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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Lebanon's facing a massive crisis right now. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the past two weeks amid Israel and Hezbollah's war. Also, with flights to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq canceled, many travelers are stranded in Turkey, a regional transit hub. Our reporter takes us to the scene, as we hear how people stuck-in-transit are thinking about the escalation of war in the Middle East, and how they're feeling about its impact on their lives. Also, Japan shut down all 54 of its nuclear reactors after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Only a dozen reactors have been restarted since then. The national government wants to more than double that figure by 2030, saying it’s essential to meeting energy and climate goals. But hurdles abound. And, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam just acquired a botany book by an author and illustrator named Maria Sibylla Merian, who was accused of exploiting native knowledge of enslaved people without credit. The German artist embarked on a self-funded voyage to Suriname in 1699 as a 52-year-old divorcee driven by relentless curiosity about the lives of insects. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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While the eyes of the world are focused on Israel's invasion of Lebanon and war against Hezbollah, we have the latest from Gaza. It's almost a year since Hamas militants attacked several sites in Israel and the start of the persistent strikes on Gaza. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and there's increasing concern about humanitarian needs of the people. Also, Taiwan has been hit by heavy rains as Typhoon Krathon hits the island. The storm has shut down the country, and there are reports of casualties. We have the latest from Taiwan. And, hurling is a popular national sport in Ireland. It's played with a ball and sticks that are made from ash trees. But a disease has decimated the numbers of ash trees. Now, there could be an alterative solution — bamboo.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Hunger in Haiti is reaching famine levels. Nearly 6,000 people in Haiti are starving, with nearly half the country's population of more than 11 million people experiencing crisis levels of hunger or worse as gang violence smothers life in the capital of Port-au-Prince and beyond. Also, Israel and Iran continue trading threats in the wake of Iran's missile attack. Meanwhile, Israeli forces and members of Hezbollah are battling on the ground in southern Lebanon. Israel announced the death of one soldier. Palestinian officials say 51 people were killed in an Israeli strike there. And, Argentines battle over the future of higher education. Students and teachers are holding a general strike this week to protest massive budget cuts. And Argentine President Javier Milei has vowed to veto a new congressional bill that would fund university budgets over the next year.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Iran has launched a barrage of missiles at Israel. The attack comes just days after the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, the chief of Hezbollah. Israelis are being warned to shelter in place. We have the latest updates on that story. Also, Mexico inaugurates a new president. Claudia Sheinbaum is the first woman to hold the country's highest office. She's promised to carry out the vision of her predecessor, but she also has an opportunity to build a legacy of her own. And, music producer Joe Boyd has worked with a long list of big-name acts: Pink Floyd, R.E.M., and many more. In his new book, he charts the interconnectedness of music, around the world and across generations. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Israel's attacks in Lebanon escalated over the weekend, beginning with Friday's strike that shook south Beirut, killing Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Sources say that a ground operation may be imminent. We get the latest on those developments and their implications within the region and beyond. Also, Hurricane Helene has brought massive devastation to the southeastern United States. Part of what people there are struggling with is the fallout from mudslides linked to deforestation. This is something we're seeing more and more, not just with Hurricane Helene but in flooding events worldwide. And, in Sweden, an ancient language that's a remnant of Old Norse sounds nothing like the modern Swedish language. But there's been a grassroots effort to save the language, spoken today by only an estimated 2,500 people. This week marks a milestone in that effort: the publication of the first-ever book of Elfdalian grammar written in English.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Israel says it struck Hezbollah’s headquarters in a huge explosion that shook the Lebanese capital. We have the latest from Beirut, and reaction from Israel. And in Kenya, the self-proclaimed cult leader of a Christian sect who allegedly told hundreds of followers to starve themselves to death has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter. The case raises larger questions about how Kenyan authorities should be regulating religious organizations. Plus, after their farmlands became too salty for crops, thousands of Bangladeshi farmers switched to salt-tolerant agriculture. They now say they could teach the rest of the world a thing or two about it.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been charged with bribery, fraud and using his position to help Turkey. Also, at least 18 countries around the world have recorded mpox cases, which the WHO has declared a public health emergency of global concern — the epicenter being the Democratic Republic of Congo. And, despite repeatedly clashing over the Nagorno-Karabakh region, Armenia and Azerbaijan are still talking in hopes of reaching a peace deal. Plus, two sisters have begun nonprofits in Boston and Port-au-Prince to help Haitian families.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Climate change appears to be supercharging hurricanes. Meanwhile, storm warning systems in Bangladesh are resulting in fewer casualties. Also, Nitazenes are synthetic opioids 500 times more potent than heroin, and they’re increasingly showing up on the streets of the UK, the Netherlands, Australia and the US. And, more than 100,000 Armenians displaced by an Azerbaijani military operation a year ago are trying to adjust to life away from home in Yerevan, Armenia. Plus, the Revere History Museum in Boston has expanded its collection to include things like Chinese scripts, Cambodian poems, Brazilian soccer memorabilia and Moroccan dolls.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Israeli air strikes in Lebanon continued on Tuesday. And so did rocket attacks from Hezbollah, aimed at northern Israel. The situation is looking more and more like all-out war. The international community is calling for restraint, but events on the ground appear to be heading in a different direction. Also, President Joe Biden's speech at the United Nations General Assembly Tuesday morning was an attempt to cement his legacy on foreign policy. But what will history say about this president's role in global affairs? And, the Belarus Free Theater was banned by the government in Belarus. But the theater group refuses to quit — even in exile.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.
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Israeli airstrikes on southern Lebanon today killed more than 356 people and injured at least 1,200 others, marking a major escalation in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Also, two new studies this week add to existing research that has found microplastics in nearly every organ in the human body. And, Sri Lanka’s new leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, won the presidential election on a Marxist platform, riding a wave of anger against the former president's handling of the island nation's economy. Plus, Kenya’s government is taking steps to curb injuries and deaths from snakebites.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.