The World: Latest Stories

In Thailand, alters to ghosts in homes, shops and along streets, often include food and drinks. Reporter Patrick Winn in Bangkok looks into the history and use of one particular offering: Strawberry Fanta.This story originally aired in 2017.

Armenian Christians in the Old City of Jerusalem say their community is facing an unprecedented threat. It stems from an ongoing legal dispute over a real estate deal signed three years ago. But this isn't just a real estate squabble, they say. Members of the small minority community of Armenians, that have lived in Jerusalem for centuries, are fearful about their future in the holy city. From Jerusalem, The World's Matthew Bell reports.This story originally aired on Nov. 5, 2024.

Young people in the United Kingdom are becoming less and less likely to be part of organized religions. Still, some spiritual groups are growing in membership. The fastest growing religion in the UK is Shamanism, and the growth is driven by millennials and Gen Z. As part of a series on religion and young people in the UK, Rebecca Rosman reports from London on why a loose collection of spiritual movements are so appealing to them.This story originally aired in December 2023.

Millions of people have made the journey to the Iraqi city of Karbala to participate in the Arbaeen walk. It marks the 40th day of mourning after Ashoura, the day that Husayn, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad, was killed. It's not a required act of worship, but it still attracts people of all ages from around the globe. The World's Sara Hassan was there.This story originally aired in September 2023.

Two Argentine Jewish musicologists have embarked on a mission to revive their community's musical heritage. They are recording lost songs. From Buenos Aires, Natalio Cosoy first reported this story in October, on how these musicians are bringing that music back to life.This story first aired on Oct. 17, 2024.

The Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God was constructed over a natural spring that is sacred for Istanbul's Greek Orthodox community. On the first day of every month, hundreds of visitors of all faiths come to make wishes. When a wish comes true, the faithful bring sweets to share. The World's Durrie Bouscaren paid a visit.This story first aired on Aug. 30, 2024.

Far out in the South Pacific, there's a tropical island called Bougainville. Its people are devoutly Catholic - with a twist. Many revere the Virgin Mary almost as much as her son, Jesus. Women are exalted in the island's culture as givers of life and sometimes makers of miracles. The World's Patrick Winn visited Bougainville, discovering an icon of Saint Mary believed to have supernatural powers.

Musician Annamaret comes from a Sami reindeer-herding family and lives way up in northern Finland, close to the Arctic Circle. She describes how the ancient Sami tradition of yoiking helps connect her to her roots.This story first aired on Dec. 27, 2023.

"Wind Phones" are not connected to any phone line, but they are connected in a different sense. The phones create space for people to have a one-way conversation with their loved ones who have died. The wind - so the idea goes - carries your message. The World's Bianca Hillier visited a Wind Phone and speaks with people who use them as a tool to process grief.

Times are tough in Argentina, while the new president attempts to tame inflation, and poverty is on the rise. But there's one sport, and one very special place, that brings people together. As part of our Sacred Spaces series, reporter Lautaro Grinspan takes us to the the 80-year-old soccer stadium La Bombonera in Buenos Aires, Argentina. La Bombonera was home to the late soccer great Diego Maradona, and has become a kind of holy site for Argentina's soccer fanatics.

One person who has thought a lot about what it means to encounter the power of a wave is Karma Lekshe Tsomo. She is a Buddhist nun who grew up surfing in Malibu, California, and is a professor emerita of theology and religious studies at the University of San Diego. Host Marco Werman meets up with her at a surfing beach in San Diego to discuss the higher sense of purpose that can come from being in the natural world.

Chile's Indigenous Mapuche people have long fought the government over land claims. They've faced discrimination and assimilation in Chilean society. But some Mapuche communities are now turning the page. And they're using an ancestral sport to help protect and revive their culture, customs and language. Michael Fox has the story from Chile's capital, Santiago.

Berlin is considered the world's clubbing capital, and for some, those clubs offer an almost religious experience. But the city is changing, and more and more nightclubs are under threat from gentrification and rising property values. Back in 2020, a group of club enthusiasts in Germany campaigned to have nightclubs given the same cultural status as opera houses - a move they hoped would afford the clubs more protections. The measure passed, but then the pandemic hit. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.This story first aired on March 3, 2020.

More people voted around the world this year than any election year before. The four-year elections lined up with the five-year election cycle for an exceptional string of voting from the beginning of the year to the end. Ravi Agrawal, the editor in chief of Foreign Policy and host of FP Live!, talks through the biggest electoral moments of the year and what they mean for democracy.

Japan's second- and third-largest automakers are pursuing a $50 billion deal that could dramatically shake up the global auto industry. The move is designed to help the Japanese face headwinds from their major rivals in electric vehicles: Tesla and China's BYD. The World's Host Marco Werman discusses the impact of the potential merger with auto industry analyst Michael Dunne, head of Dunne Insights.

