The World

Clashes have broken out this week in Syria between government security forces and militias inside Syria's Druze community. Israel launched airstrikes in Syria on Wednesday, claiming they targeted operatives who attacked Druze civilians. Israel has threatened more strikes if the clashes continue. We hear from people on the ground, in Syria, who have been affected by the violence. Also, Romania's upcoming presidential election this weekend, a do-over of last year's election which was annulled over alleged Russian interference. And, how tourists visiting Kashmir became political targets. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The work to choose a new pope begins next week with the secretive Papal Conclave. One of Pope Francis' lingering legacies that will need to be addressed: the late pontiff's efforts to reform the Vatican's less-than-transparent finances. Also, Maria Ressa is the Nobel Prize-winning journalist behind the investigative news site, Rappler, based in the Philippines. Her work made her a political enemy of former dictator, Rodrigo Duterte. Ressa joins us to share her experiences standing up for press freedom in the face of authoritarianism. And, Agent Orange is well known as a notorious chemical weapon used by the US in the Vietnam War but there was a lesser-known chemical weapon known as Agent Blue that's still making people sick. And, the new dance craze that Spanish ravers have imported from Holland. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Fifty years ago on Wednesday the fall of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War. Most Americans think of that war as one of the longest and most unpopular conflicts in US military history. But in Vietnam, it is being celebrated as the end of a much longer struggle for liberation, which predates US involvement by several decades. We examine both of those legacies. Also, what it would mean for Ukraine to sign a mineral deal with the US. And, a cultural debate over the legacy of a German theologian who helped lead the resistance movement to the Nazi regime. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

In Canada, election results mark a reversal of political fortunes. The Liberal Party's victory in Monday's federal election follows a long slump in popularity. But the Trump administration's trade policies and rhetoric concerning Canada have driven a shift in the country's political landscape. The election results are widely being seen as a mandate for how Canada should respond to Trump. Also, insight into the work of Russian lawyers who represent political prisoners in court. And, why Boston's Museum of Fine Arts has closed its Benin Kingdom Gallery. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A major power outage struck Spain and Portugal on Monday, shutting down transit and causing major gridlock in both countries. The two governments met to discuss the outage, the cause of which was not immediately known. This is the biggest power outage on the European continent since 2003. Also, a massive explosion in an Iranian port killed at least 40 people over the weekend and injured hundreds of others. And, the corruption behind the deadly nightclub fire in North Macedonia almost a month ago. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

India has suspended its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty, a major water-sharing agreement with Pakistan, following a recent attack in Indian-administered Kashmir. Also, more than 1,800 international students have seen their immigration statuses changed by the US government, prompting some to wonder if they should stay in the US or leave. And, US Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN) discusses his recent trip to Syria. Plus, a look at the Poetry Pharmacy on London’s famed Oxford Street — a small space packed with poems for every occasion. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Qatar has brokered talks between the government of Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group, which is backed by Rwanda, to agree to common terms for a dialogue that includes a ceasefire. Also, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum bans foreign political ads on Mexican TV after a wave of anti-immigration spots sponsored by the Trump administration airs nationwide. And, as Spain's Catalonia region celebrates Sant Jordi, or Saint George's Day, there’s been controversy this year over one writer who lives in Catalonia but only writes in Spanish. Plus, new research shows that the venom of some rattlesnakes has evolved to be simpler and better tailored to their prey. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Canadians will head to the polls on Monday to vote for a new prime minister. The country is expecting a large turnout, with more than 7 million people already having cast their ballots over the long Easter weekend. Also, a look at Pope Francis as both a head of state and a spiritual leader. And, Jordan places a ban on the Muslim Brotherhood. Plus, a gated community in Argentina is divided over a sudden spike in capybaras. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As questions emerge over the succession of Pope Francis, some are looking to Africa, where the Catholic Church has seen the most growth of any region in recent years. Also, a group of gunmen open fire at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir, killing at least 20 tourists and injuring dozens more. And, the Supreme Court in Brazil is examining the role that allies of former President Jair Bolsonaro might have played in an alleged coup attempt that took place after he lost the 2022 election. Plus, an effort to restore forests that have been cleared away around the world. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Pope Francis has died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. Also, the Israeli military says an “operational misunderstanding” led to the killing of 15 unarmed Palestinian medics last month. And, a Tunisian court hands down harsh prison sentences to political opponents of the country's president as the country backslides on democracy. Plus, runners from around the world take part in the Boston Marathon. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Chinese President Xi Jinping is wrapping up a tour this week of Southeast Asia where he has been selling the idea of China as a force for economic stability and prosperity. He has also criticized President Donald Trump's trade policies as destructive to the global economy. We'll look at how that message is being received. Also, Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars in the the electric vehicle industry in preparation for a post-oil future. And, the legacy of Indigenous runner Tom Longboat lives on at this year's Boston Marathon, which kicks off on Monday. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As Haiti celebrates 200 years of independence from France, Thursday marks a particularly fraught anniversary. On April 17, 1825, Haiti and France signed the Indemnity Agreement, requiring Haiti to pay France to compensate slave-owning colonists for Haitians' freedom. Now, Haitian activists want their money back. Also, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is headed to Paris to discuss the war in Ukraine. And, Canada's new professional women's soccer league just kicked off its first season. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

A federal court in Denver has found a former member of Gambia’s military guilty of torturing five people accused of involvement in a failed coup against the West African country in 2006. This constitutes a rare prosecution in the United States for torture committed abroad. Also, the UK's Supreme Court passed a ruling on the meaning of the word "woman" as used in the country's Equality Act from 2010. In a unanimous decision, the court said that "woman" refers to people assigned the female gender at birth, and does not extend to transgender women. Critics of the decision say it marks a "huge blow" to the rights of trans people across the country. Also, more than 1,000 Israeli spies and soldiers, past and present, have petitioned their government to cease military actions in Gaza. And, Sweden's annual tradition of watching the migration of moose on TV. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Tuesday marks two years since civil war broke out in Sudan. Fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces has created an immense humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced, and hundreds of thousands facing famine. A look at how things reached this point in Sudan, and where the country is headed. Also, Mexican border cities like Tijuana are emptying out as migrants give up trying to enter the US. And, the Ghanaian government is reforming the country's gold export market. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

This past weekend, Iran and the US held their first round of talks about Iran's nuclear program. Both sides described the talks as "positive" and "constructive." The two delegations will convene in Rome for a second round of talks later this week. Also, Tijuana's uphill battle to keep its waterways and beaches free of sewage and pollution. And, the existential threat faced by two of France's most beloved cheeses. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez becomes the de facto trade representative for much of Europe, on a visit to China. And white storks arrive in Europe every spring, and they're starting to arrive earlier. Experts say that's because of climate change. Plus, why historic homes in Iran are being turned into boutique hotels, restaurants and cafes. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The US and Russia carried out a prisoner swap earlier today, resulting in the release of US citizen Ksenia Karelina. Also, hippos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are dying of a surprising cause: anthrax. And, a look into the struggle to get aid into earthquake-devastated Myanmar. Plus, a Japanese town is using trading cards inspired by Pokémon to build connection between generations. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

President Donald Trump has paused his sweeping new tariffs, with one exception: those levied on China. Beijing is retaliating by hitting US goods back. How Chinese leadership sees the escalating trade war. Also, how new banana products could help transform agriculture in Uganda. And what exactly makes Jamaican rum Jamaican? Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The Palestinian Red Crescent is demanding an international investigation into the Israeli attack last month on a convoy of ambulances and emergency workers in southern Gaza that killed 15 people. Also, Sussex University in the UK is offering a new degree called Climate Justice, Sustainability and Development. And, the US and DRC close in on a new minerals deal. Plus, a look at how collaboration in space is still possible amid geopolitical tensions. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Heavy US tariffs against much of the world will kick in on Tuesday at midnight. Few will be hit has hard as Cambodia — where nearly a third of the country’s economy is generated by selling goods to Americans — as Cambodian exports to the US are set to face a 49% tariff. Also, Doctors Without Borders reports that 1/5 of all primary care visits in Gaza deal with illness caused by a lack of access to clean water as the enclave faces acute water shortages amid an Israeli blockade. And, the Ivory Coast bans wigs for this year’s national beauty pageant in favor of natural hair styles. Plus, British Bengali musician Tara Lily’s debut album is inspired by the ocean waves of Goa and nightlife in Mumbai. Listen to today’s Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices