The World: Five stories you might have missed

Personalized for you.

nytimes.com May 15, 2026 Here are some standout stories from this week, curated by The World editors and personalized for you. Illustration by Jérôme Berthier The Astounding Discovery That Could Link Eastern and Western Medicine The detection of another circulatory system in the human body could have enormous scientific implications. By Avraham Z. Cooper Taiwan Presidential Office, via Associated Press Inside the Secret Mission to Fly Taiwan’s President to Africa From satellite phone check-ins to a borrowed royal plane, new details show how Taiwan’s leader’s team outwitted China and pulled off an audacious journey to southern Africa. By Chris Buckley and Amy Chang Chien Photo illustration by Najeebah Al-Ghadban Gisèle Pelicot’s Memoir Said Something Original and Taboo About Victimhood A book by the world’s most famous survivor of sexual violence has been read as a manifesto or a cry of pain. What she wrote is far more complicated. By Parul Sehgal Pedro Pardo/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images How China’s Leader Lost Faith in His Generals Xi Jinping spent 13 years building a military to rival that of the United States. But the stronger the Chinese forces grew, the less he trusted the generals he had handpicked to run them. By Chris Buckley Justin Makangara for The New York Times U.S. Migrants Deported to Congo: ‘Where on Earth Is This Place?’ They were shackled and sent to Kinshasa by the Trump administration. Now they face a dangerous choice: Go back to Latin America or stay in Africa. By Ruth Maclean, Emiliano Rodríguez Mega, Pranav Baskar and Justin Makangara Host: Katrin Bennhold Editor: Alicia Wittmeyer News Editors: Desiree Ibekwe, Carole Landry Associate Staff Editor: Parin Behrooz Photo Editor: Eli Cohen Deputy International Editor: Adam Pasick If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The World from The New York Times. To stop receiving The World, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018