The World

A massive 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit Myanmar and Thailand today, killing dozens of people in both countries. Also, former US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns discusses the implications of the world’s shifting geopolitical situation. And, Israel strikes southern Beirut in Lebanon saying it targeted a Hezbollah drone storage facility. Plus, a new borrowed word in the Oxford English Dictionary that describes a feeling so intense you can't help but have a physical reaction to it.

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South Korea is fighting the largest forest fires in the country's history. Emergency crews and volunteers in the dry and windy southeast region are working to put out the flames and help evacuate residents. Also, forecasts for international tourism show that numbers are down sharply for travel to the US amid souring international opinions and ramped-up immigration enforcement. And, the UK climate activist group Just Stop Oil says it’s ceasing its disruptive protests. Plus, singer and storyteller Kaito Winse of Burkina Faso releases a new EP, “Reele Bombou.”

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Hundreds of Palestinians in northern Gaza held spontaneous protests against Hamas and called for an end to the war. Also, for decades, Europe has leaned on the US for security, but there are growing calls for the bloc to be more militarily self-sufficient — an ambitious goal that not all EU leaders agree on. And, it's been 10 years since the start of the Saudi-led airstrike campaign against the Houthis in Yemen. Plus, China-based Mixue Bingcheng is set to surpass McDonald's as the world's largest fast food chain.

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Increasingly brazen armed gangs are taking control of most of the roads leading into and out of Port-au-Prince, as control slips away from Haitian police and Kenyan-led multinational forces. Also, a court in Tokyo has ordered the once-powerful Unification Church in Japan to be dissolved in a case against the religious group that goes back to the 2022 assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. And, the beating and arrest of Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning film “No Other Land” highlights the blurred lines between Israeli settlers and the Israel Defense Forces. Plus, Chile’s Indigenous Mapuche people use an ancestral sport to help protect and revive their culture, customs and language.

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A presidential primary organized by the party of jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, galvanizes millions of voters across Turkey. Also, Costa Ricans are being asked to help pick coffee beans amid a labor shortage in their country, as Nicaraguan migrant farmers stay home over the risks of crossing the border. And, a new graphic cookbook — complete with recipes and comic book-style illustrations — tells the backstories of the unique names behind some Chinese dishes. Plus, for a few days starting this weekend, Saturn's iconic rings will vanish from Earth's point of view — a phenomenon that occurs every 15 years.

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Heathrow, one of the world's largest airports, has shut down after a fire broke out Thursday night at an electric substation, effectively knocking out the airport's power. We hear about the potential causes behind the fire at the substation and how vulnerable airports are to these kinds of incidents. Also, in Sudan, pro-government troops have retaken control of the presidential palace in Khartoum. The palace was previously held by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, who say the battle is not over yet. This would be a major symbolic victory for the Sudanese military, if the palace takeover is confirmed. Also, the effort to return political pluralism to Poland's federal government. And, the American doughnut shops with roots in Cambodia.

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Rodrigo Duterte, the former president of the Philippines, was arrested last week by the International Criminal Court. That makes him the ICC's highest-profile prisoner ever. While in office, he spearheaded a so-called "war on drugs" that killed up to 30,000 people. The relatives of the victims are now ready to face Duterte in court. Also, a look at the end of the ceasefire in Gaza and renewed hostilities between Israel and Hamas. And, Namibia is inaugurating its first female president this week.

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In Turkey, a political rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been detained. The mayor of Istanbul was arrested during a raid on his home, and accused of corruption and assisting a Kurdish militant group in the country's south. Press conferences and demonstrations have been banned in the country for four days. Also, the ongoing impact of Voice of America in former Soviet republics in central Asia. And, March Madness is here — we have a look at a Ukrainian player making an impact on Notre Dame's women's basketball team.

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Israel launched a series of attacks in Gaza overnight. Palestinian health officials say more than 400 people were killed in the strikes, one of the highest death tolls in a single day since the start of the war. This comes after negotiations involving Israel and Hamas failed to reach a deal to release the remaining hostages and maintain the ceasefire. Also, the ongoing efforts to deal with the environmental impact of Agent Orange in Vietnam. And, a visit to a fertility temple in Bhutan.

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A nightclub in North Macedonia caught fire over the weekend, killing 59 people and injuring more than 150 more. Authorities have arrested suspects implicated in the deadly blaze. A look at how that fire started, and the ripple effects across the country. Also, how the war in Ukraine has had an impact on Jewish life in the country. And, we meet a man entertaining North Koreans with magic tricks.

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