State of the World from NPR

The long tail of the 9/11 attacks for one Afghan family

The 25th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the United States are being observed across the U.S. Those events left marks on countless lives across this co

We go to the part of southern Lebanon that Israel now controls

Israel launched a ground invasion of neighboring Lebanon in March, after the Iran-backed group Hezbollah ramped up attacks following the U.S. and Israel war in Iran. Isra

What is the future of U.S. military bases in the Middle East?

When the U.S. and Israel launched a war in Iran over six months go, Iran retaliated by blocking shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran also launched counterattacks on U.S

The UK pushes back on Israeli settlements; a far-right win in Germany

The United Kingdom announced a major reset of its relations with Israel. And the country’s foreign minister used surprisingly strong language in explaining the move. The

Encore: The promise and frustration of a future economic powerhouse in West Africa

In this encore episode, we examine the booming population along coastal corridor from the cities Lagos to Abidjan.  It has the potential to be a bustling West African eco

The humble Scottish breakfast with rich cultural significance

We go to the Scottish Highlands to learn about breakfast dish that has just three ingredients but countless variations: porridge, better known in the U.S. as oatmeal. Eac

The souring relationship between Trump and Netanyahu

Just like in the U.S., Israel’s politicians are focused on an upcoming national election that could be consequential— Israelis vote at the end of October. And that has fa

Russia’s increased attacks on Kyiv and its partnership with Iran

Life has changed recently in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Residents there had gotten used to periodic Russian airstrikes happening maybe once or twice a week. But

Rescuing those still trapped by flash floods in Nepal and Tibet

It was almost a week ago that a wall of water and mud and rock devastated riverside Himalayan communities in Tibet and Nepal and rescuers are still trying to locate hundr

Will the U.S. really control Venezuelan oil?

The U.S. and Venezuela say they have entered into a partnership that would give the U.S. majority control of more that 65 billion barrels worth of oil reserves. President

Life in Iran after six months of war

It has been six months since the U.S. and Israel launched a war in Iran. And the effects of the conflict can be felt in the United States in higher fuel prices and extend

How Israeli and American attitudes towards each other have changed

Since the October 7th, 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel, much has happened with the U.S.’s key ally in the Middle East. Israel launched an invasion of Gaza and then Leban

Congolese designers push fashion in a different direction

When the Democratic Republic of Congo is in the news, it’s usually related to poverty, or conflict— most recently it was the Ebola outbreak. But the country is a cradle o

Chinese workers fight back against AI; the meaning of milk in Rwanda

Just like in the United States and elsewhere, workers in China are worried about artificial intelligence taking away their jobs. So they are fighting back. This summer, a

Will the Trump Administration’s latest economic pressure on Iran work?

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new pressure on Iran Monday, that the administration is calling an “economic D-Day”. Almost six months after the U.S. and

Are U.S. embassies in the Middle East weakened?

After the U.S. and Israel launched the war in Iran, and Iran responded by attacking U.S. targets in the region, hundreds of U.S. diplomats were evacuated from embassies i

Surprising political effects of Europe’s heat waves

It’s summer, so warm weather is to be expected. But in Europe this summer has been really, really hot. Five heat waves so far have broken records on the continent and the

Iraq is caught between Washington and Tehran

In July, Iraq’s new prime minister visited Washington. There he promised President Trump that Iraq would disarm Iran-backed militias by the end of September. Many of thos

Charm and charges for India’s youth

India’s ruling party, the BJP, realizes it has a problem reaching young voters. Last month, youth-led protests, sparked by education policy and high unemployment, shook t

Israeli settlers besiege a West Bank house owned by a U.S. citizen

The family of a Palestinian American man have been under siege in their home in the occupied West Bank. Extremist Israeli settlers attacked the home for days and the Isra