The World: Latest Stories

They go by a few different names, but Japan's "listening lounges" are going through something of a revival. They're music bars where simply sitting and listening to records is the main attraction. In fact, some of these establishments have strict rules against conversation and other distractions like cell phone photos. It's all to maximize the listening experience, which often relies on extraordinarily expensive vintage stereo equipment that almost nobody can afford at home. The World's Matthew Bell reports from Tokyo.

The US Treasury announced new sanctions designed to crack down on the so-called "shadow fleet" or oil tankers and the companies that facilitate the sale of Iran's oil. The Trump administration is ratcheting up the pressure with its sights on Iran's nuclear program, insisting that any plans or operations to develop a nuclear weapon must stop. Ali Vaez is the Crisis Group's project director for Iran. He speaks with Host Carolyn Beeler about which entities the sanctions target and what direction US and Iranian relations are taking.

Hundreds of Syrians gathered this week in Damascus for the first Syrian national dialogue conference since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's regime in December. Attendees came from Syria's diverse ethnic and minority communities with the goal of charting Syria's political transition. In a speech addressing the conference, the country's interim president, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, appealed for unity amid tensions between his administration in Damascus and the minority regions of Syria.

Germany is about to get a new chancellor. Friedrich Merz, who leads the conservative Christian Democratic party, won the most votes in yesterday's election. But the far right also made big wins. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry explains all the results.

Russia launched the largest drone strike of the war in Ukraine over the weekend. This come as the country marks three years since its full-scale invasion by Russia. Political leaders from across the globe visited Kyiv today to mark the occasion. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Ukrainian journalist Volodymyr Solohub about how the country is marking three years of war amid tensions between the US and Ukraine over how to end the fight with Russia.

Rebel groups - notably the one known as M23 - have been taking territory in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with help from Rwanda. The European Union says the DRC's borders are non-negotiable. And now, the EU's top diplomat has announced the bloc is suspending defense cooperation with Rwanda. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have the details.

Roughly 6 million Venezuelans have fled their country over the past 10 years, some of them comedians and satirists. A 2018 anti-hate law passed by the government of Nicolas Maduro clamped down on all sorts of speech and made it impossible for them to ply their trade. The World's Tibisay Zea reports on whether there's a distinct Venezuelan sense of humor, and the challenge of punching up at a dictator.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has sent tanks into West Bank cities and towns prompting international concern. This caps weeks of Palestinians fleeing their homes across the West Bank under shelling and other violence in search of safety. Ubai Aboudi is a human rights activist from the Bisan Center for Research and Development and describes what he's seeing on the ground from Ramallah.

A US shut down of foreign aid is starting to have devastating impacts around the world, with health programs and even military assistance now paused in many countries. In Latin America, some fear that the aid freeze could hurt economic programs, and push more people to try migrating to the United States. Manuel Rueda reports from Bogota, Colombia.

Temperatures reaching 107 degrees Fahrenheit are wreaking havoc across South Sudan, and causing some students to faint in crowded classrooms. That's led the government to close schools for at least two weeks. Roba Bante, director of Humanitarian Operations for Save The Children in Juba, discusses the implications with The World's Host Carolyn Beeler.

As egg prices in the US skyrocket, it is looking across the ocean for help. Turkey, a major egg exporter, is stepping in to help alleviate a massive shortage in the US caused by the spread of bird flu. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

Germany's stagnant economy and heated rows over immigration policy have dominated this month's election campaign. Germany heads to the polls on Sunday with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) party trailing in third place. Many eyes will be on how the far-right fares on Sunday while voters in Berlin say they just want a government that can get the economy back on track. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports

Origami is the art of folding paper into basically any design you can imagine, from cranes and paper planes to fiery dragons. The ancient art can be traced back to Japan from thousands of years ago and has since spread across the globe. Origami's evolution continues, though, as STEM experts see how it can be used to solve real-life problems.

Next week will mark three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It led to the deadliest war in Europe since World War II, and the ramifications of it go far beyond the front lines. Over the past three years, millions of Ukrainians have been displaced - forced to live elsewhere in Ukraine, or outside the country. For many, that path to safety was a treacherous one. The World's Daniel Ofman reports on how a young Ukrainian man escaped Russia's invasion.

A court in Argentina has ruled that ex-President Alberto Fernandez must stand trial for allegedly beating his ex-girlfriend, former first lady Fabiola Yanez. While investigating a separate fraud investigation against him, the government found text messages and photographic evidence that supported the charges. Carolyn Beeler explores the case against the former Argentine President with Karen Naundorf, a journalist based in Buenos Aires.

Meta - the company behind Facebook - just announced an ambitious plan to link five of the world's continents to the internet with a data cable stretching over 30,000 miles along the ocean floor. Known as Project Waterworth, Meta says the cable will link the US, Brazil, South Africa, India and other countries along the way. Elisabeth Braw, who looks into the security concerns around undersea data cables, told The World's Carol Hills that risks of damage run along the circumnavigating cable route. Braw is a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Transatlantic Security Initiative.

