The World
A program that crosses borders and time zones to bring home the stories that matter.
Germany’s culture war over animal welfare
Germany’s dachshund clubs say a new animal protection law could effectively outlaw their beloved sausage dog, whose long body and short legs can cause painful spine problems. Farmers are outraged with proposals in the law for how they should raise their livestock. Now, a culture war is brewing in Germany’s cities and hinterlands, with dachshunds, cows and their humans as unlikely standard-bearers.
The Itaipu dam: A massive binational collaboration between Paraguay and Brazil
Itaipu is one of the largest hydroelectric plants in the world. It provides electricity to 80 million people in Brazil and Paraguay. Not only is it huge, but it represents a unique model of cross-border energy cooperation.
Paraguay’s soy bonanza leaves small farmers in the cold
The tiny landlocked South American country of Paraguay is one of the top soy producers on the planet. Soy is the country’s top export and it accounts for a major chunk of the country’s gross domestic product. But the soy explosion has wreaked havoc on Paraguay’s ecosystem and been a disaster for many small farmers whose farms have been inundated with pesticides from neighboring soy plantations.
Belarusian play starring Olympic basketball player sheds light on life under a repressive regime
The Belarus Free Theatre has been banned by its country’s government, so the company is making plays in exile. The troupe’s newest production that opened this week in New York City tells the story of an Olympic basketball star from Belarus who becomes a dissident and comes out as gay.
Environmental concerns impact beloved Hindu festival in India
In the Indian city of Mumbai, millions of Hindus just wrapped up the annual, 10-day celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi, a holiday dedicated to the elephant god, Ganesha. The holiday has come under scrutiny, however, because of the environmental damage that results from releasing millions of statues into water bodies across the state each year.