Podcasts by Global Security

After raid and arrest, Russian journalist ‘will just keep doing my job,’ he says from 2021-07-29T16:20:31

In Russia, the crackdown on journalism continues. Independent outlets are deemed undesirable or foreign agents. Individual journalists are targeted and harassed, with arrests and raids of their ...

Russia tests vaccine science by combining Sputnik and Astrazeneca in new trial from 2021-07-27T15:00:36

In Russia, there's a green light for a new vaccine trial.

The idea is to combine a first dose of the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V, with a second dose of the British AstraZeneca shot. 

...

Iran's'system is essentially water bankrupt,'says environmental expert from 2021-07-23T15:56

Iranians have had enough of their long drought — specifically in Iran's southwestern Khuzestan province, whereListen

South Africa’s democracy is ‘standing firm’ despite civil unrest, says analyst from 2021-07-13T16:20:16

William Gumede, the executive chairperson of the Democracy Works Foundation in South Africa, discusses the recent civil unrest in South Africa with The World’s host Marco Werman.

US bans some solar products from Xinjiang, citing human rights abuses of Uyghur people from 2021-07-13T15:59:34

A recent report shows that polysilicon companies — a key component of solar panels — used forced labor of Uyghur people. 

Feminist activists in China speak out against online censorship despite government pushback from 2021-07-13T14:13:16

Last week, LGBTQ student groups in China woke up to find their social media accounts abruptlyshut down. It came after several fem...

Protesters in Cuba are calling for the ‘end of the communist state,’ historian says from 2021-07-12T16:59:08

Lillian Guerra, who writes extensively on the politics of Cuba, has been following the protests from her home in Gainesville, Florida. She joined The World's host Marco Werman to talk about the sig...

US human trafficking report elicits anger from several countries from 2021-07-08T13:37:27

The Biden administration’s first comprehensive annual review of modern slavery is causing shockwaves around the world.

Hundreds protest Turkey’s withdrawal from treaty to prevent violence against women from 2021-07-02T12:30:49

On July 1, Turkey formally withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, designed to protect women against violence, claiming a section on sexual orientation and gender identity counters Turkey’s “family ...

Reflections on the 100-year anniversary of China’s Communist Party   from 2021-07-01T17:42:08

Two people born in China in somewhat different eras join host Marco Werman to look at the evolution of the Chinese Communist Party.

Lebanon’s financial crisis is so bad that soldiers can't feed their families from 2021-06-30T13:58:25

A Lebanese general recently warned that the crisis could "lead to the collapse of all state institutions," including the army.

The politics of Ireland’s enduring support for Palestinians from 2021-06-29T17:00:06

Ireland is the first EU country to declare that Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories amount to de facto annexation.

Ethiopia’s federal government announces ceasefire as Tigray forces make gains in the region from 2021-06-29T16:55:47

The latest development is a striking turnabout — six months ago, Ethiopia’s federal troops launched a major offensive on the city, chased the Tigray forces out and installed an interim government i...

Turkey’s Lake Van: A dangerous crossroads on the migrant trail from 2021-06-24T14:15:07

As Turkey steps up migration controls, Afghan asylum-seekers take bigger risks. More than 800 people have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea this year alone.

Saudi Arabia is 'desperate to get out' of Yemen's yearslong civil war from 2021-06-22T15:57:11

Saudi Arabia says it is ready to talk peace with Houthi rebels in Yemen. But Nadwa Dawsari, a nonresident scholar the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC, says these negotiations have "nothing ...

For the first time, Canada applies terrorism charges to acts of Islamophobia from 2021-06-21T15:43:29

Nathaniel Veltman has been charged with murder in the case of the Azfaal family. Some legal experts say that adding the terrorism charge signals a shift in how Canada prosecutes those accused of te...

Biden and Putin both place a ‘high priority’ on cybersecurity, says presidential adviser after Geneva summit from 2021-06-16T17:01:30

Despite tensions in the summit lead-up, the two leaders were overly cordial in their remarks after the meeting. Rose Gottemoeller, lead US negotiator for the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Ne...

Turkey's health workers hike steep mountains to deliver vaccines in isolated villages from 2021-06-16T14:46:33

In rural Ba?kale in eastern Turkey, medical teams have spent months traveling into the mountains to deliver vaccine doses to 120 villages.

Russia's vote at UN could cut off humanitarian aid to northwest Syria from 2021-06-15T15:32:26

Millions of people could be cut off from assistance if the Bab al-Hawa crossing, along the border between Turkey and Syria, closes. Basma Alloush, policy and advocacy adviser for the Norwegian Refu...

'It’s un-British': UK government crackdown on asylum courts controversy  from 2021-06-14T17:12:44

Since late last year, the British government has been putting male asylum-seekers arriving on dinghies from France in a former base called the Napier barracks. Earlier this month, a high court judg...

As US withdraws troops from Afghanistan, it will remain ‘fully focused’ on peace, says negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad from 2021-06-11T14:36:06

Zalmay Khalilzad, US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, says the US and the Taliban have alternative visions for the future. He joins the The World's Marco Werman with insights ...

