The World: Latest Stories

Investors worry that the problems at a handful of American banks could ripple across the world economy and unexpected surprises may be lurking. But this is not 2008. Regulations in the US and Europe are much stronger today than they were 15 years ago.

Since former President Rordrigo Duterte launched his so-called “war on drugs” in 2016, convictions of law enforcement officers have been rare. But the recent murder conviction of former police officer Jeffrey Perez shows signs of justice and accountability in the overburdened courts.

Sergei Isupov lives in western Massachusetts, but the rest of his family still lives in Ukraine. They're all artists, and they use their unique forms of art to express how the current war affects each of them.

Along the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia sits Lake Kariba, where low water levels have interrupted power supply to both countries — profoundly impacting the economy.

​​​​​​​Kolkata's 150-year-old tram system is limping along. It's down to just two lines and there is little political will, or room in the city's crowded streets, to bring the streetcars back to their former glory days. The tram does have a small but loyal band of supporters who want to keep it alive.

Monday marks 20 years since the start of “Operation Iraqi Freedom," the US-led invasion of Iraq that toppled the president, Saddam Hussein, and aimed to spread democracy in the country. Two decades later, Iraqis who've lived through these turbulent and violent years share their thoughts about the war's impact on their lives, about how they view the US now and about their hopes and concerns for the future of Iraq.

As ice sheets from glaciers melt, dozens of lakes around the world risk overflowing, causing potentially deadly avalanches and flooding in nearby towns and villages. In Huaraz, Peru, residents hope to find ways to prevent Lake Palcacocha from overflowing again — before it's too late.

Sasha Shulyahina was 38-weeks pregnant when Russian forces invaded Ukraine in late February 2022. Motherhood and her faith continue to sustain her through a year of war.

Guyana is hoping that newly discovered offshore crude reserves can help transform the country's economy and offset its ongoing poverty crisis. But some people are concerned about what this may mean for the environment.

Arkhyp Kuindzhi is a revered artist who was born in the Russian empire. He was from Mariupol, which is now part of the modern Ukrainian state, sparking a debate among art historians: Should he be considered a Ukrainian or a Russian artist?

Yoselin Calcurian, 35, is among some 400,000 Venezuelans who went to Brazil, fleeing economic collapse and political chaos. She and many others say they are now struggling to find jobs and learn a new language.

The investigative newspaper Etilaatroz opened a new newsroom in an office building in Silver Spring, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC.

She's already won numerous awards and has been a pioneer of Latin music.

Years of war and violence have interrupted and undermined Iraq’s music scene, with many musicians fleeing the country. But the current relative stability has created a space for its revival.

In Ghana, a shortage of childhood vaccines has mothers traveling from hospital to hospital in search of immunizations to protect their infants. As a result, measles are breaking out in some parts of the country.

The stress of war is a litmus test for relationships.

​​​The economic crisis crippling Cuba is causing shortages of everything, from gas to food to medical supplies. Filmmaker Armando Guerra, who lives in Valencia, Spain, recently returned to his home city of Camaguey in central Cuba, where he found that things are worse than he expected.

Iraqi author Ghaith Abdul-Ahad has a new book called, "A Stranger in Your Own City: Travels in the Middle East’s Long War." It's an ode to a city shattered by war. Abdul-Ahad speaks with The World’s Marco Werman about his childhood home, the cycle of sectarian violence set in motion by the US-led invasion in 2003 and what might lie ahead for the centuries-old, cosmopolitan city.

Iraqi journalist Muntazer al-Zaidi was thrust into the global spotlight in 2008 after he threw his shoes at then-US President George W. Bush. Two decades after the US-led invasion of Iraq, he says his country is still paying the price.

The lights may be off, but "crisis mode" is definitely switched on in South Africa. Despite a national state of disaster and a new minister of electricity, scheduled power outages, known as load-shedding, continue to heavily impact citizens.

Georgia was once considered a favorite among countries seeking EU membership. But in recent years, the country’s majority Georgian Dream party has faced accusations of failing to improve the judiciary, protecting LGBTQ rights and of decreasing press freedoms.

In recent months, a 16th-century epic religious poem has ignited a political storm in India, after several officials said it was offensive to women and those at the bottom of India’s religious caste hierarchy. As the country heads toward general elections next year, some say that different parties are using the poem to appeal to various voters.

Nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have fled to Georgia since Russia invaded the country last year. The Georgian government has offered Ukrainians fleeing war some temporary support with free housing in hotels but much of that aid is drying up.

As Ukrainian athletes train for the Summer Olympics next year in Paris, it is unclear whether or not Russian athletes will be allowed to compete in the Games.

Ji produces paintings using traditional Chinese methods, such as calligraphy and ink painting, to address serious contemporary topics such as migration, the environment and social issues.

In recent months, a 16th-century epic religious poem has ignited a political storm in India, after several officials said it was offensive to women and those at the bottom of India’s religious caste hierarchy. As the country heads toward general elections next year, some say that different parties are using the poem to appeal to various voters.

