Our World: The week of Oct. 19, 2026

“I want to keep going and keep making history.” That’s 11-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan of northwest London, the youngest woman chess grandmaster, speaking to the International Chess Federation. She achieved the rank while representing England last month at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Bodhana, who uses a booster seat when she plays chess tournaments, says the game “links to loads of school subjects, so it’s really useful there.” – Tim Backshall Colombia cuts reintegration aid for ex-guerrillasFor more than two decades, Colombia has worked with former guerrilla fighters to put down their weapons and reintegrate into society. Now, President Abelardo de la Espriella’s new government has announced vast budget cuts for the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization (ARN) and said it will block future funding. The administration believes members of armed groups should disarm and submit to Colombia’s traditional justice system, not receive special treatment. ARN manages programs including counseling and job training, and helps ex-guerrillas reconnect with family and community members. – Whitney Eulich “They have clearly become a burden.”That’s what Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said about Rohingya refugees on a recent episode of the podcast “Sembang Ohh Yeahh,” just before his government began repatriating thousands of people to war-torn Myanmar. Rights groups have condemned the deportations, saying returnees – particularly the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group that accounts for most of Malaysia’s refugees – will face violence, persecution, and forced conscription. Mr. Anwar has turned toward repatriation amid economic challenges and rising anti-migrant sentiment. – Lindsey McGinnis Exhibition shines light on difficulty of Sami life“Muitalus sámiid birra (An Account of the Sami),” a 1910 book by Johan Turi, is probably the first by a Sami writer describing Sami life, and published in the indigenous Sami language. It’s also the inspiration for a new exhibition, “On the Ugly and the Beautiful,” at the Kin Museum of Contemporary Art in Kiruna, Sweden. Museum director Maria Lind told The Guardian that Turi “dreamed about writing a book ... with the purpose of making the population in Sweden understand how difficult it was for the Sami” in the early 20th century. The exhibition comes as the independent Truth Commission for the Sami People recently published a report on abuses committed by the Swedish state against the Sami. – Matthew Bell Deepen your worldviewwith Monitor Highlights.Politics with respectGet political stories with respectful analysis.There‘s a world of new ideas in everyBooks newsletter.There‘s more to life, enrich yours withCulture & Learning weekly.Follow humanity‘s discoveries withScience & Nature stories in your inbox.Gain a spiritual perspectivefrom the stories in your inbox.Want to understand the deeper impact of critical events? Learn the Monitor‘s insight.Already a subscriber? Log in to hide ads. ALREADY A SUBSCRIBER? LoginReal news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.The Christian Science Monitor was founded in 1908 to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity. We aim to “speak the truth in love.” Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. Join us in this mission by subscribing.