The World

The Biden administration wants Israelis and Palestinians to get serious about restarting a plan for a two-state solution. The European Union and Arab leaders agree, along many across the international community. But Israel is digging in its heels. And, soon after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin established a group of allied countries to support the besieged nation. Now, for the first time, the Pentagon is out of money for Ukraine. Also, global cocaine production is at historic highs, and cartels are developing new trade routes to get it to market. We hear why much of the rise in cocaine use in Latin America is in Brazil. Plus, the journey of one Venezuelan man to a Colorado town.

This past weekend, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in cities across Germany to protest the far-right Alternative for Germany party, the AFD. Protests erupted after journalists revealed that members met with neo-Nazis to discuss mass deportations, including of citizens. And,  two incidents of racial abuse interrupted play in Europe over the weekend. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for “an automatic forfeit for the team whose fans have committed racism," but critics are skeptical. Also, Bologna has become the first major city in Italy to introduce a speed limit for traffic of19 miles per hour in the city. Several other European cities have also lowered their speed limits to curb fatalities, but the restrictions have gotten a lot of backlash. Plus, Haiti's jazz festival flourishes despite security challenges.

Climate change continues to adversely affect the infectious disease situation across the globe. Countries like Zambia, Bangladesh and Sudan are seeing a rise in infectious disease cases as they battle climate change. Cholera and dengue fever are two examples of such diseases. And, on Friday, the South African government said it would continue its attempt to stop the sale of items that once belonged to Nelson Mandela. While his daughter says sales will fund a memorial garden in her father's honor, the government wants to keep the items in South Africa as pieces of national heritage. Also, in1972, 11 members of Israel's Olympic delegation were killed at the Munich Games. What happened there continues to worry Israeli athletes as an Israeli delegation heads to Qatar for the World Aquatics Championships next month. Plus, did the song "We are the World" make the world better?

The US carried out new attacks against the Houthis in Yemen, its fourth in the past few days. The Houthis are supported by Iran, which has also supported various militia groups across the Middle East. We hear from US Deputy Special Envoy for Iran Abram Paley. And, ever since the military threw out Myanmar's democratically elected government in 2021, armed resistance groups have been battling to oust them. In the past few months, small armies of ethnic groups have taken over towns along the Indian and Chinese borders. Also, on Thursday, Pakistan's military carried out attacks inside of Iran, targetting militants. It follows Iran's strikes on militants in Pakistan. Both attacks occurred in Balochistan, an ethnic region shared by the two countries. Plus, the fallout from Britain's post office scandal continues.

China's birthrate has declined for a second year in a row. We hear about the impact of changing attitudes among young Chinese women on the birthrate. And, independence-minded Catalan parties in Spain's ruling coalition have come out swinging in 2024. They're demanding control of borders and immigration for their northeast region, and want to set a date for a controversial second referendum to form their own country. Also, health care professionals are struggling to treat a staggering number of patients in Gaza. Surgeon Nick Maynard recently returned to the UK after leading an emergency medical team there. Plus, women bird guides in Uganda set a global example.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard launched ballistic missiles at what it called Israeli “spy headquarters” in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region Monday night. Experts say it's another sign that the Israel-Hamas conflict is expanding. And, the Israel Defense Forces have told the families of two hostages held by Hamas that they are gravely concerned about them. That's after Hamas showed a video in which two hostages appeared to be dead. Israelis are getting impatient with the slow progress by their government in negotiating another prisoner exchange. Also, the market is huge for NIL deals allowing student athletes to monetize their names. But international student athletes have been left out of the lucrative deals due to visa laws. Plus, pig poop pollution in Spain.Today we launch a new format to our show! Carolyn Beeler will begin co-hosting The World along with longtime host Marco Werman at the helm and host Carol Hills — produced by Boston-based GBH and PRX.

Volcanic eruptions are not unusual in Iceland, but they rarely require residents to evacuate their homes. One resident from the village of Grindavik talks about what it’s like to watch lava engulf her town and set homes ablaze. Also, like many cities in the US, Dakar, Senegal, has a street named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Most residents there don't know the street name, but they do know about the man behind it. And, the art of hacking has become stealthier and smarter over the years. Chinese hackers are particularly capable of hiding their code used to infiltrate systems around the world. The "Click Here" podcast reports on how they're able to do this. Plus, Sunday marked 100 days of fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas since Oct. 7. The war continues unabated with little pressure on either side to end the fighting. We discuss the likelihood of a ceasefire and what the next period will bring in Gaza.Don’t forget to join us tomorrow for a new format to our show! Carolyn Beeler will begin co-hosting The World along with longtime host Marco Werman at the helm and host Carol Hills — produced by Boston-based GBH and PRX.

The night skies flared orange on Thursday night in Yemen as the US and UK made airstrikes on Houthi targets in the country. US President Joe Biden said it was in response to Houthi attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. And, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrapped up a trip to three Baltic nations. Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia have all provided an outsized portion of their gross domestic product in money and weapons for Ukraine. Also, Sheikh Imam and Ahmed Negm wrote stinging rebukes of Egypt's autocrats in the 1960s and 1970s. Decades later, their music was sung to topple Egypt’s autocratic leaders in 2011. Plus, an ancient city is discovered in the rainforests of Ecuador.We are excited to announce that The World’s Carolyn Beeler will be co-hosting our daily show along with Marco Werman beginning Jan. 16. 🎙️Be sure to tune in!

Ecuador’s president has declared his country is in “a state of war” with drug gangs and has given the military extraordinary powers to combat drug traffickers. The move comes after armed men invaded a TV station’s live afternoon newscast and a powerful drug gang leader escaped from prison. And, Ellie Highwood crocheted a "global warming blanket" as a baby gift for climate scientist parents back in 2017. The design has made quite an impact on the climate change activism movement. Also, attacks between US and Iraqi militias backed by Iran have been escalating. Iraqi politicians are becoming more vocal in their demand to kick the US out of the country, but some quietly want the US to stay. Plus, the family size is shrinking. We are excited to announce that The World’s Carolyn Beeler will be co-hosting our daily show along with Marco Werman beginning Jan. 16. 🎙️Be sure to tune in!

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to the Israeli-occupied West Bank today, to meet with the leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas. He's trying to end the Israel-Hamas war and talk about a post-war Gaza. And, the low-lying Chattogram district in Bangladesh is prone to rising sea-levels, extreme flooding and cyclones. Advocates say authorities must do a better job of helping people with disabilities navigate climate emergencies. Also, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched their largest-yet drone and missile attack in the Red Sea on Tuesday. Retired US Admiral James Stavridis said the US should consider retaliation, including a land strike on Houthi infrastructure. Plus, Norway approves exploration for deep-sea mining.We are excited to announce that The World’s Carolyn Beeler will be co-hosting our daily show along with Marco Werman beginning Jan. 16. 🎙️Be sure to tune in!