England

Cover art for albums of multiple artists included on The World's 2021 music playlist. Clockwise, starting from the top left image: 'Suba' by Omar Sosa and Seckou Keita; 'El Alimento' by Cimafunk; 'Deja' by Bomba Estereo; 'Seeking New Gods' by Gruff Rhys;

Dance with The World, 2021 edition: A playlist

Music

Forget political crises, breakthroughs in space exploration and crypto: Here is The World’s 2021 music recommendations to get you dancing into the new year.

Benin Bronzes on exhibit at the British Museum.

Germany plans to return looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria. Will other countries follow suit?

Arts
A pair of travelers are shown walking in the International Arrivals section of London's Heathrow Airport with one person pushing a cart carrying several bags.

For holiday travel, England uses COVID tests to reduce quarantines

COVID-19
A woman wearing a dark jacket and sunglasses is shown standing in front of a statue of her with her hand raised.

Statue of Black protester replaces toppled UK slave trader

Protest
A stenciled rat appears to be sneezing.

Banksy unveils new pandemic-inspired art featuring rats in face masks

A group of four people sit in red chairs in an elegant room with green and gold-starred walls

UK sanctions on Russians, Saudis are a ‘milestone’ for human rights, advocate says

Human rights

Bill Browder is a British American financier who has been seeking justice for Sergei Magnitsky, his former attorney, for years. He spoke to The World’s host Carol Hills on the UK’s rollout of sanctions that mirror the US’ 2013 Magnitsky Act.

A sign reads "no sex" in the red-light district in Amsterdam.

Sex workers in Europe struggle to survive as clubs slowly reopen

Jobs

As sex clubs reopen across Europe, sex workers worry about their earnings and also whether they can stay safe. Niki Adams, a spokesperson with English Collective of Prostitutes, says the pandemic and lack of state support shows how far the industry still has to go to gain legal recognition.

People gather around a coffin on a boat

Mourning in the midst of a pandemic

COVID-19

The coronavirus has fundamentally changed how we live our lives, but perhaps most heartbreakingly, how we deal with death. Around the world, centuries-old burial rituals are being stopped. Gatherings to mourn someone’s death are limited. Even something as simple as a hug for a grieving friend is now essentially out of bounds.

A man raises his hand while walking through a crowd.

82-year-old British cyclist completes 1 million miles

Russ Mantle has achieved a milestone by riding 1 million miles in 68 years.

two parakeets in a london park

A colony of feral parakeets has invaded London

Science

Tens of thousands of tropical parakeets roost in London’s trees. How did they get there?