Voters in the city of Jerusalem go to the polls this week for municipal elections. The current mayor is expected to win another five-year term. But this is not a typical election, with the war in Gaza now well into its fifth month. Plus, every year the world uses up to 50 billion metric tons of sand, according to a United Nations Environment Program report. This is not sustainable and it's already having a negative environmental impact. And in Dubai, where temperatures regularly rise above 100 degrees, the city has set up destination night beaches. And they are thriving.

Municipal elections take place this week in Jerusalem, amid war

Host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories that remind us just how small our planet really is.

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The Turkish government announced it would suspend trade with Israel, until a permanent ceasefire is achieved and humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza without interruption. Imports and exports between Turkey and Israel totaled $6.8 billion last year. And, for the first time, researchers observed a wild animal treating a wound with a plant known by humans for its medicinal qualities, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. Also, lawmakers in the United Kingdom are considering a ban on the sale of smartphones to children under the age of 16. And in France, a hard-hitting study says children should not be allowed to use smartphones until they are 13. Are these bans effective? Plus, Syrian singer Ghaliaa finds her voice in Abu Dhabi. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.We aim to raise $25,000 by June 14. Will you help us reach our goal? Donate today to keep The World going strong!

Turkey cuts trade with Israel

Until recently, Myanmar’s army was widely seen as undefeatable — too big and brutal to take down. An armed uprising started three years ago is now on a roll, capturing vast territory and leaving senior generals "demoralized," according to an army major who defected. And, Georgia’s capital city Tbilisi sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity, and it is currently the scene of a political confrontation over a Russia-inspired law that critics fear will stifle media freedom. We hear from National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek, in Tbilisi, about the city’s rich cultural past and its current tensions. Also, Haiti’s newly installed transitional council chose Fritz Bélizaire, a little known former sports minister, as the Caribbean country’s new prime minister earlier this week. But the selection process sparked backlash, and the council reversed its decision. Plus, a Neanderthal woman, discovered. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.We aim to raise $25,000 by June 14. Will you help us reach our goal? Donate today to keep The World going strong!

Inside Myanmars 'demoralized' army

The rallying cry of many pro-Palestinian protestors is “divest from Israel.” University administrators and donors have so far rebuffed that demand. Many investment analysts argue that it's not feasible for universities to alter their portfolios and sell all assets linked to particular countries. And, this week, the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at two Philippine patrol vessels near a disputed territory in the South China Sea. The US has a mutual defense pact with The Philippines, so this incident draws the US and China into tension with each other. Also, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday that an inspection in April showed that hundreds of thousands of bullets, thousands of grenades and 37 anti-tank missiles had been stolen from two different military bases. He said an organized network is behind the theft of weapons and is selling them to militant groups within Colombia and overseas. Plus, the rest of the world's Labor Day. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

Calls for divestment from Israel face resistance

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel is offering an "extraordinarily generous" deal and that, "the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas." But on Tuesday, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said whether there's a ceasefire or not, the Israeli military will launch a ground offensive into Rafah. And, au pairs come to the US to live with a family and care for the children. They are paid small stipends and work long days, which opens them to abuse. The State Department is considering revamping the program, which would likely make it unaffordable for parents. Also, University of Sydney students set up pro-Palestinian encampments on campus last week, while others in France, Italy and the UK are staging their own forms of protests against Israel's war with Hamas. For now, the demonstrations are small compared to what's happening on US college campuses, but students say they're actions are significant and likely to spread. Plus, the challenge to end plastic pollution. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

Netanyahu says stopping war in Gaza now is 'not an option'

More trucks carrying aid are crossing the border into Gaza, and the relief group World Central Kitchen is resuming operations there, four weeks after Israeli soldiers killed seven of the group’s aid workers. Still, the situation in Gaza remains dire. And, Maori poet Tayi Tibble released a new collection of poems, "Rangikura" earlier this month to critical acclaim. Tibble talks with us about her youth, Maori identity, and what it means to connect with Indigenous groups beyond New Zealand. Also, heavy rainfall and flooding in Kenya over the weekend has killed about 100 people so far. Experts say the extreme weather is wreaking havoc across several countries in East Africa. Plus, the struggles of learning Mandarin. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

Municipal elections take place this week in Jerusalem, amid war

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