UN biodiversity summit kicks off in China
Delegates from around the world are meeting this week in Kunming, China, in the first part of a high-stakes UN biodiversity summit. The goal is to create a kind of Paris Agreement to protect the globe's plants and animals over the next decade. And, a harsh new bill is being proposed in Ghana that would punish members of the LGBTQ community as well as their supporters and advocates. Also, dozens...
48m Oct 12, 2021
48m
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
The US is grappling with its identity today. Is it Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Or neither? Depends on where you live. In Spain, there's little doubt — Columbus Day is a massive celebration, referred to as the National Day of Spain. This year in Madrid, the right-wing government is spending more than $1 million on a two-week long festivity with dozens of events. Also, Poland has rul...
51m Oct 11, 2021
51m
Nobel Peace Prize shines a light on freedom of expression
For the first time since 1935, the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to journalists: Maria Ressa of the Philippines, and Russian independent journalist Dmitry Muratov. The award honors their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression against the growing threats against it. And it’s election time in Iraq, where a high-stakes parliamentary vote will take place on Sunday. The election was called ...
49m Oct 08, 2021
49m
Abdulrazak Gurnah wins 2021 Nobel Prize for literature 
The Swedish Academy awarded the Nobel Prize for literature to novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah. The author of numerous novels who grew up in Zanzibar, Gurnah was selected for his "uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism." And, many in the US are asking what went wrong in Afghanistan after two decades of war ended with Taliban rule. Illinois Sen. Tammy Duckworth is c...
58m Oct 07, 2021
58m
 ‘Historic’ malaria vaccine proven safe for kids 
The World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that a vaccine against malaria has been found to be safe and effective — including for kids, who account for the vast majority of malaria deaths. And for decades, an international network of clergy sexual abuse survivors and their advocates have been pushing for more accountability within the Catholic Church. We hear from accountability exper...
49m Oct 06, 2021
49m
French victims of childhood sex abuse in Catholic Church speak out
The Bishops' Conference of France has released a report documenting more than 300,000 cases of child sexual abuse within the French Catholic Church. The independent commission is the first of its kind anywhere in the world. Also, El Salvador's citizens have faced multiple traumas in the past decades: war, gang violence, natural disasters and now, COVID-19. We hear from a group of ambulance work...
49m Oct 05, 2021
49m
The hidden riches of Lebanon’s leaders
The “Pandora Papers” are being called the greatest-ever leak of secret deals and hidden assets. Top Lebanese officials are among the powerful whose secrets are revealed in the leak. And, confidence in British police has been shaken following the sentencing of a serving police officer for the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard in London last March. Advice to women on how to handle their fe...
48m Oct 04, 2021
48m
Haitian migrants in Mexico caught in legal limbo
In the southern Mexican state of Chiapas, tens of thousands of migrants hope to reach the United States, but are caught in legal limbo. They hail from different countries in Central and South America, but many are from Haiti. Also, when a massive earthquake and tsunami hit eastern Japan 10 years ago, with a subsequent nuclear disaster, nearly 20,000 people died. Some found healing in sashiko, a...
49m Oct 01, 2021
49m
Hazara persecution in Afghanistan worsens under Taliban rule 
Members of the Hazara ethnic group in Afghanistan have faced discrimination and violent attacks for a long time. Under the new reality of Taliban rule, things appear to be getting worse. And, for the first time, on Sept. 30, Canada will recognize a National Day of Truth and Reconciliation to honor the thousands of students who died at residential schools for Indigenous children between 1883 and...
48m Sep 30, 2021
48m
Lights out in parts of China
The lights have gone off in parts of China. Elevators have shut down and streetlights have gone dark. The country isn't producing enough electricity. Shortages are being blamed on the high cost of fuel due to strong demand from industries and tougher emission standards. And, the city of Tapachula in southern Mexico, close to the border with Guatemala, has become a transit point for thousands of...
48m Sep 29, 2021
48m
US-Saudi meeting hints at new diplomatic approach
US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan heads to the Middle East to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, as well as officials in the United Arab Emirates, to talk about Yemen and Iran. What is the significance of this trip? And top US Army officials faced sharp questioning on Tuesday on Capitol Hill about the US’ chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. We hear from retired United S...
48m Sep 28, 2021
48m
Huawei incident signals evolution of US-China relations
The return to China of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou in an apparent exchange for two detained Canadians offers clues into the evolution of US-China relations — one that may require uncomfortable compromises. And four weeks after the US left Afghanistan, America and its allies are still keeping a close eye on the country, with counterterrorism and national security top of mind. How will the US g...
49m Sep 27, 2021
49m
The plight of unaccompanied Afghan minors 
In the chaos of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan and the mass evacuation, a number of unaccompanied minors ended up on flights out of the country. Now comes the difficult task of reuniting them with families or helping them find new homes. Also, if you’re in the market for a puffy vest this winter, you may need to be patient. The shipping bottlenecks occurring at California ports continue to ...
49m Sep 24, 2021
49m
China’s season of crackdowns
Over the past few months, China's regulatory crackdowns have impacted almost every corner of Chinese society, with new restrictions targeting everything from entertainment to after-school education to car-share apps and video games. Also, Haitians gathered under the Del Rio International Bridge in south Texas will be allowed to cross the Mexico-US border, but those who make it across often have...
49m Sep 23, 2021
49m
Biden’s ambitious spending plan
President Biden is proposing one of the most ambitious spending plans since the 1930s — a $3.5 trillion investment tackling everything from clean energy, to early education, to health care. A total overhaul of the American economy. The big question: How do we pay for it? Also, the cost of energy is hitting record highs in Spain. It's driven by the rising cost of gas and lower-than-usual winds (...
48m Sep 22, 2021
48m
Thousands of Haitians seek asylum in US
Thousands of Haitians who had hoped to seek asylum in the US are arriving at Haiti’s main airport. Haiti’s fragile government has little aid to offer the arriving deportees. And COVID-19 continues to ravage Southeast Asia, with most countries’ borders more or less closed. In Thailand, the virus has killed more than 15,000 people and anger toward the Thai government is spilling into the streets....
48m Sep 21, 2021
48m
Taliban bans girls from high school 
The Taliban ordered all schools in Afghanistan to reopen this weekend after months of closure because of COVID-19 and political upheaval. But the future of education for millions of high school girls remains unclear because Taliban leadership banned them from returning to their studies. And a new security pact signed between the US, Australia and the UK took Paris by surprise. It means that a b...
48m Sep 20, 2021
48m
The debate over recognizing the Taliban government
It's been a month since the Taliban took over Afghanistan. But so far, no nation has recognized them as the official government there. Foreign powers are making their own calculations about how to proceed. Plus, President Joe Biden is asking world leaders to commit more money to help developing countries deal with climate change. It's the latest in a flurry of diplomatic efforts aimed at securi...
50m Sep 17, 2021
50m
Historic new security deal for the Asia Pacific region
President Joe Biden appeared at a virtual joint news conference with Boris Johnson and Scott Morrison, the prime ministers of Britain and Australia, to announce a new security arrangement for the Asia Pacific region. Under the terms of the historic deal, the US will share nuclear submarine technology with Australia. Also, few international humanitarian groups remain in Afghanistan. And, France ...
48m Sep 16, 2021
48m
Tensions mount over missile tests on the Korean peninsula
Both North and South Korea tested ballistic missiles on Wednesday within hours of each other. Over the weekend, Pyongyang said that it had successfully launched a long-range cruise missile — its first test in six months. Also, this week, Apple rushed to update its iPhone software after security vulnerabilities were discovered. A hacking tool developed by Israeli spyware firm NSO Group was shown...
48m Sep 15, 2021
48m
Two governments claim to run Myanmar
Two governments claim to run Myanmar. Will the United Nations accept Myanmar’s widely despised military regime or will it recognize a new revolutionary government that has massive public support? Also, Finland has two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Now, the mayor of Helsinki wants to declare the capital an English-language city, but not everyone agrees. And renowned soccer player Cris...
