The World

The Trump administration has revoked Chevron's license to pump oil in Venezuela, accusing its president of not making progress on electoral reforms. In response, Venezuela said it will stop receiving deportees from the US. Also, a new abortion clinic opens across from the Polish parliament despite the country’s strict abortion ban. And, Syria’s interim government signs a deal with the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish militia that controls the northeast. Plus, a London comedy club bans audience members with Botox injections after performers complain about unresponsive faces in the crowd.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Following eight hours of negotiations in Saudi Arabia today, the US and Ukraine say that Kyiv will accept a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, if Moscow also agrees. Washington also pledged to lift a freeze on intelligence sharing and military aid to Ukraine. Also, former Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte was detained on an ICC arrest warrant and will likely stand trial for crimes against humanity. And, the Balochistan Liberation Army claims responsibility for a train highjacking involving more than 400 hostages in Pakistan. Plus, a museum in Finland dedicated to Vladimir Lenin shifts focus amid tensions with Russia.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Approximately a thousand people are estimated to have been killed in Syria's coastal region after violence that followed an attack on government forces last week. Since then, members of Syria's Alawite community have been attacked and killed. Also, economist and politician Mark Carney is named Canada’s new prime minister. And, many immigrants now fear sharing their stories in the United States. Plus, Bolivia’s administrative capital, La Paz, has the longest — and highest — cable car system in the world.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Russian state television used to portray the US as the Kremlin's biggest adversary. But since President Donald Trump's return to the White House, state-controlled media outlets in Russia are changing their tune. Also, the race between China and Japan to build the fastest bullet train. And, a cross-cultural collaboration between two jazz greats, one from the United States, the other from Brazil. Esperanza Spalding and Milton Nascimento.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Syria's new government is reportedly working with Russia as it rebuilds. It's a surprising turn of events because Russia formerly allied itself with the Assad regime, which the current government toppled. Also, Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating the terms of a ceasefire deal reached in January. The future of the deal is now uncertain. Meanwhile, the flow of humanitarian aid that many Palestinians are depending on has been cut off. Also, large numbers of Venezuelan migrants were trying to enter the US from Mexico. Now, many of them are returning to their home country instead. And, young adults are so miserable that they're altering what we know as the traditional pattern of happiness.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Cooperation, respect and strategic interdependence have long characterized the US-Canada relationship. Now, in a matter of weeks, that mutual friendliness has been jeopardized by a trade war and increasing threats from President Donald Trump about annexing Canada. Also, in Turkey, the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, has announced a ceasefire. What the ceasefire means for security in the region. Also, Bhutan is leaning on bitcoin mining to power a much-needed economic recovery. And, astronomers are sounding the alarm about the impact of a planned renewable energy plant in Chile's Atacama desert. The area is home to some of the most-advanced observatories on Earth because of the unmatched darkness of the night sky. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Donald Trump has imposed new tariffs on the United States' top three trading partners, Canada, Mexico and China. China's response came fast, during a week of meetings in Beijing, to set the country's policy agenda for the next year. Also, some European countries prepare for a possible breakup with the US after 80 years of trans-Atlantic cooperation. Plus, Iraq conducted its first census in nearly 40 years: what the data revealed. And families in Valencia, Spain, are getting help from scientists to salvage family photos lost in last fall's flooding.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Ukrainians are showing support to their president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, following a deterioration of diplomacy at the White House on Friday. And Mexico argues that US gun companies are partially responsible for gun trafficking in Mexico. The case has gone all the way to the US Supreme Court. Plus, in the UK, the youngest-ever person to give a speech in the House of Commons makes a case for his community, the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, off the coast of Capetown, South Africa.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Donald Trump met today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, who was set sign a deal allowing the US access to rare earth metals in exchange for military support. But the cordial conversation soon devolved into a shouting match. Also, the Greek capital saw massive demonstrations hit fever pitch as protesters clashed with police outside of parliament on the second anniversary of a deadly train crash that killed dozens of people. And, Japan grapples with a law that has traditionally required married couples to have the same last name. Plus, a look at the unique art of glass engraving by hand in Spain that may soon disappear.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Although Israeli leaders say they’re sending a negotiating team to Cairo, Egypt, both Israel and Hamas are wary about the second phase of a ceasefire deal. The first phase of the fragile truce is set to expire on Saturday. Also, 11 years after Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 vanished over the Indian Ocean, Malaysian officials say the missing plane could be found before the next anniversary. And, the founder and leader of the PKK has called on the group to lay down its arms — potentially ending a 40-year insurgency. Plus, a former member of the Yakuza organized crime syndicate is now a Christian preacher.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The US and Ukraine are planning to work together to develop Ukraine's mineral, oil and gas resources. Also, the Israeli military has conducted strikes in southern Syria as Syrians work through their political transition period. And, development and the elements are unearthing some of the first mummies in the world in Chile. Plus, Japanese youth turn to some unconventional dating methods.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

