Episode 9 is almost ready. But not quite.By PRI’s The World: Latest Edition

Authorities in Austria have canceled a series of Taylor Swift shows after learning of an alleged ISIS plot to attack the music venues along her much-hyped Eras Tour. Also, after preparing themselves for an evening of violent far-right protests, police in the UK encountered peaceful anti-racism rallies overnight. And, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus h…

Hamas has a new leader, Yahya Sinwar, who is said to be one of the main planners of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Also, US Ambassador Rahm Emmanuel will skip the ceremony in Japan this week that remembers the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, because of a decision by Tokyo to exclude Israel. And, China agrees to crack down on some precur…

In Bangladesh, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has been appointed as the head of the country's interim government after the army stepped in following anti-government protests that pushed a long-serving prime minister out of power. Also, public health officials warn that some diseases are seeing concerning spikes in Gaza. And, a federal judge in the U…

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's 15-year rule came to an end today after weeks of violent clashes with protesters left more than 300 people dead. Jubilant scenes emerged from the capital, Dhaka, after Hasina resigned and fled the country. Also, it's been five years since India revoked the special status of Kashmir. And, nearly 400 people …

A UNICEF official talks about what humanitarian aid workers are doing in Gaza to help Palestinian civilians. Also, Vladimir Putin met released Russian prisoners on a red carpet at the airport on Thursday. We'll hear about Moscow's view of the historic prisoner exchange. And Thailand’s wildlife is fantastically diverse. Its elephants, primates and w…

Fariba Nawa is threatened by Ihsan Sağlam, the boss of a Turkish family who worked on kidnapping jobs for Iranian intelligence. Now that Fariba is forced into the story, she steers her reporting towards questions of impunity. The investigation into Iran's hunt for dissidents goes to the United Nations, inside a Turkish parliamentary hearing, and to…

American citizens have been freed from Russia on Thursday in a prisoner exchange, including the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich. Also, nearly 23 years after the attacks of Sept. 11, the man accused of planning those attacks — along with two accomplices — agreed to plead guilty. Plus, as the incumbent president of Venezuela, Nicolás Ma…

The Israeli army claimed responsibility for a missile strike that killed a Hezbollah commander in his Beirut apartment. At least three people were killed in that strike and some 70 wounded. Hours later, Hamas' leader-in-exile Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed as they slept in Tehran. Following the assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah fig…

Across Europe, NATO countries are watching Ukraine closely. They're studying how the war is being fought, what tools are being used, and the role that technology is playing on the battlefield. Also, Nicolás Maduro is declaring victory in Venezuela's recent election, but accusations of fraud are widespread. Protesters have hit the streets in Caracas…

A rocket from Lebanon killed 12 children and teens on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights on Saturday, drawing international attention to the region and also to the Druze people living there. We look at how the Druze community fits into the fabric of Israel. Also, as the results of Venezuela's presidential elections continue to b…

The Olympic Games have begun in Paris, despite a massive sabotage campaign against France’s rail system. Also, Canada's wildfire season is well under way and has already sparked evacuations, destroyed homes and burned forests across national parks. And, two leading Mexican drug lords from the Sinaloa Cartel have been arrested by authorities in the …

The Sağlam family's kidnapping operation is caught in a police dragnet. The ensuing police investigation reveals an entire network of conspirators behind the Sağlams. When one conspirator is arrested and interrogated, he confesses. Fariba Nawa uses the confession to tell the story of Iran's behind-the-scenes involvement.…

Typhoon Gaemi is one of the strongest typhoons to affect the Asia-Pacific region in nearly a decade, and it's sparked massive evacuations in the Philippines, leaving flooding and landslides in its wake. Also, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek talks about his walk through northern India. And, the civilian casualties tracking group Airwars ha…

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the US Congress for a fourth time. Also, Japan’s Nanmoku village has the oldest population in the world. And, a new study by scientists find wild sharks off the coast of Brazil that have tested positive for cocaine. Plus, host France wants the organizers of the Olympic Games to stick to the French…

Soldiers and police are patrolling the streets of Paris as the city hosts the Summer Olympics. Parts of the city are off-limits, including much of the Seine river, as the “City of Light” goes on maximum alert to protect athletes and fans. Also, the UAE — where protests are banned — sentences 57 Bangladeshi residents to lengthy prison terms for demo…

World leaders weigh in after US President Joe Biden announced that he's ending his bid for re-election and put his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. Also, a project in Namibia hopes to combine a pesky plant known as the encroacher bush with a mushroom byproduct known as mycelium to help deal with the country's h…

Earlier on Friday, in the culmination of what the US is calling a sham trial, a Russian court found Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich guilty of espionage. The American journalist has been sentenced to 16 years in prison. We'll dig into the implications of that news, and we'll also hear about the growing number of American journalists be…

Rezaie gets into the car with the Sağlams. But he already knew he was being tricked. His suspicions had begun long before he climbed into the car, back at the kebab restaurant when the Sağlams introduced him to an American woman. Fariba Nawa tries to untangle the story of the American woman, and finds out how Rezaie foiled the kidnapping plot again…

In Bangladesh, large-scale student protests have taken a violent turn, with clashes between demonstrators and police resulting in bloodshed. We'll have the latest on this developing story. Also, in the east African country of Malawi, members of the LGBTQ community face discrimination in the health care system there. And, in the city of Girona, in n…

A Manhattan court finds New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez, former head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, guilty of acting on behalf of Egyptian intelligence and steering money and weapons to the country. Also, there's been a spike in COVID-19 this summer. Host Carolyn Beeler explores whether certain aspects of summer life might be contributi…

Venezuela’s authoritarian regime has spurred millions of people to leave the country. But they still want the chance to vote out the current president, Nicolás Maduro, in this month's election but are being shut out. Also, a Russian court has convicted the well-known Kremlin critic Masha Gessen for spreading false information. The conviction and se…

We'll dig into reactions to the attempted assassination of Donald Trump from abroad, and examine how the incident fits into a broader trend of political violence in democracies worldwide. Also, the government of Cyprus declared a “migrant emergency” in April, when more than 2,000 people arrived there by sea in the first three months of 2024. Many o…

The US, Canada and Finland announce plans to work together to fend off growing Russian activity in the polar region. Also, the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl on the small islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. And, gangs continue to control much of Port-au-Prince nearly three weeks after Kenyan police arrived in Haiti. Plus, mystic troubadours in…

The CIA director and a top Biden adviser are in the Middle East this week to meet with Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari officials. It’s part of the latest efforts to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Also, Panama starts building a barbed wire fence in the Darien jungle between South and Central America to stop migrants from reaching the …

The US is showing decreasing interest in continuing to be Europe's “first responder in perpetuity” when it comes to military defense. Also, aid deliveries into Gaza have decreased by two-thirds since the Israeli military began its operation in Rafah in May, according to the UN. Meanwhile, the Israeli military has urged Palestinians remaining in Gaz…

As NATO turns 75, some trace the roots antagonism between the alliance and Russia to the 1990s, when the Soviet Union and the West were negotiating the terms of German reunification. Also, reformist Masoud Pezeshkian wins Iran's presidential election. And, blind football, one of the most-popular sports of the Paralympic Games. Plus, a look at hilbe…

France's far-right National Rally party looked poised to win the country's snap parliamentary election called by centrist president Emmanuel Macron in June. But that victory was thwarted by a coalition of center and left parties unifying at the last minute. Also, NATO is at a crossroads as it marks its 75th anniversary. And, around 20% of the Natio…

Britain has a new prime minister. Keir Starmer has moved into 10 Downing Street, after the Labour Party trounced the ruling Tory party in a historic landslide election. Also, another election is playing out in Iran. Voters are taking part in a runoff for the presidency on Friday. The choice is a stark one between a hard-liner and a reformist. But v…

New information is coming in. Fariba Nawa and her team are running it down.By PRI’s The World: Latest Edition

For The World's Independence Day special, we celebrate with a sort of "mixtape" of reprisals of summer-themed stories from across the globe about everything from music festivals to an old-school beach drink to palm trees in Iraq.By PRI’s The World: Latest Edition

We have the latest on Hurricane Beryl as it hits Jamaica. Also, doping scandals and the invasion of Ukraine have barred Russian athletes from participating in the Olympics. We hear how some will still compete in Paris. Plus, China is doubling the size of its nuclear weapons arsenal, part of its global competition with the US. And chronically late G…

Israel's military ordered Palestinians in Khan Younis to evacuate, indicating that a new Israeli military offensive there could be imminent. Also, a law passed earlier this year in India created a new pathway for refugees to get citizenship. But the legislation is controversial because it excludes Muslims. Plus, Panama's new president is vowing to …

As predicted, the French president's election gamble is paying off — for his political rivals. Emmanuel Macron called for early elections and over the weekend, his centrist alliance came in third, while the far-right party of Marine Le Pen won the first round of voting with 33%. What it means for France, and for Europe. Also, he is on his way out a…

