The World

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 US. Plus, a new study finds that scribes in ancient Egypt suffered from repetitive stress injuries. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

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. To find the whole Lethal Dissent series in one place, go to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and search for "Lethal Dissent." Look for the red, yellow, and purple artwork.

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 has been gathering incident-by-incident documentation of civilians publicly reported killed in Gaza, and found that the figures reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the war, have been reliable. Plus, Hong Kong’s government is spending millions on a campaign to get the city’s mojo back. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

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 language. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

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 demonstrating in solidarity with people in Bangladesh over job quotas. And, new rules at the US border have some dog owners concerned. Plus, an international group of scientists discovers "dark oxygen" 13,000 feet below the ocean's surface. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

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 housing crisis. And, Kenya sends its first fencer, Alexandra Ndolo, to the Olympic Games. Plus, BALTHVS brings back the short-lived psychedelic music era in Colombia. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

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 being detained in Russia. Also, a drone strike on the city center of Tel Aviv, sent by Yemeni Houthi rebels, killed one person. That's stoking fears of an expansion of Israel's war in Gaza. And, a rare species of crocodile once on the brink of extinction is making a comeback in Cambodia, where locals discovered five nests in May. The newly hatched baby crocs are being seen as a sign of hope.

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 against him.

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 northeast Spain, frustration with tourism has turned against an unlikely demographic: people on bicycles. The World's Gerry Hadden pays a visit to find out why.

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 contributing to the spread. And for those who love the Trader Joe's "Everything But the Bagel" seasoning blend, beware. It's banned in South Korea. That's because the flavorful ingredient of poppy seeds are classified as a narcotic.

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 sentencing was in absentia, but the decision means the award-winning writer faces eight years in prison if they return to Russia. And, we look at the epic rivalry between two of Europe's best runners, Josh Kerr of the UK and Jakob Ingebritsen of Norway, at the Paris Olympics.

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 of them are Syrians, and now the Cyrpus government has stopped processing their asylum requests. And, our reporters in Spain and Colombia bring us stories of soccer triumph and heartbreak from the weekend, when both the Copa America and Euro Cup tournaments had their final matches.

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 India and Bangladesh sing songs that draw from three different faiths. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

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 US. And, African migrant communities in Maine are creating new congregations to fill the gap as US church membership declines. Plus, a look at food from around the world with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek.

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 Gaza City to leave, warning that the city would remain a dangerous combat zone. And, European cities are struggling to manage the number of tourists, with some adding tourist taxes and entry fees. Plus, why do some words sound funny?

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, a tasty condiment important to Yemenite Jews that’s considered a folk medicine, a cure all and a source of strength.

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 National Samsung Electronics Union walked off the job for the first time, protesting for higher pay and better working conditions. Plus, Lebanon remains home to the world's largest Syrian refugee population per capita. Now, Lebanese politicians say they must be sent home.

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 voter apathy is running high. And, Biniam Girmay of Eritrea became the first Black rider to win a stage of the Tour de France.

New information is coming in. Fariba Nawa and her team are running it down.

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.