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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The Kremlin’s history of election meddling is entering a new era, as artificial intelligence arms Russia with sharper, more elusive tools for interference in the US midterm elections. Also, global measles cases have surged by 8% since 2019. And, the Trump administration is tightening the rules for international students, shortening the time they can stay before needing to reapply for a visa or leave the country. Plus, a Singapore university has revealed the world’s second biological data center, where living human neurons and silicon hardware join forces to process information. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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In Yemen, the Houthis, a rebel group supported by Iran, have taken more strategic territory along the Red Sea. This now includes islands in the middle of the narrowest part of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, a key route for over a tenth of global trade. Also, in Germany, police arrested a man last week suspected of planning and carrying out sabotage against the country’s electricity network, apparently to highlight the climate crisis. And, when Beijing and Washington discuss AI safety rules, they often have very different ideas. In the US, the debate focuses on threats to humanity, while China is more concerned about risks to its ruling party. Plus, Senegal is getting ready to host the Youth Olympic Games. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. We hear from a variety of voices remembering that day and its aftermath. A documentary photographer discusses one of her iconic photos. A former Guantanamo Bay prison detainee who was never charged talks about his experience. We highlight the profiles of victims who died at Ground Zero. Plus, a look at art and music that emerged in the years that followed. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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A look at what could have been done better to prevent thousands of flooding deaths in Nepal. Also, a 9/11 widow helps Afghan widows. And, a former employee at the AI company Anthropic has warned on social media that the technology could “kill us all” by 2030, though others dispute the claim. Plus, the organic waste processing method that’s sparked a social movement in Colombia. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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A coalition between Spain’s Populist, anti-immigrant Vox party with the center-right Popular Party could move the country closer to the far-right than ever before. Also, with the US military focused on its war with Iran, we look at how prepared Washington is to defend its Pacific allies. And, a delegation from Jamaica asks King Charles to seek guidance on whether Britain is obligated to pay reparations for its role in the transatlantic slave trade. Plus, we take a listen to music that brings together different regions of Morocco. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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Flooding is common in Nepal, but the avalanche that triggered water and debris to surge down the Trishuli River was of an entirely different magnitude. We take a look at the causes behind the disaster. Also, a small village in France that’s become a popular place for students to learn about Chinese history. And, an art detective talks about how "smash and grab"-style museum heists have become a growing trend across Europe. Plus, a song about Gaza that’s gone viral for touching on the themes of colonialism and Indigenous people. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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As the United States honors its workers this Labor Day, it’s been 250 years since the nation was founded. We look at a defining ideal in the Declaration of Independence promoting “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” that was meant to resonate beyond the US. Also, a conversation about how the US’ current political fault lines have colonial roots. And, a discussion about the role North America's sovereign tribal nations played in the American Revolution, and the impact that it had on Indigenous people around the world. Plus, we commemorate the anniversary by listening to songs that arrived from overseas and became a part of early American history. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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In Nepal today, some welcome but unexpected news as two survivors were rescued — alive — from the tunnel of a hydropower plant, some nine days after getting trapped by devastating floods. Also, the Spanish Women's Football League has announced it will subsidize the procedure for players on the national team to freeze their eggs. And, Giorgia Meloni becomes Italy’s longest continuously serving prime minister since Benito Mussolini. Plus, finding hospitality in an unknown part of the Indian Himalayas. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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A new intelligence report alleges that the Moroccan government masterminded the recent migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Also, heat, drought and war have disrupted the global food supply, hiking food prices. And, after trade talks between the US and Canada fell apart, Canadians are fighting back with boycotts of American alcohol and other products. Plus, a look at Gloria Steinem’s impact on women’s rights around the world. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
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The World reports from on the ground in one of the hardest-hit districts of Nepal from recent flooding. Also, tributes honoring the former Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić, who died last week while serving a life sentence at The Hague for genocide and war crimes, have caused outrage across much of Bosnia and Herzegovina. And, Mexico pushes back against the FDA narrative that a major Cyclospora outbreak in the US originated in Mexico, as scientists say that the exact point of contamination is still unclear. Plus, national weather agencies across the globe are increasingly turning to AI to for more accurate forecasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices