The World

Georgia’s capital city, Tbilisi, sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity. It is currently the scene of a political confrontation over a Russia-inspired law that critics fear will stifle media freedom. Host Marco Werman speaks with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek in Tbilisi about the city’s rich cultural past and its current tensions.

A multiweek general election is underway in India and more women are taking part in it than ever before. Nearly half of the electorate is expected to be female. The country’s political parties are now running campaign ads targeted toward women to win over this crucial voting bloc.

Two decades ago, France introduced a law banning the hijab and other religious symbols in public schools. Today, with French athletes prohibited from wearing any religious items while competing at the summer’s Olympic Games in Paris, the issue is more divisive than ever.

Many visitors in Israel, both local and international have traveled within Israel to the sites of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. Host Marco Werman was in Israel recently and asked some of these visitors why they decided to visit these sites of violence. Their answers are varied — and complex.

As talks around a possible ceasefire in Gaza continue, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that the Israeli military is still planning to launch a ground offensive into Rafah. But there are signs that negotiators are getting closer to a ceasefire deal.