Moscow multimedia exhibition focuses on anti-Kremlin protest culture from 2021-06-09T13:56:08

"Time Difference," a new multimedia art exhibition by Katya Muromtseva, 31, urges viewers to listen to the voices of those who are critical of the Kremlin.

The word ‘apartheid’ is used to describe Israel’s control over Palestinians. Why is it so loaded?  from 2021-06-08T14:13

Human rights groups have used the term apartheid strategically to emphasize the need for a paradigm shift in the region. But others argue that the loaded term doesn’t apply.

In Hong Kong, lighting a candle for Tiananmen victims is now a crime from 2021-06-03T13:34:06

Wearing black, or being in or around Victoria Park on the anniversary, could also land someone a one-year sentence in jail.

‘Police have to realize that they also make mistakes’: Colombian protesters demand reform, empathy from 2021-06-02T12:13:19

In a fresh wave of protests that began on April 28, after the government proposed raising taxes, many demonstrators say police shot, beat and hurt them with tear gas canisters.

China now allows 3 kids per family, but many couples say they can’t afford it from 2021-06-01T14:41:43

As China grapples with an aging population and the lowest birth rate in decades, the government is urging couples to have a third child.

‘Our phones are our only weapon’: French citizens demand police reform to address racism from 2021-05-26T13:14:13

One year after the death of George Floyd sent shockwaves around the world, calls to reform France’s police force have been met with pushback. French police say that they're afraid, too.

A year after George Floyd’s murder, New Zealand reckons with its own police reform from 2021-05-25T14:32:47

George Floyd’s death has raised awareness about problems with policing across the globe — but it’s not clear how much has changed.

‘Mining kills’: A gold rush in Brazil threatens the Yanomami Indigenous people from 2021-05-25T13:22:32

Thousands of illegal miners have invaded Yanomami land in recent years, polluting rivers, destroying forests and putting Indigenous communities at risk. Now, those communities are fighting back.

Belarus flight diversion: Lukashenko presents 'real threats to European security,’ says analyst from 2021-05-24T17:23:43

Katia Glod, a Belarus analyst with Center for European Policy Analysis, joins The World's host Carol Hills, with insights on yesterday's flight diversion and subsequent detention of dissident Roman...

Self-declared state of Somaliland celebrates 30 years of independence from 2021-05-18T15:21:01

With little international recognition, Somaliland has nevertheless cultivated a reputation for being more stable and more democratic than its neighbor Somalia.

Tibetans in exile elect a new president from 2021-05-14T12:49:57

Penpa Tsering, the new president-elect of the Central Tibetan Administration, said his first priority is to build trust. The election comes at a critical time for the Tibetan diaspora, as China tig...

A decade of war has devastated Syria's health care system from 2021-05-12T16:43:51

Sometimes, the most basic services are not available to patients. And it can lead to dire consequences.

New Zealand condemns China’s treatment of Uyghurs but won't call it ‘genocide’ from 2021-05-11T17:14:35

New Zealand has joined other countries in calling out China for its mistreatment of Uyghurs, but falls short of calling it "genocide." Critics say the condemnation has been "watered down" to protec...

Some migrants crossing the Mediterranean say they prefer death to being returned from 2021-05-10T14:42:54

At least five migrants have drowned off the coast of Libya, including a woman and child. The journey to a better life is often harrowing.
Some migrants crossing the Mediterranean say they prefe...

Efficiency over privacy: How trust in the Chinese government helped contain the pandemic from 2021-05-10T14:20:55

Author Yashu Zhang describes the efficiency of China's vaccination rollout and why there's so much trust in authorities in the fight against the coronavirus.

'This is a war scene’: Rio residents grieve, protest against deadly police raid from 2021-05-07T15:26:29

At least 25 people were killed on Thursday in a police raid on a poor community in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Now, residents and local officials are demanding answers — and accountability.

Is Brexit destabilizing Northern Ireland? from 2021-05-07T11:53:44

Last month's violence in Northern Ireland was blamed on anger over Brexit but, upon closer inspection, the issues run much deeper.

US will go ‘beyond mere statements’ to support Ukraine sovereignty, says former US amb from 2021-05-05T17:35:32

William Taylor, the former US ambassador to Ukraine, joined The World's host Marco Werman to talk about what's at stake with Secretary of State Antony Blinken's strategic visit to Kyiv. 

Displaced Syrians in Turkey say Syria's elections are a sham from 2021-05-04T12:25:10

???????Syria is set to hold presidential elections this month. Syrians in Turkey view the exercise with cynicism and bitterness.

The Proud Boys right-wing group disbands in Canada from 2021-05-03T15:50:53

Two months after being designated a terrorist organization in Canada, the group has disbanded, saying that it never posed a threat, as claimed by Ottawa officials.

'Fighting corruption in Russia is now being called extremism,' says Alexei Navalny's top strategist from 2021-04-30T16:07:06

Leonid Volkov joins The World from Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, to give an update on Alexei Navalny's health status and the future of their political opposition movement in Russia, after being ...

This center in Turkey was a refuge for Syrian youth. The pandemic shut it down. from 2021-04-27T16:09:25

In Turkey, a center that helped get children and youth off the streets has been closed for more than a year amid the pandemic.  

Denmark revokes residency permits of some Syrian refugees from 2021-04-27T15:30:02

Under a new policy that deems certain parts of Syria safe to return, some Syrian refugees now face deportation and, in some cases, family separations. The European Union, the United States and nume...

Russian dissident Alexei Navalny's health warrants 'justified, grave concern,' says his adviser from 2021-04-19T17:03:40

Vladimir Milov tells The World that after the third week of Navalny's hunger strike in prison, "there is a grave danger to his health."

A fresh call for ‘pingpong diplomacy’ on the 50th anniversary of the first US-China games from 2021-04-16T16:07:39

The 1971 Table Tennis World Championship featuring US and Chinese teams has never been forgotten. Now, original players are calling for renewed diplomacy as tensions continue to mount between the t...

'People are being abandoned in the middle of the sea': Claims that Greece pushes back migrants to Turkey are rising from 2021-04-14T12:21:25

Greek authorities have strongly denied those claims. Evidence and pressure, though, are mounting. 

‘The way they silence us is by killing us’: Armed conflict returns to Colombia’s port city of Buenaventura  from 2021-04-09T17:31:13

In the last four months, a wave of violence has taken over much of the city, as two criminal groups, Los Chotas and Los Espartanos, vie for control.

A mental health crisis on Lesbos is worsening  from 2021-04-09T13:17:53

Reports of suicide attempts within the refugee population are up, as are other symptoms related to depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Meanwhile, virtually all mental services on the isl...

‘Our unity is our hope,’ exiled Myanmar envoy says from 2021-04-08T12:34:04

From hiding, a parliament-in-exile takes shape and seeks to build a new armed resistance force.

Royal tumult in Jordan comes at a time of economic hardship from 2021-04-06T13:48:56

A rare but tense rift within Jordan’s royal family is playing out in public. But for one Jordanian who spoke to The World, it's the economy that should be the focus.

Myanmar’s army is turning guns on medics from 2021-04-02T12:10:56

Fears of a failed state abound as hospitals close and EMTs dodge bullets. 

Activists protest migrant facility plan in Greece: ‘Greek islands will not be turned to prisons’  from 2021-03-30T16:51:31

A group of residents gathered in the port city of Mytilene to protest plans for a permanent migrant facility on the island. 

Rapper Ali ATH wonders if there's a place for him in Afghanistan's future from 2021-03-25T17:52:49

Up-and-coming rapper Ali ATH overcame many obstacles to get into the music business in Afghanistan. Now, as the Taliban gets ready to return to power, he wonders if he will be able to remain in his...

Uyghur mothers in Turkey walk for miles to ask politicians for help locating their children in China from 2021-03-24T16:26:07

These mothers say they were separated from their families by the Chinese government’s campaign of forced labor camps and surveillance, which has targeted the ethnic Uyghur minority living in the Xi...

Inside Myanmar, calls for UN intervention grow louder from 2021-03-18T11:19:51

A brutal military coup has some protesters calling for armed intervention — but is this a real possibility?

This photographer tells the story of Syria’s war through the eyes of children from 2021-03-17T14:00:08

Syrian photographer Bassam Khabieh turned his lens on children to capture how the war impacted them. His photos are now in a book called, “Witnesses to War: The Children of Syria.”

Afghan interpreters languish in visa limbo as US coalitions return home from 2021-03-17T13:19:38

Mohammad, an Afghan interpreter, cleared big hurdles to get a Special Immigrant Visa, which is available to Afghans who have assisted US missions. He was killed by the Taliban before his visa was a...

Powerful countries break their silence on Egypt's human rights abuses  from 2021-03-15T16:49:15

It’s the first time the UN council has weighed in on the situation in Egypt in seven years. And, it represents a policy shift by the US, which was among 31 countries that brought a resolution forwa...

Fighting in Syria has subsided. But refugees in Lebanon still hesitate to return. from 2021-03-15T14:30:38

A decade after protesters took to the streets to oppose the Assad family’s rule, President Bashar al-Assad has retaken control of most of the country. But that doesn’t make it any easier to return.

Biden’s new plan for peace in Afghanistan garners mixed reactions from 2021-03-12T16:39:35

This week, the Biden administration put forward a power-sharing arrangement between the government in Kabul, Afghanistan, and the Taliban, the details of which were leaked by TOLONews.

Greek police roll out new ‘smart’ devices that recognize faces and fingerprints from 2021-03-11T16:15:58

Greek authorities say the technology will make police checks more efficient, but critics are sounding the alarm about potential abuses. 

‘All of us have been arrested at least once’: Kurdish press in Turkey walk a fine line from 2021-03-09T16:47:02

Mesopotamia Agency, Turkey's largest Kurdish news outlet, is often at odds with the government’s narrative about its longtime struggle against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

North Korea to reopen its borders for the coronavirus vaccine from 2021-03-08T12:52:20

The pandemic appears to have further cut off North Korea from the rest of the world. But now, the country is set to receive nearly 2 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine through the COVAX progr...

Israel has a stake in Biden administration's decision to lift ICC sanctions from 2021-03-02T17:10:38

Prominent groups are calling on the Biden administration to lift Trump-era sanctions on ICC members. But Israel, one of America's closest allies, is asking the new president to keep them in place.

The biggest challenge for vaccine workers in Pakistan? Staying alive. from 2021-03-02T16:52:13

Vaccine workers in Pakistan have faced threats for a long time. The reasons behind anti-vaccination sentiments and hostility toward workers vary, but misinformation and a CIA operation have played ...

‘We cannot continue to live like this': Migrants desperate to work occupy Brussels church from 2021-03-01T12:19:10

Up to 200 undocumented migrants, including teenagers, have occupied St. John the Baptist in Brussels since the end of January. They're calling on the government to grant them legal status.

Travel for Chinese New Year plummets amid coronavirus concerns   from 2021-02-25T14:12:57

The Chinese government hasn’t actually forbidden travel this year, but they’re strongly discouraging it. 

Wary of coronavirus vaccines, some Chinese citizens are ‘opting out’  from 2021-02-24T13:45:52

With the pandemic mostly behind them now, along with a lack of data around the efficacy of Chinese vaccines, many citizens are taking the “wait-and-see” approach to getting vaccinated.

UN Human Rights Council starts work to address a ‘pandemic of human rights abuses' from 2021-02-23T12:15:21

Experts say that as the US rejoins the UN Human Rights Council, it should hold allies — and itself — accountable for human rights violations. 

Yemen's most stable city threatened by Houthi takeover from 2021-02-19T15:08:37

Houthi militias have renewed their military campaign to take over Marib, Yemen. Nadwa al-Dawsari, a scholar at the Middle East Institute, tells The World what’s at stake with this new push to take ...

Report: Lebanese security used French-made equipment during protests from 2021-02-18T13:08:54

Lebanon’s security forces used French-made rubber bullets, tear gas canisters and other anti-riot equipment to crush protests, according to an Amnesty International report.

Public art honoring Egyptian American Moustafa Kassem sends universal human rights message from 2021-02-17T16:58:05

“His name will be remembered not just as a failure of US foreign policy, but to remind people that it's not just him," says Mohammad Soltan, founder of the Freedom Initiative.

In Myanmar’s uprising, some fight for more than just 'democracy' from 2021-02-17T12:27:45

The generals, most of whom are ethnically Burmese, have immense power but little public support. Their coup has enraged much of the population, from the mountains to the sea.

Hundreds of Black families in Brazil could be evicted to make way for space base expansion from 2021-02-16T14:00:57

As part of a 2019 agreement with the US, Brazil is looking to expand its space base, but it could mean evicting hundreds of Black families from their ancestral lands.

Afghan returnees struggle with unemployment, violence at home from 2021-02-12T14:22:02

For years, Afghans have moved to Iran and Pakistan to escape conflict, insecurity and lack of economic opportunities. Since last March, the pandemic, economic woes and deportations have forced many...

China launches world’s largest carbon market from 2021-02-11T14:56:09

Can it help China reach its net-zero goals?

Tigray region faces deteriorating crisis 3 months into conflict from 2021-02-08T16:41:52

Over 60,000 Ethiopians have fled to neighboring Sudan and the millions that remain now face a worsening humanitarian crisis.

In Germany, fighting against extremism starts at school from 2021-02-05T14:41:58

Activists are working with children and youth in schools to combat extremism amid a renewed wave of anti-immigrant politics, conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic attacks in Germany.

One year after lockdown, Wuhan volunteers say the pandemic transformed their lives from 2021-02-05T14:12:37

The pandemic inspired some Wuhan residents to volunteer and help out. Others sought out a change of scenery after the lockdown lifted. Many still have PTSD, says Wuhan-based restaurateur Wang Fan.

How India’s Serum Institute became a COVID-19 vaccine powerhouse from 2021-02-04T14:24:09

As the world’s largest maker of low-cost vaccines, the institute finds itself in the middle of an uphill battle to vaccinate the world against COVID-19. 

Relent or resist the coup? Myanmar’s citizens plot their next move.  from 2021-02-03T16:49:49

The party is helmed by Myanmar's most famous person, living or dead: Aung San Suu Kyi. Now, “Aunty Suu,” as she is widely known, is deposed and detained, along with hundreds of other elected politi...

Sputnik V vaccine is nearly 92% effective — a 'political win for Putin' from 2021-02-02T16:05:57

Public health expert Judy Twigg says that the Sputnik V vaccine study increases Russia's soft power influence around the globe.

New doc features the life of Iran's leading human rights lawyer from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

For two decades, Iranian lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has fought for the rights of children, women and minorities in Iran. She has been arrested several times and is currently serving a 38-year prison se...

Qingdao tests all 9 million residents for COVID-19 from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

This large-scale testing is possible in China in part due to big data monitoring that’s already set up to keep track of people’s movements in the country. 

