A conversation with a former North Korean soldier

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 are 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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

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! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices