The World

An American mother living in the heart of the ISIS caliphate. Her husband an ISIS sniper. Her 10-year-old son forced to threaten the US president in a propaganda video shown around the world. She claims she was tricked into taking her young children to war-torn Syria, but where does her account end and the truth begin?

From our partners at GBH and FRONTLINE and as a special podcast in The World's feed, journalist Josh Baker unravels a dangerous story where nothing is as it seems. From the depths of Raqqa’s infamous torture prison to an elk hunt in Idaho, he uncovers secrets, lies and the lasting consequences.

“I’m Not A Monster” — the story of one family’s journey from Indiana to ISIS and back — is a collaboration between BBC Panorama and FRONTLINE PBS.

The pandemic has hit Mexico hard. The country ranks fourth — behind the US, Brazil and India — in confirmed deaths from COVID-19. And, one theory about the origins of the coronavirus is that it was transmitted from bats to another animal and then to people. The missing link could be the pangolin, which could be a "time bomb" for the next pandemic. Also, there’s relief among fans of the megafamous South Korean boy band BTS. The seven lads in the group could soon be allowed to postpone their mandatory military service and keep on cranking out hits.

---

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/WhoWeAre to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

Greece, like many parts of the world, is dealing with unprecedented COVID-19 cases. Now, a debate about the role of the Greek Orthodox Church in the pandemic has resurfaced following the COVID-19-related death of a senior clergyman and the hospitalization of the head of the church. And, the former French leader Nicolas Sarkozy's nickname was the "bling-bling president." On Monday, Sarkozy was in court to face the first of a series of trials against him. Also, human activity affects the climate in every corner of the world. New research shows that Mount Everest is no exception.

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/WhoWeAre to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was killed near Tehran on Friday. Fakhrizadeh was said to be Iran's most senior nuclear scientist and has been described by diplomats as the "father of the Iranian bomb." And, there was jubilation at the start of the week when the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca announced results from phase three trials for a vaccine for the coronavirus. But scientists have been asking questions and are worried that the drug may not be as effective as hoped. Plus, we explore the spiritual side of brewing coffee. 

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/whoweare to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

This special episode of The World, called “Movement,” tells stories of global migration through music. Co-hosted by The World’s host Marco Werman and Ethiopian American singer Meklit Hadero, the show blends song and narrative in a meditation on what it means to be American. We follow an undocumented singer in San Francisco on a long-awaited trip back to Mexico, reflect on the experience of exile with a Syrian DJ, and hear a Sudanese American artist play his first ever show in Sudan — all guided by Hadero as she reflects on her own American story. “Movement,” which is also a podcast and live show, is created and produced by Hadero, along with producer Ian Coss and editor Julie Caine.

---

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/WhoWeAre to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

Air travel in the US is at the highest it's been since March as Americans head home for the Thanksgiving holiday. But in other parts of the world, like Greece, strict lockdowns would prevent this kind of movement. And, in the United Kingdom, calls to "save Christmas" are making some people of other faiths feel ignored. Plus, "The Queen's Gambit" is a hit on Netflix. Meet the man behind the games depicted on the series: Russian chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov.

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/whoweare to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

As President-elect Joe Biden announces his picks for the State Department's top positions, experts are making recommendations for how the department needs to change. And, clashes between Ethiopia's federal government and rebels in the northern region of Tigray have continued for three weeks, displacing tens of thousands of people, with no end in sight. Also, the first time, the Oxford English Dictionary couldn’t pick only one word of the year.

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/WhoWeAre to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

Grassroots organizations were key to mobilizing Latino voters across the US for the historic 2020 presidential election. As part of The World's "Every 30 Seconds" project and as a special podcast in The World's feed, senior editor Daisy Contreras moderated a live discussion exploring the role of two organizations from two important states: Arizona and Texas. What was the strategy to get Latinos to the polls? And what was their impact on the 2020 election? Contreras was joined by Reyna Montoya of Aliento, a nonprofit group supporting immigrants in Arizona, and Antonio Arellano of Jolt Action, a Latino civic engagement group in Texas.

President-elect Joe Biden is signaling a stark shift from the Trump administration’s “America First” policies with his likely selection of centrist Antony Blinken for the coveted secretary of state slot. And, Ethiopia has profited from Chinese investment, which is credited with restarting the East African nation's economy. But an internal struggle between Ethiopia's central government and the opposition party that runs the northern Tigray region poses new challenges.

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/whoweare to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.

Once a vaccine for COVID-19 is approved, UNICEF is planning to do a massive airlift to get the vaccine to countries who need it, especially poorer ones. What will it take to get the vaccine distributed? And, Australia has released a scathing report that finds that members of Australian special forces unlawfully killed 39 people in Afghanistan. Also, mental health has become a growing concern in the pandemic, and researchers are gaining a deeper understanding of the magnitude around the globe. It's not good, but there are some glimmers of hope.

---

Be a superhero and help keep The World spinning! Our coverage wouldn’t be possible without incredible individuals working behind the scenes. Donate today to support the work of our superhero staff and help keep our coverage free and open to all. Donate $100 or pledge $8.33/month to receive an invite to a virtual party with Marco Werman and The World team! Visit theworld.org/whoweare to make your contribution and learn more about the superheroes behind The World's compelling stories! Thank you for your support.