The World

As protests over a military takeover continue in Myanmar, on Thursday, the Biden administration announced new sanctions against the country's top military officials who led the coup. The sanctions will prevent the generals from accessing more than $1 billion in Myanmar government funds held in the US. And, for years, conflict, insecurity and lack of economic opportunities sent many Afghans to neighboring countries like Iran. But when the Islamic Republic became an epicenter for the coronavirus, many had no choice but to head back home. Also, the US Postal Service has released a new stamp honoring groundbreaking Chinese American nuclear physicist Chien-Shiung Wu.

As prosecutors from the US House made their case for the impeachment of former President Donald Trump, security was on high alert in Washington. There are more police and National Guard and access to the Capitol building is tight — but how long will this continue? And, opposition activists and lawmakers are demanding that Haitian President Jovenel Moïse step down. Also, an ancient conch shell thought to be a drinking vessel has now been determined to be a musical instrument — the earliest known conch shell horn.

As the second historic impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump begins in Washington, The World explores the question: What do the trial and the siege of Capitol Hill have in common with the rise of right-wing, populist politics in some eastern European countries? And, a report about how to reconcile the French and Algerian people, commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron, has failed to recommend France apologize or make reparations for its actions in Algeria. Also, an Olympic sailing champion’s testimony of sexual assault has sparked a #MeToo movement in Greece.

Darlene Turner is an Inupiaq Eskimo living on a battle line. Not the military kind, the climate change kind. With less sea ice to buffer storms, the ocean is washing away chunks of her village and its residents have made a difficult decision to relocate. “Would you relocate?” she asks.

Experts believe stories like Turner’s are just a precursor to a massive migratory trend that could have millions of Americans on the move before mid-century.

In this episode of "Things That Go Boom," The World's partner podcast from PRX, host Laicie Heeley examines how "climigration" could play out, and how climate change can become a threat multiplier.

A week ago, Myanmar's military ended the country's brief experiment with democracy, leading a coup and taking full control over the government. But in recent days, crowds of protesters have taken to the streets to say otherwise. And, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif says lifting sanctions is a prerequisite to getting back to the negotiation table with the US on the nuclear deal. Also, we remember George Shultz, one of the most influential secretaries of state in US history, who died Saturday.

US President Joe Biden delivered what many viewed as a morale boost to the foreign service on Thursday. In his first major foreign policy speech as president, Biden declared that "diplomacy is back." And, the world is witnessing the biggest vaccine campaign in history. Now, eight weeks since the first COVID-19 shots arrived, where are we with vaccine rollout? Also, an all-female rowing team based in the UK have become the first team to complete the 3,000-mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge in an eco-boat.

It's been over three years since the Trump administration began separating families at the US-Mexico border as part of a zero-tolerance policy. This week, President Joe Biden announced a task force to reunite families, but some people have already been doing the arduous work searching for parents. And, almost a year into the pandemic, societies around the world are faced with immense contradictions. Also, carbon offsets have been gaining popularity — one project in the Maritimes provinces of Canada holds promise.

The protests led by farmers in India are entering their third month with no sign of ending. Now, global celebrities are weighing in on the standoff including Rihanna and Greta Thunberg. And, the people helping manage vaccine shortages and rising cases of the coronavirus in populations across African countries are some of the best equipped for responding to infectious diseases and the pandemic. But the continent is now facing a second, more threatening wave of COVID-19. Also, Scandinavia's largest festival, the Göteborg Film Festival, is going ahead this year but for an audience of one.

In Myanmar, a military coup has outraged citizens. Some of their elected leaders have been detained and cut off from the world and no one knows if the army will lock up even more civilians. And, Tuesday, President Biden signed three executive orders to alter US immigration policies. Also, a new study published by the Lancet shows that Russia's Sputnik V vaccine is nearly 92% effective against COVID-19, according to interim trial results.

For a second weekend in a row, demonstrators across Russia came out to the streets to call for the release of opposition politician Alexei Navalny from jail. And, Myanmar’s military has seized power in a coup. The takeover happened before dawn on Monday with politicians taken from their homes and detained. Also, while concerns are growing over the limited supplies of approved COVID-19 vaccines, behind the scenes, the vaccine powerhouse Serum Institute of India is massively scaling up and is expected to play a pivotal role in supplying the world.