The World: Latest Stories

A new musical called "Mexodus" tells a lesser-known story of an "underground railroad" of sorts - from the US across the Rio Grande into Mexico. An estimated 5,000 to 10,000 enslaved people found refuge in Mexico, where slavery was abolished in 1829 (before the US Civil War). Jeff Lunden went to the show and has this report.

If you don't know the diamond company De Beers, you probably know its slogan: "A diamond is forever." The company - co-founded by British imperialist Cecil Rhodes - has, however, lost its luster in recent years. Now up for sale, former African colonies are looking to buy the company that long profited from their diamond mines - including Botswana, whose economy has long relied on the industry. The World's Host Marco Werman learns more from Joel Konopo, the co-founder of the INK Centre for Investigative Journalism, in Botswana's capital, Gaborone.

On the first day of US and Israeli attacks in Iran, a school bombing in the village of Minab that killed around 160 people, many of them children, triggered global outrage. But a similar attack that also resulted in the death of children, went mostly unnoticed. The World's Shirin Jaafari was reporting on the Minab school attack when she came across videos of an explosion at a sports complex in the southern Iranian city of Lamerd that killed some children who were playing volleyball and soccer. She joins Host Carolyn Beeler with details.

In Hong Kong this week, a new amendment to the national security law allows police to demand the password to a person's phone in order to search it. Now, authorities say, "activities endangering national security can be effectively prevented, suppressed and punished." Rights groups and activists warn the changes tighten the noose on free speech in the special administrative region. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Victoria Hui, an associate professor in political science at the University of Notre Dame, about what the new amendment signifies.

According to World Athletics - the global governing body for professional track and field - the presence or absence of the SRY gene is a reliable proxy for determining biological sex. A policy requiring that competitors in the female category undergo testing for the gene was implemented ahead of the World Athletic Championships in the fall. Supporters say the policy guarantees fairness. Critics say it's unethical and unscientific. As Bianca Hillier reported last fall, this is part of a long history of sex-testing in elite women's sports.This story originally aired on Sept. 12, 2025.

The Dutch town of Baarle-Nassau and the Belgian enclave of Baarle-Hertog share a wacky border. It twists and turns every which way and even cuts through some houses. Crossing back and forth between the Netherlands and Belgium is a part of daily life for residents there. A new swing set celebrates that part of the towns' identities by straddling the border between the two countries. Host Carolyn Beeler has more.

Hundreds of tons of oil have washed up along the coast of Mexico's Veracruz and Tabasco states over the past month. Mexican authorities have blamed a still unknown ship and two natural oil seeps in the Gulf. But multiple scientists told The World that the seeps cannot be responsible. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with scientist Oscar Garcia-Pineda about why.

There's been a shift in the rhetoric world leaders are using to describe and justify war and aggression. Especially in the United States, the language is becoming more bellicose, boastful and vengeful. George Soroka, a lecturer in the Department of Government at Harvard University, talks with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler about how and why the language of global conflict is evolving.

The International Olympic Committee has announced that transgender women will be banned from competing in women's events at the Olympic Games, under new rules coming into force from 2028. The decision will require all athletes seeking to compete in the female category to undergo a one-off genetic screening test, and is expected to intensify one of the most contentious debates in global sport. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry joins Host Carolyn Beeler to explain.

In Yemen, after more than a decade of war and economic collapse, thousands of women seeking financial independence thought they'd found a way out of poverty. Online trading platforms - often promoted by friends and family - promised hefty returns of 20%, even 50% on investments. But the companies were frauds. And in a single week, one particular company vanished with $12 million from some 40,000 investors. Hashed Mozaqer and Bassem al-Nawawi talked to victims in Sanaa about how these scams spread, and how they exploit people desperate for income.

As part of its attacks on Ukraine, Russia has targeted the country's energy system, taking out power plants and sub-stations. As a result, Ukraine has turned to cheaper, faster, decentralized alternatives: renewables. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Konstiantyn Krynytskyi, energy director at the NGO EcoAction, about how the war has accelerated Ukraine's energy transition.

The towering, stone statues on Easter Island continue to awe and inspire people since they were first built somewhere between the 13th and 16th centuries. This includes Philadelphia-based composer and trumpet player John Vanore. He recently spoke to The World about how these mysterious statues influenced his latest release, "Easter Island Suite."

The United Nations has voted to name the trans-Atlantic slave trade "the gravest crime against humanity." The landmark resolution, first proposed by Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, also calls for reparations as a concrete step toward remedying historical wrongs." Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have the details.

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is in court today. He was abducted earlier this year in a US military raid and has been charged with drug trafficking and narcoterrorism. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Geoff Ramsey, a fellow at the Atlantic Council and an analyst specializing in threats in Latin America, about the trial.

K-pop megastars BTS are back. Their comeback album is "Arirang," a Korean folk tune that is considered an anthem of resilience and identity. The first-ever recording of "Arirang" was not made on the Korean peninsula, however, but at Howard University in 1896, the historically Black college in Washington DC. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Mai Anna Pressley, director of strategic partnerships and public programming at the National Association of Black Engagement with Asia, about the relationship between Black music and K-Pop.

Every year, there are as many 400 million cases of dengue fever globally, according to the World Health Organization. The Americas see the majority of these cases, and Brazil has among the highest rates. Two vaccines have recently been rolled out in the country to help combat the disease, and it's just one of the ways the nation has learned to fight it. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler spoke to Dr. Felipe Naveca at Fiocruz, a health research institute affiliated with Brazil's Ministry of Health, to find out if these could be game changers in the fight against dengue.

Arguably, the high water mark when US President Barack Obama began resetting relations with Cuba in 2015 occurred a year later when The Rolling Stones flew to Havana to give a free concert. That happened 10 years ago today at Havana's sports complex, with a crowd in attendance estimated to be around half a million people. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler take us back.

Four ambulances belonging to the Jewish community ambulance service have been set on fire in North London. Police said they were treating the incident as an antisemitic hate crime." Earlier this month, four men were arrested in England, suspected of gathering information on synagogues and individual Jews. Around the same time a synagogue in Liege, Belgium, was targeted by a bomb. and a bomber struck a Jewish school in Amsterdam. A group that was completely unknown a month ago has claimed responsibility for these attacks. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports on the concerns around the growing rise in violence against Jews in Europe.

A self-taught baker is bringing flavors from her childhood in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to a small farm stand in Southern Vermont. From our archives, here's the story from when Reporter Bianca Hillier paid a visit.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said he had a "very bad feeling" about the impact of the Middle East conflict on the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin is reaping windfall profits as the price of oil rises, and the air defense weaponry Kyiv needs is in increasingly short supply. Wall Street Journal Correspondent Yaroslav Trofimov discusses the implications with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

Israel says it might stay and continue to occupy a large area of southern Lebanon as its ground offensive in the region against Hezbollah continues. Nearly a million Lebanese are now reported to be displaced as Israel indiscriminately bombs the country. Meanwhile, life for Israeli families living on the Lebanese border has become more uncomfortable as Stephanie Freid reports.

In Norwegian tourism terms, we're currently at the tail end of winter. It's been a season of northern lights, husky adventures and reindeer feeding opportunities. And for some locals, that season cannot end soon enough. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Lars Bevanger reports from Tromso, in Norway's Arctic north.

Despite Jakarta facing existential climate risk, the city continues to attract residents, causing it to expand. The UN has named the Indonesian capital and its satellite cities the biggest megacity in the world. But the region struggles with chronic flooding, heavy commuter congestion, and parts of the city are sinking by up to 10 inches a year. Naina Rao reports from Jakarta on how residents are adapting.

There are just three left in Europe, not counting Kevin. Kevin "Dola" de la Torre is Spain's last human cannonball. The reason for the daredevils' declining numbers: mainly the danger involved in being sling-shotted out of a cannon several times a day. There's also waning interest among the younger generations within human cannonball families. The World's Gerry Hadden caught up with Kevin the Human Cannonball in northeast Spain, and brought us his story.This story originally aired on Sept. 20, 2024.

The World Meteorological Organization is out with its annual state of the climate report. The analysis found this past decade to be the hottest on record; it also found that the Earth's energy balance is out of whack, retaining more solar energy than it releases. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with scientist Twila Moon about what this means.

The biggest box office hit in Russia is a 2023 film called "Cheburashka," and its sequel - released this year - is already the second biggest film. It's the modern revamp of a beloved character from the days of the Soviet Union. But if pro-Putin ideologues are to be believed, he's too soft for a time of war. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learned more from Anna Narinskaya, a Russian journalist and literary critic in exile. She's been researching Cheburashka at the University of Michigan's Frankel Center for Judaic Studies.

In this fourth week of the war in Iran, we speak with The World's Shirin Jaafari about how people are getting along in different countries. The uncertainty of bombing, and even just finding food and shelter, has taken a toll on millions across the region.

It's a story of dark Cambodian caves and bat guano (poop). This very unique environment created by the bat poop seems to spawn new species, including geckos and micro-snails. The World's Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman tell a tale that's not for the faint of heart.

Roughly half of China's imported oil comes from the Middle East. Still, it has managed to insulate itself from just the sort of energy crisis the war in Iran has set in motion. Council on Foreign Relations fellow Zongyuan Zoe Liu talks with The World's Host Marco Werman about how exposed China's economy is to the worldwide economic disruption the war has caused.

As Sudan's civil war rages on, the United Nations is warning that a roiling political feud in neighboring South Sudan could escalate into another fractious conflict. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks to Yashovardhan, the head of mission for the humanitarian aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) [Doctors Without Borders]. He joined the show from the South Sudanese capital Juba.

In Denmark, citizens will head to the polls for snap elections on March 24. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for the elections just last month, hoping to maintain her popularity boost from when she stood up to defend Greenland against US President Donald Trump's designs to take over the island. Voters there are juggling this issue, as well domestic and economic concerns. From our partners at Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Adrienne Murray reports from Copenhagen.

Immigrants in Spain without papers, 90% of whom are Spanish-speaking Latinos, have been celebrating an amnesty program that will legalize their status and allow them to work in the country. But some say that to land a job, Spanish employers demand that they lose their native accents. Call it linguistic racism. It stands alongside general racism in Spain, many Latinos say - at work, on the streets, you name it. The World's Gerry Hadden reports.

In Kenya, a recent law has given women the right to request two days off per month for menstrual pain. So far, time off is only being granted to government workers in Nairobi county - an area that includes the country's capital city. But advocates say this is a breakthrough for the country and taboos around the topic of menstruation. Audrey Mugeni is a women's rights activist based in Nairobi, and speaks with Host Carolyn Beeler about the law and what inspired it.

After Tehran blocked all access to the internet during nationwide protests in 2022, Iranians started preparing a workaround: Starlink. Smugglers brought thousands of satellite terminals into the country. So, when war began this February, and the regime tried to cut its residents off from the rest of the world, some people still found a signal. Dina Temple-Raston, host of the Click Here podcast, has more.

Argentines are preparing to mark the 50th anniversary of the coup d'etat that began seven years of brutal military dictatorship in their country. Today, that very history is being contested, with President Javier Milei stirring debate over how the dictatorship should be remembered. Journalist Natalio Cosoy discusses the implications with The World's Host Marco Werman.

Danes are not too happy with the US president's threats to take over their territory of Greenland. So, they're putting their money where their anger is by refusing to buy products made in the US or by Americans. But in this globalized world, it's hard to tell the origin every product. So, two separate companies have developed apps to tell where products actually come from. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have more.

Shigeaki Mori spent much of his life trying to get recognition for 12 American airmen who died alongside tens of thousands of Japanese after the atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. Mori died on Saturday, at the age of 88. In 2018, reporter Ibby Caputo filed this profile. His story is one of heartbreak and compassion, and it's a potent reminder of the savagery of war.This story originally aired on Aug. 6, 2018.

