Cuba’s complicated coronavirus success story
Cuban officials haven’t reported any new COVID-19 deaths for two weeks. At the same time — and not unlike in the US — Cuba is also seeing a grassroots movement to combat police brutality, which is more complicated amid the coronavirus. And, earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said social media companies are immoral and unfit for the Turkish nation. Now, Turkey’s ...
47m Jul 28, 2020
47m
Why coronavirus tests differ around the world
In the US, it's largely been up to individuals to figure out how to get tested for the coronavirus. The situation is very different in other countries. Meanwhile, South Africa had in place some of the world's strictest coronavirus lockdown measures. But now, COVID-19 cases are accelerating, and the country poses a threat to the entire African continent. Also, 30 years ago this week, US...
49m Jul 27, 2020
49m
Coronavirus Conversations: How the coronavirus crisis has exposed entrenched health inequities
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed entrenched health inequities for communities of color in the US and around the globe. As part of our regular series discussing the pandemic and as a special podcast in The World's feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a conversation with Nancy Krieger from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Krieger recently <a href="https://www.hsph.harvar...
32m Jul 27, 2020
32m
More US cities prepare for arrival of federal agents
The Trump administration announced the expansion of a program this week to quell violent crime that involves sending in federal agents to several cities that have seen recent racial justice protests. The World speaks to Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, where some 200 agents were deployed this month. Also, in the latest tit-for-tat between Beijing and Washington, autho...
47m Jul 24, 2020
47m
US-China relations have grown tense with regular clashes over trade, security, human rights and China's Hong Kong policies.
US-China relations have grown tense with regular clashes over trade, security, human rights and China's Hong Kong policies. Now, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is warning of Chinese meddling in Hong Kong's upcoming Legislative Council elections. And, since 2002, a treaty allows Canada to turn back asylum-seekers who come to its border checkpoints and hand them to US officials, where th...
49m Jul 23, 2020
49m
Alarms sounded about foreign interference in 2020 election
US Democratic lawmakers are demanding a prompt FBI briefing on an alleged foreign interference campaign targeting the 2020 election. And, the Trump administration told China to close its consulate in Houston, Texas, giving staff there 72-hours notice. Plus, a recent social media campaign launched by the Yorkshire Museum in England, called #BestMuseumBum, went viral and museum curators ...
48m Jul 22, 2020
48m
Britain ‘actively avoided’ investigation into Russia election meddling
Britain's government failed to determine and "actively avoided" looking into whether Russia meddled in the country’s recent elections, according to a much-anticipated intelligence report. And, after a long legal battle, the Thai Supreme Court has acquitted British human rights activist Andy Hall of defamation charges. And life under lockdown is stressful — perhaps a good, long scream w...
48m Jul 21, 2020
48m
Number in The News: 2 — Australia and New Zealand to co-host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup
From The World and PRX, this is The Number in the News. Today’s number: 2. The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup has big shoes to fill. The 2019 competition drew a record-setting 1.1 billion viewers around the world, and the players made major waves calling for pay equity in the sport. With the recent announcement that two countries — Australia and New Zealand — will co-host the 2023 tourna...
3m Jul 21, 2020
3m
Oxford’s coronavirus vaccine study shows glimmer of hope
Scientists at Oxford University published the results Monday of an early-phase coronavirus vaccine experiment showing strong immune response and no early safety concerns. And, for four days now, leaders from the European Union's 27 member states have been locking horns over the EU’s coronavirus recovery package. Plus Italian police found cocaine inside hollowed-out coffee beans. Invest...
47m Jul 20, 2020
47m
Coronavirus Conversations: Can advances in testing counter surging COVID-19 cases?
The surge in coronavirus cases around the world, led by US states like Florida and Texas, serves as a reminder of the urgent need for more testing. But those who can get a test must sometimes wait days for the results. As part of our regular series discussing the pandemic and as a special podcast in The World's feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discussion with epidemiologist Dr. ...
39m Jul 20, 2020
39m
July 17, 2020
48m Jul 17, 2020
48m
Hackers target coronavirus vaccine researchers
According to US, British and Canadian intelligence agencies, Russian hackers have allegedly been targeting researchers to steal COVID-19 vaccine research. And, in Iran, a rare online protest went viral this past week, calling for the end of the death penalty there. Also, climate scientists say record-breaking summer temperatures around the world may become the new normal. But, one solu...
48m Jul 16, 2020
48m
S3 Ep5: (Special) The wrong apocalypse — democracy! Yawn.
As the US reckons with systemic racism and a less-than-democratic past, China is doubling down on its authoritarian ways. Meanwhile, research on the health of democracy from across the globe indicates the patient is not well. In episode five of the third season of "Things That Go Boom," our partner podcast from PRX, host Laicie Heeley traces China’s rise from the 1990s, when American ...
