The World: Latest Stories

Using AI technology to produce child sexual abuse material is a growing problem around the globe. It poses policy issues at the local, state and national level to prevent it at the point of content creation and how to prosecute it in the courtroom. Carol Hills speaks to Dan Sexton of the Internet Watch Foundation about the breadth of the problem and what's being done to combat it.

In his farewell address, President Joe Biden warned that an oligarchy is taking shape in the US. Katie Drummond, the global editorial director for Wired magazine, talks about how their latest issue scrutinizes how this is true abroad.

There's been a mixed reaction to the ceasefire and hostage deal in Israel. Different parties and movements are reacting with joy or anger in response to the deal which will see Israeli hostages released in a first phase of the deal. But hostage support groups are so far elated at the news that the hostages will come home. Host Marco Werman speaks with Amir Blumenfeld, a doctor and health member of the Hostage and Missing Families Forum, to get his reaction to the deal and what these hostages will require as they return to the daily lives.

Twenty-one-year-old Palestinian computer engineering student from Gaza, Shaimaa Ahmed, says she's hopeful, but at the same time very scared, that a ceasefire deal recently negotiated between Hamas and Israel won't stick. Ahmed lives in the central city of Deir al-Balah. She tells The World's Host Carolyn Beeler that she's still deeply worried that she'll wake up to find the people she loves are gone.

One place where many try to build new lives is Agadir, a city along Morocco's Atlantic Coast. It isn't perfect but there is work there, and a sense of welcoming, as Morocco tries to integrate migrants. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Agadir.

Global shipping is a huge business - and a relatively huge contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. But the International Maritime Organization aims to change that by cutting its emission to zero by 2050. To this end, individual ports are changing the way they do business and new ships are using different types of fuel. David Kattenburg reports.

This month, Indonesia rolled out a new free meal program for school children, a massive undertaking for the world's fourth most populous country. The initiative has the potential to reduce stunting and poverty in the country, improve educational outcomes and increase incomes of farmers. Leila Goldstein reports on how the program is going so far.

As the implementation approaches of a law that would ban TikTok in the United States, many American TikTok users are downloading RedNote, a video-sharing app written mostly in Mandarin, as an act of protest. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler examine the user migration to Chinese-owned RedNote that openly dismisses concerns about TikTok's ties to Beijing.

Mozambique has a new president, but Daniel Chapo represents nothing new for the country. His party Frelimo has controlled the government since independence from Portugal 50 years ago. But as months of protests have demonstrated, people in Mozambique are not satisfied with the status quo. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Armando Nhantumbo, a journalist with Savana News, a Mozambican newspaper, who joined the show from the capital Maputo.

BMI, or Body Mass Index, is often used to determine obesity. But a new report by a group of international researchers suggests that there may have been an overreliance on BMI to determine whether someone fits the criteria for obesity. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Doctor Ricardo Cohen, director of the The Center for Obesity and Diabetes in Brazil, about the new report and what it means for how we determine obesity.

South African authorities sought to end illegal gold mining in a derelict gold mine in Stilfontein. Their strategy was to cut off the supplies that were being sent down to the miners to keep them alive. Now, in one mining complex below, it's clear a large number of the miners have died. Kimon de Greef is a South African reporter who's followed the standoff between the miners and the police at Stilfontein and explains the miners' dark world beneath the surface.

Donna Burke has the most famous voice you've never heard about. The Australian first moved to Japan in the 1990s, hoping to make it as a singer. Now, she's the voice of the Tokaido Shinkansen, commonly known as the bullet train, and her announcements are heard by more than 400,000 people in Japan every day.

In 2024, there were 692 packed, wooden boats that reached the Atlantic Archipelago off the west coast of mainland Europe, carrying in total more than 47,000 people. Most came to the tiny, western-most island of El Hierro where emergency services struggle to help the new arrivals. But as The World's Gerry Hadden reports, most islanders receive the migrants warmly.

US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns speaks with The World's Host Marco Werman about what he's accomplished as top US Envoy in Beijing, and the fraught relations between the two superpowers as President-elect Donald Trump takes the helm.

After months of back and forth, Hamas and Israel appear to have reached a ceasefire deal. The agreement, which was mediated by Egypt, the US and Qatar, will be carried out in three phases. The World's Shirin Jaafari speaks with Host Marco Werman about the latest.

After defying government investigators for weeks, Yoon Suk Yeol became South Korea's first sitting president to be placed under arrest. Around 1,000 security officers moved in on the president's official residence in the early hours of Wednesday. Yoon is being investigated on charges of insurrection, after declaring martial law in early December. He essentially gave himself up today, saying that he would cooperate with investigators in order to prevent bloodshed. But Yoon called the action against him "illegal." The World's Matthew Bell is in Seoul and has the latest.

Morocco's western Atlantic coast is popular for migrants trying to enter Europe without permission. But the trip in fishing boats to Spain's Canary Islands is just the final leg of a long, harrowing trip that can last years. In Part 2 of The World's North From Africa project, Gerry Hadden reports from Agadir, Morocco.

