The World: Latest Stories

Deposed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his younger brother were sentenced to death in absentia by a Damascus court today, nearly two years after victorious rebels forced them to seek exile in Russia. The University of Oklahoma's Joshua Landis tells The World's Host Marco Werman that it's unlikely the Kremlin would surrender the Assads.

In the Indian city of Hyderabad, an inventor named Kanyaboyin Sudhakar Yadav makes vehicles in the shape of everyday objects. At Sudha Cars Museum, you can see burger cars, a basketball car, even a huge toilet car. These quirky creations have earned Yadav fans across the world, but Yadav isn't just having fun; he's also trying to promote public health. Jamie Fullerton went to Hyderabad for a test drive.This story originally aired on April 1, 2026.

Over the past 30 years, Mexico City has gone from being the most polluted city in the world to coming in 999th on that list. Taming traffic and supporting a robust bicycling culture has contributed to that turnaround. John Burnett reports from Mexico City.This story originally aired on June 12, 2024.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu bluntly rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza this weekend. The Israeli leader's hostile words represented a rare public break with US President Donald Trump. But Jerusalem-based journalist Noga Tarnopolsky tells The World's Host Marco Werman that Netanyahu's public defiance of Trump's roadmap may be an election ploy that masks quiet acceptance of White House plans for Gaza.

Racers gathered in London to embark on a race across Europe using trains and buses, from checkpoint to checkpoint along the way. In a seemingly improbable turn of events, the race, which lasted dozens of hours, had a tight finish, separated by only a minute. The World's Host Marco Werman talks to Eleanor Parker and Bram Houtenbos, the two who vied for the win, about how the race went down.This story originally aired on Aug. 24, 2023.

In the past few years, the US has wrestled with what to do about statues that still glorified heroes of the Confederacy. Many have been taken down. In Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic, there's a statue that was taken down more than a hundred years ago. But Prague recently voted to put it back. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Rob Cameron tells the tale of the monument to Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky, a military commander in the 19th century.

La Paz, Bolivia, depends on its public transportation. There are 10 lines. More than 26 stations. But this is no metro. It's the longest cable car system in the world and it's also the highest. The system opened in 2014. Michael Fox took a ride and reported on how cable cars have transformed public transportation in Bolivia's capital.This story originally aired on March 10, 2025.

China now produces nearly three-quarters of the world's electric cars, and no city embodies that dominance more than Shenzhen, home to industry giant BYD. The city of 20 million people is a global hub of clean transportation and high-tech innovation. As The World's Jeremy Siegel reports, Shenzhen's transformation has roots in Apple's decision produce the iPhone there 20 years ago.This story originally aired on Dec. 4, 2025.

With more than 4,000 cases reported in Democratic Republic of Congo, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say responders need to shift focus to door-to-door disease tracking. The World's Host Marco Werman learned more from Dr. Mesfin Teklu Tessema, head of the health unit at the International Rescue Committee. He also spoke with Trish Newport, emergency program manager for Doctors Without Borders. She's based in the city of Bunia, on the frontlines of the fight to contain Ebola.

Just over a week since about 72,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, roughly 2,000 minors remain. Under European law, they cannot be deported unless family can be found to take them back. That can take months. In the meantime, the Spanish government is trying to protect the minors from common criminals and human traffickers. It's calling on the rest of Spain to take over stewardship of the children, but it's meeting a lot of resistance. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

This week marked a chord change in one of the world's longest concerts. The 639-year performance of John Cage's Organ2/ASLSP (As SLow aS Possible) in a disused church in Halberstadt, Germany, has been going for 25 years. This is the first change since 2024, and the first under new leadership as the project's stewards plan for the next six centuries. Reporter Gabe Bullard has the story, from Halberstadt.A piece about this and other long-term art projects will appear in an upcoming issue of the The European Review of Books.

The Indian national government this week declared heat waves an official natural disaster. The designation frees up funding that can be used to boost the existing Heat Action Plans that are triggered in local communities ahead of expected rising temperatures. But these plans are reactive, and are not designed for the long-term threat that heat poses in the country. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with climate adaptation researcher Aditya Pillai about what the government's role is in heat adaptation, and the gap between short- and long-term solutions.

Georgia's capital city, Tbilisi, sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity. National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek was there in 2015 as part of his global walking project, the Out of Eden Walk, and tells Host Marco Werman about his experience of the city.This story originally aired on May 3, 2024.

In an attempt to cut down on outside noise and rowdiness, the Westminster City Council, which is responsible for licensing pubs and restaurants in London's West End, has put forward a proposal to cut back on what it calls "vertical drinking," essentially standing with a glass. As The World's Host Marco Werman explains, this has caused an enormous blowback, including potshots from the prime minister and from London's mayor.

Ugandan singer-songwriter Jon Muq was in Kampala, when he first heard the charity single "We Are the World" from his cousin's CD collection. This song opened Muq's world to pop music and inspired him to learn English and start writing his own songs. Muq released his debut album, "Flying Away," back in May 2024, and he'll be back on the road later this month.This story originally aired on Sept. 20, 2024.

From a court case in the US to a family home in New Zealand, a cross-border investigation by Bellingcat and The Press, a daily newspaper in New Zealand, tracks down the alleged owner of a "revenge porn" website. The World's Host Marco Werman spoke to Bellingcat investigator Kolina Koltai, based in Seattle, and Michael Wright, a reporter with The Press, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.CONTENT WARNING: This interview concerns non-consensual sexual content and child sexual abuse material.

Members of the world's coast guards, navies, search and rescue teams, anyone who regularly operates boats at extreme speeds, are highly exposed to chronic brain trauma - even if they've never hit their head on the job. An ongoing NATO study is trying to figure out exactly how its happening, and what can be done to solve it. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Dr. Johan Ullman, who leads the study, about what he's seen so far.

Cold beet soup is a culinary staple in Latvia and Lithuania, and across Eastern Europe. Each year, Vilnius, the Lithuanian capital, hosts a "Pink Soup Festival" celebrating the dish. But the city's tourism agency also started a public beef with Latvia, claiming that the Lithuanian version of the soup is better. From Latvia's capital, Riga, Daniel Ofman reports.This story originally aired on June 4, 2024.

Summers in India, have always been hot. But this summer has been extreme, even by local standards. And it's pushing people to their limits. In Chennai, on the southeastern coast of India, residents are using cast-off potato chip bags to manage the heat - and to goose the local economy. Namrata Kolachalam reports from Chennai.

Climate change is walloping Europe this summer. The continent is warming twice as quickly as the global average. We've reported on the extreme heat, drought and fires that have followed in places like Spain and France. One country that ranks relatively low on most measures of climate risk is Germany. But it's also dealing with a climate crisis of its own - a quiet one that starts underground. Valerie Hamilton has our story from Munich.

Today marks 81 years since the Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, killing tens of thousands of people. Kiyoshi Tanimoto, a Methodist minister, was on the outskirts of the city when the bomb exploded. In the hours that followed, he risked his life to carry the injured to safety and comfort the dying. A recently unearthed memoir offers a firsthand account of what he witnessed that day. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with David Corn, who wrote the foreword to the book.

Iran's deputy foreign minister said today that his country and Oman are close to finalizing an agreement with the US to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. But there are still big issues to resolve, including Iran's role in overseeing traffic through the waterway and whether the US will ease sanctions or other restrictions. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with Host Marco Werman about the latest.

A state legislature in Brazil has gotten used to some large rodent visitors: capybaras. The notoriously chill animals don't cause any damage, so the drop-ins have become a source of amusement.

Statistically speaking, for every baby born in Japan, two people pass away. The country's rapidly shrinking population is, according to Japanese officials, a national emergency" threatening its future prosperity and entire way of life. They're struggling to reverse this trend but some believe fixing this problem calls for a revolution in Japanese fatherhood. The World's Patrick Winn reports with Aya Asakura in Tokyo.This story first aired on June 5, 2024.

Iranian music is inescapably political. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, music there has been subject to heavy censorship by the government. Before then, musical expression ebbed and flowed alongside a social and political landscape that was in constant motion. How Iran's music tells the history of the country from the early 20th century to today is the subject of a new book, "Iran Amplified: One Hundred Years of Music and Society." Co-editor Nahid Siamdoust joins Host Marco Werman to talk about that history.

In India, extreme heat waves are becoming the new normal. For most people, air conditioning isn't an option - forcing them to find more creative ways to stay cool. That includes a project in Delhi that hands out highly reflective paint that can be put on rooftops: It reflects the sun's rays and lowers temperatures inside by more than 10 degrees. Namrata Kolachalam reports from Delhi.

France's first so-called House of Diversity" has opened in Lyon. It's a shared residential building for queer people aged 55 and older. The house is there to protect older citizens - and not only from loneliness. Deutsche Welle, DW's, Lisa Louis reports from southeastern France.

Hundreds of people have been arrested across the Amazon this month in a sweeping five-country law enforcement operation going after a host of crimes in the world's largest rainforest - from illegal mining to logging and smuggling operations. The World's Host Marco Werman learns more from Gabriel Funari, who coordinates the Amazon Basin Observatory at The Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime.

Cadmium, a heavy metal linked to cancers and other diseases, is worrying French consumers - who, on average show, show levels in their bodies three to four times higher than the European average. That's according to a French government study from this March. The most-affected foods are industrial breads, cereals and crackers made from French-grown wheat. The culprit seems to be phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Embrun, France.

Dog racing is now formally banned in New Zealand, but some advocates say several loopholes are helping sustain an ethically-questionable industry in other countries. Host Marco Werman explains.

Sylvia Earle is a pioneer in the field of marine science. She was one of the first people to ever use scuba technology for scientific research; she holds the women's record for the deepest un-tethered sea walk and she became the first female chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). In all, her career has spanned 70 years and counting. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Earle about her career, her passion for the ocean and how the ocean has changed.

Amayo has two life-long passions: Afrobeat from Nigeria and Chinese martial arts. Host Marco Werman speaks to the musician about how these two interests influence his new album, "Lion Awakes." Amayo dedicates the album to his grandmother, a shaman, or medicine woman, in Ghana.

Nuclear reactors in Europe are struggling to keep cool this summer, as climate change intensifies heat and drought. Record-low water levels in the Danube River are threatening nuclear power production in Hungary and Romania. France has reduced output at multiple plants. Chris Rosslowe, with the energy think tank Ember in London, tells The World's Host Marco Werman why the nuclear plants are so vulnerable and how Europe's power grid is holding up.

In many countries, a heat wave that kills nearly 35,000 people each day would be considered a national emergency. But for India, that's just the way things are. In the capital, New Delhi, public health experts are scrambling to offer protection for citizens. As Namrata Kolachalam reports, the heat impacts the most vulnerable people the hardest.

The European Union is scrambling to contain the political fallout after more than 70,000 migrants crossed into the Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco last Friday. Most have since returned home, but the critical response from several EU countries has laid bare divisions over the bloc's migration policy. Today, EU interior ministers held emergency talks to try and ease tensions. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry joined Host Marco Werman with the latest.

Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo wrote a legendary melody, "Concierto de Aranjuez." It's been arranged over the years in different ways, by Miles Davis, by Hollywood. Today, we hear an arrangement by the legendary Lebanese vocalist, Fairuz, in a song dedicated to her home city of Beirut, which marks six years since the deadly explosion at its port.

Nadhira al Harthy, the first Omani woman to summit Mount Everest, died last week in an avalanche that also claimed the lives of nine other mountaineers. The climbers were attempting to summit Broad Peak in Pakistan, the world's 12th tallest mountain. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Manal Rostom, the first Egyptian woman to summit Everest, about Nadhira's legacy and the increase in Arab women pursuing mountaineering.

Research has found that, on average, everyone spends 78 minutes a day traveling, whether it's for commuting, shopping, entertainment, etc. This average holds regardless of where you are or your income. These findings are important when designing urban layouts and transit systems to support green energy transitions. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with researcher Eric Galbraith about his findings.This story originally aired on Nov. 17, 2025.

