• Uncertainty for 20,000 seafarers stuck in the Persian Gulf
    May 6 2026

    The UN is warning that there's an "unprecedented" crisis in the Persian Gulf with 20,000 sailors trapped there since the beginning of the Iran war in March. Also, eight people are now suspected to have been infected by hantavirus, a rare but severe disease onboard a cruise ship currently moored off the West African island nation of Cape Verde. And, US military strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Pacific Ocean are intensifying, but the public is short on details about the operation. Plus, Scottish fans have come up with a creative way to bypass public transportation gridlock and save some cash during the World Cup by hiring a fleet of school buses.

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    50 mins
  • Europe on edge as Trump signals pullback of US military presence there
    May 5 2026

    Relations between the US and Europe are once again under strain, with President Donald Trump threatening to pull thousands of American troops from the continent. Also, the Hindu nationalist party of India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating big electoral wins, including in West Bengal, the country’s most populous state and a bastion of the opposition. And, Norway, which is the world's largest producer of farmed salmon, is contending with fish farms that also come with nutrient pollution. Plus, a conversation with Hiromi Uerhara whose work has been described as "smile music."

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    50 mins
  • The Strait of Hormuz and its geographical constraints
    May 4 2026

    The US Navy says it is now providing “guidance” to commercial shipping vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. But because of the strait’s geographical constraints, protecting vessels from threats will be far from easy. Also, this year’s Beijing Auto Show was all about SUVs, but these cars are not like other gas guzzlers. And, the Nigerian government is planning to repatriate its citizens amid surging anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa. Plus, Cameroonian singer Irma adds her own twist in a performance accompanied by DRC’s Kinshasa Orchestra.

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    50 mins
  • The state of labor as workers celebrate May Day around the world
    May 1 2026

    Today is May Day, when workers mark the anniversary of the birth of the labor movement in the United States. It’s an international movement that sees marches and protests demanding better pay and stronger protections for workers. Also, US prosecutors have indicted the sitting governor of Sinaloa state in Mexico and nine others, alleging ties to the Sinaloa Cartel. And, Colombia's government has announced a controversial plan to kill dozens of hippos that have been roaming freely in one of the country’s most fertile areas, but that have also become a beloved tourist attraction. Plus, in the German village of Lehde, spring is marked when the local post office starts delivering mail on a barge.

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    50 mins
  • Hungary's Magyar meets with European officials and makes his mark
    Apr 30 2026

    Hungary’s incoming prime minister is moving quickly to make his mark. Péter Magyar, who takes office next month, met top European officials in Brussels this week to set out his plans to restore the rule of law in Hungary. Also, after a long political impasse, wealthy oligarch and political outsider Ali al-Zaidi is tapped to become Iraq's new prime minister. And, a look at who the new supreme leader of Iran really is. Plus, on International Jazz Day, The World speaks with Puerto Rican folk musician Fabiola Mendez about her music and the traditional stringed instrument she plays, the cuatro.

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    50 mins
  • Jet fuel price hike puts airlines and travelers on edge
    Apr 29 2026

    The war in Iran has caused a massive crunch in the global supply chain, but nothing has been hit harder than jet fuel, with its prices more than doubling. Also, the United Arab Emirates says it will leave OPEC, a consortium of oil producing countries, on May 1. And, Spain is searching people to fill its vacant shepherding jobs. Plus, a look at the future of Chinese EVs in Mexico.

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    50 mins
  • Coordinated attacks in Mali expose weaknesses of military junta
    Apr 28 2026

    Mali's military junta is fighting off coordinated attacks across the country, led by Tuareg separatists and al-Qaeda-linked fighters, in violence that’s left the country’s defense minister dead. Also, a look at the latest in the world of robotics. And, across Europe, new recycling plants are promising to recycle hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic waste using a technology called chemical — or "advanced" — recycling. Plus, the annual marmalade festival kicks off in the UK.

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    50 mins
  • Mexico hopes to fix health care access — but can it deliver?
    Apr 27 2026

    Mexico’s government says it plans to expand access to health care and unify the system, but questions remain about whether those reforms can succeed without more funding and resources. Also, Britain’s King Charles and Queen Camilla are in the US for a four-day state visit, but their trip comes amid strained relations between London and Washington after the UK resisted pressure to support US and Israeli strikes on Iran. And, landmark trials have begun in Syria that are expected to bring members of the former Assad regime to justice. Plus, a look at record-breaking moments at the London Marathon.

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    50 mins