State of the World from NPR

In Russia, polls consistently show support for the war in Ukraine somewhere around 70%. But a recent independent study of Russians' opinions indicates the picture is more complex. We hear more from our correspondent in Moscow. And in Ukraine, couples who are separated by the war can now propose and get married online over an app. The service is so popular there is a months-long wait for virtual ceremonies. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon kill over 350 and injure more than 1,000. The attacks were mostly in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah militants have been trading fire across the border with Israel since the war in Gaza began. Our correspondent is there in the south of Lebanon where civilians are fleeing the attacks any way they can.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

A building in a residential neighborhood in Beirut was struck by Israel, killing a senior commander with the militant group Hezbollah and ten other fighters, according to the Israeli military. It was the deadliest attack in Beirut in nearly two decades and it comes in the same week Hezbollah militants were targeted by Israel with thousands of exploding pagers and radios. We go to the scene of the strike in Beirut.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 China the government is raising the official retirement age to combat a rapidly shrinking workforce. We hear reaction from Chinese workers. And life in Mexico City presents many challenges for people there. But getting a driving license isn't one of them.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Life is uncertain for children in war zones. There, school can be a source of stability or just another thing that war obliterates. We hear reports on what school is like in three of the world's most active war zones: Sudan, Gaza and Ukraine. Sign up for State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists. Visit plus.npr.org. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Authorities in Lebanon are blaming Israel for an apparent attack in which pagers, used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, exploded simultaneously. At least nine people were killed, more than 2,700 were injured. Tensions between Israel and Hezbollah, the Lebanese paramilitary group backed by Iran, had already been high and there were fears their frequent attacks on each other could escalate into all-out war. We hear about what this all could mean from our correspondent in the region.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

A rape case in France involving a woman whose ex-husband is on trial for drugging her and recruiting other men to sexually assault her. Now thousands have turned out to support her and many are asking hard questions about the culture that allowed this to happen for years.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 Security Council is the United Nations' most powerful body, with the ability to impose sanctions and authorize the use of force. There are five permanent members of the council: Russia, France, China, the U.S and Britain. And any one of those permanent members can veto council resolutions. The U.S. is proposing expanding the number of permanent members, including two permanent seats for African countries. We talk to the U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. about the proposal. And Seoul, South Korea is such a massive city, residents looking to experience nature can face a long journey to reach the countryside. As a result, the city's parks are catering to urban campers who want to sleep outdoors closer to home. We meet some of them.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Cocoa beans, which are used to make chocolate, are mostly grown in a few places making them susceptible to the effects of extreme weather events, driven by climate change. We hear about a team in Germany that is developing a chocolate made without cocoa.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 two years since the death of a woman in the custody of Iran's morality police led to protests across the country. The brutal government crackdown that followed continues today- with artists, journalists and activists targeted. NPR's Jackie Northam brings us the voices of some of those affected.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank say springs are taken over by Israeli settlers and taps in towns barely run. And in Britain, Princess Catherine Announces She's Completed Chemotherapy. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 ruling Taliban in Afghanistan issued a sweeping morality law in August. Among other things, it bans women's voices outside the home: no laughing, speaking loudly or singing. Afghan women outside the country are protesting the restriction by posting videos of themselves singing. We hear from some of them.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

There has been nearly a week of protests in Israel following the death of six hostages held by Hamas. They're calling on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas, bringing the remining hostages held in Gaza home. But so far, no deal has been reached. We talk about how Israelis view their prime minister with Anshel Pfeffer, correspondent for The Economist and author of a biography of Netanyahu.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Last month in Bangladesh, street protests grew into a movement that eventually ended the rule of the autocratic prime minister. Now the country is picking up the pieces and charting a new way forward. We board a double-decker bus in Bangladesh's capital, Dhaka, to talk to Bangladeshis about the future.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