28m Jul 16, 2020
28m
Trump administration reverses visa rule for international students
In a reversal, the Trump administration has abandoned a plan to strip international students of their visas if their coursework is entirely online. And, former Vice President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee for the US presidential race, outlined a climate plan on Tuesday that would spend $2 trillion over four years investing in clean-energy infrastructure. Plus, at the In...
48m Jul 15, 2020
48m
Questions about immunity and the coronavirus
Contracting the coronavirus doesn't mean you're immune to catching it again, according to a new study from King's College London. And, the British government has banned Huawei from the county’s future 5G network. Also, the anonymous street artist, Banksy, has entered the mask debate with his latest work — a series of stencils on London's Underground that features his trademark rats str...
47m Jul 14, 2020
47m
First ISIS, then COVID-19: Iraqi students struggle with online learning
Students in the city of Mosul, Iraq, saw their education come to a stop when ISIS took over their city three years ago. US and Iraqi troops liberated the city, but reconstruction has been painfully slow. Meanwhile, online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic has proven difficult. And, an economic and military deal is reportedly in the works between Iran and China. What could this tell...
47m Jul 13, 2020
47m
Coronavirus Conversations: Are countries prepared for a coronavirus surge?
After months of social distancing and lockdown measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, some countries are reopening. But fears of a second wave of COVID-19 infections are concerning. As part of our regular series discussing the pandemic and as a special podcast in The World's feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a conversation with William Hanage, associate professor of epi...
43m Jul 13, 2020
43m
Melbourne under lockdown again following coronavirus spike
While the US struggles to contain its first surge of COVID-19, Melbourne, home to nearly 5 million Australians, is on its second lockdown. And, Canada’s ethics commissioner is looking into allegations that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau violated the country’s conflict of interest law over his ties to a children’s charity. Also, over the course of the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of an...
49m Jul 10, 2020
49m
US Supreme Court rules Trump can’t block release of financial records
The US Supreme Court weighed in Thursday on the question of presidential power. The justices decided 7-2 that President Donald Trump cannot block the release of his financial records to prosecutors in New York. And, Taiwanese company Formosa Plastics is under fire for polluting waters near its factory in Louisiana. Also, the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park in Japan has released a video ...
49m Jul 09, 2020
49m
S3 Ep4: (Special) The wrong apocalypse — this is not a drill
Are we in the middle of a new Cold War — or have we rewritten the game? With old nuclear arms treaties expiring and no new ones being signed, are we adapting to the times — or playing with fire? In episode four of the third season of "Things That Go Boom," our partner podcast from PRX, host Laicie Heeley looks at the past and present of civil defense and nuclear arms control and asks what we c...
32m Jul 09, 2020
32m
US colleges to lose foreign students after ICE announcement
US colleges are bracing to lose many foreign students this fall after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued new guidelines that require international students in online-only courses to transfer schools or leave the country altogether. And the UN’s cultural agency UNESCO has warned that its name and logo are being illegally emblazoned on false documents to facilitate a scam sell...
49m Jul 08, 2020
49m
Brazil’s president tests positive for coronavirus
After months of flouting the threat of the pandemic, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro announced on live television that he has tested positive for the coronavirus. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is planning his first international diplomatic mission to Washington to celebrate the new US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement. But his visit is generating tough questions back hom...
49m Jul 07, 2020
49m
Coronavirus Conversations: How the pandemic is exacerbating food insecurity and global inequities
The coronavirus crisis has exacerbated existing crises of food insecurity and health disparities. And mass protests around the world continue to spotlight deep-seated inequities faced by communities of color. As part of our weekly discussion series on the global pandemic and as a special podcast in The World's feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a conversation exploring the global fo...
1hr Jul 07, 2020
1hr
Facebook suspends Hong Kong user data requests
Facebook and other tech giants will temporarily stop processing requests for user data from Hong Kong authorities after China imposed a security law on the city that calls for greater supervision and regulation of Hong Kong’s internet. And, many sex workers continued to work throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, putting them at risk from abusive clients as well as the coronavirus. Now, bro...
49m Jul 06, 2020
49m
Scientists study the coronavirus immunity puzzle
If one thing is clear about this teeny tiny new coronavirus, it’s that it has changed the world. Scientists around the world are trying to understand how immunity to the coronavirus works — but, as The World's Elana Gordon reports, it's a maddening puzzle. English pubs are reopening this weekend. Prime Minister Boris Johnson is encouraging the British public to enjoy, but also to use g...
