The director of Israel's entry for the 2026 Oscars - a film about a Palestinian boy's quest to see the sea - hopes it will help arouse compassion in his homeland at a time of conflict. "The Sea" won Best Picture at September's Ophir awards in Israel, prompting condemnation from the government about its portrayal of the military.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

The Israeli film 'The Sea,' chosen as Israel's entry for the 2026 Oscars, centers on a Palestinian boy's attempt to reach the Mediterranean coast without proper documentation. The film's writer and director, Shai Carmeli-Polak, hopes it will promote compassion and new perspectives on coexistence during a period of heightened Israeli-Palestinian tensions. 

The film won Israel's top film prize, but its portrayal of the Israeli military led to criticism from Culture Minister Miki Zohar, who withdrew funding from the award ceremony. Producer Baha Agbaria emphasized the importance of sharing Palestinian stories in the mainstream, especially given the current conflict and recent recognition of similar films at the Oscars.

Israeli Oscars contender promotes compassion for Palestinians

Israel's entry for the 2026 Oscars, a film titled The Sea, tells the story of a Palestinian boy's journey into Israel to try and reach the coast without papers. Writer, director and peace activist Shai Carmeli-Polak says he hopes the film will bring more compassion at a time of conflict. It was amazing that people could be emotional and sometimes shed a tear for this story while violence and atrocities happen not far from here at the same time. So I hope that the film will open other channels, channels of compassion and love and give other ways that we can live together in this place. The protagonist was turned away at a checkpoint on a school trip to the sea, and his sudden disappearance from home leads his father, an undocumented laborer in Israel, to risk arrest by setting out in search of him. Carmeli-Polak was inspired to tell the story after visiting the West Bank and learning what life is like for people living under occupation. Prospects for lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians have rarely looked so bleak. After the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, two years of war in Gaza and surging settler violence in the West Bank, for Israeli-Palestinian producer of The Sea, Baha Agbaria, it is the right time to bring a Palestinian story into the mainstream. I believe that because of what's happening, this is the time also for this film, for this kind of story, to listen to the others. The Sea won Israel's top film prize in September, prompting condemnation from Culture Minister Miki Zohar, who pulled funding from the ceremony over the movie's portrayal of the Israeli military. I certainly don't represent the government, but I do feel that I represent the film-makers community that chose this film and loved it. And I represent every people, both Israelis and Palestinians, that aspire for peace and for equality and for living together in a different way than this government is working for. At the 2025 Oscars, an Israeli-Palestinian film, No Other Land, about the Israeli displacement of a Palestinian community in the West Bank, won the Documentary Feature Film Award, also angering Israel's government.

World leaders are gathering at the heart of the Amazon for global climate summit COP30 in Belem, Brazil, with Earth set to surpass 1.5 C of warming in the next decade, a climate change skeptic in the White House and worry that global co-operation to fight climate change is collapsing.

Belém

World leaders gather in Brazil for COP30 climate summit

Tesla shareholders approved a historic pay package worth one trillion dollars to the company's CEO, Elon Musk. At the company's annual meeting they paved the way for Musk to become the world's first trillionaire.

San Francisco

Tesla approves $1 trillion pay deal for CEO Elon Musk

The White House meeting came after Trump managed to at least temporarily ease tensions between the U.S. and China over the export of rare earth metals, a major source of contention in their trade talks.

Washington

Trump hails Central Asian leaders to forge critical mineral ties

Sudan's army rebuffed a U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and said it will rally public support to fight rebels who've captured much of the western half of the country.

Johannesburg

Sudan army rebuffs U.S. ceasefire proposal, prepares to fight on

The U.S. Senate narrowly voted 51-49 to block a resolution that sought to prevent President Donald Trump from launching strikes on Venezuela without congressional approval. The measure, led by Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Rand Paul, followed reports that U.S. forces have carried out at least 16 strikes on boats off Venezuela since September, killing more than 65 people.

Washington County

U.S. war on drugs: Senate republicans block move to stop boat attacks

In a video letter to her constituents, California Democrat Nancy Pelosi ended months of speculation about her political future, announcing she would not seek reelection to Congress. Elected in 1987, Pelosi would become the most powerful women in politics as the first female House speaker.

Nancy Pelosi announces retirement after historic career in Congress

Israel’s military says it has begun conducting “a wave of strikes” targeting Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon.

Tyre

Israel launched ‘wave of strikes’ in southern Lebanon despite truce

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his government to submit proposals to potentially resume testing nuclear weapons. This comes after President Trump directed the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing "on an equal basis" with other countries.

Moscow

Putin orders proposals for resuming nuclear weapons testing

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments challenging President Trump's authority to impose sweeping tariffs on foreign countries, with justices expressing skepticism about whether such actions fall within presidential powers or infringe on congressional authority over taxation.

Global Tariffs

Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of Trump's tariffs policies

The US government shutdown is now in its 36th day—a record-breaking length. While both political parties blame each other, the result is being felt by the public. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going without pay, and government programs like food benefits have been slashed.

Republicans and Democrats trade blame as shutdown drags on

At least 90 people in the central Philippines have died in floods and heavy rains caused by Typhoon Kalmaegi. 75 others are missing. Tens of thousands have been evacuated after rains flooded homes and streets, swept away vehicles and left people trapped on their roofs.

Manila

Dozens killed as Typhoon Kalmaegi hits central Philippines

President Trump hosted a breakfast for Republican senators at the White House on Wednesday morning, where he urged them to end the filibuster as the government shutdown hits a historical milestone.

Trump doubles down on Republicans as government shutdown makes history

At least nine people were killed, officials say, after a UPS cargo plane crashed near the airport in Louisville, Kentucky. Video shows the jet's left wing on fire as it tries to take off before quickly losing altitude and exploding.

Louisville

Video shows moment UPS plane crashes in Kentucky, killing nine

People around the world are reacting to Zohran Mamdani's win in the New York City mayoral race against former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio spoke to Mamdani's mentor in his native Uganda about the election results.

New York

World reacts to Zohran Mamdani's win in NYC mayoral race

Typhoon Kalmaegi left a trail of destruction in the central Philippines, as the powerful storm unleashed heavy rains and floods across Visayas islands region. It's now headed towards the South China Sea and Vietnam where preparations are underway ahead of its expected landfall.

Visayas

Deadly Typhoon Kalmaegi lashes Philippines, heads towards Vietnam

A centuries-old legislative practice in the U.S Senate is being blamed as the latest roadblock in resolving the federal government shutdown. That shutdown is now in its 35th day—equaling the longest in the country's history.

Filibuster blamed for deepening U.S government shutdown

Injuries have been reported after a UPS plane crashed near the Louisville International Airport on Tuesday, officials said.

UPS plane crashes near airport in Kentucky, officials say

The U.S. Senate's 14th vote on a House-passed continuing resolution to fund the government has failed, setting up the shutdown to become the longest ever in American history.

Senate vote fails again to reopen government

A new UN report reviews the gap between countries’ climate commitments and global emissions targets.

UN report reveals climate pledges 'barely moving the needle'

Peru has severed diplomatic relations with Mexico after learning that former prime minister Betssy Chávez, accused of helping ex-president Pedro Castillo attempt a coup in 2022, has taken refuge in the Mexican embassy in Lima.

Lima

Peru cuts ties with Mexico over asylum for ex-prime minister

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney has died at the age of 84. He was a major force in the Republican party for more than 30 years and served as vice president under former President George W. Bush.

Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney dies at 84

There has been a sharp escalation in bloodshed in the conflict since Rapid Support Forces fighters captured the city of al-Fashir.

Breakdown