Environment

Georgia’s capital city, Tbilisi, sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity. It is currently the scene of a political confrontation over a Russia-inspired law that critics fear will stifle media freedom. Host Marco Werman speaks with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek in Tbilisi about the city’s rich cultural past and its current tensions.

Voting begins on Friday in India in what’s being called the largest-election ever in recorded history. Almost 1 billion people are eligible to vote in the election, which will happen over the next six weeks. President Narendra Modi is likely to be reelected for a rare, third term, despite concerns about the growing Hindu nationalist movement he represents, and high unemployment. The World’s Carolyn Beeler spoke with journalist Sushmita Pathak, who talked to voters at the polls in the city of Jaipur.

Blue and gold macaws, a species non-native to the city, have developed a relationship with the residents of Caracas, Venezuela. However, the birds’ future is uncertain as their habitats are becoming increasingly endangered.

Optimism soared after the Paris Agreement was established in 2015. But progress at UN climate talks since then has been incremental at best.