State of the World from NPR
State of the World from NPR delivers concise, daily coverage of the most important global stories. With reporters stationed around the world, NPR provides context and human perspectives on international events. The podcast previously focused on Ukraine but now covers a broader range of global issues. Listeners can access sponsor-free episodes by subscribing to State of the World+.
Episodes
Ukraine’s innovative use of ground drones on the battlefield
Ukraine’s use of cutting edge drone technology is turning the tide in the war with Russia. And the latest breakthrough has been the use of drones that operate high-stakes missions on the ground. We meet one of the Ukraine military’s ground drone units near the front line.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast s
The World Cup gets underway
Soccer’s biggest event is officially underway as the 2026 World Cup kicked off in Mexico. The games will be played in Canada and the U.S. as well, but we go to Mexico City, the capital of the most soccer-obsessed host country, to hear about the jubilant atmosphere. And a Somali referee who was set to make history officiating the World Cup was denied entry to the U.S. He returned to Mogadishu to
Why is the World at War?
A new report shows conflicts across the globe surged in 2025, reaching levels not seen since the Second World War. And violence against civilians reached new heights. We hear from one of the report’s authors and get an update on one of the flashpoints driving the increase in violence: the war in Sudan.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorsh
The relationship between China and North Korea
North Korea hosted a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the first in nearly seven years. Though the two neighboring countries have had an alliance for decades, the meeting comes as North Korea has been prioritizing its relationship with Russia. We hear from our correspondents in Shanghai and Seoul about what this meeting means.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use
As Mexico hosts the World Cup, families of the disappeared keep searching
Guadalajara is preparing for the World Cup with fan zones and celebrations, but the city is also the capital of one of Mexico’s most violent states. Families of the more than 130,000 people reported missing in Mexico continue to search for their loved ones, putting up posters and digging for remains, even as the world watches soccer’s biggest spectacle. We go to Guadalajara to here from families b
How oil is finding its way around the Strait of Hormuz
With ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz at a virtual standstill due to the war in Iran, companies are scrambling to find new and alternative ways to move everything from oil to fertilizer to household goods. We look at how they’re doing it.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR
Colombia’s soccer jersey controversy; Trump’s refugee policy
Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers questions from Congress about radical changes to the U.S. refugee program— a program that once had bipartisan support. We hear what was said about the revamped programAnd as the start of The World Cup approaches, fans in Colombia are eager to see their national team return to the global tournament. But even as they are getting ready to put on their jersey t
Internet returns to Iran; a seaside town that witnessed the war
People in Iran are back online after a government-imposed digital blackout that lasted nearly three months. We hear from Iranians that reconnecting has been bittersweet.And a deadly strike during the first days of the Iran war hit far away in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, jolting a quiet seaside town and showing just how far the conflict’s reach extends.See pcm.adswizz.com for infor
The Indonesian islands divided over nickel mining
Raja Ampat is a collection of some 600 islands in Indonesia’s West Papua province. It is a beautiful area with clear blue waters and coral reefs that is mostly untouched by development except for the recent growth of a nickel mining industry that has split locals. We go to Raja Ampat and her from people who want mining jobs and those that want to protect the fishing and tourism in the area. You
The future of land Israel has seized from neighbors
After the last few years of war, Israel controls adjacent territory in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Israeli officials say these areas are security buffer zones. But some in Israel want to permanently extend their country's borders, using the Bible as a map.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferen
War Worsens Economic Pain in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka was careening from crisis to crisis, then came the Mideast war. People say they've got no buffer left.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 struggle to contain Ebola
Mongbwalu, a once-thriving gold-mining town in eastern DRC, is now emerging as the epicenter of the country’s latest Ebola outbreak.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
In the West Bank, Israeli settlers speed up land grab from Palestinians
In a West Bank spring where Palestinians used to rest and water their flocks, Israeli settlers now swim.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
Ecuadorian fishermen say they were attacked at sea by a U.S. vessel
In recent months, a number of fishermen in Ecuador say a U.S.-flagged vessel attacked them at sea and destroyed their boats. Their accounts come amid more than 50 U.S. maritime strikes across the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean that have killed nearly 200 people. The Trump administration says the operations are lawful and aimed at alleged narco-traffickers, but has not publicly provided evidence or
The foreign fighters from China that played a key role in Syria’s revolution
Uyghurs are a mostly Muslim ethnic minority in China, that number in the millions. Human rights groups have accused China of persecuting Uyghurs because the government fears they have played a role in militant attacks. In today’s episode we hear the story of thousands of Uyghurs who travelled to Syria to gain battlefield experience fighting in the Syrian civil war. Are these people freedom figh
British beavers back from extinction to fight floods
Climate change is making rainfall in Britain heavier and more erratic, meaning places that used to be dry are flooding regularly. So communities are reintroducing a creature that was hunted to extinction 400 hundred years ago. Beavers are working as little climate warriors, building their dams and reducing flooding. We meet some.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use o
Ebola outbreaks past and present
