The Israeli military has conducted intense operations in the occupied West Bank over the past 10 days, launching air and ground attacks, and leaving a trail of destruction. Also, France tries to redefine rape after a man in the south of the country went on trial for drugging his wife and then inviting dozens of men to rape her, over the course of nearly a decade. And, Europe grapples with a rise in xenophobia even though it’s in need of more foreign workers. Also, farmers in Kenya are breeding butterflies for export abroad. Plus, what is the sound of a glacier crying?

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Automakers like Volvo and Volkswagen are making big changes to their business models as demand fluctuates for electric vehicles. Also, the athletics community across East Africa mourns the death of Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei, who was reportedly killed by her partner. And, a discussion about euthanasia and how and when it’s used around the world. Plus, a collection of 1,984 copies of George Orwell's dystopian novel "1984" hopes to find a permanent home on the Scottish island where Orwell lived.

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A new report finds that Incompetence, dishonesty and greed led to the deaths of 72 people in the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire in the UK. It also says the deaths were avoidable and blames several manufacturers and successive British governments. Also, the Pope is on a trip across Southeast Asia. And, the head of Lebanon's central bank has been arrested after more than a year of damning revelations of alleged financial crimes. Plus, a group of people in the Canary Islands is embracing a centuries-old language used to communicate across long distances: whistling.

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Three German states held elections this weekend, with the far-right AfD Party making big gains. Also, both major US presidential candidates say they oppose the proposed takeover of US Steel by Nippon Steel of Japan. But the CEO of US Steel and a majority of the company’s shareholders are in favor of the sale. And, a military partnership between Egypt and Somalia has Ethiopia alarmed. Plus, an online story about a hot new singles scene in a Spanish supermarket chain has exploded into a flirting frenzy in grocery stores across the country.

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For Labor Day, we have a special show with reprisals all focused on the theme of transportation — including getting around on foot. Thor Pedersen, a former UN soldier originally from Denmark, went on a decadelong adventure that took him to every country in the world. He never took an airplane. Also, research shows that flight turbulence has increased as climate change has warmed the planet. One researcher explains that the increase in bumpy flights could be caused by changes in wind speed at high altitudes due to warmer air from carbon emissions. And, lithium is in soaring global demand, because it’s used in electric car batteries. This is good news for the economy of Chile, which meets a third of the world’s lithium needs. Experts say there's a big financial opportunity for the region, but it comes at an environmental cost.    

A Palestinian baby in the Gaza Strip contracted polio and is now paralyzed in one leg. It's Gaza's first confirmed case of polio in 25 years. International agencies are scrambling to get an estimated 640,000 young kids in the territory vaccinated, requiring a halt in fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas. And, Kenya is getting a nuclear power plant, but those plans are bumping up against local opposition. Plus, there's a church in Turkey where hundreds of visitors of different faiths come to make a wish on the first of every month. 

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Hong Kong used to be famous for its feisty and free press. Today, reporting the news there can land you in prison. Two journalists in the Chinese territory are now facing the possibility of jail time after being convicted of sedition for their work. Also, Thailand has a new prime minister. But less than two weeks into her term, Paetongtarn Shinawatra is already facing a complaint that could end up dissolving her political party. Many Thais are now wondering, what's the point of voting? And, Sudan is facing a national catastrophe. More than half of the country's population of 45 million is in need of urgent food aid. Millions have been displaced. Peace talks so far have failed to end the civil war.

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The Israeli military has carried out extensive raids overnight in several areas of the occupied West Bank. At least nine Palestinians were killed. Also, since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, they've made it more difficult for women and girls to get any kind of formal education. But some bold activists are still taking big risks to run secret schools for girls. And, the sporting world is once again setting its sights on Paris. This time, the 2024 Summer Paralympics kicking off with an opening ceremony along the Champs-Elysees. Plus, for years, local Sherpas and volunteers have been clearing trash from Mount Everest, which is arduous and exhausting and even deadly. Come autumn, Nepal will deploy drones to help carry the load. 

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The World Health Organization has declared mpox, formerly Monkey Pox, a global public health emergency. A new strain of the virus has raised concerns due to its rapid transmission. Also, green tea is a major industry in Shizuoka prefecture, on Japan’s Pacific coast. Google “Shizuoka” and you’ll find images of hillsides covered in neat rows of bright-green tea bushes, with Mt. Fuji in the background. But that scenery is changing, with some tea farmers calling it quits and others scrambling to innovate for economic survival. And, a herd of artsy elephants is traveling with a message, as part of an exhibit. These are replicas of real-life elephants made by a community of artisans in southern India.

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The deployment of Kenyan police to Haiti was supposed to quell ongoing violence, but two months in, that effort isn't going as planned. Local media report that gangs not only remain in power, but continue to expand their grip on the country. In the US, command of the English language is integral to finding work and housing, navigating education and health care, and everyday tasks, like getting groceries and using public transportation. But across Massachusetts, at least 20,000 immigrants are waiting to get into English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. And, an urban explorer from Russia was arrested in Albania for visiting some of the country's defunct military sites. Since she can't leave the country, she's started giving unofficial tours to tourists.

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