The World: Latest Stories

Thousands of students attending US colleges and universities actually reside in Mexico. The World's Marco Werman speaks to teacher Joanna Esser and Tijuana student Carlos Tenorio from Southwestern College in Chula Vista, California, about what it's like to cross borders daily for education.

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley is classified as a Hispanic-serving institution where some bilingual courses are offered. The World's host Marco Werman speaks with astronomy professor Juan Madrid about teaching his classes in both Spanish and English and what it means for the students.

Language has always been at the heart of the Catalan people's campaign for independence. And the regional government is once again demanding that university professors teach their courses in Catalan. But does the Catalan-language law further the nationalist cause, or leave the region more isolated? Professors are already rebelling.

Migrants from many countries were previously able to cross the US border on foot and turn themselves in to officials to begin asylum proceedings. But since May 12, it's become much harder, and those turned down are banned from re-entering the US for the next five years. Many are now trying to secure appointments through a US government app, but spaces are limited.

Ukrainian authorities say at least 19,000 children have been transferred to Russia from occupied territories during the war. Some Ukrainian families have taken matters into their own hands, taking risky trips to Russia to try to bring their children back home.

In 2020, a deadly blast at Beirut port destroyed the much-beloved Sursock Museum. Parts of the 20th-century building's architecture, reflecting both Venetian and Ottoman stylistic elements, were damaged, along with 57 works of art. Now, almost three years later, the museum has reopened.

Music festivals are ever-expanding enterprises, adding new locations and dates, even if they're repeating the same line-up.

Those planning a Caribbean trip this summer better check the sargassum forecast. This seaweed has been growing in excessive amounts in the Caribbean since 2011, and now growing in Mexico and parts of Florida, as well. Earlier this year, scientists detected a record bloom.

“The Kerala Story” is a fictionalized film that has sparked debate in India. It's about Hindu women being tricked into joining ISIS. The filmmakers say they are uncovering a hidden truth, while others say the film is exaggerated and divisive.

​​​​​​​In 1989, the Ukrainian punk rock band Vopli Vidopliassova released an album called “Tantsi” or “Dances.” In 2019, the original session tape was rediscovered, and in 2023, Tantsi was finally officially released.

​​​​​​​Last December, in yet another blow to women’s rights in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced a ban on women working for nongovernmental organizations. Thousands of women lost their jobs overnight. The months since have been some of the most difficult for the women NGO workers.

Brazil ranks third in the world for the most social media usage, following India and Indonesia. Now, a controversial, 3-year-old bill is weaving its way through Congress. It could regulate social media platforms in the same way as TV and radio. The “Fake News Bill” has staunch supporters, but some also accuse it of being a form of censorship.

US consumers have plenty of reasons to snap up electric vehicles. They are helping the US meet its climate goals, and new owners may qualify for a tax credit. But some of their old cars end up on roads across Africa. These vehicles provide vital transportation in poor countries, but they also cause pollution and are unsafe.

Authorities managed to avoid a worst-case scenario at the holiest site in Jerusalem during the overlapping religious holidays of Easter, Passover and Ramadan that ended a few weeks ago. Now, things are returning to normal at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

For many Ukrainians and Russians who’ve fled their homes since the war started, returning is not an option. So, they’re beginning again in new places and confronting new challenges. As part of our ongoing series on starting over, we visit Cazilhac, a tiny village in southwest France, where a humanitarian bus brought dozens of Ukrainian families to safety around a year ago. Today, just three of them remain.

After Afghanistan fell to the Taliban almost two years ago in August, tens of thousands of Afghans made their way to the United States. They were allowed to stay under a program called “humanitarian parole.” But that status expires in a couple of months, and although they can renew one time, many are calling for Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would allow them to seek more permanent status.

​​​​​​​Russia's long persecuted ethnic minorities — Buryats, Chechens and Yakuts — have seized on the war in Ukraine to make a case for the independence of their own regions. They say the conflict has laid bare Russia's violent and imperial mentality, not just in Eastern Europe, but within its own borders.

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden announced that the US will support a joint effort to train Ukrainian pilots. Administration officials also said that the US will allow its allies to supply Ukraine with advanced fighter jets, including US-made F-16s. The battle for air superiority in Ukraine has been ongoing since Russia's invasion, and now, Ukraine hopes that F-16s can help them counteract Russia's advantages.

The people who collect garbage for recycling organized among themselves to change how they are paid and how they are treated. Today, waste pickers are officially recognized as part of the municipal waste system.

Meanwhile, the ongoing fighting in Sudan continues to make it difficult for aid to get into the country, leaving many children at risk of starvation.

​​​​​​​Despite the ongoing attacks, Ukrainians around the world are celebrating Vyshyvanka Day on Thursday. The vyshyvanka is an elaborately embroidered shirt or dress traditionally worn in Ukraine.

Waste pickers collect and send garbage to Dharavi, an informal settlement where thousands of recyclers live and work. They sort through the piles, and clean and separate the different types of materials destined for a second or third life. Without them, much of the city's trash would end up in incinerators or dumped in landfills.

The US government changed the rules governing how people can seek asylum at the US-Mexico border last week, as a pandemic-era policy called Title 42 expired. Although it may become more difficult, thousands of people are still making their way from South America to the US border, including migrants from all over the world. Some are making their way through the Darien Gap, a dangerous jungle that separates Colombia and Panama.

