Full story - February 16, 2021
A white woman wearing a face mask also wears a red, white and blue sash around her chest and a man with a black mask stands behind her.

Is France ‘sleepwalking' into voting for the far-right?

As France’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen attempts to distance her party from extremism, she appears to be performing well in the polls. 
Full story - February 16, 2021
Demonstrators gather

In Myanmar’s uprising, some fight for more than just 'democracy'

The generals, most of whom are ethnically Burmese, have immense power but little public support. Their coup has enraged much of the population, from the mountains to the sea.
Full story - February 16, 2021
Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona is seen only from the head up, blocked mostly by ICC judges standing in the nearground.

Alleged CAR militia leaders reject ICC charges

Top of The World: Two suspected militia leaders from the Central African Republic on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of war crimes. And, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that an independent commission, shaped like the 9/11 Commission, will further investigate the deadly Jan. 6. insurrection. Also, according to a new poll as part of the “State of Hate: Far-right extremism in Europe” report released on Tuesday, “[a]t least a quarter of Europeans have negative feelings toward Muslims."
Full episode - February 15, 2021
A Chinese woman reacts as she holds a giant replica of candy haw, a popular Beijing snack, at a street stall near Wangfujing on the fourth day of the Lunar Chinese New Year in Beijing on Feb. 15, 2021.

Chinese staying put for this year's Lunar New Year

China is successfully controlling the spread of COVID-19 infections. But people there aren’t taking chances this Chinese New Year — they’re staying put. Also, over the weekend, former US President Donald Trump was acquitted in the Senate impeachment trial. However, some lawmakers are now calling for further investigation into the events of the Capitol breach — including creating a 9/11 style commission. And, we get an update on vaccine distribution in Latin America.
Full story - February 15, 2021
Chinese New Years' decorations for sale at Yu Gardens in Shanghai.

Travel for Chinese New Year plummets amid coronavirus concerns  

The Chinese government hasn’t actually forbidden travel this year, but they’re strongly discouraging it. 
Full story - February 15, 2021
The Shell logo of a yellow shell outlined in red on a white background

Nigerian farmers can sue Shell in UK over pollution; Myanmar military extends detention of deposed leader; Israel leads on COVID-19 vaccinations

Britain’s Supreme Court ruled Friday that a group of Nigerian farmers and fishermen can sue Royal Dutch Shell PLC in English courts for clean up and compensation over pollution in the Niger River Delta, a region where the Anglo-Dutch energy giant has a subsidiary.
Full story - February 12, 2021
Scottish bass player Ben Ellis has performed with Iggy Pop for the past seven years with many concerts at festivals throughout Europe.

British musicians warn of devastating impact of new Brexit rules 

Since Jan. 1, when Britain formally left the European Union, musicians and crews can no longer travel freely through Europe while touring.
Full story - February 12, 2021
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa delivers his fifth State of the Nation Address to a restricted parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. 

South Africa changes course on vaccine rollout after disappointing study

The government has secured 9 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine instead, which researchers have said is effective against moderate and severe forms of the coronavirus new variants. They have also secured millions more from the global COVAX and Pfizer.
Full story - February 12, 2021
On the front page of Süddeutsche Zeitung Magazin, one of Germany's largest publications, 185 actors have come out as LGBTQ. 

Germany’s LGBTQ actors come out publicly en masse to fight discrimination 

In a movement called #ActOut, actors are advocating for LGBTQ representation on-screen and behind-the-scenes in Germany’s media productions. 
Full episode - February 12, 2021
Workers wearing face masks to help curb the spread of the coronavirus push a cart loaded with shoes made by Nike past a security post at a shopping mall in Beijing, Jan. 14, 2021. China's exports rose in 2020 despite pressure from the coronavirus pandemic

Biden to keep Trump-era China tariffs for now

In a call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, President Joe Biden said he would keep tariffs on China in place since the Trump administration for the time being. In the UK, with new Brexit rules, British musicians say the industry is in jeopardy. Also, Friday is Chinese New Year, a time for celebration when streets and restaurants overflow with food and festivities. But the pandemic has hit some Chinese communities in the US especially hard as tourism has fallen off the map. And, South Africa is rolling out vaccines for the coronavirus this month. It's tricky, given the relative ineffectiveness of some vaccines against a new variant that emerged there. 

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