State of the World from NPR

Europe is the world’s fastest warming continent with temperatures there increasing at twice the average global rate. That is melting Europe's glaciers, which may disappear by the end of the century, forever altering the continent's rivers with ripple effects on shipping. We go to the water’s source in the Swiss Alps to understand the changes taking place. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about...

When the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan and the Taliban took control, China stepped in with a sizable investment to develop oil fields. But now the Afghan Government has cut the contract and the Chinese firm says the Taliban took some of its workers hostage. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship pref...

Nearly two years into the war in Gaza, UNICEF estimates that more than 50,000 Palestinian children have been killed or injured. We meet a doctor in nearby Lebanon where he and his team are racing to heal the handful of kids they can reach. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privac...

President Trump has made clear he’s interested in ending the war Russia has waged on Ukraine. After a flurry of diplomatic meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a variety of European leaders, is the prospect of peace near? We hear from NPR’s correspondent in Moscow and a national security correspondent from the New York Times on whether progres...

In Ireland, the Catholic Church once ran homes for unwed mothers. Until recently the church dominated life there and pregnancy outside marriage was considered shameful. Behind one of these homes a ghastly discovery has recently been made and is now being unearthed. It was a secret most people in the town knew about, but no one took any action until recently.  See pcm.adswizz.com for information ab...

A U.N. backed panel of experts declares a famine in the northern part of Gaza, the first time there has been a confirmed famine in the Middle East. We hear about the conditions that lead to the declaration. And Hamas has endorsed a new proposal for a ceasefire with Israel, while Israel is threatening a new assault into Gaza City. We hear about the pressure Hamas is facing from Arab countries while...

After banning a pro-Palestinian protest group and labeling members terrorists, the UK has been arresting hundreds of protesters at weekly rallies, mostly elderly people. Critics say it endangers freedom of speech and assembly. And Mexico City is not known for its tropical fruits. But climate change is causing some surprising things to grow in local gardens. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

In the Gaza Strip thousands of exhausted, hungry people seek meager food at a distribution site in the north. Those lucky enough to get one of the sacks of white flour given out are called “white walkers”, a reference to zombie-like characters in the television show "Game of Thrones". But many leave empty-handed and simply seeking the food aid is dangerous and often deadly. We go to one of these s...

President Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and seven European leaders met at the White House to talk about ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. The meeting followed a summit between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska last week. We dive into the proposals to end the war and how each side might react to them. We hear from NPR’s correspondent in Moscow and Ukrain...

A long lasting drought and severe heat this summer, compounded with government mismanagement of the country’s dams have led to an impending water crisis in Iran. Officials are warning that the approximately ten million residents of the country's capital, Tehran, might run out of water in a matter of weeks. We hear how this has happened and what it means for Iranians. See pcm.adswizz.com for inform...

On the 80th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in WWII, the legacy of a biological warfare unit still haunts. And human rights activists are alarmed by the Trump administration’s changing focus.  See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

It's been four years since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban's return to power. Life for certain groups has deteriorated significantly. But the Trump administration says Afghanistan’s conditions have improved in recent years to the point where sending Afghan nationals BACK does not pose a threat to their safety. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of...

All eyes are on Alaska ahead of President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s meeting there on Friday. We revisit the history of Russia’s sale of the Alaskan territory to the U.S.. NPR’s Greg Myre describes how some Russians still question whether Alaska is truly American. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your...

Syria’s trying to emerge from a multi-layered financial crisis since opposition fighters toppled the regime late last year and formed a government. It’s been given a boost by the US lifting most sanctions, but efforts are hampered by a lack of liquidity. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferen...

EU foreign ministers meet ahead of Friday’s Trump-Putin talks in Alaska, with Brussels insisting any peace deal must include Ukraine. And Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif was killed in an Israeli airstrike that also took out the broadcaster's crew in Gaza City. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship prefer...

Much of the attention on the world's plunging birth rate is on east Asian countries like Japan and South Korea. But Latin American countries, like Chile, are also seeing a decline in fertility. We go to Chile’s capital to understand the personal decisions behind the countries plummeting birth rate trend. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsors...

A photo of an emaciated child in Gaza has gone viral, with many in Israel claiming it depicts false information. Our producer in Gaza meets the child and his family, we hear about how he is doing now and about the food insecurity many in Gaza are facing. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferen...

In Africa’s most populous country more than a third of residents have no access to electricity. Even those connected to the nation’s crumbling power grid cannot rely on it. And the situation isn’t improving. We go to Nigeria to see how people cope with the lack of access to power. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your p...

A Palestinian activist who helped make the Oscar-winning documentary "No Other Land" was shot dead in a suspected Israeli settler attack in the occupied West Bank. We go to his community to hear about the man and the incident that lead to his death. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences....

The Trump Administration’s worldwide tariff wars continue. A top priority for Trump has been resetting U.S. trade relations and earlier this year his administration had vowed “90 deals in 90 days”. But as the August 1st deadline came and went, what emerged wasn’t a flurry of deals but a wave of new tariffs. We hear from reporters around the world about how countries are reacting to the news and wh...

With anniversary of Jane Austen's birth approaching in December, her fans are donning gowns and tailcoats at costume balls across Britain. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

The threat of 50% US tariffs on some goods have Brazilian growers and producers are on edge. Heavy metal hero Ozzy Osbourne has a hometown farewell in Birmingham, England. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

President Trump wants to bring shipbuilding back to the U.S. to counter China and boost American jobs. The ambitious goal will require rebuilding infrastructure and retraining a workforce. And in Paris, twenty years of discouraging car traffic and planting trees is yielding cleaner air and revitalized river banks and public spaces. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use o...

Mermaids, giants and huge eyes look up from the waters near Talamone, Italy. It's one fisherman's way of protecting fishing grounds from the damage of trawling nets. Artists' sculptures are sunk to the bottom of the Mediterranean sea along with concrete blocks to break the nets of the trawlers that devastate marine life. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal...

Doctors warn that even with immediate food aid, the toll of malnutrition and starvation on children in Gaza may already be permanent. And we hear the Venezuelans deported from the U.S. to El Salvador describe beatings, sexual abuse, and near-total isolation inside the notorious CECOT mega prison. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and...