Omar Duwaji

As many Syrians rejoice at the downfall of the former dictatorship in their country, they also face immediate challenges. Israel has been conducting numerous strikes on targets across Syria, many of which have reportedly destroyed chemical weapons stores belonging to the former Assad regime. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Natasha Hall, a senior fellow at the Center for International and Strategic Studies, about what Israel is seeking to accomplish with its strikes on Syria.

The Assad regime is over. But the work Syria needs to do to rebuild from years of war and destruction will cost billions of dollars. The World's Omar Duwaji discusses the likelihood of sanctions lifting, the current impact of sanctions on everyday life in Syria, and what needs to happen for Syrians to regain access to crucial goods and services.

Emerging research pinpoints the exact time when Neanderthals and Homo sapiens began interbreeding to 47 years ago. That interbreeding left a genetic marker on modern human beings. Host Carol Hill speaks with evolutionary scientists Chris Springer about the significance of the study and what these genetic markers actually look like.

An iceberg the size of Rhode Island is once again floating through the Southern Ocean, after being stuck in place due to being caught in a vortex. The World's Host Marco Werman speaks with Till Wagner about why the iceberg was stuck and what its release means for life on the planet.

Lebanon has always been tied together economically, socially and politically with Syria. But now that the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad has collapsed, Lebanon is looking to chart a new path for itself. Host Marco Werman speaks with Sami Halabi, director of policy at the Alternative Policy Institute, about the reactions from Lebanon to Assad's fall.

A new report by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services is warning that governments are “underestimating or ignoring the links between five key areas — biodiversity, water, food, health and climate change.” Host Marco Werman speaks with Paula Harrison, a co-chair of the report, about the significance of the findings and the costs of tackling these issues in a separate manner.

Migration remained a major global challenge in 2024. Hosts Carolyn Beeler and Marco Werman were joined by reporters Tibisay Zea and Gerry Hadden to discuss themes in migration from the past year.

Succulents are wildly popular among plant enthusiasts. So much so that theft of the plants has actually become a massive illegal trade across the globe. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Jared Margulies, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama, about what's behind this growing illegal trade.

Normal life is returning to many places in Syria. Children are going back to school, students back to universities. There are clean-up campaigns in different cities. Meanwhile, Syria's revolutionary flag is being painted on walls and buildings across the country, while former soldiers in the regime's military are being processed and handing in their weapons. Expatriates and refugees who haven't been to Syria in years are also returning. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with The World's Omar Duwaji about the situation in the country after the downfall of President Bashar al-Assad.

Electric vehicles, or EVs, were a wildly popular purchase in Norway in 2024. EVs accounted for nearly 90% of all car sales in the country. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Felix Hamer, an EV charging consultant, about how Norway managed to accomplish this feat.