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Poet Roya Hakakian’s new book, “A Beginner’s Guide to America: For the Immigrant and the Curious," is for immigrants but also for those in the US to see themselves as others do. The World's Marco Werman talks to Hakakian about her book and her life in the US along with what she left behind in Iran, and the global feminism movement. 

On Tuesday, the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland celebrates 30 years of independence. The country “broke away” from Somalia 30 years ago, but few nations officially recognize its independence. Still, that hasn't stopped Somaliland from striving to differentiate itself as a stable and more democratic alternative to neighboring Somalia.

In Taiwan, there's a gun control debate playing out. But here's what's unusual about that. This is an island with hardly any guns. Taiwan's government has implemented extremely strict laws on firearms. Almost no one is allowed to own them — except for one type of citizen. The World’s Patrick Winn reports that this particular group of people is increasingly frustrated with the government telling th...

As President Joe Biden supports efforts to bring about a ceasefire in the Israel-Gaza shooting war, the United States continues to sell weapons to Israel, which are likely being used in Gaza. But it's difficult to know for sure. Unlike US sales of weapons to virtually all other countries, Israel's weapons purchases are conducted with little transparency, and they come with no requirement to adhere...

For a week and a half, Gaza has been pounded by Israeli strikes from sea, land and air. Fresh water is in short supply. Sewage systems have been decimated, sending wastewater into the streets. And some 2 million civilians are scrambling to find the basic necessities needed to stay alive. The World’s Carol Hills talks with Matthias Schmale, director of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency or...

He’s been called a unicorn, a Swiss army knife on the baseball field, even the “Japanese Babe Ruth.” Right now, all of these comparisons seem appropriate for Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese baseball phenom of the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani leads the MLB in home runs, but he also pitches. Last month, Ohtani became the first player since Babe Ruth to pitch while leading the league in home runs — that re...

The Philippines currently has one of the worst COVID-19 infection rates in Southeast Asia, and the vaccine rollout has been slow there. Yet, even as vaccines trickle in, most Filipinos are hesitant to get the jab. Ashley Westerman reports on a disastrous dengue vaccine rollout that destroyed confidence in vaccines. 

Much of Parisian life revolves around its bars and cafes. But for six long months, people in Paris have been confined to their apartments in lockdown. Rebecca Rosman reports that bar owners are preparing for this week’s reopening of a beloved institution.

Tourism has plummeted on the Galápagos Islands through the pandemic. But the government of Ecuador has purchased 40,000 vaccine doses to cover all the adults on the islands. Manuel Rueda reports that in a place where tourism is the main industry, officials hope that will draw people back this summer.

Fighting continues in Israel and Gaza for a ninth straight day. US President Joe Biden has said he'd welcome a ceasefire but both Israel and the militant group Hamas show few signs of letting up. The World's Ariel Oseran reports from Tel Aviv.

Working 55 hours a week or more increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, leading to 745,000 deaths in 2016 alone. That's according to a study published on Monday by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization. The authors of the report call on policymakers to enact and enforce limits on working hours to address the problem. The World's Carolyn Beeler reports.

While COVID-19 ravaged America and Europe last year, mainland Southeast Asia was faring much better. Countries in China’s backyard — such as Thailand and Vietnam — closed their borders quickly after the pandemic spread out of Wuhan. As a result, they had relatively few cases and escaped the worst of the pandemic. Until now. The World’s Patrick Winn says these success stories are coming to an end —...

This season brings giant schools of mullet to Brazil's southeastern coast. The catch comes at a time that Brazil's fishing communities are struggling from COVID-19 and the related financial hardships. Michael Fox reports that fishermen and women all along the coasts are asking for the government's help.  

Do I still need to wear my mask? The CDC's new guidance about ditching our masks quickly raised questions and concerns in a lot of communities, including among immigrant workers who make up a key part of front-facing industries like retail shops and restaurants. The World's Marco Werman speaks to Pablo Alvarado, with the US-based National Day Laborer Organizing Network.

On Monday, President Joe Biden announced additional vaccines that it would make available for other countries by the end of June. The US has appeared to hit a turning point with COVID-19, as hospitalizations and deaths are all dropping . The World’s Elana Gordon reports on Monday’s news, which follows mounting pressure for the US to ramp up its role in the global response to the coronavirus. Some...

Esther Lim noticed the increase in anti-Asian rhetoric as soon as the coronavirus began to spread around the world. She worried about her parents, who immigrated from South Korea to California in the 1980s. After realizing there weren't many resources in Asian languages about how to report a hate crime, Lim decided to make her own. The World's Bianca Hillier has the story.

Chileans have voted — deciding that 155 citizens will rewrite the country's constitution, replacing the one drafted during the region of dictator Augusto Pinochet. The decision to write a new constitution followed fierce protests in 2019 over inequality and elitism. The World's host Carol Hills speaks to Julieta Suarez-Cao, a political science professor at the Catholic University of Chile in Santi...

Seven days into the air war on Gaza, hundreds of people have been killed, including scores of children. Hozayfa Yazji of the Norwegian Refugee Council in Gaza tells host Carol Hills how Gazan families are coping with the stress and the danger, and how they are helping their children live through airstrikes.

Pressure is building for President Joe Biden to do more to try to halt Israel’s assault on Gaza. That pressure is from the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and also, increasingly, from the center, where there’s much more vocal criticism of civilian casualties. That’s according to Ilan Goldenberg, former chief of staff to the US special envoy for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Goldenberg...

In Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday, British immigration officials launched a raid in one of the city’s most diverse neighborhoods. Two men believed to be immigrants from India were removed from their homes and held in a white van marked “Immigration Enforcement” and “Home Office.” That did not sit right with neighbors. The World’s Marco Werman has more.

Next Monday, restaurants open for indoor dining in England for the first time in almost six months. Demand for tables is sky-high but there's one problem. Because of Brexit and the impact of the pandemic, restaurant owners are struggling to find workers. The World’s Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Members of the Tibetan diaspora from around the world went to the polls last month to elect new leadership, and the results were announced on Friday. A new president was named. Ashley Westerman reports that he and the parliament in exile play an important role in connecting and advocating for Tibetans both outside and inside of Tibet.

Since the start of the civil war in Syria, there have been dozens of chemical attacks. Now, experts at a border town near Syria are noticing an increasing number of children with similar deformities. They are asking how many others are out there and if the attack led to these deformities. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

Fighting between Israelis and Palestinians has only intensified after a week of violence. Host Marco Werman speaks with Mkhaimer Abusada, a professor of political science at al-Azhar University in Gaza City, who explains the historical genesis of the conflict, and what this moment means for Palestinians in Gaza.

A taboo industry has gone mainstream in China — grave robbing. Some think it's grown in popularity because of the hit serialized novel and TV show "Grave Robbers Chronicles." In real life, tomb hunting has become big business in China. It's a subject tackled in a recent episode of “The Intelligence,” a podcast from our partners at Economist Radio. Stephanie Studer is a China correspondent for the...