47m Jul 03, 2020
47m
Fauci: 'We've got to do something' about the coronavirus numbers
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, sees COVID-19 as a formidable, global foe. But he tells The World's host Marco Werman he's cautiously optimistic there will be more than one safe and effective vaccine available. Also, could pulling CO2 directly out of the air be an effective way to fight climate change? Plus, in Brazil, wildfires...
48m Jul 02, 2020
48m
New security law in Beijing targets protesters
In Hong Kong, a restrictive new security law enacted by Beijing is being used to arrest protestors on its first day in effect. we hear from pro-democracy activist Isaac Cheng. Plus, in Russia, it’s the last day for citizens to vote on a large bundle of constitutional amendments that include a measure that would allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in power until 2036. And, we look ...
49m Jul 01, 2020
49m
What's at stake in Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement
Chinese artist and human rights activist Ai Weiwei talks about what's at stake in Hong Kong for the pro-democracy movement. Plus, vaccine testing in South Africa, which this week became the first African country with a vaccine trial. And, a change to a refugee program in Europe could leave thousands of the most vulnerable asylum-seekers who pass through Greek refugee camps homeless. ...
49m Jun 30, 2020
49m
Russian bounties on US troops in Afghanistan
In the past few days, The New York Times published bombshell revelations that Russia reportedly offered cash bounties to Taliban-linked fighters for killing US soldiers in Afghanistan. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with David Petraeus, the retired former head of US forces in Afghanistan and an ex-CIA chief, about how the US should respond if the reports are verified. And, one of...
48m Jun 29, 2020
48m
Developing ‘instant’ tests for the coronavirus
A number of so-called "instant" tests for the coronavirus are being developed that could offer results within minutes. That could expand testing dramatically and help hospitals in the most vulnerable of places. And, last week's Supreme Court ruling blocking the Trump administration from immediately ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was a relief for hundre...
45m Jun 26, 2020
45m
Coronavirus Conversations: What's next in the fight against the coronavirus?
The coronavirus has infected more than 9 million people and caused 440,000 deaths worldwide. With countries starting to reopen while we await vaccines and treatments, what can we expect next? How can we prepare and respond? As part of our series of conversations addressing the coronavirus crisis, and as a special podcast in The World's feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discussion...
33m Jun 26, 2020
33m
European Union set to reopen, but likely not to Americans
The European Union is getting ready to reopen to international travelers after months of restrictions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. But draft plans are expected to maintain limitations on travel from countries that have failed to bring the virus under a certain degree of control — including the United States. And, Russians began casting ballots on Thursday at the start of a ...
45m Jun 25, 2020
45m
Trump’s visa ban has technology companies worried
US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order targeting several visa programs for foreign workers, including programs US tech companies rely on to hire highly skilled foreign workers. Experts say changes to the H-1B and other programs will push those workers, and potential innovation, to other parts of the world. And, the Lebanese economy is tanking, which has put tens ...
46m Jun 24, 2020
46m
Trump celebrates the border wall
President Donald Trump visits Arizona on Tuesday where he will make a stop in Yuma to celebrate the 200th mile of construction of the US-Mexico border wall. Most of the construction has been replacement segments. And, a monument to Winston Churchill in central London has become a flashpoint between Black Lives Matter demonstrators and far-right protesters. Also, after three months of d...
46m Jun 23, 2020
46m
Face masks and the coronavirus crisis
The more we learn about the coronavirus, the more the evidence points to the importance of face coverings in limiting the virus’s spread. Still, if you’re confused about the what and the how of masks, you are not alone. And, Beijing had some strong words for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau this morning: "Stop making irresponsible remarks." Trudeau reiterated his belief that Chin...
46m Jun 22, 2020
46m
Celebrating Juneteenth amid global outrage over systemic racism
Today is the Juneteenth holiday celebrating the emancipation of African Americans from slavery. The World hears from an African American woman who moved to Ghana decades ago to escape racism in the US. Also, Former US ambassador Nick Burns, who knows former National Security Adviser John Bolton from his time in government, weighs in on the veracity of some of the claims in Bolton's for...
45m Jun 19, 2020
45m
Coronavirus Conversations: How systemic racism intersects with the pandemic
Calls for social justice and police reform have gained momentum as unrest continues across around the world in the wake of the killing of George Floyd. These calls are intersecting with the coronavirus pandemic. As part of our regular series discussing the coronavirus crisis, The World's health reporter Elana Gordon moderated a live conversation with David Harris, managing director of the Charl...
32m Jun 19, 2020
32m
Number in The News: 80 — travel bubbles are forming around the world — but not with the US
From The World and PRX, this is The Number in the News. Today’s number: 80. The UN World Tourism Organization estimates that international tourism could decline by 80 percent this year. Governments are trying to mitigate that by forming “travel bubbles” with neighboring regions. These allow for travel across borders for non-essential trips without quarantining upon arrival.
