government

Ten years after Washington’s historic deal with Havana, Cuba remains adrift

Global Politics

Ten years after two US officials brokered a secret deal with Cuba, relations between Havana and Washington remain strained, marked by lingering tensions and limited progress toward normalization. The World’s Host Marco Werman speaks with former top national security officials Ben Rhodes and Ricardo Zúñiga about how the Cuba deal came about and why it ultimately collapsed.

Exclusive: A conversation with the commander of the US-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces

Syria

College leaders and international students brace for Trump administration

The iconic Al-Hadba minaret has been restored in Mosul

Religion

In Okinawa, an independence movement finds an unlikely ally

Japan in Focus

Russian opposition leaders and thousands of supporters rally in Berlin against Putin

Ukraine

Some of the most prominent Russian dissidents and their supporters gathered over the weekend in Berlin. The opposition has a wide range of demands, but this was an opportunity for activists to gather with a common message — to end Russian President Vladimir Putin’s reign. 

‘Bad Kreyòl’ premieres in New York

Arts, Culture & Media

A new play that premiered in New York last month tells the story of a pair of cousins — one from America, the other from Haiti — negotiating a difficult relationship, while highlighting the Haitian culture and diaspora.

Is Europe ill-prepared for flood disasters?

Europe is the fastest warming continent on earth but scientists say many local governments are badly prepared for weather related disasters. With the increase in flooding events across the region, is Europe truly prepared to grapple with the effects of climate change?

Facing an escalating threat from China, Taiwan could head into a constitutional crisis

Politics

As Taiwan’s opposing political parties argue over constitutional issues, Chinese military exercises steadily bring ships and aircraft closer to the island. Taiwan’s president wants more defense spending, while the opposition wants to avoid provoking China.

Out of Eden Walk: Walking the DMZ

Out of Eden Walk

Kim Jong Un’s destruction of roads and rail links to South Korea this week illustrated the ongoing tensions on the Korean Peninsula. But as National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek discovered while walking there, the demilitarized zone that has divided North from South for 71 years can be a quiet, peaceful stretch of land — and water. He shares his observations with Host Carolyn Beeler.