The World
Monday-Thursday at 3pm on RADIO IQ
The World is public radio’s longest-running daily global news program. Our goal is to engage domestic US audiences with international affairs through human-centered journalism that consistently connects the global to the local and builds empathy for people around the world.
The World is a co-production of PRX and WGBH that broadcasts from the Nan and Bill Harris Studios at WGBH in Boston, Massachusetts. Launched in 1996 in response to a lack of international news in commercial media, The World has remained one of public radio’s most essential programs by providing its listeners with daily access to voices and stories not heard anywhere else. Our loyal broadcast listenership in the US measures 2.5 million each week, and our reach to global audiences — via broadcast, podcast and the web — is possible because of our strong editorial partnerships and digital distribution agreements.
Over the years, The World has carved out a niche by offering a unique perspective on daily news: covering American issues and events through the eyes of foreign observers, and contextualizing foreign affairs for American listeners. We maintain a steady focus on global events and issues, reminding listeners that the US is not isolated and that powers centered in Moscow, Kyiv, Beijing, Pyongyang, Riyadh, Istanbul, and elsewhere are reframing the global order every day. Our team does this by consistently working to get direct access to original sources: people on the ground who participate in the events we describe.
Our key areas of focus are global security, women & gender, the environment, migration and public health. From frontline diplomats to refugees in crisis, from environmental scientists in the field to protesters putting their lives on the line and individuals grappling with the impact of global cyberculture, The World starts with individuals at the core of a story and expands from there.
Latest episodes from The World
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A group of Americans who had been stranded in desert camps in northeastern Syria for years arrived back in the US on Tuesday. Also, water supplies in Mexico’s capital are at a historic low because of a combination of low rainfall, rising temperatures and outdated infrastructure. And, the IDF conducted air strikes in Rafah, where 1.4 million people are sheltering, and now controls the main border crossing with Egypt. It came as Hamas offered a counterproposal for a ceasefire and hostage-prisoner exchange. Plus, whale researchers have turned to computer scientists to analyze the clicks made by sperm whales in the Caribbean.
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In a statement, Hamas said it would approve the Qatari-Egyptian ceasefire proposal. Israel and the US say they are reviewing the deal. It's not the same one that was under consideration 10 days ago. For the people sheltering in Gaza, in the city of Rafah, we'll bring a ground-level perspective on the fast-changing situation, as well as a window into how civilians are navigating the uncertainty. Plus, the largest election in history is currently underway in India, with nearly a billion people casting ballots. They trek by foot, by boat and even on the backs of elephants. And, a North Korean defector wants visitors to the demilitarized zone to understand what his life in North Korea was like. There are the negatives but also the positives.
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The Turkish government announced it would suspend trade with Israel, until a permanent ceasefire is achieved and humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza without interruption. Imports and exports between Turkey and Israel totaled $6.8 billion last year. And, for the first time, researchers observed a wild animal treating a wound with a plant known by humans for its medicinal qualities, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. Also, lawmakers in the United Kingdom are considering a ban on the sale of smartphones to children under the age of 16. And in France, a hard-hitting study says children should not be allowed to use smartphones until they are 13. Are these bans effective? Plus, Syrian singer Ghaliaa finds her voice in Abu Dhabi. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.We aim to raise $25,000 by June 14. Will you help us reach our goal? Donate today to keep The World going strong!
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Until recently, Myanmar’s army was widely seen as undefeatable — too big and brutal to take down. An armed uprising started three years ago is now on a roll, capturing vast territory and leaving senior generals "demoralized," according to an army major who defected. And, Georgia’s capital city Tbilisi sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity, and it is currently the scene of a political confrontation over a Russia-inspired law that critics fear will stifle media freedom. We hear from National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek, in Tbilisi, about the city’s rich cultural past and its current tensions. Also, Haiti’s newly installed transitional council chose Fritz Bélizaire, a little known former sports minister, as the Caribbean country’s new prime minister earlier this week. But the selection process sparked backlash, and the council reversed its decision. Plus, a Neanderthal woman, discovered. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.We aim to raise $25,000 by June 14. Will you help us reach our goal? Donate today to keep The World going strong!
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The rallying cry of many pro-Palestinian protestors is “divest from Israel.” University administrators and donors have so far rebuffed that demand. Many investment analysts argue that it's not feasible for universities to alter their portfolios and sell all assets linked to particular countries. And, this week, the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at two Philippine patrol vessels near a disputed territory in the South China Sea. The US has a mutual defense pact with The Philippines, so this incident draws the US and China into tension with each other. Also, Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday that an inspection in April showed that hundreds of thousands of bullets, thousands of grenades and 37 anti-tank missiles had been stolen from two different military bases. He said an organized network is behind the theft of weapons and is selling them to militant groups within Colombia and overseas. Plus, the rest of the world's Labor Day. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel is offering an "extraordinarily generous" deal and that, "the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and cease-fire is Hamas." But on Tuesday, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said whether there's a ceasefire or not, the Israeli military will launch a ground offensive into Rafah. And, au pairs come to the US to live with a family and care for the children. They are paid small stipends and work long days, which opens them to abuse. The State Department is considering revamping the program, which would likely make it unaffordable for parents. Also, University of Sydney students set up pro-Palestinian encampments on campus last week, while others in France, Italy and the UK are staging their own forms of protests against Israel's war with Hamas. For now, the demonstrations are small compared to what's happening on US college campuses, but students say they're actions are significant and likely to spread. Plus, the challenge to end plastic pollution. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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More trucks carrying aid are crossing the border into Gaza, and the relief group World Central Kitchen is resuming operations there, four weeks after Israeli soldiers killed seven of the group’s aid workers. Still, the situation in Gaza remains dire. And, Maori poet Tayi Tibble released a new collection of poems, "Rangikura" earlier this month to critical acclaim. Tibble talks with us about her youth, Maori identity, and what it means to connect with Indigenous groups beyond New Zealand. Also, heavy rainfall and flooding in Kenya over the weekend has killed about 100 people so far. Experts say the extreme weather is wreaking havoc across several countries in East Africa. Plus, the struggles of learning Mandarin. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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In the third and final part of our reporting series from Syria, we have the story of a woman who married an American member of ISIS. She shares the story of her life under the brutal extremist group and the challenges she faces now. Also, in Barbados, there's a public outcry over a potential land deal that involves property owned by a member of the British parliament whose family got rich from the labor of enslaved people on the island.And, Toronto is seeing an epidemic of car thefts. A vehicle is being stolen about once every 40 minutes. We'll hear about how people there are trying to protect their cars. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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At its height, ISIS recruited and trained children to fight for its cause. Some participated in atrocities and appeared in propaganda videos. Others were brought to the so-called caliphate by their parents or they were born there. We hear about one young man from Trinidad who has been stuck there for 5 1/2 years. And, European police have busted a criminal ring that over a period of two years stole rare books by famous Russian authors from libraries across Europe. Europol says it has arrested four Georgian nationals in Georgia and Lithuania who are thought to have collaborated in the plot. Also, global average sea-surface temperatures have set records for more than a year straight. It's incredibly anomalous, and worrying for everything from marine life to hurricane season. Plus, a Venice tourist tax. Listen to today's Music Heard on Air.
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Thousands of people with perceived connections to ISIS remain locked away in detention camps across northeastern Syria. Some of the prisoners are children. We visited several sites in what's been called "Guantanamo on an epic scale." Plus, in Kenya, health care workers at public hospitals are on strike over insufficient pay. The strike has already had an impact, with some public hospitals no longer providing services. And, a look inside the European Union's struggle to keep economically and culturally significant plant species, like olive trees used to make olive oil in Italy, safe from imported pathogens and pests. Also, check out The World's Music Heard on Air playlist on Spotify.