US Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade
June 24, 2022
The US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade on Friday, revealing a canyonlike divide across the nation over the right to terminate a pregnancy. Abortion rights supporters condemned the decision as a dark day in history, while abortion foes rejoiced and said it will save countless lives. Also, in Lebanon, a pregnancy can only be terminated if three doctors agree that a person's life is at risk. But this doesn't stop them from happening — abortion pills are available online, and some doctors provide abortions privately. Plus, meet King Rao, the central figure in a new dystopian novel called "The Immortal King Rao," by Vauhini Vara.
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Weapons from Germany arrive in Ukraine
June 23, 2022
The first delivery of heavy weapons from Germany arrived in Ukraine this week, marking the end to a longstanding policy not to send lethal aid into active conflict zones. In a country where history looms large, many Germans are uneasy with their country’s new proximity to war. Also, Southeast Asia is opening up to tourists this summer for the first time since the pandemic began. But Chinese tourists will be conspicuously absent due to the country’s restrictive COVID-19 policy. Plus, at the last minute, pop star Dua Lipa was forced to change the location of her Sunny Hill music festival from Kosovo to Albania.
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Devastating earthquake hits Afghanistan
June 22, 2022
Rescuers are trying to reach provinces in eastern Afghanistan after a 5.9-magnitude earthquake shook the area on Wednesday. Initial reports suggest a high death toll and injuries. And Mohamad Bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince, is in Turkey on Wednesday for a visit with President Recep Erdoğan. The visit is seen as the two sides normalizing relations following the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey.
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Extreme flooding in northeast India
June 21, 2022
The state of Assam in northeast India has seen the worst flooding in generations. Weeks of monsoon rains have caused the largest rivers to overflow, flooding 32 of the state's 35 districts. Also, many US manufacturers rely on products from China’s Xinjiang region, where forced labor is common. New rules that come into force on Tuesday require firms to prove a “complete digital chain of custody” for products from the region. Plus, the US Navy says a small Iranian vessel charged an American ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday.
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A political shift in Colombia
June 20, 2022
Voters in Colombia have chosen a left-wing president for the first time, signaling a shift in the nation's politics. Also, ethnic tensions continue in Ethiopia following an attack on Sunday that killed more than 200 people. And in Germany, officials say they are ready to fire up coal power plants again in an effort to save on natural gas, which may impact climate targets.
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World Trade Organization reaches agreement on vaccine sharing
June 17, 2022
The World Trade Organization has reached an agreement on vaccine sharing. The deal allows for ways to circumvent intellectual property rules to manufacture, import and export lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Still, many view the result as a disappointment. Also, on Sunday, Colombians head to the polls to elect their next president. Their choices: a right-wing real estate billionaire and a leftist former guerrilla fighter. And, for art lovers, there's a must-see event in West Africa right now: The Dakar Biennale in Senegal, also known as Dak’Art. It's a showcase of spectacular work from artists across the globe.
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European leaders meet with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy
June 16, 2022
Leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania met with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy in Kyiv today, to show support for Ukraine and its defense against the Russian invasion. The high-profile visit demonstrates Europe's measure of support for Ukraine as the war continues. And rents in the Ukrainian city of Lviv have finally leveled out after ballooning at the start of the war, but they're still much higher than before it began in February. Those who fled the eastern part of the country are still in limbo, but the high prices have made it hard to stay in Lviv. Plus, TikTok may be a platform known for its fun and silly videos, but according to a new report, it’s also a culprit when it comes to election disinformation in Kenya.
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Avoiding war between US and China
June 15, 2022
The risk of war between the US and China is on the rise. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd discusses how the two superpowers can step away from the precipice. Also, in Southeast Asia, 99.9% of the regional population breathes in air with pollution levels high above World Health Organization standards, according to a new University of Chicago study. Plus, Ukraine is often known for its comedians — including its president. The war abruptly ended the comedy scene in Kyiv for a few months, but it's coming back, with comedians stressing the importance of laughter during wartime.
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Ukrainian troops face shortages on the frontlines of eastern Donbas
June 14, 2022
Ukrainian soldiers are having to make do with shortages of weapons and supplies on the frontlines in eastern Donbas, according to Ukrainian MP Mariana Bezugla, who is hunkered down there with the troops. Also, a fight between Turkish and Afghan teenagers has set off a series of attacks against migrant workers who pick up trash around Istanbul. As the country's economy worsens, tensions between Turks and refugees are getting worse. And in mid-August of last year, as the US was fully disengaging from Afghanistan, some Afghans clung to a C-17 military plane as it was taking off from Kabul airport and fell to their deaths. Multiple investigations had been launched to uncover exactly what happened. Plus, June 14 marks 40 since the war between the United Kingdom and Argentina over control of the Falkland Islands. We hear what the war and the islands mean to Argentinians today.
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UK plan to send migrants to Rwanda faces legal challenges
June 13, 2022
Faced with rising numbers of migrants and asylum-seekers crossing the English Channel on boats, the British government came up with a plan to fly them to Rwanda to apply for asylum there. Now, the plan is facing legal challenges, and it might not even happen. And, in 1962, revolutionary leader Fidel Castro banned professional sports in Cuba, and encouraged athletes to pursue amateur careers. Now, the country is ending its longtime ban on professional boxing, and the national team has made a triumphant debut. Also, in Zambia, the growing presence of neurologists in the region is starting to challenge long-held beliefs about multiple sclerosis. Plus, for the third time in 40 years, a human beat a horse in the annual 22.5-mile race held in Wales, scoring a cash prize and bragging rights over 1,000 other runners and 50 horses (and their riders).
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