The World

US President Donald Trump fired the head of the Pentagon, Defense Secretary Mark Esper, on Monday, after Trump questioned his loyalty to the administration. And, the last four years of the Trump presidency have tested America's traditional alliances in Europe and forged other unconventional ones. Now, with President-elect Joe Biden poised to take office in January, European leaders are looking ahead. Also, The World remembers TV icon, Alex Trebek.

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Although the results of the US presidential election are not official yet, all indicators point to a victory for Democratic candidate Joe Biden. But the transfer of presidential power looks like it will be difficult. And, with coronavirus infections surging at record levels in the US and Europe, many nations are imposing new restrictions. Reporter Elana Gordon looks at the pros and cons of the different lockdown approaches. Also, if you’re in the United States, have you received your "emotional support Canadian"? According to a viral tweet, don’t worry, one will be assigned to you shortly.

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Big news! The World is participating in NewsMatch. From now until the end of the year, every dollar of support will be generously matched by a coalition of national funders. This means a gift of $50 will provide $100 of support for The World’s critical journalism. Double your impact today!

The election this week saw a continuation of a national trend that began in the 2018 midterms — an unprecedented wave of first- and second-generation Americans running for office. And, for decades, the United States has taken the lead on efforts to contain outbreaks around the globe, from polio to influenza. Now, amid the pandemic, the US election illuminates, even more, a nation divided on science and public health. Also, the earworm “Baby Shark” was posted to YouTube five years ago by the South Korean educational company Pinkfong. This week, it became the most-watched YouTube video ever.

Big news! The World is participating in NewsMatch. From now until the end of the year, every dollar of support will be generously matched by a coalition of national funders. This means a gift of $50 will provide $100 of support for The World’s critical journalism. Double your impact today! 

Thank you for your support. Visit www.theworld.org/give to donate.

Foreign interference was a key concern going into Election Day. So, what happened on the cybersecurity and disinformation front, and what can we expect next? And, Britain is keeping a close eye on the results of the US election, as their own country faces a new lockdown after midnight Wednesday evening. Also, in this limbo period, when we wait to hear who won and which way the US goes next in the world, Iran and Afghanistan are two places that play big into American foreign policy. Like the rest of us, they're also waiting for the news.

Big news: The World is participating in NewsMatch! From now until the end of the year, every dollar of support will be generously matched by a coalition of national funders. This means a gift of $50 will provide $100 of support for The World’s critical journalism. Double your impact today! 

Thank you for your support. Visit www.theworld.org/give to donate.

With so much uncertainty hanging over the US presidential election, one place we look for clarity is in the numbers. Pollsters learned valuable lessons from the 2016 election results that they’ve applied in the current election cycle to try to yield more accurate predictions. From our GBH and PRX partners, NOVA Now, and as a special in The World's podcast feed, host Alok Patel interviews a pollster and a statistician. They delve into a brief history of political polling in the US, what went wrong in 2016, and how statistical concepts like data weighting and margin of error make all the difference in the accuracy of the polls.

Subscribe, and learn more by visiting pbs.org/novanowpodcast

Arizona used to be firmly Republican, but now it's a battleground state as its politics and demographics have changed. And, voters heading to the polls may be feeling anxious, with all the talk of possible violence. But with the rise of hate crimes during the Trump administration, there are many Americans who have been feeling that way for the last four years. Also, the US will officially be out of the Paris climate agreement on Nov. 4. How long it remains out will depend on who wins the election.

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For decades Israel has enjoyed a unique relationship with the US in defense and security cooperation. Under the Trump administration, many Israelis feel that relationship has been fruitful. Would the relationship look any different under a potential Biden administration? And, on US Election Day, our social media news feeds will likely be filled with stories about how foreign actors have worked to derail the US election process. So how can we assess these claims? Also, former US security contractor Edward Snowden is seeking Russian citizenship for himself, his wife and their unborn baby, who is due in December.

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This year, perhaps more than any other, the world is watching the US presidential election. Whatever the outcome, there will be global implications. On the eve of Election Day, we brought together our correspondents to explore key foreign policy issues in their regions of expertise. In this special edition for The World's podcast feed, senior editor Daisy Contreras moderated a live discussion with Middle East correspondent Shirin Jaafari and Latin America correspondent Jorge Valencia offering context and analysis on foreign policy issues at stake in the 2020 election.

Watch a video of the conversation here.

**Related discussion:* Voters of color in the 2020 US election*

Today The World brings you a special episode on the political power of Latino youth, one of the fastest-growing demographic groups in the United States. Approximately every 30 seconds, a Latino in the US turns 18 and becomes eligible to vote. The World has been talking to Latino voters all year. In this episode, hear how Trump has alienated many Latinos with his anti-immigrant rhetoric — but a sizable bloc still supports him. And, Latinos have been disproportionately affected by climate change. Plus, hear how three young Latinos are getting ready to vote.

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Support The World during our fall fundraiser! Nonprofit journalism depends on your philanthropic support. Be one of the 1,000 people to donate $100 or pledge $8.33 a month to receive a special invitation to a virtual party with Marco Werman and the team at The World! Thank you for your support. Visit theworld.org/give to donate today!

A series of knife attacks on French citizens at the Notre Dame Basilica in the Mediterranean city of Nice on Thursday prompted the government to raise its security alert status to the maximum level. And, much of the chocolate that trick-or-treaters eat this weekend will have come from cocoa farms in West Africa that use child labor. Also, Japan's prime minister this week announced a goal of making the country carbon-neutral by 2050.

Support The World during our fall fundraiser! Nonprofit journalism depends on your philanthropic support. Be one of the 1,000 people to donate $100 or pledge $8.33 a month to receive a special invitation to a virtual party with Marco Werman and the team at The World! Thank you for your support. Donate here.