President Obama appears to have changed America's stand on a new global strategy to fight illegal drugs. Just a few days ago, UN-sponsored negotiations to craft the new strategy were close to collapse. Europe and the United States were deeply divided. But as The World's Laura Lynch reports, Mr.Obama is now signaling a big shift away from the Bush administration's anti-drug policies.

Australia's terrible wildfires and Europe's big snows might be evidence that when it comes to climate change, the future is now. We'll talk with climate scientist and journalist Heidi Cullen of Climate Central, a non-profit science and media organization.

Wildfire in New South Wales

Letters from our listeners

Israel holds its long-awaited general election tomorrow. The vote will decide who becomes Israel's next prime minister. The incumbent, Ehud Olmert, announced he was stepping down months ago. The World's Quil Lawrence has been on the campaign trail and he speaks with host Marco Werman.

The party that ruled Mexico for seven decades, the Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI, may be ready to make its comeback. The party has been busy delivering popular programs on the local level, while the current ruling party of President Felipe Calderon is struggling on the national level. The World's Lorne Matalon reports from Mexico City.

Our daily geography puzzler.

We remember the late Doctor William Close who passed away last month. He was the father of actress Glenn Close, and once the personal doctor of the president of Zaire. While there he worked to stop the first Ebola epidemic in Zaire. Anchor Marco Werman talks to a friend and colleague of Dr. Close, Dr. Joel Breman, of the National Institutes of Health.

William T. Close (1924-2009)

The answer to today's Geo Quiz is the Sicilian town of Salemi. It's where a huge collection of videos, films, and movies are being sent as a charitable contribution after a video store named Kim's Video in New York City closed for good. Anchor Marco Werman gets details of the video exchange from merchant Youngman Kim and Italian arts promoter Franca Pauli.

Anchor Marco Werman asks Rounder Records VP Scott Billington what that label's big scoop-up at the Grammys for Allison Krauss and Robert Plant's "Raising Sand" means for indy label artists around the globe.

Today on The World: Treasury Secretary Geithner unveils stepped-up program to help stabilize the American financial system; Also, security issues trump the economy on election day in Israel; and Bolivians binge on bingo, in Russian-owned casinos.