The World

Exactly one month after Qin Gang disappeared from public view, on Tuesday, his removal and his successor was announced in Chinese state media. No explanation was given. And, every summer, Antarctic ice sheets recede as they melt, and every winter they regrow when the temperature drops. But recent observations and data show the ice is not regrowing. Also, researchers believe that the H5N1 virus known as avian flu may have killed millions of wild birds globally as the outbreak ravages South America. Plus, trying to prevent violence in Sudan with old-fashioned detective work.

In a vote boycotted by the Israeli opposition, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bid to overhaul the judiciary is in motion with a vote passed 64-0. Israelis have protested day after day for months, and those protests have included Israeli combat veterans and military reservists. And, Greece’s Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared "war" with wildfires in a recent address to the country’s parliament. The country has been battling wildfires on islands at opposite ends of the country: western Corfu and eastern Rhodes. Also, since the start of the Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, many European countries have been trying to find ways to reduce their dependency on Russian energy. One place they’re starting to look is West Africa, where Senegal and Mauritania are capitalizing on recent discoveries of natural gas. Plus, Boston's links to the slave trade.

Every night over the last week, Russia has bombarded cities along Ukraine’s southern Black Sea coast. With these attacks, the Russian military has tried to disrupt Ukraine’s ability to export grain. And, "Stories from the Stage" are tales told by ordinary people with extraordinary experiences. We begin with Ana Hebra Flaster, who came to the United States from Cuba when she was 6 years old. Flaster is a writer who grew up in New England and her storytelling is inspired by her father. Also, in dozens of towns and cities across Spain, the far-right Vox party has found itself invited into ruling coalitions — and it has already begun dismantling policies meant to preserve nature and protect sexual and gender diversity. It now could strongly influence this weekend's federal elections, should the center-right Popular Party win a majority of votes. Plus, Kyiv's wedding officiant.

Iraqi protesters stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad after Stockholm police gave permission to a yet another person to burn the Quran. Relations between Iraq and Sweden are now frayed and some Swedes are beginning to wonder: "When does the legal right to burn a Quran become a hate crime?" And, women in Afghanistan took to the streets this week to protest a Taliban ban on beauty salons. The ban will come into effect in five days, leaving roughly 6,000 women out of work. Also, centenarian statesman Henry Kissinger flew to Beijing for a surprise meeting yesterday with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Plus, FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off in New Zealand and Australia.

Wrapping up a four-day trip to China, US climate envoy John Kerry said no new commitments on climate were made, but the world's two biggest climate polluters have agreed to work together at major international meetings this year. And, today, protests against the rising cost of living resumed in Kenya. The demonstrations are organized by Kenya's opposition leaders, who say the country's new government is not doing enough to improve the economy. Also, since 1930, countries that make up the British Commonwealth have gathered every four years to compete in the Commonwealth Games. But the Australian state of Victoria has abruptly canceled its hosting of the next scheduled Games in 2023 — citing the extraordinary cost of hosting it — leaving the fate of the competition in question. Plus, this Israeli rapper is aiming high.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit to DC was initially planned as a largely symbolic event. But it has evolved into a full-on diplomatic embrace. And, there's a crisis at sea right now — an international shortage of workers to work on the ships that traverse the oceans. What's behind the shortage and its impact across the globe? Also, Private 2nd Class Travis King left his tourist group of the Joint Security Area on the border of North and South Korea and has been detained by the North Korean authorities. We hear from an expert about what the news means for the US-North Korean relationship. Plus, in Sweden, local communities are trying to fight back against gun violence.

Russia announced it's walking away from an agreement that allows Ukrainian grain shipments to leave Black Sea ports. The deal brokered by the UN and Turkey in 2022 has helped guarantee grain shipments from Ukraine to countries around the world. And, the European Union announced a deal with Tunisia over the weekend to stem the flow of migration. Tunisia has now stated it will only take back Tunisians who illegally crossed into Europe. Also, US Climate Envoy John Kerry heads out on a four-day visit to Beijing. Chinese and US officials are motivated to find solutions to the dangers climate change poses, but domestic pressures are making it difficult to hammer out a deal. Plus, two surprise victories at Wimbledon.

The UN has called for an investigation into the deaths of 87 people whose bodies were found in a mass grave in Sudan's Darfur region. Also, nearly half the world's oceans are currently experiencing a heat wave that could get worse before the end of the summer. And, as Spain accelerates its investment in solar and wind parks, a growing number of mayors and environmental nongovernmental organizations in the southern region of Andalusia worry that the natural landscape will be altered forever with olive groves, forests and high plains being plowed over. Plus, we revisit the heartwarming story of a woman looking out for another woman's son studying abroad in the UK.

Russian authorities have imprisoned thousands of Ukrainian civilians. The noncombatants are being held both deep inside Russia and in occupied Ukrainian territories not far from the fighting on the front lines, where many are forced to dig trenches and graves. We hear from a reporter who uncovered the story. Also, climate-fueled weather systems are creating unprecedented challenges for humanitarian organizations. We speak with a first responder. And Sudan's capital, Khartoum is a war zone. A longtime resident tells us how he survived a month of gun battles and escaped.

The upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup is being billed as the biggest edition to date, with host countries Australia and New Zealand hoping to leverage the buzz and ensure the momentum surrounding women’s sports sticks around long after the tournament. Also, Paris is taking another step in fighting climate change by announcing that SUVs and other heavier vehicles will be charged more to park in the city center. And, Iraq is facing its worst water shortage in a century, with 7 million people experiencing reduced access to water. Plus, a Ukrainian filmmaker captures life in the besieged city of Mariupol as most residents fled for safety before it was overrun by Russian forces.