47m Sep 14, 2021
47m
Migrant groups violently disbanded in southern Mexico
Mexican immigration officials and National Guard soldiers have been chasing and detaining groups of migrants attempting to leave the southern state of Chiapas. Also, Iran and the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog came to an agreement on Sunday with a focus on monitoring devices at Iranian nuclear sites. Plus, the fearsome Komodo dragon can take down animals as big as a horse. But now, the dragon...
48m Sep 13, 2021
48m
TITLE Which interpretation of Islam will guide Taliban governance?
Islam is the key pillar of the Taliban’s vision for their newly formed government in Afghanistan. But which interpretation of Islam will guide the group's governance? And, over the last year, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Belarusian strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko have met six times. Recently, the two leaders announced concrete steps, which will lead to further economic integration...
49m Sep 10, 2021
49m
Activists call for UN climate summit postponement
A network of 1,500 environmental groups are calling on the British government to delay the UN climate summit scheduled for November in Glasgow, Scotland. They're worried that delegates from vulnerable nations won't be able to attend due to travel restrictions, lack of access to vaccines and the cost of quarantine hotels. And, soon after 9/11, the US created a centralized terrorist watchlist, a ...
48m Sep 09, 2021
48m
Coronavirus Conversations: Kids return to school amid the surging delta variant
Children around the world are returning to class, with schools opening up after a year of closure during the COVID-19 pandemic. But with the rapid spread of the more-contagious delta variant, and coronavirus vaccines not available for much of the global school-aged population, children’s health risks have become even more pressing. As a part of a regular series of conversations presented in par...
46m Sep 09, 2021
46m
Mexico decriminalizes abortion
The Supreme Court of Mexico ruled on Tuesday that it is unconstitutional to jail women for having an abortion. However, the decision does not mean nationwide, immediate access to the procedure. And, 20 years after 9/11, and in the wake of the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, many Americans are questioning the assumptions underpinning the so-called global “war on terror.” Plus, French actor and N...
49m Sep 08, 2021
49m
Global lens on Afghanistan as new Taliban government takes shape
The Taliban has announced choices for several interim positions in their new government. And, 20 years after 9/11, militant Islamists continue to be a threat, not just in Afghanistan, but across much of the world. Also, the coronavirus pandemic has changed a lot in the political landscape around the globe. One of its consequences is the growth of authoritarianism, or its tendencies, in a number...
48m Sep 07, 2021
48m
A new Bangladesh study shows effective ways to encourage mask wearing
A trial involving 600 villages in Bangladesh has proven the effectiveness of wearing surgical masks, and shown practical ways of getting people to wear them. Also, Kai-Fu Lee explains to The Economist the role that AI will play in our jobs in 20 years. And, Germany’s commitment to returning artifacts taken from African countries is putting pressure on other Western nations to do the same.
49m Sep 06, 2021
49m
Understanding the Taliban
Since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, there's been a lot of worry about what they will do, how they will rule and what it means for Afghan women. But a more fundamental question is this: Who are they this time around? Also, asylum-seekers allege pushbacks at Europes’ external borders. One Syrian child attempting to reach Europe claims he was violently pushed back from Greece to Tu...
49m Sep 03, 2021
49m
What does Taliban power mean for other militant groups in Afghanistan?
For years, the Taliban was designated by many countries as an extremist or terrorist group. Now that they’re in power in Afghanistan, what does this mean for other militant groups, such as ISIS-K and al-Qaeda? Also, we hear from the EU’s top migration official, Ylva Johansson, about what EU leaders are planning in order to prevent a migration crisis similar to the one experienced by the bloc in...
48m Sep 02, 2021
48m
Kabul residents queue up in long lines for cash
Residents of Afghanistan’s capital have been queuing up for hours to withdraw strictly limited amounts of cash from their bank accounts. Prices for basic goods are skyrocketing. Also, since 2002, the US has backed the Philippines in fighting Islamist rebels trying to take over the tropical islands. Nearly 20 years on, and the rebels are still there, including a group called Abu Sayyaf, which sy...
