Women & Girls

India sees record spike in coronavirus cases; Outrage in Turkey over femicide; Fugitive Chinese researcher hiding in consulate

July 23, 2020

India reported a record jump of more than 45,000 coronavirus infections Wednesday. And, the brutal murder of Pınar Gültekin, a 27-year-old woman by her former boyfriend, has sparked outrage and protests in Turkey. Also, the FBI believes that a fugitive Chinese researcher, Juan Tang, has been hiding in the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco for a month.

Language

Finland's national word 'sisu' conjures new meanings for tough times

The World

July 22, 2020

In a country of 5.5 million, Finland has had just over 320 deaths from the coronavirus. So far, they’ve succeeded in containing the disease. And they’re not making a big deal about it. By some measures, this might be quintessential sisu.

Conflict & Justice

In Mexico, the unending drug war takes its toll with thousands of disappearances

The World

July 21, 2020

A report issued on July 14 by Mexico’s National Search Commission said 73,218 people have been confirmed missing since 1964, and almost all of them — 71,678 — since 2006 when organized crime and drug-trafficking violence in the country began to increase.

Top of The World

PM Johnson says Britain will return to normal by Christmas; India joins grim club; US again breaks coronavirus record

The World

July 17, 2020

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Friday he hopes Britain could return to "normality" before Christmas. And, India has joined a grim club becoming the third country globally to record more than 1 million cases of the coronavirus. Also, British Airways announced it plans to retire its entire fleet of Boeing 747s because of the massive downturn of passenger travel over the coronavirus pandemic.

Reproductive rights

Abortion is a protected right in Spain. But the govt blocked a website that provides abortion info and pills.

The World

July 16, 2020

Since becoming legal in 1985, right-wing politicians have periodically made feeble attempts to limit or ban access to abortions. Each time it happens though, the action is met with strong pushback from the public.

Justice

As Iran arrests Instagram influencers, some seek safety abroad

The World

July 13, 2020

Parkour star Alireza Japalaghy's video landed him in hot water with Iranian authorities for violating public decency codes, forcing him to escape to Turkey. The possibility of extradition back to Iran has human rights activists concerned.

Seoul mayor’s progressive legacy called into question after his death

The World

July 10, 2020

South Koreans are mourning the death of Park Won-soon, a prominent liberal politician and presidential hopeful. But the Seoul mayor’s apparent suicide coincides with reports that he was under investigation for sexual harassment.

Immigration

US seafood workers fight unsafe job conditions amid pandemic

The World

July 06, 2020

A coronavirus outbreak among workers at a Louisiana crawfish processing plant kicked off a legal battle with their employers over dangerous working conditions during the pandemic. Many of them are migrants on seasonal visas.

Jobs

Sex workers in Europe struggle to survive as clubs slowly reopen

The World

July 06, 2020

As sex clubs reopen across Europe, sex workers worry about their earnings and also whether they can stay safe. Niki Adams, a spokesperson with English Collective of Prostitutes, says the pandemic and lack of state support shows how far the industry still has to go to gain legal recognition.

Reproductive rights

Sterilization abuse of Uighurs in China meets international legal criteria for genocide, experts say

The World

July 03, 2020

The Chinese government has been trying to slash birth rates of the ethnic Uighur population with measures like forced birth control, abortions, and sterilization. Host Marco Werman speaks with University of Michigan professor, Alexandra Stern, about how forced sterilization has been used as a tool of oppression historically.

Pages