The World: Latest Stories

Students in Gaza are slowly getting back to their education after more than two years of war. Israel's strikes in Gaza destroyed or damaged almost all of the schools. Students and their families were forced to flee their homes, many faced hunger and a constant threat of death. Today, some of the students are finally returning to class. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

World leaders and diplomats from roughly 120 countries are in Germany today for the Munich Security Conference, where strained transatlantic ties have taken center stage. Opening the event, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that the familiar international order no longer exists." NATO's strength, he said, depends on trust among allies, and no country, not even the US, can go it alone. The conference will also hear discussions on Iran, the war in Ukraine and the future of Gaza. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has the details.

Kenyan President William Ruto has announced that the government will reopen two checkpoints along the border with Somalia, after nearly 15 years of closure. The border was closed to due attacks in Kenya by the militant group Al-Shabaab, based in Somalia. Ruto said there would be heightened security at the border checkpoints, but critics say Al-Shabaab remains a significant threat. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Nationwide protests in Bangladesh managed to bring an end to years of repressive rule by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in 2024. Those demonstrations were led by young people, many of them students. They had high hopes for bringing democratic change to Bangladesh. But where do they stand now, as the country voted on Thursday in one of the the most consequential elections in the country's history? The World's Carolyn Beeler reports from the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka.

A Ukrainian athlete competing in the men's Skeleton events has been disqualified by the IOC for wearing a helmet with the faces of victims killed by Russia in the war. And a Super League conceived five years ago by 12 of Europe's top soccer clubs officially disappeared today. Host Marco Werman has the details.

"Don't jump up and down," is the advice these days coming from winners of Olympic medals. Numerous exuberant athletes have seen their medals fall from their necks, hit the ground and break. Host Marco Werman explains what's going on.

Is it theft to take back what was stolen? That question drives the new video game Relooted. The goal is to recover real ancient African artifacts currently displayed in Western museums. The game's creative director Ben Myres tells The World's Host Marco Werman that he designed the game as a first step" to learning about African cultures and ethnicities.

Prosecutors in the US have at times used rap lyrics as evidence in criminal trials. Now Britain's government is considering legislation that would limit the use of song lyrics or music videos in court. Dozens of artists and legal experts argue the practice unfairly targets young Black men. Under current UK rules, prosecutors can present lyrics or videos to suggest a suspect's involvement in crime but musicians say their work is being taken out of context. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Born to Chilean exiles in France, rapper Ana Tijoux found home, not in a place, but in hip-hop. Then, decades into her career, Ana lost her sense of belonging. She discovered the only way back home was to rediscover creativity. She speaks with Meklit Hadero, host of the Movement podcast, about the journey.

This week, Russia announced restrictions on Telegram and WhatsApp, two messaging platforms vital to communicating with the outside world. As Russian politics expert Sam Greene tells Host Marco Werman, Russians have always found ways around censorship, but the question is where people will go to share memes and cat videos. Greene is a professor of Russian Politics at King's College, London.

The Dutch brewing giant Heineken announced that it will cut up to 6,000 jobs in the coming years as the wider industry confronts weakening consumer demand. The World's Host Marco Werman heard from how the news echos elsewhere in the industry from Rick Kempen, a beer ambassador for Bier&cO, a beer import-export distribution company based in the Netherlands. Bier&cO is owned by Royal Swinkels, a company that owns Bavarian Pils, another major Dutch beer brand and Heineken competitor.

The US is deploying 200 soldiers to Nigeria to train troops battling Islamist militants. In October, the White House began warning that Christianity faces what it called an "existential threat" in Nigeria. Amaka Anku, who heads the Africa Practice at Eurasia Group says the reality on the ground is more complex. She tells The World's Host Marco Werman the US military deployment is largely welcome but isn't expected to create stability.

Indonesia's army chief of staff said this week that his country is preparing to send up to 8,000 troops to Gaza as part of the international stabilization force. The force is part of US President Donald Trump's peace plan. Several countries have expressed interest but experts say the exact mission of these forces is vague. The World's Shirin Jaafari reports.

During her last trip to Austria, DW, Deutsche Welle's, Inside Europe producer Laura Kabelka sat down with up-and-coming artist Tamara Flores. The Austro-Mexican singer, flutist and dancer fuses her cultural heritage and plays with feminist references. For her music video, "Chingona", an entire Mexican town came out to support her.

Projects aimed at curbing light pollution are growing in popularity across the globe, particularly as a way to protect biodiversity. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Yana Yakushina, a lawyer and scientific coordinator for an EU-wide light pollution project, about how communities are balancing the impact of light on ecosystems and a concern for public safety.

It all depends how high up into the Alps, Dolomites or Pyrenees you go. At lower levels in the French Alps, nearly 200 ski resorts remain shuttered this season due to a lack of snow. Toward the peaks, heavy snow has led to a record numbers of deaths in avalanches. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

Tango may be Argentina's most famous cultural symbol, but steak is a close second. And it might be coming to markets in the US. President Donald Trump recently said he wants to quadruple imports of beef from Argentina to reduce costs to American consumers. Reporter Emily Johnson in Buenos Aires has the story of an industry in transition.

In the La Guajira region of Colombia, a multiyear drought and climate change-fueled natural disasters have disrupted Indigenous traditional agricultural practices. But new programs are helping the Wayuu people reinvigorate their traditional foods, especially the guajiro bean. Natalie Skowlund reports.

United States President Trump is threatening to block the opening of a newly constructed bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. Trump is demanding the US be "fully compensated" for the bridge, even though Canada has footed the entire multi-billion-dollar bill. It's also unclear how the US president could actually prevent the bridge from opening.

Philippe Gaulier died yesterday at 82. He was a clown who became famous in France in the 1970s with a show called "LES ASSIETTES." The gag was that he and his comedic partner broke plates. Host Marco Werman will explain ... and get thoughts from some of the 82-year-old's famous alumni.

During Sunday's Super Bowl halftime performance, Bad Bunny shimmied up an electrical pole while singing his hit "El Apagon." The title translates to The blackout." Puerto Rico's electrical grid is notoriously faulty due to under-investment and an aging, centralized infrastructure. Ruth Santiago, an environmental and community lawyer who lives in Salinas, Puerto Rico, talks with The World's Marco Werman about the grid's current status and efforts to upgrade it.

If the left-leaning government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has its way, children under 16 will soon see apps like TikTok and Instagram disappear from their screens. Following Australia's lead, Sanchez says it's time for society to step up and protect kids from the onslaught of harmful content online. But pulling it off is complicated. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona

Mexico is sending two navy ships packed with humanitarian aid to Cuba as the island nation struggles with severe fuel shortages. Amid economic and military threats from the US, Mexico has had to proceed cautiously in supporting Havana, with which it has longstanding relations. The World's Marco Werman learned more from Arturo Sarukhan, former Mexican ambassador to the US.

Europe's beloved chestnut season is coming to an end. That's calling attention to new research on chestnut pollen deposits, which suggests chestnut trees may date back to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Scientists now believe the Romans planted chestnut forests across the continent, though more for the lumber than the earthy chestnuts. Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

The war in Ukraine is now approaching its fourth year- unimaginable in 2022 when the full-scale Russian invasion began. In the West, many consider the situation a catastrophe for the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin, who had expected a quick and decisive victory. But that's not the way it's portrayed from Moscow. As reporter Deborah Amos tells us, in addition to being a deadly time for soldiers, it was the first time Ukrainian and international journalists realized it was going to be deadly for them too.

On Sunday, the Israeli security cabinet agreed on new policies for the occupied West Bank that would make it easier for Jewish settlers to acquire Palestinian land. Critics say the moves amount to de facto annexation of large parts of the Israeli-occupied territory. US President Donald Trump has said that Israeli annexation of the Palestinian territory is not acceptable. The United Nations, along with a host of Arab and Muslim-majority states, responded with sharp criticism of the new Israeli policy. The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

In the days leading up to the 2026 Winter Games in Italy, excited young athletes have been posting videos of themselves opening up their boxes and bags of gear and Olympic apparel. From pajamas to ski suits, there is plenty of swag - and plenty of interest in it online. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are the first to feature a ban on ski wax that includes PFAS, the forever chemicals linked to a range of health problems and diseases. The chemicals had made the wax especially effective; now, athletes and wax techs are experimenting with less effective alternatives. The World's Marco Werman speaks with Julia Mehre Ystgaard, Canadian cross-country ski coach.

No, not the scary Terminator-like ones beloved of science fiction writers ... We're talking about the cute, helpful ones designed to help out in school. And yes - this really is a thing. A Norwegian company is already successful in 17 countries with a small robot that can represent absent pupils in the classroom. Lars Bevanger reports from Oslo.

Sanae Takaichi was taking a huge risk when she called for a snap election just 110 days into her first term as prime minister. Today, she won big. Her struggling political party - the Liberal Democratic Party - captured a two-thirds supermajority in the lower house of Japan's parliament. Takaichi is promising to push ahead on her conservative agenda. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

Hong Kong authorities today sentenced pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai to 20 years behind bars. It's the longest punishment given so far under a China-imposed national security law that has quashed dissent on the island. Tom Grundy, editor-in-chief at the Hong Kong Free Press, speaks with The World's Marco Werman about the implications.

Ebo Taylor was one of Ghana's top musicians and an artist who garnered international attention for the country. Host Marco Werman tells us that his death was announced over the weekend by his son. We listen to a heartfelt song of Taylor's following the death of his first wife.

In a large archive building in Tirana, Albania's capital, a team recently began reviewing 45 years of films produced at the behest of former dictator Enver Hoxha. The team is slowly digitalizing decades-worth of documentaries, films and cartoons, ready for public release. But as Jamie Fullerton reports, there are those not so keen on calling attention to a dictator's handiwork.

The war in Ukraine is now approaching its fourth year. To understand how Ukraine reached this moment, we turn back to one of the most devastating chapters of the conflict: the siege of Mariupol. As reporter Deborah Amos tells us, in addition to being a deadly time for soldiers, it was the first time Ukrainian and international journalists realized it was going to be deadly for them too.

Newly released Epstein files are sending shockwaves far beyond the United States, fueling political crises, criminal investigations and renewed questions about some of Europe's most powerful figures. Britain's prime minister is battling for his political survival, Norway's monarchy faces scrutiny, and fresh human trafficking probes have begun in two EU countries. The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry has more.

Ten years ago, Philippine farmer Christopher Fadriga knew nothing about cacao. Then he discovered some old criollo cacao trees growing in people's backyards. The heirloom variety, which had long vanished from Mexico, was brought over by the Galleon Trade hundreds of years ago. Now, Fadriga's criollo cacao beans are the toast of chocolate lovers the world over. Dany Mitzman reports from Negros, in the Philippines.

Few in Thailand doubt that, in the upcoming Feb. 8 election, progressives will win the most votes. Less certain is whether they will take power. For decades, Thailand has been stuck in a cycle: left-leaning candidates triumph in elections and then the old-guard establishment (the military and its network of judges) deems them unfit to rule. But there is hope that this time will be different. Patrick Winn reports from Bangkok.

Officials from the US and Iran met today in the Persian Gulf country of Oman. This is the first time the two sides are meeting since the US and Israel carried out military strikes in Iran to dismantle its nuclear program. The meeting also comes at a tense moment. Last month, Iran's security forces crushed a series of anti-government protests, killing thousands of people. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with Host Carolyn Beeler about the latest.

In the Slovak capital, Bratislava, a high profile re-trial is under way. Jan Kuciak, a 27-year-old investigative journalist, and his fiancee Martina Kunirova were shot dead in 2018 - a killing widely believed to be connected to Kuciak's reporting on corruption. The businessman suspected of ordering the killing has been acquitted on two occasions, but both times the verdicts were overturned by Slovakia's Supreme Court, citing serious flaws in how evidence had been assessed. Rob Cameron reports.

Today in Pakistan, a suicide bomber attacked a Shia mosque in the capital Islamabad. The attack during a Friday prayer service killed at least 31 people and wounded dozens more. While no one has yet claimed responsibility, the country's security forces have been locked in a growing fight with insurgents, especially along the border regions with Afghanistan. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler learns more from Akbar Notezai. He's a reporter for the Pakistani news organization Dawn.

Host Carolyn Beeler brings us the sounds of Colombian trio Balthvs, who are bringing back the short-lived psychedelic music era in their country, with just enough funk to make it their own.This story originally aired on July 22, 2024.

When "Time Hoppers: The Silk Road" hits theaters this weekend, it will make history as the first animated feature film made by, for,and about Muslims to have a US theatrical release. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with director Flordeliza Dayrit about the film's characters and what it means for Muslim children to see them on screen.

National Geographic explorer Paul Salopek is on a global walk from Ethiopia to Tierra del Fuego, off the coast of South America. But such a walk wouldn't be possible without help along the way. That's why he has walked alongside dozens of walking partners on his journey so far. Paul joins Host Marco Werman and explains how those walking partners keep him moving, and what being part of his project means to them.

A curling team in a mountain town near Barcelona claims to have invented the sport, one year before the Scots, nearly 500 years ago. But the evidence for this is sketchy at best - as is the seriousness of the team itself. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Vallvidrera, Spain.This story originally aired on March 18, 2024.

The sport of curling has fans around the world, despite its humble origins on frozen lakes in Scotland in the 1500s. But the fandom gets a massive boost when the Winter Olympics come around, when a big order is placed at the company that manufactures all of the curling stones used at the Games. Reporter Bianca Hillier has the details.

"Oral" is a song musician Bjork composed more than 20 years ago, but it never worked for any of her albums. She came upon the composition around the same time that a critical report was published about the devastating impact salmon farming is having on communities in her native Iceland. So, "Oral" became the featured song, performed by Bjork and Spanish superstar Rosalia, in a campaign to help Icelandic towns whose economies are suffering.This story originally aired on Dec. 4, 2023.

The last remaining US-Russia nuclear arms control treaty, New START, expired on Thursday, leaving the world's two largest nuclear arsenals without legal limits on nukes for the first time in over half a century. While the US and Russia still possess the most nuclear warheads, some US policymakers argue the treaty was outdated because of China's own rapidly expanding stockpile. The World's Host Marco Werman turned to Heather Williams, director of the Project on Nuclear Issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to understand what happens next.

Famine conditions are spreading in Sudan's Darfur region, according to the IPC, the group that monitors global hunger. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Jan Egeland, head of the Norwegian Refugee Council, about what he saw on a recent trip to Sudan.

It's been nearly two months since a shooting rampage at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach took 15 lives. Mass casualty shootings are rare in Australia. This one has refocused attention on the country's gun ownership and hate law reforms, as Sydney Morning Herald reporter Daniel Lo Surdo tells The World's Host Marco Werman.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler present a few items in the news today that you might have missed.