Kenya begins its deployment of police to Haiti just as Kenyans are drawing attention to policing issues at home. When this week's demonstrations in Nairobi escalated, police were accused of excessive force in their response, which included widespread use of tear gas, as well as deadly shootings. Plus, Thursday night's US presidential debate drew st…

There's a convincing explanation for Mohammad Shabani's death, but the evidence is incomplete. While Fariba Nawa waits for a crucial piece of evidence to be analyzed, she tries to find out how far Iran will go to silence dissidents. A Turkish court case exposes an Iranian kidnapping ring and offers an answer. Fariba finds a source to guide her thro…

Many young Iranians say they plan to boycott Friday’s election to replace the late-President Ebrahim Raisi. Also, a look at the political fault lines behind the attempted coup in Bolivia. And, An appeals court in Paris has ruled that an international arrest warrant issued by France against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is valid. Also, who is Kei…

Kenya’s president concedes to protesters following a week of unprecedented demonstrations against a proposed finance bill. Also, outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has been selected as the next secretary-general of NATO. And, WikiLeaks founder Jullian Assange walks out of a courtroom on the US territory of Saipan a free man after pleading gui…

Thousands of people have taken to the streets to reject a finance bill underway in Kenya’s parliament, with some demonstrations turning deadly. Also, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the military must begin drafting ultra-Orthodox men for compulsory service, effectively putting an end to a longstanding exemption for the group. And, Wik…

A series of seemingly coordinated attacks on synagogues and Orthodox churches took place in the Russian republic of Dagestan over the weekend, killing at least 20 people, and injuring dozens more. Also, sword duels with real blades have been barred for centuries throughout Europe. But every year — across Germany and Austria — hundreds of male unive…

Latvians mark the summer solstice by celebrating the longest day of the year. Also, a new discovery of a rare genetic mutation of one family in Colombia may present an opportunity to learn how the body could naturally resist Alzheimer’s. And, new mothers in different parts of the world find that preparing the traditional foods of their own mothers …

In the city where the dissident Mohammad Shabani died, Fariba Nawa finds evidence that points towards his cause of death.By PRI’s The World: Latest Edition

Russia and North Korea have sign onto a new partnership, vowing mutual aid if either country is attacked, while South Korea responds by saying it will consider sending weapons to Ukraine. Also, French President Emmanuel Macron joins several African leaders to kick off a planned $1 billion project to accelerate the rollout of vaccines across Africa …

Juneteenth marks a celebratory milestone in the history of emancipation in the US, but the legacy of slavery persists, not just in the US but across the globe. Also, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was just sworn in for his second term in office, despite his party losing a decadeslong majority in a recent parliamentary election. And a new s…

The annual Muslim pilgrimage known as the Hajj isn't just a spiritual journey; it's physically strenuous, too. Travelers to Mecca and Medina this year have braved dangerous heat. Host Marco Werman speaks with a Muslim American who's there right now, participating in the ritual. Plus, Polish abortion rights activists reflect on 30 years of some of t…

A UNICEF representative based in Gaza joins us from inside the territory with insights on what a proposed pause in fighting would — and wouldn't — accomplish on the ground. Plus, in a diplomatic shakeup, China is recalling two of its diplomats to Australia. Not the highest-ranking ones, but probably the most famous: giant pandas at the Adelaide Zoo…

Pope Francis convened a meeting with an unexpected audience while at the G7: more than 100 comedians from 15 different countries. Also, we air Part 3 of the series “Lethal Dissent,” which looks at the death of an Iranian poet living in Turkey. And, Qatar tries to beat the heat by air conditioning outdoor spaces. Plus, a new project tries to prove t…

The death of poet Mohammad Shabani, an Iranian dissident living in Turkey, catches his friends, family, and supporters by surprise. Fariba finds one of Mohammad Shabani's confidantes and learns new details about his life in exile before he died.By PRI’s The World: Latest Edition

G7 nations agree to give Ukraine a loan of $50 billion for weapons and rebuilding. Also, a growing number of governments in Latin America are aligning themselves with Palestinians and distancing themselves from Israel. But there's a price to pay for cutting ties with Israel. And, Haiti’s new government selected cabinet ministers this week, as it aw…

Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas deteriorate once again. Also, Denmark has ordered a recall of three types of Buldak, which translates as "fire chicken," manufactured in South Korea. The packaged noodles were deemed so hot they could pose a physical danger to Danish consumers. And, in a rare case, a jury in South Florida has ruled that bana…