The World Health Organization has declared an international public health emergency because of an outbreak of Ebola centered in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has so far likely killed over 130 people and sickened more than 600. The size of the new outbreak raises questions about whether there were delays in detection. We’ll hear about this outbreak and about the U.S. role in containing th
Cuba runs out of oil; surprising terminology changes at the State Department
Cuba’s government says the Caribbean island nation has run out of oil, following a months-long energy blockade by the U.S. in hopes of forcing political change. We hear about what might happen next for Cubans.And the State Department is changing the way the U.S. diplomats talk about migration and refugees, embracing the "Great Replacement" theory promoted by white nationalists. See pcm.adswizz.co
Shifting momentum in the Russia-Ukraine war
It has been more than four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is a war that has been grinding on without major changes in battle lines, but the conflict may have reached a turning point. There are signs that Russians are growing weary of the military operation and Ukraine has improved its drone technology, hitting deeper inside Russian territory. We hear from NPR reporters
What U.S. troops mean to one German town
President Trump’s recent decision to withdraw at least five thousand troops from Germany has sent shockwaves through a Bavarian town that, for decades, has hosted U.S. troops and may now lose its main source of revenue. We speak to residents.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Priv
Convicted U.S. spy runs for office in Israel; an anti-smoking fight in China
Jonathan Pollard worked as an analyst for the U.S. Navy in the 1980s. He spent 30 years behind bars in the U.S., convicted for spying for Israel. Now he has announced he’s running for Israel’s Parliament. Our correspondent talks to him.And cigarette smoking among men is ingrained in Chinese culture. We meet some women who are trying to change that.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our c
The lasting effects of Trump’s tariff war with China
Over a year ago, President Trump started imposing tariffs on China as part of “Liberation Day”. There was a back-and-forth escalation and at one point the tariffs on China peaked at 145%. A truce was eventually declared and the temperature on the tariff war cooled, but there were lasting effects for manufacturers in both countries. Trump is in China this week and trade is on the agenda. We loo
Trump’s tactics in Iran and the longest intentional internet blackout ever
President Trump has been using a wide range of tactics in the war with Iran in an effort to force the country to bend to U.S. demands. But experts say the seesaw may be hampering efforts to reach a deal.And nearly all of Iran’s population has been cut off from the internet since the war began. But certain people have stayed connected this entire time. We look at Iran’s internet haves and have not
China’s expanding nuclear ambitions and Trump’s visit
President Trump heads to China this week in an effort to stabilize the relationship between the two great powers. But the war in Iran hangs over the visit.And as part of the struggle with the U.S. for global dominance, China has been expanding it’s nuclear arsenal, doubling its size in the last decade. We look at the history of their program and why it is growing now.See pcm.adswizz.com for info
Why it’s a muted celebration in Moscow
Russia’s annual celebration of Victory Day, commemorating the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, is traditionally a huge celebration in Moscow’s Red Square featuring a parade with missiles, tanks and other military hardware. But this year the holiday has been scaled back considerably due to fears of Ukrainian drone attacks. Our correspondent in Moscow says the move is a symbo
The bus with beats and bling
In Nairobi, Kenya, tricked-out buses known as, “matatus,” roll through the streets, entertaining both passengers and passers-by. Matatu buses bump with heavy bass over their sound systems, and are painted up with mural montages. It’s a rolling dance club and mobile art gallery in one. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage yo
A fraying ceasefire in southern Lebanon with villages destroyed
Although there is officially a ceasefire, fighting in south Lebanon between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah has escalated recently. According to the U.N. attacks this week have been the most intense since the truce started.And a family mourns the loss of their ancestral home in southern Lebanon, when their whole village was levelled by Israel during the conflict.See pcm.adswizz.com for in
U.S. diplomats depart; the new Grand Egyptian Museum
Senior career diplomats at the U.S. State Department are effectively being forced into retirement. It’s a loss of talent that one former diplomat calls a “unilateral disarmament”. And we visit the new Grand Egyptian Museum outside Cairo, which was more than 30 years in the making.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your
The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz
The U.S military has begun an operation to end Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in an effort and re-open the waterway to global shipping traffic. The U.S. Navy says it came under fire Monday, but helped two commercial ships safely through the strait. Iran meanwhile, reaffirmed that it will attack any ships that try to go through the strait of Hormuz without its permission. We hear from t
Economic effects of the war in Iran ripple around the globe
From fuel to food, fertilizer and flights, the fallout from the Iran war is reshaping the global economy. We hear from reporters in Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America on the ways it’s affecting their regions and how they’re coping.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 Poli
The search for loved ones in Gaza
After more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the destruction there is overwhelming. According to the United Nations, most buildings there have been damaged or destroyed, and many bodies remain buried under rubble. Crews have begun efforts to recover those remains, including victims from one of the war's deadliest Israeli attacks, which occurred in late 2024. NPR investigated
An interview with a powerful Hindu nationalist
In today’s episode, a rare interview with the leader of a Hindu nationalist group in India known by the acronym RSS. They are the largest far right group in the world and the basis for the party that rules India.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
How is Cuba feeling about the United States?