He started off doing simple phishing attacks. But the Russian, who is known as Bassterlord, soon graduated to planting ransomware in emails, holding companies' data hostage. And he quickly became one of the best. In her exclusive interview with the hacker, Dina Temple-Raston of the "Click Here" podcast delves into the ransomware underworld.

​​​​​​​The number of migrants waiting on the Mexican side of the border appears to be dwindling. Shelters in cities like Ciudad Juárez are emptying as many migrants have decided to surrender to US authorities before Title 42 ends on Thursday evening.

Talks are underway in Saudi Arabia to end the fighting in Sudan. But so far, there’s been no major breakthrough. The World’s Shirin Jaafari spoke with Fahad Nazer, spokesperson for the Saudi Embassy in Washington, about where the talks are headed.

At the start of the war in Ukraine, much of Russia's cultural elite fled the country, including playwrights, filmmakers, artist and curators. A year on, they have established themselves in new cities across the world, a century after a previous exodus of Russian writers and artists reshaped global culture.

In the small village of Capurgana, at the entrance to the Darién jungle and near Colombia’s border with Panama, hundreds of villagers now work as guides and porters leading migrants across the rainforest.

The Ghriba synagogue is the oldest in Africa and is the destination for an annual Jewish pilgrimage on the island of Djerba. The World's Marco Werman spoke with Daniel Lee, a historian of the Jews of France and North Africa at Queen Mary University of London, about the ancient house of worship and an attack there on Tuesday.

Ukrainian refugees who fled abroad often struggle to find work and a suitable school for their children. In Bucharest, Romania, two Ukrainian mothers came up with a solution: create their own school.

In Capurgana, a small town on the southern edge of the Darién Gap in Colombia, about 300 people are arriving each day to make the grueling trek across the jungle, which lasts three to four days.

While many Sudanese are fleeing the country, most people remain trapped in their homes as food and medical supplies dwindle. In the absence of outside help, neighborhood committees have formed to bring in food and water and to check on people's welfare.

​​​​​​​The latest disturbing TikTok trend in Japan features young pranksters who are contaminating sushi that is served on conveyor belts in restaurants. They share videos of themselves licking sushi rolls or otherwise contaminating plates and condiments. Some restaurants are using AI to fight back.

Paramilitary troops arrested former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan during a court appearance on Tuesday, sparking protests and complicating an already-fragile political situation in the country.

​​​​​​​The El Fuego volcano in Guatemala spewed lava and ash over part of the country last week. Thousands evacuated the area, and many more were exposed to dangerous ash.

With Title 42 restrictions set to end on May 11, migrants have been crossing into the US in large numbers. There are now as many as 2,500 migrants camped out in downtown El Paso, Texas. The city's mayor, who estimates that 10,000-12,000 more people are in Juárez, waiting to cross, has declared a state of emergency.

President Nayib Bukele has enjoyed a sky-high approval rating of 91% for his crackdown on crime. But thousands of families say their sons and husbands have been unjustly imprisoned under his recent suspension of civil liberties.

After turning out tens of thousands of anti-government protesters every weekend for more than four months, they did it again. On Saturday night, more than 100,000 people turned out in central Tel Aviv to say no to the government's plans for judicial reform.

Last year's winners from Ukraine are unable to host in-country this year due to ongoing conflict with Russia, so Liverpool is stepping in. To learn more about it, The World's Carol Hills spoke to Dr. Eurovision, himself, Paul Jordan.

The legendary group Obiní Batá is celebrating 30 years of music and women’s empowerment in Cuba. But the road to acceptance and success was not easy.

Digital and human rights activists say Ballegh’s very existence flies in the face of free speech provisions enshrined in Iraq’s post-Saddam Hussein constitution 20 years ago.

In Spain, there have been an increasing number of punk concerts taking place each month, with the genre seeing a rise in popularity.

France's energy union has threatened mass power cuts over Emmanuel Macron's plans to raise the retirement age after months of violent street protests. The powerful CGT union has already cut power to an airport and school that the president was visiting this month.

Scientists have been studying changes in animal physiology and behavior, some of which they believe are linked to rising global temperatures. They say the adaptations are beneficial, but may have limitations in the long term.

Israelis see the Lions' Den group as terrorists, blaming it for a rise in shooting attacks. But in Nablus, many Palestinians hail these men as brave fighters standing up to the Israeli occupation.

Many people living in Georgia who fled Abkhazia in 1993 now say they are dissatisfied with the politicians in charge of their needs.

The game is loosely based on soccer, but immersed in video game culture and reality TV antics. In Barcelona, Spain, the second season of the Kings League kicks off the first weekend of May alongside the first season of the Queens League. This summer, the Prince Cup will launch for kids ages 9 to 11.

UN human rights groups have recorded over 500 children killed and nearly 1,000 injured from the Ukraine war. The Ukrainian hospital system has been overwhelmed, and only a fraction of injured children, like 6-year-old Karolina Daremyan, have been able to make the journey to the US for complicated medical procedures and rehabilitation.

A row over cheap Ukrainian grain threatens to fracture a show of solidarity between the EU and Ukraine. Romanian farmer Ionut Spiță said his profits took a hit due to a glut of cheaper Ukrainian grain and oilseeds intended for Africa and the Middle East that flooded Eastern European markets.