There is a contentious fight in Mexico right now over constitutional reforms that would remake the judiciary. Opponents say the changes would weaken the judiciary's independence, but Mexicans elected a government with a super-majority, making these changes possible. Our correspondent in Mexico asks: in a democracy, what if the majority is wrong?To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Israel mourns six hostages, who were captured during the October 7th attacks by Hamas, and found by the Israeli military in Gaza, recently killed. We go to the funeral of one of the hostages, in Jerusalem. And in Gaza, nearly all residents have been displaced multiple times by evacuation orders from the Israeli military, into so-called humanitarian safe zones. We get a glimpse of what life is like in these overcrowded areas. For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 summer of 1944, as American and Allied soldiers celebrated the liberation of France from the Nazis, one French family experienced a trauma that would be felt for generations. A murder and sexual assault so traumatic they are only now coming to terms with it, 80 years later. And this wasn't an isolated incident. We hear their story.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

As the war drags on, families of hostages who have been held in Gaza for nearly eleven months are becoming increasingly frustrated and angry. Some of them release some of their pain by yelling their loved ones names into Gaza, in hopes of being heard. And the U.S. pressures Israel to change the way it evacuates civilians from parts of Gaza, amid fears of their safety. For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdatesTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Just like in the U.S., Amazon is a big e-commerce presence in India. And also like the U.S., Amazon's fulfillment centers in India have been the subject of complaints of unsafe conditions for workers. To understand what those conditions are like, we hear from some Amazon warehouse workers. Disclosure: Amazon is among NPR's financial supports and pays to distribute some NPR content. NPR covers the company independently as we cover everything else.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

On Wednesday Israel launched raids into the Occupied West Bank, they say to root out Hamas militants and prevent another attack like the one that occurred on October 7th. We hear the latest on those raids. And Israelis who believe the West Bank should be Israeli territory have significantly increased settlement activity since the war in Gaza started. Our correspondent visits some of the outposts.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 island nation of Palau is at the center of tensions between the U.S., China, and Taiwan. We go there to see what the competition between superpowers looks like on the ground.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

At one time, in the 1970's, Watford Football Club in England was at the bottom of the rankings. Then rock superstar Elton John purchased the team and turned their fortunes around. Our London correspondent tells us the tale of the failing soccer club and the rock star. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Work continues towards finding a path to a ceasefire in Gaza. U.S. mediators continue to communicate optimism, while the two sides, Israel and Hamas, seem to downplay the idea that progress is being made on their remaining differences. We hear about one major sticking point. Control of a strip of land in southern Gaza called the Philadelphi Corridor. And the bodies of six Israeli hostages taken captive on October 7th were recovered this week. At funerals we hear friends and family express anger at the Israeli government for not doing enough to bring their loved ones home alive. For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdatesTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 an unprecedented step, the U.S. has imposed sanctions in recent months on about a dozen Israelis who it says have taken violent action against Palestinians and posed obstacles to peace. We hear from one Israeli who the U.S. has taken action against.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Some Ukrainians are fleeing an unpopular conscription drive for troops. Ukrainian guards are on their trail. NPR's Joanna Kakissis takes us to one escape route along a river in Western Ukraine. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 world needs lithium to transition to a lower carbon future. The mineral is used in batteries, such as those found in electric vehicles. But extracting lithium can create huge environmental damage. We go to Serbia, where a proposed lithium mine is fueling social unrest.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Some 12 million people are displaced in Sudan as the military government battles a powerful paramilitary group. There is acute hunger and risk of famine for many. Peace talks hoping to resolve the crisis are being held in Geneva this week. We hear about the chances that those talks will succeed and details about conditions on the ground in Sudan.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Ukraine's attack into Russian territory surprised many. Including, it would seem, the Russians themselves. But what are the strategic goals Ukraine is hoping to achieve with this move? We hear from a retired U.S. lieutenant general. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Earlier this month a youth-led movement helped topple the government of an autocratic prime minister in Bangladesh. Now students sweep broken glass, direct traffic, and join the government. But can they rebuild a country? We go to the streets of Dhaka.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Following a disputed election in Venezuela, autocratic president Nicolàs Maduro is cracking down on the opposition. Thousands have been arrested and lawmakers are threatening social media sites and planning to close down civic groups. We hear from opponents of Maduro.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 a rare interview with a Hamas leader our correspondent asks about the attacks of October 7th and the aftermath. He says the group has no regrets about launching the operation, but that mistakes were made.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Last week, in surprise move, Ukraine sent it's military into Russian territory. And so far the Russians have been struggling to mount a defense and kick them out. We hear what is known about the operation from our correspondent in Kyiv.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Ukraine has competing needs from its military aged population. It needs many of them to join the military to fight the Russian invasion. But it also needs them in the workforce, to keep the economy going so it can afford to pay for the war effort. As our reporter in Kyiv tells us, the most recent conscription law has exacerbated the problem.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