A massive collection of sheet music spanning the whole career of 20th century composer Arnold Schoenberg was lost in the Pacific Palisades fire. The collection, maintained by a publishing company run by the composer's heirs, was used extensively by scholars and musicians to study and perform Schoenberg's works. The company has said it will digitize and rebuild its collection over the next several months.

A trial is underway this week in South Korea's Constitutional Court that could remove the country's president from office. Yoon Suk Yeol sent this nation into a democratic crisis six weeks ago, when he declared martial law. That got him impeached. Now, Yoon is facing an arrest warrant and he's refusing to appear in court, out of concern for his personal safety. The World's Matthew Bell has the latest from Seoul.

NATO is launching a new mission to protect undersea cables in the Baltic Sea. A recent string of incidents have heightened fears of Russian sabotage and spying in the strategic region. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Sophia Besch, a senior fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, about what this program will look like and whether or not it will escalate tensions with Russia.

Mexico sent a team of firefighters to California on Saturday to help teams battling the wildfires that have devastated parts of Los Angeles. "We are supporting not just because Mexico has always been generous, but also because there are so many Mexicans in these burn sites," said Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. In Los Angeles County, about half the population is Hispanic, many of Mexican descent. The World's Tibisay Zea reports on efforts by this community to help support victims.

President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth has made conflicting statements about whether women should serve in combat roles in the US military. Tufts University Professor Abigail Linnington served for 25 years in the US Army as a military strategist and aviator. Linnington discusses women's evolving roles in the US military with The World's Host Marco Werman.

The first legal drug consumption room in Britain opened in Glasgow, Scotland, this week. Users will be able to inject illegal drugs under the watch of healthcare professionals without fear of arrest. Scotland has the highest rate of drug deaths per capita in Europe, but not everyone in Glasgow is on board with the initiative, as The World's Europe Correspondent Orla Barry reports.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an ambitious plan to supercharge the growth of the UK's AI industry that would involve fast-tracking permissions and data-sharing. The plan was relatively short on details. The World's Host Marco Werman talks to David Clifton, the Royal Academy of Engineering chair of clinical machine learning at the University of Oxford and a National Institute of Health research chair for AI.

Along the frontlines between Russia and Ukraine, battles are fierce and the casualty numbers are mounting. In response, Russia is doing everything it can to recruit new soldiers. It's main solution has been to offer financial incentives, including high salaries and signing bonuses. The World's Daniel Ofman reports.

Sudan's armed forces captured the city of Wad Madani over the weekend. It marked a significant blow to the Rapid Support Forces, the rebel force vying for control of the country. Host Marco Werman speaks with Cameron Hudson, senior fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, about the city's capture and why it's so significant.

Spain received more than 46,000 migrants in 2024. This, despite the dangers and tougher border controls at the fence-line between Morocco and the tiny Spanish enclave of Ceuta. To skirt security, migrants are swimming farther and farther out to sea, and sometimes drowning. The World's Gerry Hadden reports in the first of a four-part series, North from Africa.

Imagine mastering an 800-year-old Japanese martial tradition so completely that you become the face of it - all while navigating the complexities of being an outsider. Gregory Stewart, a 59-year-old Australian expat living in Hokkaido, has done exactly that, becoming Japan's reigning champion in yabusame, the ancient art of horseback archery. Rebecca Rosman profiles the athlete in Hokkaido, Japan.

Canada's postal service is raising the cost of mailing a letter by the equivalent of 25 cents today. The move comes after a 30-day holiday labor strike tested Canadians' support for the financially-strapped service. The World's Host Carolyn Beeler discusses the service's viability with Professor Ian Lee, who teaches management at Carleton University and has closely studied Canada's postal service.

Over the weekend, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine's military captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia. While their identities and other details have yet to be confirmed independently of Ukraine, 10,000 North Koreans are believed to be fighting on Russia's behalf, with many now believed to be dead or wounded. Zelenskyy offered to exchange the two North Korean prisoners for Ukrainians held by Russia, but former North Korean soldier Hyunseung Lee tells Host Carolyn Beeler that a swap is unlikely. Lee served in the North Korean army and trained alongside the country's special forces known as the Storm Corps before escaping to the United States. He's now lead strategist for the Global Peace Foundation and joined the show from Washington.

Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler get you up to speed on headlines in the news you may have missed.

Medical equipment stops working in an ICU. Factories sit in the dark. Iran is grappling with a major power shortage, and has arranged scheduled blackouts to cope. Iranians say the power cuts remain onerous and unpredictable. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports with Sima Ghadirzadeh.

The crowd went wild at the Australian Open on Sunday when Hady Habib won his first round match in straight sets. The win makes him the first Lebanese player to win a Grand Slam singles match. Hosts Marco Werman and Carolyn Beeler have the details.