US President Donald Trump today said he wants to make a deal with Iran and end the war. He claims the US and Iran are in talks to make this happen. But the Iranians have denied this claim and say Trump is backing down from his threats to obliterate Iran's power plants. Meanwhile, the violence in the region continues. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have the details.

On the 10th anniversary of former President Barack Obama's historic visit to Cuba, The World takes a look back at the history of the relationship between the US and Cuban governments over the past several decades. As President Donald Trump ramps up his rhetoric about US intervention in Cuba, Host Marco Werman speaks to Lillian Guerra, a professor of Caribbean history at the University of Florida, about how Washington and Havana arrived at the current moment.

The patent for semaglutide, the drug used in major weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Ozempic has expired. The end of the patent - held by Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk - opens the door to affordable generic versions in the country. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learns more about the potential impact from Dr. Rahul Baxi, a diabetologist in Mumbai.

Much of the world's fertilizer, used heavily in agriculture, comes from the Middle East. And as Iran continues to block ships from moving through the Strait of Hormuz, farmers around the world see their fertilizer supplies coming up short. Additionally, as liquified natural gas is blocked, several countries that import LNG in order to make their own fertilizer are being forced to shut down some plants. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with food economist David Ortega about what this means for global food security.

The cost of housing is outpacing people's incomes worldwide. This week, The World has been looking at different cities around the globe to see how that problem presents itself, and how some places have tried to deal with it, with varying degrees of success. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks to Penny Gurstein, the founding director of the Housing Research Collaborative at the University of British Columbia, to hear more about how to tackle the rising cost of housing at its root.

As France heads into the second round of municipal elections this Sunday, thousands of small rural towns are scrambling to solve a big problem: No one wants to run for office. Long hours, low pay and a rise in belligerence toward public officials have made the gig a pretty hard sell. From our partners at Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Lisa Bryant reports from a small village outside Paris.

The boys of BTS are back together after a long break to complete their military service. Their first album in four years came out today, to huge acclaim. And tomorrow night, they will hold a free concert in downtown Seoul. Approximately 250,000 people are expected to attend. Host Carolyn Beeler has the details.

Nowruz is a Persian celebration of the arrival of spring, and people hailing from Central Asian and Middle Eastern communities enjoy the festivities across the globe. Reporter Fariba Nawa has moved from continent to continent, celebrating Nowruz in different ways everywhere she goes. For this story, she takes us along as she prepares for a party she's hosted each year for the past decade, in Istanbul.

In most places, housing crises are driven by scarcity. But in Venezuela, years of economic collapse and mass migration left homes empty - and prices in free fall. Now, after a dramatic political shift, the market is heating up again. But this rebound is driven more by expectations than reality - and for most Venezuelans, homeownership remains out of reach. The World's Tibisay Zea takes a look at a housing market shaped by crisis, uncertainty and hope.

As Ramadan wraps up, Muslims across the globe are preparing for Eid al-Fitr, the "Festival of Breaking the Fast." National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek has been walking around the world on foot for the past 13 years for his project, the Out of Eden Walk. He joins Host Marco Werman to talk about the year he spent Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr near the Prophet's Muhammad's mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Brazil has released a new national climate plan, the first update to the plan since it was first laid out in 2008. The new plan is seen as much more comprehensive and detailed than the previous one. It includes an ambitious goal of eliminating deforestation, as land use change and deforestation cause the biggest share of Brazil's carbon emissions. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with climate change sociologist Frederico Salmi.

On March 13, the Persian Gulf island of Kharg, which is roughly one-third the size of Manhattan, became the latest target of American jets. US President Donald Trump said that he didn't order the total destruction of the oil facilities there "for reasons of decency." The World's Shirin Jaafari reports that besides the critical oil infrastructure, this island is home to a small population, several cultural sites and wildlife.

EU leaders gathered in Brussels today for a two-day summit dominated by the war in the Middle East. Tensions between the US and Europe have escalated since the conflict began, with President Donald Trump urging European allies to send military support to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz. So far, Europe's leaders have resisted those calls. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has more.