The World

In Afghanistan, three more regional capitals fell to the Taliban yesterday. That makes nine in less than a week. One of the latest to fall is the city of Pul-i-Khumri, in Baghlan province, a vital piece of territory. And wildfires continue to rage in parts of Greece, including on Evia island. The Greek government has announced relief measures for those impacted. Also, EU officials are accusing Belarus' strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko of using the migrants as political pawns to retaliate against EU sanctions.

Ethiopia's government is calling civilians to join the military to fight against Tigrayan rebel forces. This marks a stunning turnaround for Ethiopia and its leader, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. And, on Monday, Britain, Canada, and the United States imposed new sanctions on Belarus. The move comes one year after strongman leader Alexander Lukashenko rigged the country's presidential election in his favor. Also, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recent report is a “code red” for humanity, says climate scientist William Moomaw. He joins us to talk about jump-starting efforts to reverse the climate crisis.

Crews and locals on Evia island, and other parts of Greece, continue to battle blazes burning through thousands of acres of forested and residential areas. As other countries step in with support, many Greeks say they feel abandoned by their own government. And, a new UN report says the Earth will likely blow past the 1.5 Celsius mark by the 2030s, a goal set by the Paris agreement to minimize global warming. This will drastically escalate the negative impacts of climate change in the next few decades. Also, we hear from Daniel Sherrell, whose new book, “Warmth,” addresses how it truly feels to face the magnitude of the global climate emergency.

As fighting in western Afghanistan intensifies, thousands of women and children are forced to leave their homes. The UN estimates 270,000 Afghans have been displaced since January. Also, on the morning of Aug. 6, 1945, a photographer roamed through the rubble of Hiroshima. His images of people exposed to the atomic blast were the only ones taken that day. And France dropped nearly 200 atomic bombs on French Polynesia between 1966 and 1996 as part of its nuclear testing program. During President Emmanuel Macron's first visit to the territory last week, he acknowledged the damage but failed to apologize.

The highly infectious COVID-19 delta variant is leaving a devastating wake around the globe. The surge of infections raises a lot of questions and has sparked concern among public health officials. As part of The World's regular series of conversation presented with The Forum at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and as a special in our podcast feed, editor Carolyn Beeler moderated a discussion about the delta variant and what's next for the pandemic with epidemiologist William Hanage.

See more of the Coronavirus Conversations series here: https://www.theworld.org/categories/coronavirus-conversations

The World Health Organization took a clear stance this week on COVID-19 booster shots: Countries must hold off because the majority of people, globally, have yet to receive their first dose. And since the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, tens of thousands of ancient artifacts and art pieces have been looted and smuggled out of the country. This week, the US agreed to return more than 17,000 artifacts and treasures to Iraq. Also, a controversial new bill in Ghana could make life even more difficult for LGBTQ people; same-sex relations are already illegal in the country. The proposed legislation would further criminalize LGBTQ people.

For the first time since the 1990s, Taliban militants in recent days attacked the western city of Herat, one of Afghanistan's largest cities. Fighting in the vicinity of Herat's airport has grounded flights for several days. Also, Ethiopia has suspended aid operations with Doctors Without Borders and the Norwegian Refugee Council in its Tigray region, as hundreds of thousands of people there live under the threat of starvation. And one year after a deadly explosion in Beirut's port killed 200 people and injured and displaced thousands, Lebanese citizens are still seeking answers — and  justice.

Athing Mu, 19, made history on the track in Tokyo by winning gold for the US in the 800-meter race. This was the first time the US has claimed the top spot since the 1968 Games in Mexico City. And, the hourglass-shaped dùndún, known as the “talking drum,” has been a part of West African music for hundreds of years. A musicologist found that the instrument replicates tones and patterns of the Yorùbá language. Also, the brutal murder of the youngest daughter of a former Pakistani diplomat has sparked outrage in Islamabad and beyond. One human rights activist says Pakistan’s government is backpedaling when it comes to protecting women from abuse.

Six months after a military coup in Myanmar, the generals who seized power have announced the formation of a new government, promising “free and fair” elections in at least two years. But almost no one seems to believe them. Also, winemakers have been adjusting to warming temperatures for years, picking grapes earlier and earlier each season. But this year, freak frosts and searing high temperatures in Europe have had catastrophic effects on wine grapes. And in Israel today, the Supreme Court ruled that Palestinian residents in the contested Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem will receive protected status and will not face future evictions.

Figuring out how to keep electric vehicles powered up remains a major challenge. Other nations have already traveled down this path of trial and error — a road we're following. Also, the delta variant of the coronavirus is everywhere. Because of that, global leaders are reassessing mask guidance, mandates and vaccine requirements. And, the Philippines is reversing its decision to void a long-term defense pact with the US. It's a big win for the Biden administration, as the pact is seen as important to help keep China at bay.