For over a week race riots have broken out in the United Kingdom, mostly in smaller, poorer, less diverse cities. The violence has been stoked by misinformation and disinformation online. Our reporter travels to one of the places that saw mob violence to understand why it's happening.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

A popular book and TV series in Europe imagines the straight-laced former German chancellor Angela Merkel solving crimes in her retirement. We unpack the premise's popularity. And an American has been jailed in Nigeria over a dispute the country has with the crypto-currency exchange Binance. Some say the man is effectively being held hostage.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

This week the prime minister of Bangladesh fled the country by helicopter, forced out by a protest movement that started peacefully but became violent. We hear from our correspondent about the events that lead to this dramatic change in government. And we hear reaction from a journalist who had been jailed 6 years ago for criticizing that government.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Iran has vowed to strike Israel following the assassination of a Hamas leader on Iran's soil. We hear from Israelis watching and waiting as they know an attack is coming but the don't know when. And in the West Bank, the war between Israel and Hamas has sparked an increase in Palestinian men wanting to die fighting Israeli occupation. For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdatesTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 Nigeria, even two meals a day is becoming unaffordable to many. Demonstrators are protesting food inflation of more than 40 percent, and fuel costs that have tripled. And in China, live-streamers digitally clone themselves, raising questions about the future of labor in the age of A.I. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Hezbollah and Hamas bury their slain leaders. And Venezuelan security forces arrest protesters of last weekend's presidential election.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 continue to protest Sunday's disputed election in which President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory. The opposition says it has evidence that their candidate won. And in China, an informal social media poll favors one candidate for the US presidency.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

People find new ways to grow food after severe drought in some regions of Ethiopia. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 Druze community of the Golan Heights mourns after a weekend rocket strike on a soccer field kills 12 children. The attack raises questions about the Druze identity— an Arab minority group that can claim Israeli citizenship. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 Venezuela's presidential elections, incumbent Nicholas Maduro fights a movement against him lead by Maria Corina Machado, who's been barred from the race. In Russia, Russian American journalist, Alsu Kurmasheva, is sentenced to prison in a case similar to that of jailed Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Olympic Opening Ceremonies are typically held in stadiums. For the 2024 Games, Paris is taking the event to the heart of the city, in and along the River Seine. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has this preview. To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Like many other countries, South Koreans are turning away from organized religions. But DJ Yoon Seong-ho is using his beats to attract new followers to his Buddhist faith.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

A play about witches is selling out in Ukraine's capital Kyiv. And even though the plot takes place centuries ago, the play's takeaways and parallels to today resonate with Ukrainians. We hear from actors and audience members.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Wall Street Journal correspondent Evan Gershkovich was sentenced to 16 years in a Russian prison on charges of espionage. His employer and the U.S. government have said he is innocent and the trial is a sham. We hear the latest from Moscow and reaction from the U.S.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Artificial Intelligence makes it possible to resurrect deceased loved-ones in the form of a very convincing video and audio imitation. Some companies in China are beginning to provide this as a service. We hear about the practice and the ethical questions it raisesTo manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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 Kenya, protests that began in response to tax increases have grown into a movement demanding the president's resignation. Scores of protestors have gone missing since the anti-government protests began a month ago. Human rights groups fear that the security forces are behind these disappearances. We hear from young protestors.To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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

Ever since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7th, Israel had detained thousands of Palestinians from Gaza. We hear the story of one radiologist who says he endured beatings and mistreatment during seven months in Israeli detention. For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates To manage podcast ad preferences, review the links below: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