The relationship between the United States and Cuba hasn’t been this tense for decades. Even as the the U.S. is engaged in high-level negotiations in Havana, it is threatening Cuba with military action. It is a threat that is backed up by the recent action the U.S. took in nearby Venezuela, removing that country’s leader. We hear from a top Cuban diplomat about how Cuba sees its relationship wi
40 years after families survived the Chernobyl accident, they face war
Forty years ago, in April 1986, there was an explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. It was the worst nuclear accident in history. Then the plant was in the USSR, it is part of northern Ukraine now. The accident was a shared trauma for Ukrainians and Russians, but Russia’s war on Ukraine has torn them apart. We meet some families who endured the accident and nuclear fallout four decades
An unlikely Indian movie makes it all the way to the Oscars
India has seen a rise in Hindu nationalism in recent years, in it’s politics but also in the culture. And India’s famed Bollywood film industry has been churning out movies echoing that with movies often featuring macho Hindu men fighting Muslims. We hear about a movie with a very different sensibility which has had a remarkable rise— all the way to the Oscars.See pcm.adswizz.com for information
Ukraine becomes an international arms dealer
Since the war with Iran began Ukraine has found itself in an unexpected position. In addition to receiving military aid, it is also a provider. Iran has been attacking it’s neighbors with the same type of drones Russia uses against Ukraine. And Ukraine has developed defense technology it can now export to the Middle East. We go to Ukraine to learn more.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about
President Trump extends the ceasefire with Iran, what happens now?
Just before a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran was set to expire, President Trump announced on social media that he was extending it. Iran says that a ceasefire is meaningless unless the US blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is lifted, it sees that blockade as an act of war. And then in the hours after Trump’s announcement, Iran attacked at least three ships in the Strait of Hormuz. To underst
How Gaza feels after six months of ceasefire
We mark this moment in both Gaza and Israel. In Gaza, it has been six months since major hostilities with Israel ended. Aid for the territory’s two million residents has resumed but it isn’t sufficient and reconstruction has yet to begin. We hear from some residents about their lives today.And Israel celebrates its Independence Day during a rare pause in three conflicts: Gaza, Iran and Lebanon.
What are the chances for peace between Israel and Lebanon?
As the end of a two-week ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran approaches, a separate but intertwined conflict may have an improved chance at peace. Israel and Lebanon have had a fraught relationship for decades. The most recent fighting flared up not long after the war in Iran began. It involves the Iran-backed militant group, Hezbollah. Now there is a temporary ceasefire and the two nations ar
An Israeli and Palestinian who bonded during war share vision for peace in a new book
The war in Gaza has hardened positions across the Middle East. But two men say it brought them closer together and convinced them that the "future is peace." That’s the title of their new book. NPR’s Michele Kelemen speaks to authors Aziz Abu Sarah and Maoz Inon.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship
They were promised paradise — in North Korea
For 25 years, ethnic Koreans who called Japan home were lured by propaganda to North Korea. Over 90,000 people heeded the call. They were promised all basic needs, but ended up trapped in North Korea’s poverty and starvation. Now, survivors are fighting for justice in court.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast
Sudan’s war enters a fourth year
What began as a power struggle between the army and the powerful paramilitary force — former allies in a coup that removed a civilian government — has spiraled into a devastating war. Now entering its fourth year, it has become the world's largest humanitarian catastrophe.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sp
The last detention camp for ISIS wives and kids
After U.S.-backed Iraqi and Syrian forces defeated ISIS, its surviving fighters went to prison. Their wives and children were sent to detention camps, where many remain to this day. NPR visits the last detention camp for ISIS wives and children in an increasingly precarious northeastern Syria. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and
Hezbollah re-arms… but how?
In 2024, Israel killed Hezbollah's top leaders and is thought to have decimated its arsenal. So how is the Iran-backed group still firing rockets into Israel? NPR’s Lauren Frayer looks as how Hezbollah has re-armed and changed tactics.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 Poli
A Ukrainian mayor, released from captivity, returns to a radically different city
Ukraine has been a country living through war for more than four years, since Russia’s full-scale invasion. But the experience of that war varies widely. Cities on the front line often bear the brunt of attacks, and yet residents a forced to persevere. In our second story from the southern Ukraine city of Kherson, we hear about a former mayor, taken captive, who returns to a city where life has
Life in a Ukrainian city dramatically changed by war
Weapons evolve over the course of a war, and for the war in Ukraine the use of drones has radically altered the battlefield. But those same weapons have an impact on civilian populations in frontline cities as well. We go to the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson where four years of war has forced residents to constantly adapt.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of p
A ceasefire with Iran is declared, why is there still fighting in Lebanon?
President Trump announced a two-week ceasefire with Iran, just ahead of a deadline he imposed for the country to open the Strait of Hormuz or face catastrophic attacks on infrastructure. In the Middle East there are feelings of relief, anger and uncertainty, after the ceasefire was announced. We hear from NPR reporters in Israel and Lebanon to hear how people are reacting.See pcm.adswizz.com for
Daring to dissent in Russia
One Moscow poet is making rare criticism of the Russian war on Ukraine. The Russian assault on Ukraine is now in its fifth year. For ordinary Russians, dissent against the war is dangerous. Poet Vadim Dzyuba is speaking out anyway. It’s cost him his job, and he faces an ongoing threat of jail.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to m
What 9,000 year old remains in Germany tell us about human development
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. 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
Venezuelans are daring to hope again
It’s been three months since the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Ordinary Venezuelans reflect on what that night of the Maduro capture was like, and on what may be ahead for their country. They say they’re now able to openly talk politics and demonstrate in the streets. Still, the most difficult part of transforming their country may lie ahead.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our col
Paramedics pay the price of war in Lebanon
Israel has invaded Lebanon as the war in Iran expands in the region. Israel says the move is in pursuit of Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters— Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel last month in support of Iran. Israel’s invasion has caused a humanitarian crisis in Lebanon with over a million civilians displaced and more than 1,300 killed in Israeli attacks, according to Lebanon’s government. An
Is the U.S. threatening to commit war crimes in Iran?
On Monday, President Trump threatened to destroy civilian infrastructure across Iran, including the country’s desalination plants, vital for drinking water in the arid Gulf. Kuwait authorities said Iran had attacked one of their desalination plants earlier that day. Deliberately attacking essential civilian infrastructure is a war crime under international law. Yet both sides have hit civilian i
Humanity’s future with Artificial Intelligence
A conversation with an advocate for the regulation of Artificial Intelligence. He has thought a lot about what it could mean for the future of the the global economy, the working lives of people and how it’s use or misuse on the battlefield could change war in frightening ways.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podc
A month of the Iran war through the eyes of a writer in Tehran
For almost a month now, a twenty-eight-year old Iranian writer in Tehran has been sharing her diary entries with NPR. The entries give us a view of the war from inside Iran as it is being lived. This is her second dispatch and she expresses the complicated emotions some Iranians have about this war.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship
How one month of war in Iran is felt in countries around the region
It’s been a month since the U.S. and Israel began the war on Iran. President Trump pointed to what he said has been progress in talks when he extended his deadline for Iran to open up the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping channel. He has threated to destroy Iran’s energy facilities if ships aren’t allowed to pass.Meanwhile attacks continue in Iran, Israel, Gulf States and Lebanon. Israel’s Defens
How is the war in Iran impacting Southeast Asia?
Southeast Asia is among the areas hardest hit by Iran’s cutoff of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz, with many nations there almost entirely dependent on foreign energy — and quickly running out. We hear how the effects are being felt.And Iran has been not only launching missiles around the region but also firing off memes around the internet. We hear that although war propaganda has a lon
Changes coming to the UK’s House of Lords
Britain’s upper house of parliament is known as the House of Lords and it’s has a lot of old traditions: powdered wigs, a gold throne, lawmakers addressing each other as “noble lord” or “baroness”. But one tradition has recently received scrutiny— dozens of the legislators inherit their seats. We go to London to learn about the practice that has been in place for nearly a thousand years.See pcm.
Israeli public opinion on Iran war; what is moving through the Strait of Hormuz?
After weeks of war with Iran, Israeli support for the conflict is high but waning. Israel has endured frequent airstrikes from Iran disrupting lives and killing at least fifteen so far. We hear from some Israelis about how they’re feeling.And while more than one thousand ships are idle, unable to go through the Strait of Hormuz due to Iranian attacks on vessels, a few are getting through the eco
What we know about backchannel conversations between the U.S. and Iran
After days of brinkmanship, President Trump announces a sudden delay in threatened strikes on Iran’s power grid, citing “very good and productive” talks aimed at de-escalating the war. Our reporter tells us what we know about those talks.And at one underground disco along Turkey's border with Iran, Iranians ponder death and the destruction of their country while celebrating the traditional new ye
The Ukrainian town enmeshed in netting to evade deadly Russian drones
Entering the Ukrainian town of Izium brings the odd sight of roads and sidewalks completely covered in wide stretches of overhead netting. It’s a low-tech defense against the latest deadly Russian drones known as, FPV, or first-person view drones. FPV’s can fly up to 15 miles and are piloted by unjammable fiber optic cables. Cities in eastern Ukraine are preparing for an advancing front line as Ru
A U.S. proposal to disarm Hamas; we hear voices from Iran
NPR has learned that mediators have quietly given Hamas a proposal to hand over all its weapons to ensure Gaza’s reconstruction. And Iran has imposed a near-total internet blackout as the war with the U.S. and Israel rages on. Some Iranians are sending voice memos to share a glimpse of what life is like inside the country.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person
How drones are being used globally: in conflicts and by criminals
Unmanned drones are cheaper than missiles, easy to mass-produce, can travel long distances, and strike with precision. For all these reasons they are reshaping conflicts around the globe. We hear from NPR correspondents about how drones are changing the nature of war and the balance of power in Ukraine, Sudan and Mexico.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal
Who were the Iranian leaders killed in airstrikes?
Israel says it has killed two top Iranian leaders in airstrikes, dealing another blow to Iran’s remaining leadership. One of the men was believed to be directing the current war effort, and these deaths come after Israel killed Iran’s supreme leader on the first day of the war. We hear more about who was killed and what this might mean for Iran.And over a million Lebanese have been displaced sinc
The Global Impact of High Oil Prices
Ever since the U.S. and Israel launched a war on Iran, oil prices have been on a rollercoaster but overall have been trending higher. An increase in the price of oil has world-wide consequences with winners and losers. To get a snapshot of where things stand, we hear from three reporters around the world— in Russia, Germany and Taiwan.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and
A glimpse of one Iranian’s life in Tehran during the war
Understanding exactly what is happening inside Iran is difficult. The government rarely gives visas to western journalists and closely monitors those that do enter the country. The internet is closely controlled by the regime. For the past two weeks, since the U.S. and Israel began their war in Iran, a writer in Tehran has been sharing entries from her diary with NPR about this war. We hear some o
While the war in Iran gets attention, what’s happening in Gaza?
Five months ago, President Trump declared ceasefire in Gaza, having negotiated a deal that includes phased Israeli withdrawal from the territory and Hamas disarmament. But that was before the U.S. and Israel launched a war in Iran taking the Trump administration’s attention away from the Palestinian territory. We go to Gaza and find it’s still cutoff from the outside world and gains towards a du
Another front in the war with Iran: the Israel-Lebanon border
In southern Lebanon, Hezbollah militants backed by Iran have been firing rockets at Israel in retaliation for Israel’s war in Iran. And Israel has been firing back hard. Almost 700 thousand Lebanese have been displaced, mostly fleeing Israel’s strikes.We go to both sides of this renewed conflict. In northern Israel daily rockets are keeping people on edge but also defiant. In Lebanon, Hezbolla
What four years of war in Ukraine looks like from Russia
Russia’s so-called “special military operation” in Ukraine recently passed the four year mark. And over that time it has become the deadliest conflict on the European continent since World War II. Over 1.5 million people are dead, injured or missing, according to western governments and think tanks. Our correspondent in Moscow tries to answer one of the most persistent and difficult questions o
Does the Iraq war hold lessons for Iran?
