The World: Latest Stories

Latvia's government is capping the heat in health facilities and other buildings to about 65 degrees Fahrenheit in an attempt to keep some heat flowing during the cold winter months while lessening its dependency on Russian energy.

Latvia's government is capping the heat in health facilities and other buildings to about 65 degrees Fahrenheit in an attempt to keep some heat flowing during the cold winter months while lessening its dependence on Russian energy.

Fifty years after his death, some organizers have insisted on revisiting the artist Pablo Picasso in a new light, with exhibits and conversations focused on his problematic relationship with women.

Yiddish once thrived among European Jews. Now, it's considered an endangered language. But over the past few years, there’s been growing interest in the language, including in China, where students at one of the country’s most prestigious universities are now learning it.

Underlying the festivities are increased concerns about Taiwan’s relationship with China as well as changes in its own national identity.

Russian businessman and opposition figure Mikhail Khodorkovsky recently released a new book, "The Russia Conundrum: How the West Fell for Putin’s Power Gambit — and How to Fix It." He spoke with The World's host Marco Werman about Russia, President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin promoted Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov to army general this month. Kadyrov is a long-time ally of Putin and is known for his inflammatory remarks and abysmal human rights record. He has also described Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a “holy war.”

The English city of Leicester is host to one of the most ethnically diverse populations in the UK, including a sizable South Asian community. But in recent months, the city’s reputation as a successful model of integration has taken a blow as simmering tensions between people from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds have spilled over into street battles.

Repair Together, a volunteer group in Ukraine, helps clean up homes and villages that have been damaged by the war, while dancing to music.

More than 10,000 Russians are fleeing to neighboring Georgia every day to escape being drafted into the war in Ukraine. The influx is exacerbating tensions going back to Soviet times.

Most Mediterranean mussels are grown in the Ebro Delta, in Spain’s northeast, and often enjoyed by consumers nearby. But this year’s Mediterranean harvest was nearly wiped out by unusually warm seas, forcing restaurant owners to import their mussels from other countries.

In Ukraine, coping with war and dealing with trauma has become a daily challenge. Millions of Ukrainians have been impacted by Russia’s invasion. Many are on the front lines. Others have been displaced. And everyone is processing different levels of pain, both physical and mental. Some people are trying to help people cope with the trauma of war.

Kids as young as 4 compete to build castells, or human towers, a centuries-old tradition tied to Catalan identity.

World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway withdrew from an online chess match against 19-year-old American player Hans Niemann at the $350,000 Sinquefield Cup in St. Louis, Missouri.

That’s because the number of college-educated workers is shrinking and baby boomers are retiring more quickly than previous estimates suggested.

In the somber ballad, musician Shervin Hajipour sings of why Iranians are rising up in protest: “For dancing in the streets," he intones. “For my sister, for your sister, for our sisters.”

Loons are having fewer and smaller chicks, which are less likely to survive. Most surprisingly, young, non-breeding adults are also dramatically in decline — but no one knows why. Volunteers from Canada and the United States are on a quest for answers.

Even some of the Russian leader's closest advisers don't know what Vladimir Putin is thinking, according to former US Ambassador to Russia John Tefft. He has spent plenty of time in the room with Putin himself.

As US-China relations continue to deteriorate over China’s messaging on Taiwan, the Biden administration recently announced it won’t remove tariffs on Chinese goods put in place by former President Donald Trump. The news is a blow to businesses that do substantial business with China.

Residents from Colombia and Venezuela turned out in large numbers last week to welcome the reopening of their shared border to vehicles. Two commercial trucks, covered with the respective flags of each country, crossed the border point, marking the end of seven years of closure.

Brazil’s former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was expected to cruise to a huge victory on Sunday. But the final result showed President Jair Bolsonaro just a handful of points behind. This means weeks of intense campaigning ahead of runoffs at the end of the month.

Brazil is still the largest Catholic country in the world, but Protestant evangelicals are a fast-growing segment of the population. And they’re making their presence felt politically.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen speaks to The World's host Marco Werman about a renewed call by himself and other Senate Democrats for a full inquiry into the killing of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh earlier this year.

Two presidents are battling for power in Sunday’s elections. Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is hoping to unseat current far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazilians will vote in presidential elections on Sunday. They will also vote for a host of other government officials. This year, more Indigenous people, women and Black candidates are running for office than ever before.

The mapping app Gershad, launched in 2016, allows people in Iran — primarily women — to mark the location of the country's morality police so that others can avoid them. Human rights activist and app co-founder Firuzeh Mahmoudi joined The World's host Marco Werman to talk about the app amid current protests.

China started investing in new electric vehicles years ago. This year, about 25% of new cars sold there are electric. They're gaining in popularity, especially among the younger generation.

Robert Malley, the US special envoy for Iran, joined The World's host Marco Werman from Washington to discuss how the Biden administration views the current protests and what this could all mean for efforts to secure a nuclear deal with Iran.

The five-day Durga Puja festival brings the city of Kolkata, India, to a standstill as throngs of people visit elaborate temples to the Goddess Durga that spring up everywhere.

Banks in Lebanon have partially reopened this week after the government had ordered them to be shut down. The closures were prompted by a spate of bank heists conducted by people whose savings have been stuck in banking system.

"Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands," a graphic novel by Kate Beaton, from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, tells the story of leaving home and joining thousands of others to work in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada. Beaton joined The World's host Marco Werman to talk about her experience.

In Spain, some 20,000 unclaimed suitcases now sit in airport warehouses. Envera, a nonprofit group, has found a way to give the contents of this lost luggage a new home.

Dina Temple-Raston of the "Click Here" podcast spoke with Niko Vorobyov, the Russian author of Dopeworld and Kim Grauer, director of research at Chainalysis and an expert in cryptocurrency economics and crime, about Hydra, its closure in April and who or what is likely to replace it.

Kenyan sprinter Ferdinand Omanyala won the gold medal for the 100-meter sprint at the Commonwealth Games in August — the first time for his country in 60 years. Now, he's hoping to inspire more youth to pursue the sport.

​​​​​​​Spain’s socialist government recently passed a new law greatly expanding the rights and recognition of victims during the dictatorship of Gen. Francisco Franco and the years that followed.

Demand for royal memorabilia has skyrocketed since the queen’s death in the United Kingdom.

The Roma are Hungary’s largest ethnic minority, making up close to 10% of the population. Radio Dikh, a new radio station, aims to change perceptions of the Roma community in Hungary, where they have faced decades of stigma and discrimination.

In late 2019, nearly half a million foreign students in China — mostly from Africa and other parts of Asia — were studying at Chinese universities. Then the pandemic struck, disrupting in-person studies. Nearly 2 1/2 years later, many are still prevented from returning to China.

Bogotá's Care School for Men aims to battle centuries of living in a culture that teaches men to focus on breadwinning instead of caregiving.

Experts say the port will be a new milestone for shipping trade between China and Latin America. But many people in the town of Chancay, where the port will be located, are not happy about it and say their lives will be changed forever.

Taras Topolia is the lead singer of the Antytila band in Ukraine. When the war started, Topolia immediately joined Ukraine's military and served on the front lines, as did some of the other band members. At the same time, Topolia continues to advocate for Ukraine through his music.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease specialist, joined The World's host Marco Werman to assess the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and reflect briefly on five decades of service in public health.

When Russia first invaded Ukraine, the capital, Kyiv, was under threat. One of Russia’s goals was to force regime change in the heart of the country. That didn’t happen. But the residents of Kyiv are still processing the early days of the war, trying to begin to get back to something like normal daily life.

The queen’s funeral plans were decades in the making as part of what was codenamed “Operation London Bridge.”

This week's General Debate at UN headquarters in New York will draw a room filled with big personalities, protagonists and politics.

This past week, girls in the province of Paktia in eastern Afghanistan went to the streets to protest. The Taliban had reopened their schools but ordered them shut again. Girls’ education in Afghanistan has become a sensitive topic since the Taliban came to power last year. They have closed down nearly all secondary schools for girls in the country.

Somalis find themselves caught between twin crises: the worst drought to hit the region in more than 40 years, and ongoing insecurity caused by terrorism.

The "Click Here" podcast spoke to The World about their extended interview with a high-ranking member of the pickup cyberforce called the IT Army of Ukraine.

For five nights, over two weekends, Garth Brooks is playing in Ireland’s largest stadium, and for the first time in 25 years. And the 400,000 or so fans who snagged tickets seem determined to make the most of it.

The United Nations has said more than 700 children have died in malnourishment centers in Somalia this year. Several parts of the country could experience famine from October to December due to extreme drought.