The World

Bolivians have elected a center-right candidate, Rodrigo Paz, as their new president, ending 20 years of leftist political leadership. Paz’s victory puts the 12-million-strong nation on a notably uncertain path as he attempts to implement significant changes for the first time since 2005. Also, authoritarian governments are increasingly using ‘foreign agent’ laws to intimidate and silence civil society groups and journalists. And, a new study reports that cancer rates in Lebanon are rising faster than anywhere else in the world. Plus,  Hindus worldwide are celebrating Diwali today. The festival of lights involves oil lamps, fireworks ... and a bit of friendly gambling.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is visiting the White House for his third visit since US President Donald Trump returned to office. While Zelenskyy hopes for stepped-up US support in the form of Tomahawk missiles, Trump's newly announced second summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin could complicate matters. Also, Israelis are cheering the return of 20 living hostages, and the potential remains of another 28, but the deal will not bring relief to the relatives of those whose bodies cannot be found. And, a small population of desert lions in Namibia become the only maritime lions in the world. Plus, musicians battle for glory at the legendary International Chopin Piano Competition in Poland.

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US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he authorized the CIA to conduct secret operations in Venezuela, adding that the White House is weighing the possibility of a land attack on the country. Also, staff members at a prestigious opera house in Venice, Italy, are going on strike to protest the incoming conductor, saying she lacks the experience needed for the role. And, Doctors Without Borders shutters its emergency care center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, amid a surge in violence. Plus, 130 years later, The British Library reinstates playwright and author Oscar Wilde’s library card.

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As a ceasefire to end the war in Gaza goes into effect, there have also been gun battles inside the Gaza Strip between Hamas and rival groups. Also, Kenyans mourn the death of key opposition leader Raila Odinga. And, a town in Nigeria celebrates its annual World Twins Festival. Plus, a growing industry that allows pets to fly in the cabin in style with their owners.

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Truckloads of aid are entering Gaza, but the long-promised surge in deliveries has yet to materialize. Israeli officials say the Rafah border crossing will remain closed until the bodies of all slain hostages are returned. Also, clashes have escalated between Taliban forces and Pakistani troops along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. And, a discussion with an investigative journalist about a financial fraud case linked to Russia. Plus, an effort to clean up the ocean and find a way to repurpose abandoned fishing gear.

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Two years of grief and anger in Israel turned into euphoria today with the release of 20 living hostages who survived kidnapping on Oct. 7, 2023, and captivity in Gaza since then. Israel released some Palestinian prisoners in exchange. Meanwhile, more than 20 world leaders are meeting in Egypt to sign a peace deal brokered by US President Donald Trump for ending the war in Gaza. Also, there are reports that Madagascar's president has fled the country as a branch of the military backs the ongoing “Gen Z” protests. Plus, acclaimed deaf poet Raymond Antrobus and percussionist Evelyn Glennie release a new album together.

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Large crowds of Palestinians have started walking back to their homes — or what's left of them — in Gaza City as the Israeli military pulls its forces back from parts of central Gaza. We look at what comes next, including the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and potential sticking points for the truce. Also, Australia signs major security deals with India and Papua New Guinea, raising concerns for China. And, Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado is awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her decades-long fight to restore democracy in her country. Plus, a NASA satellite that dipped into Venus' upper atmosphere and recorded radio waves reveals some haunting sounds.

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The first phase of the Israel-Hamas peace deal has gained momentum but major obstacles may still block the plan's implementation. We take look at the truce itself, and speak with Israelis and Palestinians about their thoughts. Also, a mixture of resignation and defiance in India as the US increases its H-1B visa fees. And, a South American trade bloc rules that Peru has violated its commitments to cracking down on illegal gold mining. Plus, the house where the great Czech composer Antonin Dvorak was born in 1841 reopens after years of renovations.

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A midwife describes assisting a growing number of women experiencing sexual violence at the hands of militias in the North Darfur region of Sudan. It comes a day after a Sudanese militia leader was convicted at the ICC on charges of mass murder and sexual violence going back to 2003. Also, FIFA suspends seven members of the Malaysian national soccer team over allegations of submitting fake birth certificates. And, a father of three recounts his agonizing decision to leave Gaza City amid Israeli strikes. Plus, the BBC’s Shipping Forecast turns 100 years old.

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A new report from the climate think tank Ember finds that renewable energy sources made up more of the global electricity mix than coal for the first half of 2025. Also, as cocaine use across Europe surges, traffickers have set their sights on a smaller, more unexpected corner of western Europe. And, an Israeli American rabbi shares her thoughts on the second anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Plus, people in India try to manage their encounters with migrating elephants.

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