Israeli ultra-Orthodox celebrate Simchat Torah holiday despite lockdown orders from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Under lockdown rules, gatherings are limited to 20 people outdoors and 10 indoors. But on Saturday night, in the Shikun Hahistadrut neighborhood, music and singing rang out from the open windows of...

Does the spirit of ‘Je Suis Charlie’ endure in France today? from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

As the trial for the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris enters its sixth week, some say that the sense of togetherness in France that emerged following the brutal attack didn’t last very long and that a...

How the next US president may impact the future of Taiwan from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Unofficially, the Trump administration has made moves to support an independent Taiwan, angering China. The question now is whether the next president will continue that policy. 

In Iran, all eyes are on US election's impact on sanctions, security from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Iran and the US almost went to war back in January. Since then, the Trump administration has doubled down on its “maximum pressure” campaign by increasing sanctions. Now, some Iranians are keeping ...

Amid increasing US-China tensions, humor is serious business from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

American Jesse Appell’s comedy is part of a long history of cultural diplomacy between the US and China. Musical performances, art exchanges and sports competitions have all helped to strengthen th...

Leon Panetta: 'Put our intelligence people on highest alert' amid White House outbreak from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The vice-commandant of the US Coast Guard, Admiral Charles Ray, learned that he is infected with the coronavirus. Head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley is now in quarantine as a result. The...

China's new Silk Road runs through Latin America, prompting warnings from the US from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Many Latin American countries have joined China’s Belt and Road Initiative, including Panama. As Mexico considers whether to join, some countries in the region face pressure from the Trump administ...

COVID-19 in the West Wing means instability amid fraught election, analyst says from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The coronavirus has sidelined President Donald Trump from at least some of his duties. Garrett Graff, a writer and national security analyst, spoke to The World's host Marco Werman about the nation...

Israelis protest against new COVID-19 measures that restrict protests from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Under new measures against the coronavirus, the Israeli government has banned protesters from holding demonstrations more than 1 kilometer (about a half-mile) from their homes. In response, some ac...

Schiff: US power to confront hard targets like China ‘has really atrophied’ from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

A new report from the House Intelligence Committee says that intelligence agencies are facing great difficulty shifting away from counterterrorism toward new threats from countries like China. The ...

Iraqi archbishop who helped save ancient manuscripts from ISIS nominated for EU award from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

When ISIS took over his city, Archbishop Najeeb Michaeel Moussa knew he had to jump into action to save hundreds of ancient manuscripts. The risky effort was dangerous but ultimately successful. No...

US Embassy closure in Iraq would hand Tehran a 'strategic victory,' says former Iraqi amb to UN from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Feisal al-Istrabadi, the former Iraqi ambassador to the United Nations, joins The World's host Marco Werman to talk about the potential closure of the US Embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone.

Europe’s far-right stands behind Trump in US 2020 election from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Supporting an American president is highly unusual for far-right politicians in Europe, but many see Donald Trump as an anti-establishment figure who rallies against elites.

What Trump’s taxes mean for national security from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Susan Hennessey, executive editor of the Lawfare blog, said that Donald Trump's taxes raise serious questions about the president's debts.

Lebanese take to the sea — risking their lives to reach Europe from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Until recently, it was mostly Syrian and Palestinian refugees making the trip across the Mediterranean Sea. But increasingly, Lebanese citizens are filling the boats.

Belarus opposition leader: 'We are fighting for the future of our children' from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Many in Belarus and across Europe say the Aug. 9 presidential election was rigged and that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is the true president.

Russian opposition politician: 'Two dictatorships in Europe are two too many' from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Banishing enemies, fraudulent polls and politically motivated poisonings are all too familiar for Vladimir Kara-Murza, vice president of the Free Russia Foundation, who spoke to The World's host Ma...

Math at midnight: Students stuck in US struggle with remote learning at Chinese schools from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

For students who normally live in Shanghai, China, going back to school with remote learning from half a world away in the United States has its downs — and a few ups. 

'You can’t just break up’: US-China tensions add stress for binational couples from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

US-China tensions have added stress to binational Chinese American couples who say current politics have impacted their plans — and perspectives. Most try to compromise and wish their countries cou...

US-China expert: Trump's UNGA speech shows dangers of fraying diplomatic relations from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Michael Green, a former National Security Council adviser, says the lack of dialogue between the US and China "could get us in big trouble."

Migrants displaced by Lesbos fire say conditions at new camp are inhumane from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Greek authorities have moved almost all of the 12,000 displaced migrants and refugees on Lesbos island into a new camp after the Moria camp where they were living was destroyed by fire.

Italy is caught in the middle of the EU's tussle with its 'systemic rival,' China from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Italian populists—skeptical of the value of EU membership—drove Italy to become the first G7 country to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Then the pandemic brought generous EU aid, leaving Ita...

Palestinians worry about the impact of the Abraham Accords. They say it's time to elect new leaders. from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

President Donald Trump hosted a signing ceremony on Tuesday with Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The new alliances have left some Palestinians wondering if it’s time for new leadership.

