu...
39m Jan 21, 2021
39m
US President Joe Biden sends a message to the world
US President Joe Biden used his inaugural address to send a message to the world, taking the opportunity to directly repudiate Trump's “America First” policy. And, Biden outlined his top priorities on Wednesday including the environment, calling climate change one of the "cascading crises" America faces as he takes office. Also, in stark contrast to former President Trump's policies and approac...
50m Jan 20, 2021
50m