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Thirty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, nostalgia for the old days and ways of socialist East Germany is stronger than ever. Germans even have a name for the phenomenon: “Ostalgie.” From East German scooters to '80s hair metal, artifacts of the past are increasingly popular with some who grew up in the GDR [German Democratic Republic] and watched it disappear overnight — and even many...

Dominique Morisseau is a Haitian American playwright, who was raised in Detroit, Michigan. She’s written extensively about her native city, but her newest, and perhaps most autobiographical, play shines its light on the island nation where her father was born. It’s called "Bad Kreyòl", and it looks at a pair of cousins — one from America, the other from Haiti — negotiating a difficult relationship...

From apple pie on Thanksgiving Day to Johnny Appleseed stories passed down for generations, the apple has been a symbol of American culture. But the first apples actually originated halfway around the world, below the towering, snow-capped mountains of Central Asia in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. And now, wild apples growing in that very region might be the key to ensuring the long-term survival of...

A cruise line is trying to woo Americans who are disappointed with the US election results. Lasting for the conspicuous duration of four years, the new offering is called the "Skip Forward" cruise. Host Carolyn Beeler explains.

Today is considered New Year's Day on Mars, a convention that stems from one Martian year equaling 687 days on Earth. Host Carolyn Beeler explains how astronomers and space agencies track the passage of time on other planets.

Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council has ousted leader Garry Conille after six months. They've named businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé to the top spot. The ouster may violate the country’s constitution. The Miami Herald’s Jacqueline Charles tells Host Marco Werman that if Conille doesn’t step down, Haiti could find itself with two prime ministers, as armed gangs on the island continue finding...

Salman Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" has not been legal to import into India for decades. But that's changed, because the physical notification of the 1988 edict can't be found. Host Marco Werman explains.

Since Lebanon has been dealing with ramped-up airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion, not only have hospitals and clinics have been bombed, but doctors say they have also seen a sharp increase in premature births and miscarriages among Lebanese women. The World's Durrie Bouscaren looks at what it's like to be pregnant in wartime. 

Following his election win last week, US President-Elect Donald Trump received congratulations from leaders across the globe. Reports have since come in that Trump spoke to his counterparts in Kyiv and Moscow as well. While President Volodymyr Zelenskiy of Ukraine confirmed that he had an “excellent" call, Moscow denies any such communication. Host Marco Werman spoke to Sam Greene, a professor of...

Israel's new foreign minister today said that there has been what he called "certain progress" in efforts to end fighting with Lebanon's Hezbollah. Hezbollah denies any knowledge of a potential ceasefire. Host Marco Werman has more.

A panel of experts sent by the UN Security Council arrived in Port Sudan on Sunday. They're looking into possible war crimes committed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which has been locked in a war with the government for more than a year and a half. Cameron Hudson is a former CIA analyst and national security official for multiple US administrations who's kept a close eye on Sudan; he j...

Swastikas on classroom desks. “Heil Hitler” in the hallways. In an open letter this spring, student council associations from the six former East German states warned of increased neo-Nazi incidents in their schools and radicalization and recruitment of their classmates online. Valerie Hamilton has the story.

Emperor penguins are social birds that live in Antarctica, so it struck experts as curious that a single emperor penguin washed ashore in Australia this month. Officials in Western Australia are caring for the malnourished bird while determining what to do with it next, as Host Marco Werman explains.

Judith Jamison, of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, died over the weekend. In 1967, the US State Department sent Jamison on a memorable tour of several African nations to perform and establish a cultural and diplomatic connection. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sylvia Waters, the artistic director emerita at Ailey II of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, about the legacy of Judith Jamis...

In an attempt to set a new world record, 1,000 musicians gathered on Mexico City's main plaza with trumpets, violins, vihuelas and bass guitars over the weekend. Host Marco Werman has the story.

Parts of India and Pakistan are blanketed in thick smog, with densely populated cities seeing record-breaking levels of pollution. Now, some are calling for the two rival nations to work together on new ways to fight the issue. The World’s Transportation Correspondent Jeremy Siegel reports on the unlikely possibility of “smog diplomacy.”

COP29 opens on Nov. 11 in Azerbaijan, a major exporter of oil and natural gas. While some environmentalists are horrified that an oil producing nation will again host the conference, others are hopeful it will help bring results. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

News of the US election result is being discussed across Africa. While leaders of countries from Nigeria to Zimbabwe shared statements of congratulations with a triumphant Donald Trump, reactions vary widely across the continent. Host Carol Hills spoke with Christopher Isike, director of the African Center for the Study of the United States at the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

Playwright Michael Shayan’s one-man play about his mother and growing up as a first-generation Iranian American begins a national tour in Denver. Each night, Shayan transforms into his mother Roya, hosting a traditional Nowruz celebration. The show's origins trace back to a simple recorded conversation between Shayan and his mother. From Colorado Public Radio, Eden Lane reports.

The Great Indian bustard bird was once a common sight across much of India. Today, however, the species is considered close to extinction. But recently, wildlife conservationists in India have managed to artificially inseminate a female Great Indian bustard bird. Host Carol Hills speaks with Tushna Karkaria, a lead veterinarian working on the Bustard Recovery Program at the Wildlife Institute of I...

European leaders met Thursday in Budapest, Hungary, for a summit of the European Political Community. Host Carol Hills covers some of the discussion, including US President-elect Donald Trump's likely impact on support for Ukraine and NATO, agreement by leaders that Europe must do more for its own defense, and friction between EPC members. Also, Germany is holding events to mark the 35th anniversa...

The four-letter f-word is part of the unique set of profanities that cannot be uttered on public radio, but its history and use is no less fascinating. Perhaps even more so in light of its taboo. Details about its roots continue to emerge, as shared by Jesse Sheidlower, a lexicographer and assistant adjunct professor at Columbia University.

“Does Jazz need saving?” So asked a CBC interviewer a few years ago of Quincy Jones, the composer, musician and bandleader who died this week. His answer gets at the American cultural imprint still admired by the rest of the world. And we offer music from Blue Note recording artist South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini as a coda.

More than a week on from the deadly floods that destroyed parts of eastern Spain and led to the deaths of at least 218 people, recriminations are flying over who should be held responsible. In Germany, three years after catastrophic floods hit the northwest region of the country, questions of accountability are still being asked. Europe is the fastest-warming continent on Earth but scientists say...

German Chancellor Olaf Scholtz  on Wednesday night fired his finance minister, bringing to an end the country's first-ever three-party coalition. The former partners couldn't agree on a final budget after Germany's highest court declared part of the original budget unconstitutional. Host Carolyn Beeler explains.