With continued violations of women's rights in Afghanistan, US Special Envoy Rina Amiri tells The World's host Marco Werman that not normalizing the Taliban government is crucial to fighting hardline elements in the country, and for setting a precedent in other places.

Many migrant farmworkers in Spain say they can't afford housing, so they live in makeshift plastic housing near the farms where they work. Local governments have tried to remove these informal settlements and relocate people to shelters far from the farms — but they keep building back.

Three years after the COVID-19 pandemic was declared, and masks became a primary tool to combat the disease's spread, their usage has dropped off dramatically around the world. But many Mexicans are holding on to their facial coverings, and cultural differences are impacting mask use around the globe.

By and large, many African countries have stayed on the sidelines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. As major importers of wheat and fertilizers from the two warring nations, they are reluctant to jeopardize those vital supplies by taking sides, observed Olayinka Ajala, a lecturer at Leeds Beckett University in Britain.

“An Cailín Ciúin” (“The Quiet Girl”) is Ireland's first film to be nominated for best foreign language film in the Academy Awards. Language enthusiasts in Ireland are hoping that the new film will give their mother tongue a much-needed boost in a country where less than 2% of the population speak it on a daily basis.

“An Cailín Ciúin” (“The Quiet Girl”) is Ireland's first film to be nominated for best foreign language film in the Academy Awards. Language enthusiasts in Ireland are hoping that the new film will give their mother tongue a much-needed boost in a country where less than 2% of the population speak it on a daily basis.

​​​​​​​Thousands of passengers were stranded in airports in Colombia and several other Latin American countries this week following the collapse of the budget airline, Viva Air. It's the latest airline company to fold amid decreasing passenger demand and higher oil prices.

A handful of salt-makers in Mexico are preserving an ancestral tradition of artisanal salt that goes back 2,000 years. It's a dying art form and many fear for its future amid climate change and migration.

Last month, the Cambodian government issued a warning to rapper Kea Sokun over his latest single, “Workers’ Blood,” about a garment workers’ strike, saying that it threatened national security and order.

Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is vocal about supporting Ukraine, visiting troops on the front lines and raising money for the country.

Poland has taken in more Ukrainian refugees than any other European nation. But from March 1, the Polish government has ruled that Ukrainians living in state-funded accommodation will have to start contributing toward their housing and food costs.

Thousands of people gather every year in Villa de Leyva, Colombia, for the annual Astronomy Festival. Now, event organizers are working with the local government to implement lasting improvements for the town to draw more tourists to see the stars.

On Feb. 28, 1947, the Chinese Nationalist Party began killing thousands of people across the island of Taiwan, in a massacre that lasted for months. Today, Taiwan continues to debates the circumstances of that tragedy — and the legacy of Chiang Kai-Shek.

Ismail Mashal used to teach at two universities in Afghanistan. He ran his own education centers and was an outspoken critic of the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education. He was arrested earlier this month, along with another academic and a journalist.

Over the weekend, millions of Nigerians cast their vote for a new president in Africa's biggest democratic election. While many voters applaud improvement in the election process, others experienced violence at the polls. Now, comes the wait for the results.

During a rehearsal at the Odesa National Academic Opera and Ballet Theater in Odesa, it’s easy to forget that Ukraine is a country at war. Despite attacks on the busy port city and cultural hub, the opera house remains open.

In parts of northern Ukraine, near the border with Belarus, Russian troops were firmly in control for several weeks early last year. One village occupied by Russian soldiers and later retaken by Ukrainian forces is in the middle of trying to rebuild.

As millions of Nigerians prepare for the presidential election on Feb. 25, the stinging economy and unemployment in the formal sector have the nation's youth particularly tuned in and ready to cast their vote.

In some small towns in northeast Spain, organizers for the Carnival holiday have told participants that they’ll risk losing public subsidies if they play songs with lyrics that denigrate women. Most people like the idea in theory, but in practice, the measure is proving tough to apply. Because with pop music, finding the line between sexist and sexy can be vexing.

The currency redesign in Nigeria is a policy decision that went into effect weeks before the presidential election that takes place on Feb. 25. Nigerians were told to turn in their old banknotes for new ones, but now, they are struggling to procure the new cash.

Sculptor Myros Dedyshyn said the reality of war changed the subject of his once-hopeful artworks. Now, he’s focused on themes like militarization, grief and self-protection.

Over the last year, Kyiv’s northern suburbs have become symbols of Russian occupation, atrocities and destruction. But Ukrainians have already begun to rebuild — despite a lack of financial support from the government.

​​In late February of 2022, even as Russian troops moved closer to Ukraine's border and all signs pointed to war, many Ukrainians woke up in disbelief as tanks started to roll into their country. Several Ukrainians shared their memories of Russia's invasion of Ukraine — before and after — which happened a year ago this week.

The political party Nuevo Peru has been heavily involved in anti-government protests that have recently swept across the South American country.