3m Jun 19, 2020
3m
US Supreme Court issues ruling on DACA
In a much-anticipated decision issued Thursday morning, the US Supreme Court ruled against the Trump administration's attempt to cancel Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. And, a new study shows how an anti-poverty program has an unexpected benefit when it comes to saving Indonesian forests. Also, farmers in China turned to livestreaming to sell off their produce during th...
45m Jun 18, 2020
45m
S3 Ep3: (Special) The wrong apocalypse — so you want your own army?
In Russia, after almost a decade in prison, businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin was released into a new world: Mikhail Gorbachev had given his last speech as leader of the Soviet Union and the Communist Party was outlawed. Soon, gangs were violently extorting new business owners and the murder rate soared in the country. But Prigozhin was comfortable with chaos. He started a hot dog stand an...
26m Jun 18, 2020
26m
The UN addresses systemic racism and police brutality
The United Nations addressed systemic racism and police brutality in the US. And, in the wake of George Floyd's death in Minneapolis, Minnesota, many people in the Middle East say they need more conversations about anti-black racism at home. Also, a transgender Kuwaiti woman was released on bail after support poured in from across the globe. Her lawyer calls it "the biggest LGBT moveme...
45m Jun 17, 2020
45m
China imposes restrictions after new coronavirus cases
A new cluster of cases of the coronavirus in Beijing is raising concerns about a second wave in China. Also, anger is mounting over the deaths of Indigenous people at the hands of police in Canada, sparked by the killing of George Floyd. And, how South Africa’s transition from apartheid to a new South Africa might be instructive for how the United States might use this unprecedented mo...
45m Jun 16, 2020
45m
Public health consequences of protests during a pandemic
Thousands have taken to the streets around the world to protest police brutality and systemic racism. But many public health experts are not as distressed about these large demonstrations as one might think. And, as the US targets the International Criminal Court with sanctions, the court makes a breakthrough in Sudan. Also, a team of psychology researchers in the UK has found that swe...
46m Jun 15, 2020
46m
Latin America's reckoning with racism and police violence
The World continues its coverage of campaigns for police reform across the globe. Host Marco Werman speaks with Siana Bangura, an organizer in London, and Miski Noor, an activist with Black Visions Collective in Minneapolis. Also, The World's Jorge Valencia has a story about police killings in Latin America.  Tensions continue to escalate between the US and China. The US Navy is dispa...
46m Jun 12, 2020
46m
The coronavirus crisis is pushing millions into extreme poverty
The coronavirus pandemic could set the planet back on decades worth of progress in securing access to food for millions of people living in poverty. And, protests against police brutality and racism in the US and elsewhere are resonating in South Africa, which has its own complicated history of police violence. Also, Russian emergency teams are still working to contain an oil spill in ...
46m Jun 11, 2020
46m
Global movements to end systemic racial discrimination
Wednesday on The World, we'll check in on global movements to end systemic racial discrimination. First to Toronto, Canada, where the city’s first black police chief resigned abruptly — months before he was supposed to and without explanation. And, thousands of demonstrators gathered in front of the US Embassy in Madrid over the weekend to commemorate the life of George Floyd. But, the...
45m Jun 10, 2020
45m
Black Lives Matter solidarity protests spread globally
In Greece, people are staging protests and actions in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. Organizers say the protests aren't just about police brutality, but also about the treatment of migrants in the country. And, voters in Georgia are voting today — most casting absentee ballots. As part of our weekly series, "Every 30 Seconds," we profile a young Latina in Atlanta, Let...
46m Jun 09, 2020
46m
Global protests against racial discrimination continue to spread
Protests against racial discrimination and social injustice continue across the globe. At a rally last weekend in Bristol, England, activists pulled down the statue of a 17th-century slave trader and dumped it in the harbor. And, the notion of putting the US military into the streets to quell unrest is a bridge too far for many people, including many military leaders. Also, As East Afr...
45m Jun 08, 2020
45m
Protesters worldwide face controversial police tactics
The tactics used by police forces to control protesters around the world over the death of George Floyd have included the use of rubber bullets and tear gas. Use of those instruments may violate international law, experts say. And, one of the world's most prestigious medical journals, The Lancet, has retracted a scientific article about the effects of hydroxychloroquine in treating COV...
47m Jun 05, 2020
47m
Protesters worldwide face controversial police tactics
The tactics used by police forces to control protesters around the world over the death of George Floyd have included the use of rubber bullets and tear gas. Use of those instruments may violate international law, experts say. And, one of the world's most prestigious medical journals, The Lancet, has retracted a scientific article about the effects of hydroxychloroquine in treating COVID-19. Pl...
47m Jun 05, 2020
47m