The World

Syria's economy under the previous government was tightly managed by former President Bashar al-Assad, his family and close associates. But now, Syria's new government is looking to introduce economic reform to further liberalize Syria's economy, which remains heavily sanctioned by the US and Europe. Also, in most cities, transit systems are government-run. But in Japan, that’s not the case. The network of trains, subways and buses considered among the best on earth is run by private companies. We take a peek at how it works. And, around the globe, thousands of refugees are stranded since President Donald Trump paused the US resettlement program in a series of executive orders; a look at how that pipeline works, and how it's been disrupted. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

On the campaign trail, US President Donald Trump promised to end wars, worldwide, starting in Ukraine. As his administration's Cabinet takes shape, we'll look at his appointees' records to get a deeper understanding of the Trump administration's approach to that conflict. Also, three new laws passed by Iraq’s parliament could effectively legalize child marriage, according to critics. And, what the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on climate change will mean for the globe going forward. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Israel's military is conducting raids in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin. Israel is seeking to flush out armed Palestinian factions in the area. This comes as some 90 Palestinians prisoners were released from Israeli prisons following a ceasefire deal in Gaza with Hamas. Also, Denmark has announced plans to rethink a parenting competency test that has earned heavy criticism for using Danish cultural norms to measure fitness in Greenland's Inuit communities. Human rights groups have long expressed concerns that bias baked into the test can lead to children being unjustly removed from Indigenous families. Also, what it would mean globally, for the US to withdraw from the World Health Organization — and what that process would actually look like. And, the US Customs and Border Protection announced Monday that the CBP One app would no longer be used to admit migrants. We hear from people who'd been relying on the app to get into the US legally. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Donald Trump laid out foreign policy promises, goals and predictions during his swearing-in ceremony as he assumes another term in office. Also, the UN says 630 aid trucks have entered Gaza since the start of the ceasefire deal over the weekend between Israel and Hamas. And, the Ankole cattle of western Uganda are now considered an endangered breed as farmers switch to other imports such as Holsteins. Plus, remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s universal message against oppression. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Israel's security Cabinet has okayed a ceasefire deal with Hamas. But some members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Cabinet have threatened to resign and the future of his government remains in the balance. Also, authorities around the world are trying to crack down on AI-generated images of child sexual abuse. And, the most-beloved sport in Canada — hockey — is getting an update. This year, the sport will be broadcast in Indigenous languages Cree and Inuktitut. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Palestinians and Israelis react to a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Also, Indonesia rolls out a massive new free meal program for school children to help reduce stunting and poverty in the country, improve educational outcomes and increase farmer incomes. And, efforts are underway to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the global maritime shipping industry. Plus, American TikTok users are switching to RedNote in an act of protest. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

After months of back and forth, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal. Also, Yoon Suk Yeol becomes South Korea's first sitting president to be placed under arrest. And, the outcome of the standoff between miners and police in South Africa. Plus, the voice behind Japan’s bullet train announcements. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A trial is underway this week in South Korea's Constitutional Court that could remove the country's president from office. Also, Mexico sends a team of firefighters to California to help battle the wildfires that have devastated parts of Los Angeles. And, the trip in fishing boats from Morocco's western Atlantic coast to Spain's Canary Islands is just the final leg of a long, harrowing trip that can last for years. Plus, Village Hydroponics in Vermont grows and shares food, for free, with people displaced from their home countries. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ukraine’s military says it captured two North Korean soldiers in the Kursk region of Russia over the weekend. Around 10,000 North Koreans are believed to be fighting on behalf of Russia. Also, rolling blackouts are wreaking havoc on daily life in Iran. And, Sudan's armed forces have captured the city of Wad Madani, marking a significant blow to the Rapid Support Forces. Plus, members of Afghanistan’s first-ever all-female flight and the story of how their lives were turned upside down. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The world is on the threshold of failing to reach an important climate goal to stop the global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. It was the most ambitious climate goal in the Paris Agreement, but it's unclear if failure is official, or just imminent. Also, with the devastating fires in Los Angeles still raging, we hear about an interesting fire warning system that was developed by a German company. Also, in Venezuela, the popular leader of the political opposition, Marina Corina Mochado, was detained during an anti-government protest. She was released soon afterward. But she was also reportedly made to appear in several videos. And, more Americans and deciding to retire abroad. How it all works — and what it's meant for one family that now splits its time between Japan and the US. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

A state funeral for Jimmy Carter is being held on Thursday in Washington. When the 39th US president was sworn into office in 1977, he pledged to elevate human rights in American foreign policy. We look into that legacy. Also, the last time Japan’s army came to the Philippines in big numbers was during World War II, amid an invasion that left the country in ruins. That was 80 years ago. Now, the Philippines wants Japanese forces back on its bases. And, Russia’s war in Ukraine has included an assault on the country’s cultural sites. We meet Ukrainians fighting to protect their heritage in wartime.

