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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Iran used hundreds of drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles in an unprecedented attack on Israel over the weekend. It's a turning point in the hostility between the two countries, and in the regional conflict in the Middle East. We have the latest on Israel, Iran and the US role in a deepening crisis as well as reaction inside Iran to weekend attacks on Israel. Plus, a kora player from The Gambia defies deep family traditions around the musical instrument by becoming the first woman to play it. And, Indigenous and First Nations fashion designers are getting more opportunities to showcase their work in special fashion week events.
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Ten years ago on Friday, the militant group Boko Haram kidnapped over 200 young women from a secondary school in Nigeria. A decade later, we hear how things have turned out for those women and their families. Also, The World's team in Israel has spoken with the parents of an American-Israeli hostage about efforts to keep pressure on their government — and international community — to bring their son and the rest of the hostages home. And, a city in Thailand has too many monkeys. The situation has gotten so chaotic that the people residing in the city are demanding government intervention.Music heard on air Garland Rose Malungu Sal Al Malecon
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The World continues its weeklong series from Israel. According to a new survey, more than 70% of Israelis think Netanyahu should resign now, or as soon as the war in Gaza comes to an end. But there are stark divisions over what should happen next. Also, this year, the US will accept 125,000 refugees, the highest number in decades. That means local aid groups in American cities will be mobilizing to facilitate a smooth landing for new residents as they settle into their new homes. Plus, the movie "Blue Sunshine" tells the story of a transgender schoolteacher living in a small town in India, including her struggles, and perhaps more importantly, her joys. As the film makes its US debut, we'll find out what inspired the director to tell this semi-autobiographical story, and how moviegoers have been responding so far. Music heard on air B’nei Heichala Olutobazzi Control Per Capita
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With polls opening this month in India, farmers are angry with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2021, Modi made a rare concession by repealing farm laws after they were met with massive monthslong protests in Delhi. Now, farmers are returning to the streets. Also, the Israeli war against Hamas in Gaza is also being felt by Palestinians in the Israeli-occupied territories. One area the impact is being felt is around the critical resource of water. Also, Russia often targets Ukrainian apartment buildings and gathering places. Firefighters are typically the first people to arrive after an attack. We talk to a young Ukrainian firefighter who risks his life to save others. Plus, the founder of the first major Black children’s magazine in the UK is opening a journalism school to increase representation for people of color in the industry. Music heard on air: Trembler Con carido y con cuidado Sarı Çizmeli Mehmet Bad Dog Makhafi
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We continue our focus on Israel and the Palestinian territories, with a trip to the West Bank. When the war in Gaza finally ends, the Biden White House is looking for “revitalized” leadership from the Palestinian Authority, which has sworn in a new technocratic government. But it’s not generating a lot of excitement from Palestinians, who are feeling deeply pessimistic about what’s happening in the Gaza Strip. Also, Sharren Haskel is a member of Israel's Knesset, or parliament, from the New Hope party. She's a rising star in Israeli politics and sat down with us to talk about the current status of the war with Hamas and the future of Israel. And, with polls opening this month in India, farmers pose a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2021, Modi made a rare concession by repealing farm laws after they were met with massive, months-long protests in Delhi. Now, farmers are threatening to return to the streets unless they get guaranteed prices for crops.
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Hamas' deadly attacks on southern Israel on Oct. 7 left an estimated 1,200 people dead and 250 taken as hostages. Most of the world first saw the terrifying videos and images from the Nova music festival. We hear from witnesses who bore the brunt of these attacks and how they feel today. And, Israel is still planning to attack the southern Gaza city of Rafah, which borders Egypt. Nearly half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents have been pushed there to take shelter as Israel continues to strike hard against Hamas. Also, a total solar eclipse makes its way across Mexico, the US and Canada on Monday. The city of Mazatlan, on the Pacific coast of Mexico, was the first place in continental North America on the path of totality, and more than half a million people traveled there to see it. Plus, Brazil's Kamilla Cardoso is named "most outstanding player" of NCAA tournament.
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The killing of seven international World Central Kitchen staff members in an Israeli strike has brought a firestorm of criticism upon Israel. US President Joe Biden called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to do more to get humanitarian aid into Gaza. Israel responded by opening up a border crossing with the Gaza Strip. And, engineered quartz is the most popular choice for kitchen counters in many parts of the globe, including the US and Australia, but the tradespeople who cut and polish them are suffering from deadly silicosis. As of July 1, Australia will implement a complete ban on engineered stone. Also, since 2016, more than 500 women in Kenya have died in gender-related killings. While gender-based violence received national attention earlier this year, activists say interest in the issue has died down. Plus, Brazil's Tropicália superstar Caetano Veloso is on tour.
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In Israel, the ultra-Orthodox community has been exempt from military service. But Israel's Supreme Court just ruled that yeshivas — Jewish religious seminaries — are being cut off from government funding because they don't send students into the military. And, National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek talks about his time in Cyprus, where he found the vestigial border line that divides the island's Greek and Turkish communities. He walked through an abandoned tourist city, a relic of a border war that has never been fully resolved. Also, Spain is where quartz countertops first took off and where hundreds of cases of silicosis from dust inhalation soon developed. Today, modern machines and clearer safety rules are meant to keep workers healthy. But some worry that silica dust still reaches workers' lungs. Plus, 30 years after Rwanda's genocide, questions remain.
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Quartz is popular because it looks like marble but is cheaper and needs no maintenance. But the silica dust produced during mining and manufacturing can make it deadly. We hear from Turkish miners about their experiences. And, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake rocked Taiwan Wednesday morning, with the worst damage located in the east coast city of Hualien. Early reports say that nine people have died, with nearly 1,000 injured and many others still trapped. Also, residents of the city of Raqqa in northern Syria, endured three years of hell between 2014 and 2017, when ISIS captured their city and declared it as the capital of its caliphate. Years after liberation, Raqqa's efforts to rebuild have been slow. Plus, the role of clerics in modern Saudia Arabia.
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World Central Kitchen (WCK), one of the few aid groups distributing food in Gaza, has suspended its work there, along with others. The move comes on the heels of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strike that killed seven WCK workers after they left a warehouse in two armored cars. And, Israel's airstrikes on WCK workers and the Iranian Embassy annex in Syria are drawing criticism from the international community over a potential violation of the rules of war. We hear how the IDF selects its targets and whether its standards over civilian protections may have changed. Also, the three most commonly spoken languages in the world after English are Mandarin, Spanish and Hindi. But a new study shows that two popular chatbots are not always giving correct medical information when they provide answers to questions asked in those languages. Plus, sounds from the Sudan Tapes Archive.