Ireland has introduced a public register of people convicted of serious domestic violence offenses, following a four-year campaign by the family of a Dublin woman murdered by her ex-partner. The register will publish the names of offenders convicted of crimes including rape, coercive control and harassment. Supporters say it will give victims and the public more information, but some domestic abuse campaigners fear such registers could have unintended consequences. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Most of the 60,000 migrants who swam, scrambled and later charged into the tiny Spanish exclave of Ceuta in North Africa this week walked back to Morocco over the weekend. Host Marco Werman explains the latest.

In recent weeks, Ukrainian drones have struck about a dozen warehouses belonging to Russia's online retailer Wildberries. Ukrainian officials say the company provides Russian forces with drone components and navigation equipment. Wildberries' CEO rejects that claim. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Financial Times correspondent Max Seddon about why Wildberries has landed in Kyiv's crosshairs.

The crowd roars; the manic sound of stilettos sprinting on concrete dovetails with a Madonna remix. The "stiletto sprint" at Amsterdam's Drag Olympics is in full swing. It's just one event at WorldPride, billed as the most significant Pride event in the world. This year it's taking place in the Dutch capital in the shadow of a deadly attack that rocked Europe's LGBTQ+ community. Jamie Fullerton reports.

Since the beginning of the US-Israeli war on Iran, Russia has stood firmly behind the Islamic Republic. It has condemned the strikes and backed Tehran on the diplomatic stage. But US officials say Moscow has also shared intelligence and military expertise, helping Iran target US bases and CIA sites in the region. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with Host Marco Werman about what we know.

Hidden in the mountains of central Slovakia, the tiny village of Vlkolinec has become one of the country's biggest tourist attractions. UNESCO World Heritage status has helped preserve its distinctive wooden houses for more than 30 years. But some residents now believe that protecting the village has come at the expense of the community that still lives there. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Rob Cameron reports.

A Spanish border was breached yesterday by the largest mass crossing of migrants in the country's history. About 60,000 people, mostly young men, swam and scrambled from Morocco to an adjoining spit of land that belongs to Spain. The World's Gerry Hadden discusses what triggered the surge and how the Spanish government is managing. We also take a listen to his first report from Ceuta that examines the dangers that migrants face.That story originally aired on Jan. 14, 2025.

A week after a deadly attack on a Berlin Pride event, Germany is grappling with how to respond. The attacker, who killed one woman and injured 31 others, had previously come to the attention of authorities over extremist activity. Since the attack, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has promised tougher security laws, while the far-right AfD party has accused the government of failing to protect the public from "Islamist violence." But many LGBTQ activists say those political reactions ring hollow. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Picture this: You're a serious musician, working hard to create art and make a living. Suddenly, on your music streaming profile, a new album appears - in your name. It's not you, in fact it's nothing at all like your music. It's all AI generated. And you can't get rid of it. From Deutsche Welle, DW, Inside Europe's Lars Bevanger met up with a musician in Oslo who faced this problem.

Scotland is joining the list of countries experiencing major wildfires. A fire that began two weeks ago is still burning in the Cairngorms National Park. Residents who had previously evacuated have been allowed to return, but certain businesses in proximity to the fire are still closed. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Tilly Smith, co-owner of the Cairngorm Reindeer Center, about the economic consequences this could have for her community.

Overnight, Asia's soccer federation joined its European and North American counterparts in opposing FIFA's proposed privatization of the World Cup. So far, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has signaled that he has no intention of dropping the plan. Still, it's very much in doubt now that regional soccer federations making up a clear majority of FIFA's member states are against it.

The UN's Human Rights office warned this week that settler violence in the West Bank is at an all-time high" after the Israeli government announced extensive counterterrorism operational activity" in the territory. The UN reported that at least eight Palestinians have died - including a child - as well as two members of the Israel Defense Forces. Mohammed Elwan is a Palestinian journalist who spoke to The World's Host Carolyn Beeler from Ramallah.