48m Sep 01, 2021
48m
A timeline of 20 years of war in Afghanistan
We look at the timeline of Afghanistan's fall to the Taliban, and recap the US’ withdrawal from the country after 20 years of war. Now that the US military has fully withdrawn from Afghanistan, many Afghans who wanted to leave did not manage to get on an evacuation flight. We hear from one woman working for a high-profile women’s empowerment project who was left behind. Plus, Alex Rocha, a tour...
47m Aug 31, 2021
47m
How will the US gather intelligence in Afghanistan?
In just one day, US troops will be completely out of Afghanistan, amid ongoing violence and terrorist threats. How will the US detect the dangers in Afghanistan after the US military is gone? Also, elephants are sacred in Sri Lanka. Now, they’ll have their own identity cards, among other new rules to better protect Sri Lankan elephants. And, since 2016, more than 200 US government officials abr...
50m Aug 30, 2021
50m
Airlifts continue out of Kabul after deadly explosions 
Airlifts out of Kabul continue just one day after bombings rocked the area around the airport. More than 100 people are dead, including 13 US troops. Also, when Europe began its vaccination rollout last December, Romania was one of the fastest out of the bloc, but that quickly fizzled out. In the last few weeks, the government has turned to the Romanian Orthodox Church for help. And, across the...
47m Aug 27, 2021
47m
Kabul airport explosion upend evacuation effort 
Explosions outside the Kabul airport on Thursday have upended the evacuation effort there and taken the lives of US soldiers and Afghans. At the time of the blasts, the airport was crowded with people trying to leave Afghanistan. Also, as the US and Mexico continue to debate the controversial “Remain in Mexico” policy, hundreds of migrants arrive every day at a rural border outpost in Guatemala...
46m Aug 26, 2021
46m
Afghanistan: A safe haven for terrorist groups?  
As the US continues to execute its exit from Afghanistan while trying to secure the Kabul airport — experts are warning that the threat of terrorism is rising. And on Wednesday, the first group of evacuees from Kabul arrived in Uganda, in East Africa. Uganda is one of several countries that agreed to assist the US in temporarily hosting at-risk Afghans and other nationals fleeing Afghanistan. P...
48m Aug 25, 2021
48m
A majority of Brazilians embrace the COVID-19 vaccine 
In Brazil, President Jair Bolsonaro has been public about his anti-vaccine position on COVID-19. Brazilians, on the other hand, have embraced it. According to a recent poll, 90% of Brazilians say they plan on getting vaccinated. Also, Afghans fleeing Taliban rule are starting to arrive in the US. Many are starting a new chapter of life in apartments, often arranged by refugee resettlement agenc...
47m Aug 24, 2021
47m
Many Afghans who helped Canadian military are stranded 
For months, advocacy groups have urged the Canadian government to evacuate Afghan staff and interpreters for the Canadian military. Now, Canada lacks the personnel in Afghanistan to help these former employees leave. Also, the Taliban may now possess US-made planes, helicopters, howitzers and small arms left behind by the retreating Afghan forces. How much of the Afghan arsenal will the Taliban...
48m Aug 23, 2021
48m
Kabul airport becomes only hope for Afghans to evacuate 
Hamid Karzai International Airport has been in the global spotlight for the past week. This relatively small airport has become the only hope for many people stuck in the country to leave. And, as the US scrambles to secure the Kabul airport in the waning days before its final exit from Afghanistan, European allies are following events closely. The Biden administration says it's working closely...
48m Aug 20, 2021
48m
Journalists walk a fine line under Taliban rule 
Taliban spokesmen have said they'll be more accommodating toward journalists than in previous years, but Ayesha Tanzeem, the Afghanistan Pakistan bureau chief for Voice of America, is wary. And, Khalida Popal says she founded the Afghan women's football team in 2007 as an act of defiance against the Taliban. Now in exile, she is fielding calls from her former teammates who fear for their lives....
48m Aug 19, 2021
48m
The fate of Afghans who helped the US
Since 2014, at least 300 Afghan interpreters, or their relatives, have been killed. Now, many of these Afghans fear being left behind as the Taliban takes control of Afghanistan. And, in the aftermath of the Taliban takeover, the ripple effects are reverberating across borders. Some Afghans are looking to Central Asia as a potential safe haven. Also, Pakistan welcomes Chinese investments in inf...
47m Aug 18, 2021
47m
European countries scramble to evacuate staff and locals from Afghanistan
Following the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban, European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Poland, are scrambling to evacuate their citizens, and Afghans who worked with them, from the country. US President Joe Biden says he stands “squarely behind” his decision to exit Afghanistan. Ryan Crocker, former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, says he’s shocked by the way the Biden administr...
47m Aug 17, 2021
47m
Afghanistan is now under Taliban control
Afghanistan is now under control of the Taliban. Host Marco Werman talks to a US government interpreter who says the Taliban has hounded him with death threats. Plus, the latest on the airlift at the Kabul airport, and what the first days of life under Taliban rule have been like for women. Also, Zambia is setting a good example for peaceful transitions of power, with President Edgar Lungu acce...
47m Aug 16, 2021
47m
The Taliban takes over provincial Afghan capitals at an alarming pace
The Taliban continues to take over provincial capitals in the north with stunning speed. The US is preparing for a rapid evacuation of personnel, and the Biden administration is dispatching 3,000 troops to help. US officials warn that Kabul could fall within 30 days. And a Hazara family tries to flee Afghanistan. Also, the US may soon open up to more foreign travelers, but require proof of vacc...
49m Aug 13, 2021
49m
Taliban fighters are in the streets of Afghanistan's third-largest city
Taliban fighters are in the streets of Afghanistan's third-largest city. Also, the new climate report from the UN calls for rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. We get a reality check on the massive effort needed to meet climate goals. And, an Olympic gold medalist from Jamaica thanks the volunteer who helped him get to his competition on time.
48m Aug 12, 2021
48m
Strategic Afghan city falls to the Taliban
In Afghanistan, three more regional capitals fell to the Taliban yesterday. That makes nine in less than a week. One of the latest to fall is the city of Pul-i-Khumri, in Baghlan province, a vital piece of territory. And wildfires continue to rage in parts of Greece, including on Evia island. The Greek government has announced relief measures for those impacted. Also, EU officials are accusing ...
47m Aug 11, 2021
47m
Ethiopia calls on civilians to fight against Tigray forces 
Ethiopia's government is calling civilians to join the military to fight against Tigrayan rebel forces. This marks a stunning turnaround for Ethiopia and its leader, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. And, yesterday, Britain, Canada, and the United States imposed new sanctions on Belarus. The move comes one year after strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko rigged the country's presidential election in h...
48m Aug 10, 2021
48m
Fires continue to rage in Greece
Crews and locals on Evia island, and other parts of Greece, continue to battle blazes burning through thousands of acres of forested and residential areas. As other countries step in with support, many Greeks say they feel abandoned by their own government. And, a new UN report says the Earth will likely blow past the 1.5 Celsius mark by the 2030s, a goal set by the Paris agreement to minimize ...
48m Aug 09, 2021
48m
Women in western Afghanistan fight for their lives
As fighting in western Afghanistan intensifies, thousands of women and children are forced to leave their homes. The UN estimates 270,000 Afghans have been displaced since January. Also, on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945, a photographer roamed through the rubble of Hiroshima. His images of people exposed to the atomic blast were the only ones taken that day. And France dropped nearly 200 atomic bo...
48m Aug 06, 2021
48m
Coronavirus Conversations: The delta variant surge and what's next for the pandemic
The highly infectious COVID-19 delta variant is leaving a devastating wake around the globe. The surge of infections raises a lot of questions and has sparked concern among public health officials. As part of The World's regular series of conversation presented with The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and as a special in our podcast feed, editor Carolyn Beeler moderated a di...
44m Aug 06, 2021
44m