As we enter the second week of U.S. combat operations in Iran, NPR’s Leila Fadel considers the similarities and differences with the last time the United States waded into war in the region, in Iraq in 2003. Leila covered that war as well and talks to some experts about what lessons can be drawn.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and
The effects of a widening war in the Middle East
A week ago, the U.S. and Israel began airstrikes on Iran, killing the regime’s leader and starting a war that has now threatens to to expand throughout the Middle East. Iran struck back, firing missiles and drones at Israel, but also at U.S. allies including Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Meanwhile, Hezbollah militants in Lebanon fired rockets at Israel, and Israel has now con
Who will be Iran’s next leader?; How Ukraine might help defend the Gulf
A panel of clerics in Iran are meeting to decide on the next leader of the fundamentalist regime after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in recent airstrikes. After nearly 40 years of his rule, the choice could either cement hardline continuity under his son or usher in a fundamentally transformed regime. We hear about likely candidates.And as Iranians are attacking American bases in the Middle
New information about the bombing of a school in Iran
New details are emerging about the bombing of a girls’ school in southeastern Iran that killed 165 people, many of them students, according to Iran state media. The Pentagon says it is investigating what happened. Meanwhile satellite images suggest it could have been a precision airstrike. NPR was the first to report on the new images, and we hear more about what they reveal.And as the U.S. strike
What is the strategy for regime change in Iran and is it working?
Days after Israeli and U.S. air strikes killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Israel said it had targeted the building where top Iranian clerics would meet to choose his successor. Israel’s Prime Minister says the goal of this war is to get rid of the religious regime that has ruled Iran for almost half a century. Many of the possible successors to Iran’s have been killed in the a
What the war feels like in Iran and Israel
The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran continue. Meanwhile Iran is retaliating, firing missiles Israel, but also U.S. allies in the Gulf like Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and even air bases Cyprus, threatening to expand the conflict. And the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon entered the fight, launching its first attacks on Israel in more than a year.We get an update on developments throughou
The U.S. and Israel launch a major attack on Iran
In an attack the Pentagon has called “Operation Epic Fury”, the United States along with Israel launched a major strike on Iran bombing sites in Tehran and other cities. In announcing the operation on social media, President Trump said the Iranian regime’s activities endanger the United States. We’ll hear details about the strike and analysis about what this action could mean for the Iranian reg
A crackdown on the online scam epicenter of the world
Cambodia and neighboring Laos have become centers for stealing money via bogus investment opportunities, romance scams and other online cons. The U.S. Treasury Department says Americans were scammed for $10 billion dollars in 2024 alone and the worldwide estimate is four times that. Many countries have had enough. We hear about the consequences being forced on the scammers.See pcm.adswizz.com f
The war raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo
It is a war for control over some of the world’s richest mineral reserves and the violence is heightened by long-standing ethnic and political tensions. In the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, government forces and local militia groups are fighting M23 rebels backed by neighboring Rwanda.This is one of the wars President Trump repeatedly claims to have ended. But though a U.S.-brokered peace
Israel’s far-right has dreams for Gaza
According to the Gaza peace plan President Trump negotiated between Israel and Hamas, Palestinians will not be displaced from the territory. This is a pivot from Trump’s earlier position that Palestinians should leave and move to other countries. But powerful people in Israel’s government don’t like this change. We go to Israel’s parliament, where those who say Israel should stay in Gaza are mak
After four years of war in Ukraine, how does each side see the conflict?
It has been four years since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, starting a war the Kremlin believed would end in a matter of days with Ukraine capitulating. Now after years of death and destruction, the war grinds on with no end in sight as U.S.-sponsored peace talks appear to be at an impasse. NPR has correspondents in both Kyiv and Moscow and we hear from them about how both coun
A wave of violence in Mexico after a drug lord is killed
In Mexico, chaos erupts after a major drug cartel leader is killed in a military raid. Armed men set fire to banks, businesses and vehicles in retaliation. We get the latest from Mexico.And we meet the one of the last newspaper hawkers in Paris, who has just been given a knighthood.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your