At a time when Japan's declining birth rate is attracting international headlines, the pet industry is booming. While the country has just 14 million children under the age of 15 - it has almost 16 million cats and dogs. From Tokyo, reporter Rebecca Rosman explores why more young people are choosing pets over parenthood.

The band Dowdelin calls their style of music Creole Afrofuturism, a brew of creole soul, jazz, electronica and dance. The four-piece band first got together in Lyon, France, with producer David Kiledjian and Olivya Victorin at the helm. And it was Victorin who helps bring those Afro Carribbean vibes to forefront, having been born on the island of Martinique and growing up in France.

Canada's overtime win in the 4 Nations Face Off final in Boston on Thursday night gave Canadians a moment of national pride amid tensions between Ottawa and Washington. Host Carol Hills tells how hockey fans from both nations responded to Canada's victory on the ice.

Hamas and Israel continued their prisoner-for-hostage exchanges as part of the ceasefire deal in Gaza, but on Thursday, the hostages released to Israel were already dead. Hamas claims they were killed by Israeli airstrikes while they were in captivity, which Israeli officials have not denied. The occasion was a somber shift in tone for the hostage releases, which are usually days of relief and celebration in Israel. Shira Kadari-Ovadia is a reporter for Haaretz, who was in a plaza in Tel Aviv that's been renamed Hostage Square, where families and supporters of the hostages gather. She explains what it was like there and the impact of this day on Israeli society.

On Wednesday in Paris, European leaders held another round of emergency talks focused on how to bolster the continent's defense capabilities and support Ukraine's fight against Russia. The continent is worried about how to defend itself in a world with fewer security guarantees from NATO ally the US. Host Marco Werman spoke to Camille Grand, a distinguished policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, who joined the show from Brussels. From 2016 to 2022, Grand worked as assistant secretary general for defense investment at NATO.

"Flow" is an animated film from Latvia, with no dialogue, about a cat. Despite its modest budget, and coming from a small independent studio, it's already won a Golden Globe and is generating serious Oscar buzz. The World's Daniel Ofman reports that this passion project is finding a worldwide audience, and is resonating because of its universal message.

Luis Rubiales was on trial for an infamous kiss - one he gave to Spanish soccer star Jennifer Hermoso - on the lips and without her consent after Spain won the women's World Cup in Australia in 2023. But he's avoided the jail time prosecutors sought, angering some women. Others feel the guilty verdict alone was enough. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

A federal court in Germany has ruled that Birkenstock sandals cannot be considered copyrighted works of applied art." The court added: For copyright protection to apply, there must be such a degree of design that the product displays some individuality." Ouch! Host Marco Werman speaks to Philipe Kutschke about the rise and fall and rise of Birkenstocks.

The president of South Korean was shuttled in a prison transport van between two courthouses in Seoul on Thursday, making appearances in two cases against him. President Yoon Suk-yeol faces a criminal case on rebellion charges, and an impeachment trial, which could remove him from office. As host Marco Werman explains, both both cases stem from the day in December when he imposed martial law.

On Thursday, North Korea let Western tourists visit for the first time since 2020. Reporter Jamie Fullerton looks at the ethical issues around taking a vacation in the autocratic nation.

Propaganda art can be jarring and crude or beautiful and persuasive. It is a visual tool used by both repressive and democratic nations to convey a message or hammer home a point. A new book offers a collection of propaganda posters from the last century created by governments, rebel groups, nongovernmental organizations and the UN. The World's co-host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Bradley Davies, the author of "Propagandopolis: A Century of Propaganda from Around the World."

A middle-aged Japanese recently pleaded guilty to a strange crime: attempting to sell weapons-grade plutonium" acquired in Myanmar to an Iranian general. Unfortunately, for the gangster, the Iranian" was a fictitious character invented by DEA agents. The guy will likely disappear into the American prison system for life - but a huge mystery still surrounds his case: how did he cop weapons-grade" plutonium in Myanmar, a poor country with no known enrichment facilities? The World's Patrick Winn reports.

During the Cold War, the US State Department sent jazz artists like Louis Armstrong and Dizzie Gillespie to countries in Africa on a goodwill tour. Meanwhile, the United States was also cooperating with Belgium to set up the assassination of the charismatic prime minister of the newly independent Congo. The filmmaker, Johan Grimonprez, talks about these two dual missions, and what they mean for Congo today.

The war on the battlefield in Ukraine is more or less at a stalemate, but the war of words between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump is heating up. The exchange came one day after Trump accused Zelenskyy of starting the war in Ukraine, which began after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a large-scale invasion of the country three years ago. Zelenskyy told reporters earlier Wednesday that Trump is living in this disinformation space" created by Russia.

Saudi Arabia is pouring billions of dollars into what it describes as a futuristic megaproject." Neom is currently under construction in the northwest of the kingdom, and it has been mired with controversy from the start. From the violent displacement of the tribes that lived on the land, to the abuse of the workers tasked with turning the crown prince's vision into reality. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports on how a group of influencers are now giving us a glimpse into this megaproject.

An ongoing trial in Istanbul has indicted 47 doctors, nurses and other health workers in a conspiracy to scam the country's social security system. Doctors allegedly gave families fake diagnoses to place their newborns in intensive care, which led to the deaths of at least 10 babies - prosecutors say. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports.

Authorities in the Philippines have come up with a creative way to combat the mosquito-borne illness dengue. They've put a bounty on the heads of mosquitos to encourage locals to collect the insects and their larvae. Dr. Peter Hotez, the dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine talks with The World's Marco Werman about why global campaigns to prevent dengue are so important.

The host of this year's Tony Awards has just been announced. British actor and singer Cynthia Erivo, most recently the star of "Wicked," will present the coveted theater awards. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman have more.

Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been charged for alleged involvement in a coup plot following his 2022 election defeat. The allegations include plans to murder his opponent Lula da Silva, the current president. These are the first criminal charges faced by Bolsonaro, who is already banned from running in the country's upcoming presidential election. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke to Celso Barros, a columnist for Folha de Sao Paulo. Barros joined the show from Rio de Janeiro

Nearly 2,700 years ago, Egypt was conquered by kings from neighboring Nubia. Archaeologists are looking into this moment in history. One recent discovery tells us that the status of Egyptian women was elevated during this time. Mariam Ayad teaches at American University in Cairo and she contributes to the new Nova documentary, "Egypt's Tombs of Amun."

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emerged from a lengthy meeting with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov with an agreement to restart diplomatic relations between the two countries and start formal consultations on a peace deal on Ukraine. The two men were both bullish about diplomatic and economic prospects for the future.

Monday's dramatic scene of an upside-down plane on the frigid tarmac of Toronto's international airport is just the latest in a series of major aviation mishaps over the past month. With a public getting nervous about whether it's safe to fly, Marco Werman speaks with Hassan Shahidi, president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to improving aviation safety.

Earth's oceans are said to be the greatest source of untapped renewable energy, offering a nearly continuous and highly predictable source of clean energy. This kind of energy will complement the now well established but intermittent and occasionally uncertain wind and solar. David Kattenburg reports from the Netherlands.

Muhsin Hendricks, known as one of the world's only out gay imams and the only one in Africa, was shot dead over the weekend in what looks like a targeted hit. Hendricks was both loved and reviled for his work promoting tolerance in South Africa and around the world. Jamie Fullerton visited Hendricks at his mosque two years ago and reflects on his life.

A "firewall" against the far-right is one of the key features of German politics. Known as the brandmauer, it emerged after the Second World War as a way to ensure that no far-right extremist group would ever again get into power. US Vice President JD Vance told a room of European lawmakers and diplomats in Munich last weekend that there was "no room for firewalls." Some in Germany fear the days of the firewall may be numbered. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Humans have a uniquely complex way of communicating vocally. A study published Tuesday in Nature Communications identified a gene linked to the ancient origins of the human gift of gab. The World's Carolyn Beeler spoke to Robert Darnell, a co-author on the paper. Darnell runs the Laboratory of Molecular Neuro-oncology at Rockefeller University in New York.

Visitors to Chengdu Snow Village in China were shocked to see picturesque houses and paths covered not with snow, but with sheets of fluffy cotton. The resort was forced to shut down and apologize for its deception.

Some of the most-famous buildings in the world are made from earth and clay, and they date back thousands of years. Now, earth homes are making a comeback as engineers try to reduce carbon emissions. Manuel Rueda has the story from Colombia.

Ukrainians can never flee the war in their country as Russia continues its massive bombardment of the country. But in Russia, it's a different story. For all intents and purposes, life continues as normal. Host Marco Werman recalls conversations he's had with Nina Kruscheva, a professor of international affairs at the New School in New York.

European leaders and Trump administration officials are attending the Munich Security Summit over the weekend. We'll have the latest on what was discussed, and how it might effect the war in Ukraine.

We've checked in numerous times with Andrii Shadrin since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine. He started fighting in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, where he was born. Shadrin is now a 29-year-old sergeant in a military unit that repairs and replaces equipment for use on the front lines. He speaks with The World's Carolyn Beeler.

In 2023, Ukraine marked 10 years since an uprising that changed the country. The "Maidan Revolution," as it's been called, was a protest against a Russia-installed leader of Ukraine. Many people, especially younger Ukrainians, wanted the country to lean towards the west, not Russia. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, both sides are looking for ways to replenish their forces. There are no confirmed numbers, but between them, Russia and Ukraine have lost hundreds of thousands of troops. Ukraine has made a concerted effort to draw fighters from Latin America. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler has more details.

In Ukraine, musician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is a living legend. But few of his songs have had as much meaning or poignancy as "Chovan," which describes the country on both sides of the Dnipro River. As The World's hosts explain, while the bridge over that river has been destroyed, the spiritual bridge that connects all Ukrainians remains firmly intact.