In 2021, six women - two pilots and four cabin crew - participated in Afghanistan's first-ever all-female flight. It was a historic moment. Their photos and videos were shared all over the world. Then, a few months later, their lives were turned upside. The Taliban toppled the Afghan government and took over the country. The World's Shirin Jaafari reconnects with some of the women involved in that flight to see where life has taken them.

The first tennis Grand Slam of the year kicks off this weekend as the world's best players compete for the title at the Australian Open. But looming over the competition are doping concerns. Hosts Carol Hills and Carolyn Beeler have the details.

The world is on the threshold of failing to reach an important climate goal to stop the global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. It was the most ambitious climate goal in the Paris Agreement. But it's unclear if failure is official, or just imminent.

An investigation by The Insider publication has revealed a program whereby Russia's military intelligence paid members of the Taliban to kill US soldiers. Host Carol Hills spoke with Christo Grozev, an investigative journalist with The Insider, about the revelations of his team's investigation.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, whose nearly 12 years in office have been marked by economic collapse and political turmoil, was inaugurated for a third term in a ceremony in Caracas on Friday morning, defying international calls for him to step aside or show evidence of his declared victory. The World's Tibisay Zea reports.

Surveys indicate that, for kids, reading books whose characters reflect their identities and experiences can lead to improved literacy. And as Maine has become an increasingly popular destination for Central African immigrants, two Portland authors have published a multilingual picture book, to give some of the new arrivals a chance to see their own experiences reflected on the page.

Rising global temperatures are also raising worldwide concerns about wildfires like the ones surrounding Los Angeles this week. While the most common way to detect forest fires are visual - often the naked eye - the concern has driven advances in technology that can detect them early. One of the systems being piloted internationally is the Silvanet Wildfire Sensor that "smells" fires when they're just a smolder. Carsten Brinkschulte is the CEO of Dryad Networks, a German environmental technology company that created the sensor. He explained to The World's Carol Hills how the technology works.

An international team of scientists successfully drilled a nearly 2-mile-deep ice core, reaching the bedrock beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. These ice samples are expected to unveil, for the first time, critical details about Earth's climate and atmospheric history, showing a continuous record of the history of our climate as far back as 1.2 million years. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with professor Carlo Barbante at Ca' Foscari University of Venice who coordinated the research project known as "Beyond Epica: Oldest Ice."

A new report from the NGO Transparentem has linked businesses supplying companies including Zara-owner Inditex, H&M Group, Gap Inc. and Amazon to incidents of forced labor and debt bondage on Indian cotton farms. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports.

A growing number of Americans are starting to move abroad for retirement. Countries like Portugal, Spain, and Panama are on the hot list for retirement destinations. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Kathleen Peddicord, founder of liveandinvestoverseas.com, about the challenges Americans face as they make this choice.

The blazing fire overtaking Los Angeles is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Helicopters, planes, pilots and crews from Canada are swooping in to join the effort to put the fire out. The copters are from British Columbia- based Coulson Aviation, whose CEO, Wayne Coulson, describes the dangerous, difficult work involved.

Cultural preservation initiatives have been an instrumental part of the war effort in Ukraine, where much is still at risk of being lost. One team is working to digitally scan images of historic wooden churches close to the conflict zone in the east so that if they are damaged or destroyed, they can be rebuilt. Lydia Tomkiw reports from Lviv.

The last time Japan's army came to the Philippines in big numbers was during World War II, amid an invasion that left the country in ruins. But that was 80 years ago. Now, the Philippines wants Japanese forces back on its bases. As The World's Patrick Winn reports, the two countries are teaming up against a common rival: China.

National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek talks about his experience with South Korea's so-called "love motels": short-term rental hotels that cater primarily to people seeking space for intimate encounters. In a country with a severe housing shortage, these motels increasingly provide privacy for young adults who live - by necessity - with their parents. As Salopek discovered walking across the country, these rooms also provide budget-friendly accommodations for travelers as well.

A group of musicians in New York City have gotten together to form an ensemble featuring classical music by Middle Eastern composers of diverse nationalities. They perform music by Palestinians, Lebanese and Syrians. They're called the Riwaya Ensemble - "riwaya" means narration" or story" in Arabic. Jeff Lunden has the story, from New York.

The European import of liquefied natural gas from Russia hit a record high last year, even as the European Union introduced policy measures to ween member states off of Russian energy. Jan-Eric Fahnrich is a gas analyst at Rystad Energy, an independent energy research company. He joined host Carolyn Beeler to discuss the company's data on Russian gas imports to Europe in 2024.

The 39th president of the US, Jimmy Carter, made elevating human rights a guiding principle of US foreign policy, starting with his inaugural address in January, 1977. Implementing the ideals he outlined in that speech nonetheless proved challenging. On the day of Carter's funeral, host Carolyn Beeler discusses the lasting impact on his vision for integrating human rights into US foreign policy with Robert Strong, a senior fellow at the University of Virginia's Miller Center. He's the author of "Working in the World: Jimmy Carter and the Making of American Foreign Policy."