The World

After Georgia’s LGBTQ community faced violence at a Pride event in Tbilisi last week, politicians say more action is needed and urged for accountability. And, vigils and protests continue in India over the death of 84-year-old Jesuit priest Stan Swamy. US and United Nations leaders have expressed concern about his death in an Indian prison. This week, the Italian government banned large cruise ships from sailing into the lagoon off St. Mark's Square in Venice. Also, we hear from German Ghanaian musician Marvin Brooks, with his latest track, "One Breath."

Iranian intelligence agents plotted an abduction on US soil. The alleged target: Iranian American author and journalist Masih Alinejad, a harsh critic of the Iranian government. Also, this week marks five years since a faction of Turkey’s military attempted a coup that left more than 250 dead. The country issued a state of emergency and has prosecuted thousands of people since then. And, we celebrate Bastille Day with a controversial 1979 reggae version of the French national anthem: Serge Gainsbourg's "Aux Armes Etcetera," recorded in Kingston, Jamaica.

In Cuba, activists say more than 100 people have been detained or gone missing since protests erupted over the weekend. We'll hear from someone in the capital, Havana. Also, do we need booster shots for COVID-19? Scientists are debating that question. Still, a handful of countries are preparing for boosters. Plus, does a lobster feel pain? The British Parliament wants to know.

Thousands of Cubans took to the streets on Sunday to protest the government’s mishandling of the pandemic and continued problems with power blackouts and food shortages. And, along with the assassination of Haiti’s president this week, the country faces an uptick in gang violence. Also, dozens of Chinese feminist social media channels have been abruptly deactivated recently, triggering anger and fear. And, Super Mario 64 still holds nostalgic value. An unopened cartridge of the classic game just sold at auction for a record-setting $1.5 million.

Police in Haiti say that at least 15 people behind the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse were Colombian mercenaries, including several retired military members. And, after a 15-month standstill, cruises are leaving from American waters again with revamped health and safety protocols. Will it be smooth sailing? Also, most Islamic countries regard homosexuality as morally unacceptable — and a crime. But gay activists say homophobia is a Western import with documents to prove it.

As American troops exit Afghanistan, the Taliban continues to take control over more and more territory. On Thursday, President Joe Biden sought to reassure Afghan allies about the future of US-Afghanistan relations. And, more than two dozen scientists at the global World Weather Attribution group worked nonstop over the past week to determine whether the Pacific Northwest's record-breaking heat wave was caused by climate change. The answer was a resounding yes. Also, Erika Avellaneda, a 9th grader in Ottawa, Ontario, says it took 143 hours and 17 rolls of duct tape to create her detailed, two-piece prom dress.

After more than a year of measures, such as mask mandates and social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, communities around the world are adjusting to reopened workplaces and society. But ongoing concerns about the pandemic, and challenges posed by variants, have many people wary. As part of The World's regular series of conversations with Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and as a special in our podcast feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a conversation with Karestan Koenen, professor of psychiatric epidemiology at Harvard, who explored well-being and mental health during this transition.

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

Brazil is finally getting vaccines following President Jair Bolsonaro's botched approach to vaccination purchases and a range of COVID-19 hardships. Now, citizens are honking in celebration at drive-up vaccination sites. Also, Haiti's president, Jovenel Moïse, was assassinated Tuesday in an overnight attack. And, in May, a triple bombing at a girls' school in Kabul killed nearly 100 people, mostly students. Roughly two months later, Abdullah Ahmadi hasn't been able to locate her 19-year-old daughter, Shukria. Also, the storied Cannes Film Festival had its opening night Tuesday after getting canceled last year due to COVID-19.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that almost all COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted in England by July 19. But with the Delta variant threat, many scientists say it’s a “recipe for disaster.” And, as Lebanon’s financial crisis deepens, interim Prime Minister Hassan Diab said that the country was days away from a "social explosion.” Also, Nigerian law enforcement reported the kidnapping of 140 students in Kaduna state after armed men raided Bethel Baptist School boarding school. And, a book called “Chinatown Pretty: Fashion and Wisdom from Chinatown's Most Stylish Seniors,” takes readers on a fashion tour through Chinatown neighborhoods.

This story may sound familiar. A major hack, with more than 1,000 businesses affected. According to cybersecurity experts, the Russia-based hacking group REvil is the source of the attack. Also, in South Africa, political tensions are growing after a court sentenced former president Jacob Zuma to prison for absconding from a corruption inquiry — a ruling that appears to strike at perceived official impunity. Zuma has struck back, comparing the judges to the white apartheid-era rulers he once fought. And, abortion activists and pro-choice gynecologists in ultra-Catholic Malta have created the country’s first free family-planning service.