United States

The US is the world’s top destination for higher education, with more than 1 million international students generating over $40 billion each year. Their families save up for decades — with their full-fare tuition dollars going to subsidize US students. The World’s Carolyn Beeler speaks to The Chronicle of Higher Education reporter Karin Fischer, who writes the weekly “Latitudes” newsletter that covers international higher education.

As part of the effort to get more food and water into Gaza, the Jordanian air force is participating in airdrops into the beleaguered territory. The World’s Shirin Jaafari traveled along on one of the flights to see what it takes to get aid into Gaza from above.

Higher education transformed the US into the country it is today. Its premier universities are why the US is the No. 1 choice among international students. But nowhere else is tuition as expensive, and many are in debt.

International students don’t qualify for federal financial aid, and they pay much higher fees at state schools. However, for a group of young Indian science and engineering students getting their master’s degrees at San Jose State University, the shot at opportunities and high future earnings are worth it. KQED reporter Madi Bolaños says their cramped shared apartment has not dampened their spirits.

About a hundred years ago, the Boston-based banana company, United Fruit, reigned supreme in Central America. It didn’t just own banana plantations, but also railroads and telephone lines. The company even dictated national policies and overthrew governments. For his podcast “Under the Shadow,” about US involvement in Central America, Michael Fox traveled to Guatemala, where he looked at the legacy of United Fruit and its impact on the global fruit industry today.