The World

A program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter.

man at podium

One long year imprisoned in Russia

It’s been one year since Russian authorities detained Evan Gershkovich, a 32-year-old Wall Street Journal reporter. This week, a closed-door court in Moscow extended his detention by three months. He’s the first US journalist to be apprehended under suspicion of espionage in Russia since the Cold War ended. Also, in Turkey, Ramadan is a chance to enjoy evening concerts, and traditional musicians often book several gigs each week. But nonreligious concerts are few and far between during the holy month, and many secular musicians end up being out of work for a few weeks. Plus, 30 million Indonesian Christians pray to Jesus Christ or "Yesus Kristus," a name the Muslim-dominated government once refused to acknowledge. But after a recent legal decision, Yesus has the government's full official blessing. And the "I Am Not A Typo" campaign is calling on tech giants to correct auto-correct in the name of equality and to better reflect a modern, multicultural UK. Research behind the campaign found that almost 5,500 African, Asian, Scottish and other names were not recognized by computers.
One long year imprisoned in Russia
Ukrainian soldiers carry shells to fire towards Russian positions at the frontline, near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Monday, March 25, 2024. 

Ukrainians return to battlefield after injury

Andrii Shadrin is a 28-year-old Ukrainian corporal who serves in a military unit that repairs and replaces equipment damaged in frontline fighting. Shadrin describes what it’s like to return to the battlefield after an injury, when military equipment and ammunition are in short supply. And, Nuha al-Junaid, a Yemeni woman in exile, has been speaking with people across war-torn Yemen and in the diaspora. Their voices show a diversity of experiences that reveal how life does not stop for war. Also, American officials have said that they had warned the Kremlin of an imminent terrorist threat in the days leading up to the March 22 attack that left more than 130 people dead. This is part of a US policy that requires intelligence-sharing in instances where civilian lives are in danger. Plus, remembering Algerian Jewish pianist Maurice el Medioni, who died at the age of 95. 
Ukrainians return to battlefield after injury
A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after the ship hit the bridge Tuesday, March 26, 2024, in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The challenges of navigating a large ship

The container ship The Dali that crashed into the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore had two local pilots navigating the large cargo carrier along the Patapsco River. We hear from a ship captain about the challenges of safely guiding a large container ship. And, the demand for language courses on US college campuses typically has reflected global shifts. But today, students are taking Korean — and it's all attributed to K-pop music and K-movies. Also, Senegal's president has led the country since 2012. But that's set to change now with the presumed victory of Bassirou Diomaye Faye, the opposition candidate in the elections held this week. Plus, what we know about ISIS-K.
The challenges of navigating a large ship
Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations, speaks after a vote to abstain as the United Nations Security Council passed a ceasefire resolution in Gaza during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, its first dema

US abstains as UN Security Council demands Gaza ceasefire 

After tense negotiations and four previous failures, the UN Security Council passed a resolution this morning calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. For the first time, the US abstained on a Gaza ceasefire vote, rather than using its veto. And, according to Russian officials, the death toll from the Crocus City Hall shooting in Moscow currently stands at 137, with another 180 people injured. While many key questions remain unanswered, the Kremlin is already forming a narrative that will likely have severe political and security implications. Also, a new study in the Aquatic Mammals Journal suggests that a pod of orcas could be one previously uncategorized by researchers. These killer whales have been spotted far out to sea, as opposed to the pods that inhabit Pacific Northwest waters. Plus, a record year for the Barkley Marathons.
US abstains as UN Security Council demands Gaza ceasefire 
A Russian Rosguardia (National Guard) servicemen secures an area as a massive blaze seen over the Crocus City Hall on the western edge of Moscow, Russia, Friday, March 22, 2024.

Gunmen open fire at Moscow concert hall, killing dozens

The Kremlin says that more than 40 people have died and more than 100 were wounded in a Friday night attack. The motive for the shootings or who may be responsible is not known. And, for more than a decade, Hosam Bahgat has been under criminal investigation for his work with the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights, a human rights group. The court's investigation concluded this week and the charges against Bahgat were dropped. Also, Mongolia’s nomadic herders are facing a savage dzud winter, after more than 2 million livestock have frozen to death. Scientists say this lethal phenomenon — extreme cold and heavy snow following a summer drought — is occurring more frequently and is linked to climate change. Plus, on World Water Day, we hear how a farm in Iraq was hit by water shortages. 
Gunmen open fire at Moscow concert hall, killing dozens