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.
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Iceland has long kept the EU at arm’s length. But Russia’s war in Ukraine and President Trump’s threats to take control of Greenland have prompted a rethink, with growing calls for Iceland to move closer to the bloc. Also, it’s been a tense week in Haiti after nearly 50 people were killed and over 50 more were kidnapped in a coordinated gang attack in a town outside the capital, Port-au-Prince. And, Gotham FC's openly gay star striker, Esther Gonzalez, has left the New York team and has now signed on to play for a Premier League team in Saudi Arabia, where her marriage is illegal. Plus, an update on Nepal victims and the continued search for the missing. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Devastating flash floods have killed more than 350 people near Nepal's border with Tibet. But the death toll remains fluid, with some 1,000 people still unaccounted for. Also, wildfires have raged for weeks in Indonesia, with smoke spreading into neighboring countries. And, former Serbian General Ratko Mladic, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," has died at the age of 84 in a prison hospital at The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence. Plus, Paris opens its first shop devoted exclusively to French butter. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Venezuela’s government and opposition are negotiating again — and this time, analysts say the country may have its best chance in years at a democratic transition. Also, flash floods triggered by an ice avalanche have left hundreds of people missing in Nepal along its border with Tibet. And, 2,000 robots participated in a Humanoid Robotics competition this week in China. Plus, a global tribute to singer Dolly Parton. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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The US has announced a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil, shipping, weapons and financial networks. Also, Washington has removed Syria from its “State Sponsors of Terrorism” list, paving the way for more foreign investment. And, Colombia’s president is calling for a major immigration crackdown, one that would largely affect Venezuelan immigrants. Plus, a thousand Japanese people have together pulled a 400-year-old castle about three feet closer to where it originally stood. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Singapore has announced plans to offer parents $55,000 per child to encourage people to have more children. Also, the pope joins Spain in calling for a more humanitarian approach to migrants. And, physical activity hasn’t increased globally in two decades. Plus, what hospitals could sound like in the future. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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The Spanish government has announced it will move 500 unaccompanied Moroccan girls from its North African enclave to shelters on the mainland, where they'll be safer, as extreme-right groups across Europe capitalize on the controversy. Also, the US war with Iran is testing one of the UAE’s most important economic propositions: a stable, globally connected hub even as conflict unfolds around it. And, a look at the 23-year-old who could be the face of Israel’s future. Plus, fictional vignettes that help tell the story of everyday life in Haiti. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Britain will hold its first "National Day Recognizing Victims and Survivors of Terrorism" on Friday. Also, a gas leak at a dockyard in southern Bangladesh that killed eight people while they were dismantling a ship highlights the dangers and costs of the ship breaking industry for both people and the local environment. And, a new documentary, “American Doctor,” looks at the harrowing journey of three doctors working in Gaza. Plus, we listen to the music of renowned harpist Catrín Finch, who composed an album for her younger self. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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An anti-corruption investigation reaching into the highest ranks of Ukraine’s government and a former defense minister’s call for elections are adding to political tensions in Kyiv. Also, how AI is changing the way information about conflicts gets out, not just by creating fake images, but by making it harder to know what’s real. And, a restaurant 7,500 feet up in the Italian Dolomites is being overrun with tourists seeking a certain pastry. Plus, the UK creates a national strategy for combatting loneliness. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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The US military has been conducting deadly strikes on boats it says are carrying drugs off the coast of Latin America. Now, the US Defense Department says it's expanding that maritime campaign to land. Also, the death of Jason Arday, a Black professor at the University of Cambridge, has sparked a debate in Britain over the media scrutiny he faced in the weeks leading up to his death. And, a new survey shows that some young people across Africa think USAID cuts could be a positive moment of change for the continent. Plus, Afghanistan could see its first woman in space. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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US President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with South Korea, given his “very good relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.” Also, campaigns for this year's presidential election in Brazil have begun, with incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva running against Flavio Bolsonaro, son of his former rival. And, Swiss rivers and lakes are reaching near-record temperatures, risking disruptions to the electricity supply by making hydropower less efficient and by making it impossible to cool nuclear plants. Plus, the Olympic stadium in Athens gets its first deep cleaning in over a century. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices