State of the World from NPR

Ukraine finds itself in a difficult situation.  It has endured increased airstrikes from Russia, especially in the capital Kyiv. One way the country fights back is by hitting Russian energy infrastructure, a way to deny Russia the money it needs to conduct the war.  But President Trump has blamed those strikes on the high cost of diesel in the United States.  He has pressured Ukraine to stop its a...

In the new documentary “NAZA”, two dozen anonymous Israeli military and intelligence officers describe how they used an AI-powered system to kill Palestinians in Gaza. The film’s premiere received a 25-minute standing ovation at Venice International Film Festival. But in Israel, it has caused a major backlash.   We hear from the filmmakers and reaction from Israelis. Support public media with NPR+...

The arrest last week of Germany’s former intelligence head, August Hanning, has left the country in shock. He’s suspected of sharing state secrets with other governments. That’s also worrying Western agencies like the CIA, which share intel with Germany. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more a...

With a battered economy made worse by war, many Iranians are looking for ways to provide for their families.  Some decide to travel days over land to make their way to Turkey where they can work under the table.  But the jobs they’re looking for don’t always materialize.  We meet a bus of Iranians arriving in Istanbul in search of employment. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over...

In this encore episode, we learn about our evolving understanding of an ancient find. When a 9,000 year-old grave of a shaman was discovered in 1930s Germany, the discovery was quickly politicized to support Nazi propaganda. But new analysis shows those assumptions were all wrong.  Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-...

We go to Mexico’s gulf coast to learn about fandango. It is a joyous musical tradition born in the Mexican state of Veracruz that’s been going on for more than 300 years and whose popularity has spread around the world. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.co...

It has been three years since the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that led to Israel’s invasion of Gaza.  It’s a war that has yet to end, despite a ceasefire. On yesterday’s episode we heard about the rebuilding happening on the Israel side of the border with Gaza .  Today, a look at what Gaza is like today. Our reporter in Gaza speaks to one man about what his life is like now.  And we hear from some...

Three years after the October 7th attacks, Israel’s southern border with Gaza is undergoing a dramatic rebound. That region was nearly abandoned after thousands of Hamas-led militants attacked Israeli communities. That attack killed nearly 12-hundred people, and 250 more were taken hostage. Now, residents are back.  Some are driven by solidarity with the victims of October 7th.   Others say they f...

This week marks twenty five years since the United States invaded Afghanistan, on October 7th, 2001.  It was less than a month after the September 11th attacks and President George W. Bush vowed swift revenge.  And the U.S. did quickly oust the Taliban– the Islamist group controlling the country– over its support for and harboring of Osama bin Laden and his militant group al Qaeda, blamed for the...

Russia's jet-powered drones are targeting bridges in the Ukrainian capital, an escalation after more than a month of day-and-night strikes that have left Kyiv feeling almost like a frontline city. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

Crime is at the top of voters’ concerns in Brazil heading into Sunday’s national elections. Many are calling for tougher measures — part of a broader rightward shift across Latin America, where security has become a defining political issue. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.or...

In mother-of-pearl suits, the Pearly Kings used to canvass East London for charity. The tradition of the Pearly Kings stretches back to the 1800s, when this area of the city was gritty and poor, and dressing up gave working-class people dignity. The most famous of the Pearly Kings, George Major, died in August at age 88. Major’s portrait still greets arrivals at Heathrow Airport, and he’s said to...

American forces made a formal exit from Iraq with a low-key ceremony. It marks the end of an era that began over 23 years ago with President George Bush’s “shock and awe” invasion. The U.S. military has actually been in Iraq for much of the last 35 years, and the country is still facing an uncertain future. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This sho...

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega made a bombshell announcement this summer that he’s ending national elections. Now, the U.S is pushing leaders in the Americas to confront Nicaragua, and is calling for a rare meeting of the Organization of American States. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn mo...

Turkey’s burgeoning defense industry, soft cultural power and role as conflict mediator are growing its influence in the Middle East. As dynamics with Iran, Gaza and the U.S. shift, Turkey is positioning itself as a new regional power. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . Se...

Born a year before Israel's creation, Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour spent his life painting the faces and landscapes of Israeli occupation. He died in August at age 79, and was buried in the occupied West Bank. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for...

Pope Leo XIV makes the first papal state visit to France in nearly 20 years. The pope will preside over Mass in the heart of Paris, meet with sex abuse survivors and deliver a speech on European unity in a city near the German border. In South Africa, citizens celebrate Heritage Day and attempt to set a new world’s record for barbeque. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 pod...

Ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with President Trump, we examine shifting views of America in China. Also — how Beijing is circumventing U.S. sanctions on Iran, especially its oil. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

In Pakistan, dozens of parents who brought their children to hospitals for routine care say their kids now have HIV. At least six children have died. Parents accuse hospital staff of spreading the virus by reusing syringes and needles for injections and IV drips.  Families are fighting for recognition of this avoidable tragedy, and to care for children now burdened with a lifelong illness. Support...

World leaders are again gathering in New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly. This will be the last meeting of the body for the current U.N. secretary general, Antonio Guterres. We hear about the challenges he faces in his final months in the job. And we hear from a U.N. insider about what the future of the body may be under the next secretary general. Support public media with NPR...

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk says that Russia is planning “accidental” strikes on countries supporting Ukraine. This comes after a number of incidents, blamed on Russia, in countries that are part of the NATO alliance. And Russians vote in parliamentary elections for the first time since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine over four and half years ago. Russia has gained minimal territory and...

Russia is believed to be holding thousands of Ukrainian soldiers and civilians as prisoners of war. In addition, Russia is tormenting the families of these prisoners by contacting them on social media and demanding favors. We hear from some of these family members. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. L...

For decades, the European Union and Canada have each had strong bonds with the United States. In trade, diplomacy, military cooperation, their close relationships with the U.S. were taken as a given. But the Trump administration has shaken up that status quo with tariff wars and other demands on allies. So now the EU and Canada are now looking at each other and thinking they might feel a spark. We...

In Turkey, gold is gifted throughout life's major milestones and stashing it safely at home is also a time honored practice. Turks have long used gold to safeguard their fortunes as a hedge against the country’s sometimes volatile economy. But officials say all that gold hoarding is hurting Turkey’s financial future. We go to Istanbul to understand why. And President Trump claims Ukraine and Russi...

Raja Shehadeh, one of the world’s leading Palestinian writers, has been on a mission to save his most personal work: his diaries documenting decades of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation. NPR’s Daniel Estrin has this conversation with the award winning author and the story of his secret effort to preserve his archives. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like...