A music teacher in a small town in Iowa looked around at his school a realized that it was increasingly Latino - but there were few Latinos playing in school bands. So, he decided to make a change. He started a mariachi band, a rarity in the Midwest. Now there are four, and they're a big hit with the town. Bret Hayworth of Siouxland Public Media has our story from Denison, Iowa.

In Denmark, there seems to be a porridge for every occasion. A quintessential part of the Christmas diet in the Scandinavian country is a rice porridge called risengrod. The dish hearkens back to a time when rice was a luxury in the Scandinavian country, says restaurateur Lasse Andersen. He takes The World's Joshua Coe behind the counter at one of his porridge bars in Copenhagen to learn how to cook this Danish classic.

Over the years, Japan has developed its own idea of Christmas and the food that comes with it. Fried chicken and strawberry shortcake, or a version of it, are now de rigueur. Gabriella Gershenson, a food journalist and author of the recipe book "Love Japan", explains the country's Christmas food culture.

When "Snoopy's Christmas," a song by The Royal Guardsmen, was released in 1967, it was an international hit. It lacked longevity, though, and quickly fell off the radar. - except in New Zealand. And no one knows why. The World's Sarah Birnbaum investigates Snoopy's staying power there.

'We Are Not Numbers': Palestinians grapple with death

Over the weekend, The Guardian published the first known photos of an uncontacted community living in the Amazon. The group is called the Massaco, named after a local river. But what they call themselves, like many other details, remains unknown. The World's Host Marco Werman spoke to John Reid, one of the series' co-authors, about Brazil's policies to avoid direct contact with communities like the Massaco.

There are all kinds of delicacies that people get excited about during the Christmas season. In Britain, there's a fragrant, raisin-filled cake from Milan, Italy, that's become all the rage. It's been a rapid and near-total conquest by the panettone, even though the cake is not so easy to bake. Reporter Leo Hornak put on an apron and tried his best to connect with his Italian roots by baking his own version of panettone. (This story first aired in December, 2022.)

Each December, Turkish Americans from Kansas City bake an enormous batch of a Middle Eastern sweet to share with people from different cultures and faiths across the city. This year, Laura Ziegler of KCUR joined them as they baked and distributed the baklava.

In language-divided Belgium, it's cause for complaint when a train conductor greets a Flemish passenger in both Dutch and French, despite being in a non-French speaking region. That's what happened on a recent train heading through Flanders. The country's Permanent Commission for Linguistic Control is now reviewing the case, but Belgian journalist Maithe Chini with the Brussels Times tells Host Carol Hills that many in Belgium find the complaint ridiculous.

Pubs in the UK are running out of Guinness stout, a seasonal favorite. Host Carol Hills tells how the popular - some say irreplaceable - Irish beverage has been sold out across the UK, and how pub owners and Guinness fans are coping with the drought of the distinctive draft.

Christmas lights burning up the night sky are a seasonal phenomenon, but ecologists have long warned about the everyday issues of light pollution. Our partners at Deutsche Welle took a walking tour of the problem in Cologne, Germany, for the program "Living Planet" with journalist Kathleen Schuster.

Local authorities in Mexico City are sponsoring what they call "the largest mural project in the world," an initiative to recover public spaces where abandonment has led to safety concerns. The World's Tibisay Zea takes us on a tour to Iztapalapa, the most populous borough in Mexico City, where close to 11,000 murals have been painted by local artists in recent years.

As the strategic map of the Middle East is reshaped by Hezbollah's fall from power in Lebanon and the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, the US is pushing hard for a diplomatic solution in the Gaza Strip. Aaron David Miller, a negotiator for the US State Department on Arab-Israeli issues in the '90s and aughts, explains why the conditions for a ceasefire are improving, and what incentives are pushing the talks forward between Israel and Hamas.

The US State Department's top Middle East envoy, Barbara Leaf, arrived in Damascus today for meetings with Syria's new interim government headed by Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham. Afterwards, it was announced that the $10 million bounty on the group's leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, also known as Ahmed al-Sharaa, had been removed. Host Carol Hills spoke with Ibrahim Al-Assil, a non-resident fellow at the Middle East Institute, about Leaf's visit.

In Sweden, the temperance movement has been promoting a December of no-drinking called "Vit Jul," which translates to "White Christmas." Jonas Raninen, a senior research specialist at the Karolinska Institute, has studied drinking in Swedish society and explains the trends behind "Vit Jul."

A husband and wife team (he's from Kenya and she's from Botswana) have designed a trivia game called Sawa, focused on Africa. Game designers Kioko and Thato Mwosa challenge Host Marco Werman to a round of questions that explore some of the continents' 54 countries through geography, cinema, business, technology, history, politics, arts and sports.

A new report by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services is warning that governments are "underestimating or ignoring the links between five key areas - biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change." Host Marco Werman speaks with Paula Harrison, a co-chair of the report, about the significance of the findings and the costs of tackling these issues in a separate manner.

Three detainees were transferred from US custody at the Guantanamo Bay military prison this week. The prisoners, a Kenyan man and two Malaysian men, were repatriated to their home countries. They leave behind 27 men still detained at Guantanamo Bay. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Journalists used fake Tinder profiles to identify and follow the movements of hundreds of soldiers in Europe, including many Americans. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sebastiaan Brommersma, part of a reporting team that exposed security flaws in the dating app, Tinder, for the independent news site Follow The Money.

The US State Department yesterday said it had brokered a four-day ceasefire between Turkey and the Syrian Defense Forces, and said that the ceasefire was extended on Tuesday. Turkey's defense ministry on Thursday denied having agreed on a ceasefire with the SDF, stating that Ankara will not halt its military campaign until the Kurdish-led force disarms."

Two years into her leadership, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has seen her approval ratings start to fall. Around 37% of Italians now say they are happy with the performance of the far-right leader. In Albania, Meloni has some fans too. Perhaps none more so than a businessman in the port city of Shengjin who has dedicated his new restaurant to the Italian leader. From Shengjin in northern Albania, The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.

Dozens of men will head to prison in France after a court today found them guilty in connection to one of the country's largest rape cases. Outside the courthouse in Avignon, supporters of the survivor Gisele Pelicot cheered her on for her courage in the public spotlight. Her ex-husband is among the guilty and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison. Host Marco Werman shares news of the verdict.

The Instagram account "Official Stick Reviews" is the brainchild of two friends from Utah: Boone Hogg and Logan Jugler, who started reviewing sticks they found out and about in 2023. But this sapling of an account has grown to 3 million followers, and people from across the globe sharing the cool sticks they've found. This month marked "Stick Nations" first ever "Stick of the Year" competition. Host Marco Werman caught up with Hogg and Jugler to hear about the results.

Lebanon has always been tied together economically, socially and politically with Syria. But now that the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad has collapsed, Lebanon is looking to chart a new path for itself. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sami Halabi, director of policy at the Alternative Policy Institute, about the reactions from Lebanon to Assad's fall.

In Ghana, a controversial anti-LGBTQ bill that drew international condemnation, is one step closer. Today, the Supreme Court unanimously dismissed a challenge questioning the bill's constitutionality. The court ruled that the bill cannot be declared unconstitutional as it has not yet been signed into law. From Ghana's capital Accra, Ridwan Karim Dini-Osman reports.

The largest American embassy in the world was dedicated today in Mexico City. The US spent more than $1 billion dollars on its new embassy in Mexico. Ambassador Ken Salazar said it highlights the singular relationship" between the US and Mexico. Host Marco Werman has more.

Countries from Europe to the Middle East to the US have seen an anti-migrant backlash and erected higher barriers to refugees. But Thailand is taking a step in the other direction: offering a path to citizenship for nearly half a million stateless people in its borders, a move the UN calls historic." The Thai government says it's a New Year's gift." The World's Patrick Winn reports from Thailand's northern hills.

A tiny island nation in the Pacific is struggling to recover after a powerful earthquake killed at least nine people and injured hundreds. Communications on Vanuatu aren't fully restored, power remains unstable and essential services are overwhelmed. From Guam, Naina Rao reports.

Syria is going through historic changes and that has some minority groups on edge. Take the Kurds, who have their own autonomous region in the northeast. They say Turkey is preparing a military attack against them, and they fear a resurgence of ISIS. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), General Mazloum Abdi, about the challenges ahead.

A holiday soup in Catalonia, in northeast Spain, dates back to the Middle Ages. But it's as hot as ever. It's called Escudella de Nadal, or Christmas Bowl in English. The World's Gerry Hadden sat stove-side in a small village to see how it's prepared.

Two men have been charged with conspiring to export sensitive technology to Iran. It was allegedly used in a drone attack in Jordan that killed three American troops early this year and injured dozens of other service members, the Justice Department said Monday. Host Marco Werman has more.

Ten years ago today, Washington and Havana announced a historic deal to normalize diplomatic relations. President Donald Trump then rolled back the accord. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with the two diplomats who hammered out the deal: Ricardo Zuniga, a former senior director for Western Hemisphere affairs at the National Security Council, and Ben Rhodes, the former deputy national security advisor.

A mass grave in Al-Qutayfah, Syria, has been located, bringing clarity to the fate of political prisoners under the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad. Mouaz Mustafa, the executive director of the Syrian Emergency Task Force, was involved in the site's discovery, and explains what's been found.

Canada has long been an attractive option for international students. It's seen as a safe and generally non-discriminatory place to study, with impressive schools and post-graduation work rights. But 2024 brought a year of significant changes to the education sector. Prospective international students fear an unknown future. The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

The fate of more than 50 men accused of rape and sexual assault in a harrowing case that has gripped France will be decided by a French court this week. Gisele Pelicot waived her anonymity so the men, including her ex-husband, would face trial in public. Pelicot has since become a feminist icon in France, and her case has sparked discussion about attitudes toward sexual assault in the country. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports.