State of the World from NPR

Increasingly, Israelis and Palestinians are experiencing the war in Gaza in completely different ways. Critics charge Israeli media outlets with failing to cover the extent of civilian suffering in Gaza. And Palestinian news media is accused of downplaying the level of violence committed in the October 7th attacks on Israel. We hear from news consumers and journalists on both sides. 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

As protests over the Israel Hamas war roil college campuses across the U.S., similar protests are happening elsewhere in the world. We hear from some of them. And a quirky festival in Colombia celebrates the donkey.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

After months of delay in Congress, Ukraine is finally receiving the U.S. military aid it says is crucial in winning its fight against Russia. But after two years of war, what it means to win is increasingly complicated. We hear about the state of the conflict from our correspondent in Kyiv and our Pentagon correspondent.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

European countries that border Russia are concerned that they'll be invaded next if an emboldened Russia is successful in Ukraine, even though they're members of the NATO alliance. We go to the Baltic nation of Estonia and hear from people who are making preparations in case of invasion.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 has been public with it's plan to conduct an assault on the city of Rafah, in southern Gaza, absent a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Such a military operation could be catastrophic for more than a million Palestinian civilians there, many having fled there from fighting elsewhere in Gaza. We hear the voices of people who are weighing the risks of staying and wondering where they can go. 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

We take a look at China's economy as it has emerged from the pandemic experiencing slower growth than in years past. We hear that economic ties between the U.S. and China have loosened and that high unemployment among young people has meant far less optimism 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

Germany might be known for precision technology, but the government and many businesses still rely on that darling of the 90's— the fax machine! However, those chirpy, screeching tones may give way to modern technology by this summer. At issue is bureaucracy that some say is hurting the German economy. 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

Newly approved military aid package goes to Ukraine, Taiwan and Israel. We'll hear about what its impact on the battlefield will be. And in London, royal horses get loose during rush hour. 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

As Israel's war against Hamas continues, children in Gaza are suffering. According to the United Nations, more than 25,000 children have been killed or injured since October. That's one child every ten minutes. We hear about one of those children, a twelve year-old boy injured in Gaza. 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

Two stories of how our reliance on GPS becomes problematic in regions experiencing war. In Ukraine, the power grid's use of GPS becomes a liability. And in the Middle East today, GPS "spoofing" causes a variety of issues from plane navigation to internet dating.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 U.S. Congress is poised to finally approve a package of aid to Ukraine worth over $60 billion, with the House having approved the funds on Saturday. The Ukrainian prime minister was in Washington to urge for the aid to be passed and explains why Americans should continue to assist in his country's war effort.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 and Iran have been trading attacks on each other for a week including, for the first time, attacks on each other's territory. Will Israel's latest retaliation be the end of this wave of hostilities, or will Iranian response bring the long-standing enemies closer to all-out war? We hear from NPR's national security correspondent and our correspondent in Israel. 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

H-Pop is the Indian popular music and poetry of Hindu nationalism. But critics worry that the music is spreading hate and encourages violence against Muslims.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

Ultra-Orthodox Israelis have long been exempt from compulsory military service. But the October 7th attack by Hamas and Israel's subsequent military response have brought forward calls for change. The government's decision on whether to end the exemption has major political consequences. 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

More than 8 million people have been displaced in Sudan, according to the United Nations. A powerful paramilitary group has been fighting the Sudanese army for over a year. We hear from a Sudanese poet, who is trying to draw attention to the overlooked conflict in her country.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 the attack of more than 300 weaponized drones and missiles launched by Iran at Israel, the Israeli prime minster is getting pressure from the U.S. for Israel to be measured in its response, while some domestic politicians are demanding a strong reaction. Our correspondent in Tel Aviv gives us the latest. And Jordan was part of the success in shooting down the majority of projectiles bound for Israel. We hear what the reaction has been in that country where 60 percent of the population is of Palestinian origin.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 has been three decades since the East African country of Rwanda experienced a genocide that changed the country and shocked the world. We look at the state of their society today.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

Ownership of the Spratly Islands are in dispute. This has been the case for decades, but tensions have been raised recently as China has tried to expand its claims in the remote area. We get a rare glimpse of one of the islands that has a Filipino community living on it.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

While the ideological gender gap among young people is widening across the developed world, it is particularly alarming in South Korea. Experts are concerned about what it means for the country's future. Our reporter in Seoul examines the phenomenon. 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

Understandably, a movie about the man who steered the development of atomic bombs is seen differently in a country where some 200,000 people were killed by those bombs. "Oppenheimer" opened in Japan 8 months after premiering in the U.S. Our reporter talks to movie goers in Nagasaki, Japan.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

Aviva Siegel was among the more than 200 Israelis taken hostage by Hamas on October 7th. She was held 51 days before being released. Her husband, Keith, who is a U.S. citizen, is still being held in Gaza. We hear about Aviva Siegel's time in captivity and her advocacy for the release of Keith and the remaining hostages. 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

Chinese-funded marijuana farms are popping up across the United States. Many of them exploit workers from China. We go to New Mexico, which has seen the rise of such farms and explore the reasons why this is 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

NATO, the alliance formed to protect Europe from the Soviet Union is marking 75 years. It the focus is still on Russia. And a controversy in France over a singer selected to perform at the opening ceremony of the Olympics, raises questions about French identity.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's military laid siege to Gaza's largest medical complex for two weeks because, they said, Hamas fighters had regrouped inside. Following the Israeli withdrawal from the hospital, Palestinians were able to get a glimpse of the results of the raid. 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

Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo is increasing and has caused over a million people to flee their homes. It is threatening to become a regional war. Many of the displaced end up next door in Rwanda and we hear about the conflict from some Congolese in a refugee camp.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

Sderot, Israel, near the border with Gaza, was the biggest city attack by Hamas on October 7th. At the beginning of the war, Israel evacuated nearly everyone. Our correspondent visits Sderot and finds that people are returning. 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

"Blossoms Shanghai" is A 30-part TV series directed by acclaimed Hong Kong filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, set in the 1990's that has become a huge hit in China. Our China correspondent tells us the nostalgia unleashed by the show tells us a lot about how people in China are feeling these days.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

We hear the story of an Israeli man taken captive by Hamas on October 7th. He was freed by Israeli special forces 129 days later and talks about his ordeal. 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

Haiti is the middle of a crisis and is without a government as gangs in Port-au-Prince prevent one. But some parts of Haiti have lived without a functioning government for so long they cannot remember what it's like to have one. Our reporter in Haiti takes us to one such village.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

We hear from a U.N. spokesperson about the conditions for civilians he saw in Gaza. We also speak to an Israeli government minister about the level of humanitarian aid entering Gaza and about why a delegation to the U.S. was cancelled over a vote at the U.N. 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

Islamic insurgents and other heavily armed groups have increasingly turned to kidnapping to get money. They abduct individuals, families and even large groups and then demand to be paid to let them go. We hear the story of one family, whose life has been turned upside down by a kidnapping.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

We go to a town in Eastern Ukraine that is close to the front lines and under constant fire. Russians are advancing in Eastern Ukraine as Ukrainian forces run low on ammunition and weapons.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

We hear what life is like for three families in northern Gaza where finding food and water is a struggle and hundreds of thousands of people are facing starvation. 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 Cuba, protests over the weekend revealed frustrations over shortages of food and electricity as the country confronts a serious economic crisis. And the World Happiness Report tells of interesting differences in happiness between generations. Sign up for State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists around the world. Visit plus.npr.orgTo 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

We go to two places where China has been exerting control. In Hong Kong, the government finally passed national security laws that are seen by critics as eroding civil liberties. In the Philippines, China's attempts to expand its territorial waters are being met with increasingly fiery rhetoric from senior officials.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

Russian President Vladimir Putin was reelected with a reported 87% of the vote. The US government said the election was neither free nor fair. Our correspondent in Moscow tells us about why the Kremlin wanted to be sure of a high turnout and lopsided result. And the legacy in the Middle East of a young American activist who died in Gaza 21 years ago.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 of Ireland is divided into the Northern part, which is part of the UK and the independent Republic of Ireland to the south. But a political party is poised to take power in both places and it has pledged to make the border disappear.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

Gang violence has brought fear, chaos and uncertainty to Haiti. Amidst food shortages and looting, the capital, Port-au-Prince, is experiencing the worst humanitarian crisis since the devastating earthquake in 2010. Our reporter on the border with the Dominican Republic talks to Haitians. 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 says more than 1,200 Israelis were killed during the Hamas led assault on October 7th. Israel also says there were numerous instances of sexual violence perpetrated that day. This is a charge Hamas denies. To understand the difficulties in investigating the allegation, we hear about the experience of a first responder on October 7th. 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

Even in the face of food shortages a bakery in Gaza is making cakes for people living in tents. NPR's producer in Gaza takes us to the bakery and introduces the baker.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

When Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, the U.S. and western allies froze $300 billion dollars worth of Russian assets. Now the U.S. wants to send that money to Ukraine, but many European countries don't agree with that plan. And we take a trip to the wild, remote High Atlas Mountains in Morocco.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 this longer episode we go deep on what it's like to cover both sides of the war between Israel and Hamas. Our friends at the Embedded podcast talk to NPR's Daniel Estrin about some of the people he's reported on and how he approaches covering this difficult and divisive 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

It has been five months since the October 7th Hamas attack that was the single deadliest day for Israelis in history, prompting the deadly Israeli assault on Gaza. Our reporter in Israel brings us five ways Israelis have been changed through five months of war. 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

Our reporters from around the world give perspectives on what the U.S presidential election means for the countries they cover. 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

During the COVID-19 pandemic, European cities experienced a dramatic drop in tourism. Now that visitors have returned in force, locals have mixed feelings. Many cities rely on tourism money, but throngs of people and the demand for short-term rentals can change the very places people are clamoring to visit. We hear about how Seville, Spain is experiencing that tension.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 are an estimated six million Palestinian refugees. Most of them are descendants of families forced to leave their homeland in 1948, during the war surrounding the establishment of Israel. They're scattered around the world and in some of the countries where they've settled, they've been stateless for generations. We go to a Palestinian community in Baghdad, Iraq. Join State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists bringing you stories from around the world. 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

Butter Chicken is a much-loved Indian dish, both within the country and around the world. But who can claim they invented it? That question is the subject of a lawsuit. Our reporter tries to get to the bottom of butter chicken's origin and finds out that it is a journey through India's history. You can find celebrated Indian chef Madhur Jaffrey's recipe for butter chicken here. 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 former Soviet republic of Georgia is seeking membership in the European Union. But that effort may be complicated by treatment of the western-leaning former president who is in jail and in poor health. His supporters say he was poisoned.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 young Instagram influencer in Gaza built a big following posting feel-good videos during years of hardship. He tried to keep the positivity in his feed after the war between Israel and Hamas started, but was then confronted with tragedy in his life.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

Abnormally low rain fall and aging infrastructure cause a severe water shortage in Mexico City. Tens of thousands rally for Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro in Sao Paolo. 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