Nalvany poisoning shows it’s ‘much riskier’ now to stand up to the Kremlin, says investigative reporter from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Opposition politician Alexei Navalny's poisoning is a "trick" used by the Kremlin to send a warning to fellow Russians, says Russian investigative reporter Andrei Soldatov.

China's new Silk Road traverses Kazakhstan. But some Kazakhs are skeptical of Chinese influence. from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

The tradeoffs of China's investment in Kazakhstan require Kazakhs — most of whom are Muslim — to reckon with the persecution of Muslim minorities just across their border.

Greece and Turkey sail toward a crisis of sea borders  from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Greece's and Turkey's land borders are fairly clear these days — but claims over the sea are not. When you add recent, underwater gas discoveries to the mix, the decision about who has the right to...

US intelligence dysfunction ‘rooted in the chaos of the presidency,’ says author of book on 9/11 from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Since the tragic events of Sept.11, 2001, national security analysts say intelligence agencies have improved on information sharing, but that Trump administration policies have discouraged reliance...

Lithuanian foreign minister calls for support for Belarusian protesters from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Linas Linkevicius, the Lithuanian minister of foreign affairs, has been one of the most vocal world leaders speaking up against Alexander Lukashenko. He tells host Marco Werman why he supports the ...

The 'China dream': The new Silk Road begins at home from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

In the first episode of "On China's New Silk Road," The World's former China correspondent Mary Kay Magistad looks at Chengdu, China, a stop on both the ancient Silk Road and the new one, for clues...

In the removal of a Soviet symbol of oppression, Russians see lessons for the US from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

As debates in the US rage over the removal of Confederate and other monuments that celebrate a racist past, some in Russia have been thinking hard about how people there confront their own history. 

Abruptly canceled, ShanghaiPRIDE could be harbinger for China’s civil society from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Organizers did not offer an explanation for the sudden cancelation and indefinite hiatus, but co-founder Charlene Liu cited "safety" concerns for all involved.

Typhoon Bavi strikes North Korea amid pandemic lockdown  from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Pyongyang has closed its borders, preventing aid groups from entering the country. Now, the regime’s ability to effectively respond to the disaster could be curtailed due to the absence of such org...

WeChat users in the US rankled by potential ban on the app from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

WeChat, a wildly popular app in China and among the Chinese diaspora, could soon become unavailable in the US, after President Donald Trump signed an executive order targeting the app over security...

Polish activists fight against anti-LGBT movement from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Poland is considered the worst country in the European Union in terms of gay rights.

US elections require a 'well-educated electorate about Russian tactics,' says Sen. Warner from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Mark Warner, vice chair of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, discusses the latest intelligence report and its clear warnings for 2020 US elections.

ISIS-linked port seizure signals growing terrorism threat in Mozambique from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Mozambique’s Minister of Defense Jaime Neto said the attackers had attacked the village from the inside, killing civilians and damaging the nearby port.

Buying masks from China can get complicated. This businessman connects buyers with sellers. from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Cameron Johnson is a businessman and management consultant in Shanghai, but ever since the pandemic started, his life has been taken over by the high demand for personal protective equipment (PPE).

How Taiwan is battling coronavirus with tech, crowdsourced data and trust from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Taiwan has kept its COVID-19 numbers low compared to other countries: It has seen fewer than 500 cases and seven deaths. Much of that success has been attributed to Taiwan's approach to technology,...

Migrant workers stuck in Beirut in wake of blast from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Dozens of domestic workers have been stranded in Lebanon since last week's blast. Many have lost their jobs and homes. They say they have no money for plane tickets back to their countries. The cor...

Opposition figure calls for 'new, democratic, open country called Belarus' from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Mass protests in Belarus have been met by violent crackdowns after the recent election. Veronika Tsepkalo, who helped create one of the largest expressions of dissent Belarus has seen in years, joi...

UAE-Israel normalization: A 'real breakthrough' for Arab Gulf state, former ambassador says from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Israel and the United Arab Emirates look set to establish full normalization of relations. As part of that framework, Israel has agreed to suspend annexation plans in the West Bank.

US Capitol attack exposes depth of America's problem with white extremism from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

J.M. Berger, author of the book, "Extremism," says his most urgent question is how and where the large and radicalized community of extremists in the US will act next, pointing out that 15%-30% of ...

No joke! How two cartoonists spurred revolution during the Arab uprisings. from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Syria's Ali Ferzat and Egypt's Mohamed Anwar radically departed from long-established rules about how to depict their leaders. Their images served as a catalyst for massive uprisings that swept acr...

A poem penned during Libya’s 2011 uprising continues to inspire hope from 2021-01-31T22:10:42.023393

Libyan American poet Khaled Mattawa penned "Now That We Have Tasted Hope" in 2011, on the heels of an uprising in Libya that led to the ousting of President Muammar Gaddafi. Looking back, the poem'...

Wuhan — China’s punk capital — slowly returns to its indie music scene from 2021-01-28T14:29:21

Long before Wuhan gained its global reputation as ground zero for the coronavirus, the city was a hotbed of punk and indie rock.