With a new administration at the helm, the US voted yesterday against a UNGA resolution blaming Russia for the war in Ukraine. Also, hundreds of Syrians from diverse ethnic and minority communities gathered this week in Damascus for a national dialogue conference to chart the country’s political transition. And, mixed reactions in Russia over Oscar-nominated film “Anora.” Plus, “listening lounges” are music bars in Japan that aim to maximize the audio experience.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Leaders from around the world are visiting Kyiv to mark three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Also, Israeli troops have sent tanks into West Bank cities and towns as Palestinians flee their homes in search of safety from shelling and violence. And, Turkey is exporting eggs to the US amid a shortage and skyrocketing prices caused by the spread of bird flu. Plus, Venezuelan comedians and satirists find humor while in exile.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The earthquake in Haiti in 2010 devastated the island and renewed Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants to the United States. Those protections have been extended in light of the extraordinary gang violence that has overtaken Haiti in recent years. The Trump administration has decided to TPS for Haitians early, at the end of summer 2025. We hear about what this means for Haitians in the US, and what it means for US foreign policy and security in the long run. Also, Germany's stagnant economy and heated rows over immigration policy have dominated this month's election campaign. Germany heads to the polls on Sunday with Chancellor Olaf Scholz's (SPD) party trailing in third place. Many eyes will be on how the far right fares on Sunday while voters in Berlin say they just want a government that can get the economy back on track. And, origami is the art of folding paper into basically any design you can imagine, from cranes and paper planes to fiery dragons. The ancient art can be traced back to Japan from thousands of years ago and has since spread across the globe. Origami's evolution continues, though, as STEM experts see how it can be used to solve real-life problems.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Hamas and Israel continued their prisoner-for-hostage exchanges as part of the ceasefire deal in Gaza, but on Thursday, the hostages released to Israel were already dead. Hamas claims they were killed by Israeli airstrikes while they were in captivity, which Israeli officials have not denied. The occasion was a somber shift in tone for the hostage releases, which are usually days of relief and celebration in Israel. Also, on Wednesday, in Paris, European leaders held another round of emergency talks focused on how to bolster the continent’s defense capabilities and support Ukraine’s fight against Russia. The continent is worried about how to defend itself in a world with fewer security guarantees from NATO ally the US. Also, a German court rules that Birkenstocks are not art that can be copyrighted. Hear about the history and aesthetic of the beloved, ugly, centuries-old German footwear. And, the story of the Latvian film "Flow," about animals banding together to survive a flood, which is up for an Oscar.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, has been charged for alleged involvement in a coup plot following his 2022 election defeat. The allegations include plans to murder his opponent Lula da Silva, the current president. These are the first criminal charges faced by Bolsonaro, who is already banned from running in the country's upcoming presidential election. Also, authorities in the Philippines have come up with a creative way to combat the mosquito-borne illness dengue. They’ve put a bounty on the heads of mosquitos to encourage locals to collect the insects and their larvae. And, in most so-called megacities with populations over 10 million people, traffic is a megaproblem. And so is the air population. But Tokyo, with a population of 37 million, bucks that trend, thanks to a massive web of public transit that keeps cars off the road. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The US and Russia met on Tuesday for the first time in Saudi Arabia to begin negotiations on the future of Ukraine. The two sides agreed to set up teams that will hammer out an agreement. Ukrainian and European leaders are not happy about being left out. Also, in the wake of yet another airline disaster, many are wondering whether air travel is more dangerous than in the past or if we're just hearing about crashes more often than we used to. A Delta flight flipped over on Monday after landing in Toronto. And, after World War II, center-right parties in Germany formed a solid buffer against extremist parties, refusing to cooperate with them. Up until now, that buffer seemed to hold. But a gamble from Friedrich Merz, Germany’s likely next chancellor, to accept the votes of far-right lawmakers to try and pass his hard-line immigration laws, has led many to say he has broken the firewall.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

European leaders and Trump administration officials are attending the Munich Security Summit over the weekend. We'll have the latest on what was discussed, and how it might effect the war in Ukraine." Also, as we continue a deep dive into Ukraine news, we reflect on the "Maidan Revolution," as it's been called, which was a protest against a Russia-installed leader of Ukraine. Many people, especially younger Ukrainians, wanted the country to lean toward the West, not Russia. And, in Ukraine, musician Svyatoslav Vakarchuk is a living legend. But few of his songs have had as much meaning or poignancy as "Chovan," which describes the country on both sides of the Dnipro River. As The World's hosts explain, while the bridge over that river has been destroyed, the spiritual bridge that connects all Ukrainians remains firmly intact.   Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Rafik Hariri was a charismatic Lebanese prime minister who oversaw an era of relative economic and political stability until his assassination. Amal Mudallali was Rafik Hariri’s foreign policy adviser and more recently a permanent representative to the UN for Lebanon, who spoke about Hariri's legacy and the opportunity Lebanon is now confronted with. Also,  Australia has passed tough anti-hate laws, with mandatory jail time for giving the Nazi salute in public. It's part of an effort to combat a wave of anti-semitism in the country.Also, as controversy continues around South Korea's impeached president, a look at the anti-feminist platform that brought him to power, and the state of feminism in South Korea today. And, Chile’s biggest carnival is kicking off at full speed on Friday. As many as 150,000 people have traveled to the northern Chilean town of Arica to participate. Our reporter takes us there.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Donald Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth have signaled a dramatic shift in the US approach to Russia, Ukraine, and the NATO alliance. Where does that leave Europe? Also, the latest craze in cryptocurrency is using memes to bring attention to specific coins. They're called meme coins, and they're risky, because they're backed by nothing but internet attention. Now, one of the world's poorest countries has become the first to launch a national meme coin. The Central African Republic's president launched it on X, and it's been a wild ride ever since.  And, in Spain, the trial of former women's national team coach Luis Rubiales comes to an end; Rubiales is accused of sexual aggression for a victory kiss that player Jennifer Hermoso says was not consensual.Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices