Lifestyle & Belief

A North Korean refugee offers a different view of his home country from the other side of the DMZ

Each year, thousands of tourists visit the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea. Now a North Korean defector is guiding tourists and offering his view of what it is actually like to grow up on the other side.

A view of Paris, France, with the iconic Eiffel Tower in the distance.

20 years after France’s hijab ban, the issue remains divisive

Women & Gender
Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi has been sentenced to death in Iran.

Iranian rapper receives death sentence for his work and support of human rights 

Justice
Wafaa Mustafa was married to American ISIS fighter Russell Dennison.

‘We have no future’: A Syrian woman speaks about her life with an American ISIS member

Shadow of ISIS
Children stand outside tents at Roj detention camp in northern Syria.

‘Guantanamo on an epic scale’: Life inside ISIS detention camps in Syria

Shadow of ISIS

A local soda is making a comeback in Turkey

Food

Gazoz is an old-school, hyper-local soda that’s been ubiquitous in Turkey since it was invented more than a century ago. Every town has a signature brand, often incorporating local flavors like pine, lavender, or sweet almond. The World’s Durrie Bouscaren reports from southern Turkey on why this beloved drink is having a moment.

payment screen with options for credit, debit and Pix

Brazil’s innovative Pix banking system is replacing cash and credit cards

Arts, Culture & Media

PIX is a three-year-old system developed by the Brazilian Central Bank that has revolutionized how Brazilians pay for things. It’s like sending an instant wire transfer through the banking app on your phone with the click of a button, and no fees. Michael Fox reports from Florianópolis, Brazil, on how the banking app has changed Brazilian society in just three years.

Mazatlán draws a lot of tourists — mainly from Mexico —  who come for the beaches, great food and a party scene. But thanks to the April 8 total eclipse, thousands came from all over the world, including many scientists and astronomy enthusiasts. 

A total solar eclipse in Mazatlán draws thousands of international tourists 

Science

A total solar eclipse made its way across Mexico, the US and Canada on April 8. The city of Mazatlán, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, was the first place in continental North America on the path of totality, and more than half a million people traveled there to see it. The World’s Tibisay Zea reports on how residents and visitors have experienced the celestial event. 

Rows of people kneeling in prayer

Tens of thousands attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem

Israel-Hamas war

On April 5, the final Friday in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan this year — a special time for Muslims worldwide — more than 3,500 Israeli police were deployed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. Here, an estimated 57,000 Muslims attended Friday prayers. 

Riot police check spectators' bags as they guard an area at the Oktyabrsky Concert Hall prior to the concert of the rock group Picnic and the symphony orchestra Tavrichesky, in St. Petersburg, Russia, March 27, 2024.

Central Asians in Russia face increased scrutiny, discrimination after mass shooting 

Race

Russia has detained four suspected shooters in the Crocus City Hall mass shooting. The suspects are all from Tajikistan. Now, there are reports in cities across Russia that people from Central Asia are experiencing a rise in harassment, mistreatment and xenophobic behavior.