In crisis, North Korea is turning further inward from 2021-01-26T14:11:44

Poor and isolated in the best of times, North Korea is now even more cut off from the world. 

Civil rights groups oppose expanding laws to target domestic terrorists from 2021-01-25T17:27:38

Some lawmakers want to make it easier to investigate and charge someone for domestic terrorism. But civil rights groups say they shouldn’t. 

South Korea’s baby boost for married couples excludes nontraditional families from 2021-01-21T15:39

South Korea wants more couples to have babies — but not all families are equal. Same-sex marriage is banned, and there are no laws that protect the LGBTQ community from discrimination. Single mothe...

How the Biden administration might undo some of Trump's immigration policies from 2021-01-19T16:42:03

The incoming Biden administration has said it will overturn policies such as the bilateral agreements the Trump administration made with Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to keep asylum-seekers a...

In Canada, Syrian refugee kids find belonging through hockey from 2021-01-15T14:29:20

When a hockey coach in Newfoundland, Canada, heard a Syrian refugee boy named Yamen Bai wanted to play hockey, he put out a call for donations. A year later, Yamen is keeping up with his teammates ...

Green China: Where authoritarianism and environmentalism meet  from 2021-01-14T14:53:21

Yifei Li, an environmental researcher and co-author of the book, “China Goes Green," speaks to The World's host Marco Werman about the downfalls of authoritarian environmentalism in China.

China’s 'vaccine diplomacy' fills void in developing world left by US 'vaccine nationalism' from 2021-01-12T17:16:59

Expanding vaccine access helps China reframe the narrative of the pandemic and improve China’s image, said Yangzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations.

'The death of American exceptionalism’: Views from abroad on US Capitol attack  from 2021-01-08T16:44:58

Outside observers watched with disbelief as a violent mob of Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, the seat of US power.

'Even if a coup fails, it still damages your government': What the US can learn from Sri Lanka's coup attempt from 2021-01-08T14:27:52

Back in November, Sri Lankan writer Indi Samarajiva wrote a prescient essay titled, "I lived through a stupid coup. America is having one now." After a violent Trump-backed mob attacked the US Capi...

As COVID-19 cases spike, Israel leads world in vaccine distribution from 2021-01-06T14:48:43

New cases have surged to a three-month high in Israel, but health authorities have still managed to vaccinate about 50% of the country’s high-risk population.

From Sudan, Ethiopian refugees tell their stories from 2021-01-05T15:58:37

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed claimed that no civilians were killed in weeks of active military operations in northern Tigray. Many Ethiopian refugees in Sudan told The World otherwise.

Canada urged to investigate the death of Baloch human rights activist  from 2020-12-30T14:58:33

Karima Mehrab Baloch, 37, advocated for Balochistan's regional independence from Pakistan. Her death in Canada has sparked an international outcry.

Armenian winemakers hope to maintain ancient tradition following Nagorno-Karabakh conflict  from 2020-12-28T13:25:35

The war in Nagorno-Karabakh has been a huge setback for Armenia's nascent wine industry. As the country mobilized for war, grapes wilted on the vine. 

Tensions mount at Sudan-Ethiopia border as refugees flee Tigray conflict  from 2020-12-23T18:11:28

More than 50,000 Ethiopian refugees have fled the conflict in Tigray. With heightened insecurity at the Sudan-Ethiopia border, many refugees are reluctant to return home, despite the reassurance of...

Undeterred by ICC decision, Uighurs hail EU, UK steps toward holding China accountable from 2020-12-21T16:04:38

For several years, Beijing repeatedly denied allegations of genocide. But some recent developments suggest 2021 may see a breakthrough in the Uighurs’ long struggle for justice, with help from a ne...

Arab uprisings: What role did social media really play? from 2020-12-17T16:40:25

The revolts a decade ago were among the first major protests in the age of omnipresent mobile phones, with social-network revolutions powered by Twitter and Facebook.

10 years after the Arab uprisings, Egypt at ‘lowest point’ for human rights from 2020-12-17T13:47:41

Egypt has gone from a human rights success story to a place where thousands have been detained or executed — and human rights activists have gone underground.

Fruit seller Mohamed Bouazizi's protest inspired the Arab uprisings. A decade later, his sister still mourns. from 2020-12-16T14:23:22

“One day, I hope all Tunisians live in dignity. That’s what my brother wished for,” said Leila Bouazizi, sister of the Tunisian fruit seller who set himself on fire on Dec. 17, 2010.

Nagorno-Karabakh refugees are beginning to return home, but many are still displaced from 2020-12-07T14:51:51

Although rebuilding has started here, for some, too much has been lost.

Labeling the Houthis as ‘terrorists’ might actually cost Yemeni lives from 2020-12-02T17:08:48

Humanitarian groups in Yemen are worried that a designation by the US State Department of the movement as a "terrorist organization" would endanger aid activities in the war-torn country.

A Uighur poem of ‘unimaginable suffering’ travels from Chinese internment camp to New Jersey from 2020-12-02T15:43:47

"No Road Back Home,” by Abduqadir Jalalidin, a detained Uighur poet, bears witness to the suffering of Uighurs detained in Chinese so-called “reeducation” camps.

How Moldova's diaspora helped secure a win for the nation's first woman president from 2020-11-30T14:27:21

In Moldova, poverty and corruption go hand-in-hand. So when Maia Sandu, the recently elected first woman president, ran a campaign focused solely on addressing corruption, 93% of Moldovans abroad v...

As Ethiopia’s civil conflict intensifies, the future for Chinese investment is uncertain from 2020-11-25T14:16:57

China’s investments helped Ethiopia become one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. Now, the country is embroiled in a conflict that has displaced tens of thousands — and threatens to destabil...

Amid esports boom, China introduces new restrictions to regulate the industry from 2020-11-23T18:18:21

At the League of Legends World Championship held in Shanghai last month, more than 3 million people entered to win a ticket to attend the finals. Only 6,000 were allowed in because of social distan...

French Muslims worry ‘separatism law’ may create more division from 2020-11-19T16:47:34

French President Emmanuel Macron's proposed "separatism law" would, among other things, monitor international funding coming into French mosques, crack down on online hate speech and create a speci...

Military experts say a US troop withdrawal complicates conditions on the ground from 2020-11-19T15:52:19

Acting Defense Secretary Chris Miller has announced a major troop withdrawal in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. The news is being met with plenty of skepticism.

India guards against China’s growing regional plans from 2020-11-17T16:16:23

Leaders in Delhi have resisted Beijing’s efforts to pull India into networks that China leads or dominates, including the Belt and Road Initiative and China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Human rights groups weigh boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing from 2020-11-12T15:29

In September, more than 160 advocacy organizations wrote a letter to the International Olympic Committee asking for the Games to be moved out of China.

‘We will stand firm’ in fight for democracy in Hong Kong, former party chair says from 2020-11-11T17:32:52

Wu Chi-wai, chairman of Hong Kong's Democratic Party, resigned Wednesday after the Hong Kong government disqualified four fellow party members. He believes Beijing's latest crackdown marks the end ...

International Crisis Group warns political violence could further polarize the US from 2020-11-05T17:34:45

The International Crisis Group analyzes and tries to prevent conflicts across the globe, from Lebanon to Ethiopia to Myanmar, and now, the United States, for the first time in the organization's 25...

The NBA works ‘super hard’ to reestablish ‘open dialogue’ in China from 2020-11-05T16:38:17

After the NBA was banned on Chinese TV, the US basketball association made a series of public and private gestures in China to quell political tensions that erupted from one NBA player’s infamous p...

Afghans mourn the loss of young lives in ISIS attacks  from 2020-11-04T16:23:10

ISIS, as well as the Taliban, have stepped up their attacks in Afghanistan amid peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

Amid US-UAE arms deal and US election, Israelis wonder how balance of power in region might change from 2020-11-03T16:25:18

The news of a proposed $10.4 billion deal for the US to sell up to 50 F-35 fighter jets to the UAE has raised questions among Israeli defense officials, who warn that it could have negative effects...

American companies in China try to avoid US-China ‘political crossfire' from 2020-11-03T14:47:17

Many businesses hope tensions will lessen after the presidential election on Nov. 3, but the results are not likely to radically change adversarial relations between Washington and Beijing.  

What Russian college students learn about US elections, history and race relations from 2020-11-02T16:39:28

A political science professor in St. Petersburg, Russia, tells The World what his students are discussing in class this week.

Armenians mobilize to support troops in Karabakh war, as ceasefires fail from 2020-10-29T17:32:43

In the last month, Azerbaijani forces have captured several Armenian territories and bombarded Nagorno-Karabakh.

Tanzania's internet restrictions during election are 'despicable,' digital rights activist says from 2020-10-28T16:05:08

The buildup to Election Day has been marred by widespread internet outages and social media going dark.

China's new Silk Road runs through cyberspace, worrying rivals and privacy advocates from 2020-10-27T17:43:49

China is fast becoming a global leader in cutting-edge technologies — such as artificial intelligence, facial recognition, surveillance and 5G. But critics say China’s technology enables authoritar...

French teacher’s murder widens France-Turkey rift over secularism from 2020-10-27T17:04:58

As France mourns a beloved teacher murdered after showing controversial cartoons in class, a diplomatic rift between Europe and the Muslim world over secularism and religious freedom is widening.

Sudanese celebrate planned removal from US terror list from 2020-10-20T19:41:08

The announcement comes after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations between the US and Sudan.

Russian hackers: GRU's Sandworm unit members indicted by US from 2020-10-20T17:40:56

Cybersecurity expert tells The World host Marco Werman that "these are hackers who are responsible for an incredible rampage across the internet over the last five years."

Fighting in Afghanistan claims lives and displaces families as peace talks drag on from 2020-10-16T17:38:50

As many as 35,000 people may have been displaced and 200 people killed or injured in the Taliban's latest offensive in the southern Helmand province of Afghanistan.