European leaders are alarmed about what they see as foreign election meddling. It's coming from Elon Musk, the wealthiest man on Earth and a close adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump. Musk has been using his global social media megaphone to promote far-right politicians in Europe, like the Alternative for Germany (AFD) party, which has been named an extremist group by Germany's own intelligence agencies.Also, Nicolás Maduro will be inaugurated as president in Venezuela later this week. Despite widespread accusations of election fraud.And, Ukrainian war refugees in Moldova, looking to stay for the long term. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

In Chinese-controlled Tibet, rescue workers are still digging through rubble after a powerful earthquake near Mount Everest. The rescue operation is complicated by altitudes averaging around 13,000 feet in the area. Also, an archaeologist and former professor at Damascus University returns to the Syrian capital for the first time since fleeing in 2006. We hear personal reflections about what the homecoming has been like, as well as analysis of where things stand in Damascus right now. Also, an earthquake in Tibet has killed dozens of people, and rescue teams are rushing to find survivors in freezing temperatures. And, in the Costa Rican village of Boruca, a dance reenacting an ancestral battle against colonizers is drawing tourists, and locals have mixed feelings about that. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a public announcement — sharing his plan to resign following a massive decline in support and a high profile resignation from his Cabinet. Also, the Biden administration is making its final push for a ceasefire in Gaza before Donald Trump reassumes the White House two weeks from now. And, many Ukrainians are turning to poetry as a symbol of patriotism and resistance during wartime. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

Tourism in Cuba has not recovered since the COVID-19 pandemic began; and new conditions on the island are deterring tourists from visiting to soak up its culture, beauty and political history. Also, South Korean authorities were unable to detain impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol following an hours-long stand-off with his security services. And, a hidden crisis unfolds in Japan where over a million people have retreated from society for months or even years, in a phenomenon known as hikikomori. Plus, a self-taught baker brings flavors from her childhood spent in Argentina to a small farm stand in Southern Vermont. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

Kyiv opts to not renew a contract with Moscow that brought Russian natural gas to Europe and $1 billion dollars in transit fees to Ukraine. Also, Japan grapples with “lonely deaths” of some 68,000 elderly people who die alone at home every year. And, although global cases of tuberculosis have decreased in recent years, Latin America has seen a 19% increase in its number of cases, with one report pointing to rising incarceration rates as a major factor. Plus, Costa Rica has its own version of bullfighting that doesn’t kill the bull. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

The World welcomes 2025 with this music holiday special. We look at a middle-school teacher in France who uses rap to teach math. Also, Italian pasta company Barilla released a soundtrack it says was scientifically designed to enhance the taste and texture of its pasta. And, music from Innoss'B tries to combat malnutrition in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Plus, Mexican composer Gabriela Ortiz’s season-long residency at New York's Carnegie Hall that has offered many exciting new pieces. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air.

In this New Year’s Eve special, The World looks at discoveries from around the globe. With Mount Everest adding an extra 160 feet in the past 89,000 years, according to a recent study, we discuss how and why mountain ranges grow. Also, 2024 was the 200th year since the first dinosaur was named. And, finding lost cities in the mountains of Uzbekistan. Plus, using AI to create images of memories. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Give today to help sustain our journalism in 2025 and have your donation matched by a generous donor!

A look at former President Jimmy Carter’s life and legacy, including his lasting foreign policy. Also, a conversation about effective global giving strategies, especially around the holiday season. And, a look back and climate and weather patterns in 2024. Plus, a yearly German tradition to watch a decades-old British comedy sketch on New Year’s Eve. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Give today to help sustain our journalism in 2025 and have your donation matched by a generous donor!

The majority of deaths from the 2004 earthquake and tsunami were in Indonesia. But one island had just a handful of deaths, and researchers say that was partly due to folklore passed down through generations. Also, an update on the situation in Syria as Syrians look to the future with a mixture of fear and hope. And, Albania's former president was arrested on suspicion of corruption and money laundering, but the problem may be more widespread. Plus, a soup to celebrate, not only the new year, but Haiti’s independence day. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Time is running out to support The World before our fundraising drive ends on Dec. 31. Donate today to power The World for another year!