State of the World from NPR

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A Palestinian writer’s secret effort to preserve his diary Sep 14, 2026

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Raja Shehadeh, one of the world’s leading Palestinian writers, has been on a mission to save his most personal work: his diaries documenting decades of Palestinian life under Israeli occupation. NPR’s Daniel Estrin has this conversation with the award winning author and the story of his secret effort to preserve his archives.
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The long tail of the 9/11 attacks for one Afghan family Sep 11, 2026

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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 country and you can hear and read that coverage at our website. Because our podcast has a global focus, we’re going to hear how those events impacted someone overseas— a woman in Afghanistan. We hear about her journey in the quarter century since the attacks and the life-changing decision for her family that she was forced to make.
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We go to the part of southern Lebanon that Israel now controls Sep 10, 2026

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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. Israel said it was creating a “buffer zone” on the Lebanese side of the border and over a million civilians were displaced.
The U.S. brokered a ceasefire this summer, but since that time Israel has continued seizing territory and destroying villages. Lebanese residents have not been allowed to return and Israel now occupies almost six percent of Lebanon.
Our correspondent accompanied UN peacekeepers to the part of Lebanon now controlled by Israel and she tells us what she saw.
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What is the future of U.S. military bases in the Middle East? Sep 09, 2026

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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. military targets across the Gulf. They hit U.S. forces on air bases in Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. Now, as the war drags on, and even escalates in recent days, the future of those bases and U.S. troops in the region remains uncertain. On today’s episode we’re going to explore that future with NPR’s Pentagon correspondent and international correspondent in the Gulf.
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The UK pushes back on Israeli settlements; a far-right win in Germany Sep 08, 2026

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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 UK was joined by France, Canada and nine other countries who say they’re all banning trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law. Israel and its closest ally, the United States, condemned the move and Israel says it’s retaliating. Our reporter in London explains what prompted this move.
And in Germany, there was an election over the weekend in a small eastern region of the country, but it sent shockwaves across Germany and into Europe more broadly. The far-right AfD party won big and the party of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, the conservative Christian Democrats, received a record low number of votes. We here why the result is raising some tough questions about German democracy.
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Encore: The promise and frustration of a future economic powerhouse in West Africa Sep 07, 2026

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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 economic engine, tied together by a long-promised superhighway that could slash travel time and supercharge trade. But the task of harnessing that potential has barely been met. We travel along a section of the road to understand why.
You can see a stunning visual presentation of this reporting here.
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The humble Scottish breakfast with rich cultural significance Sep 04, 2026

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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. Each fall, foodies and oatmeal lovers gather in Scotland for the Golden Spurtle World Porridge Making Championship. We learn what makes a good recipe and which direction you should never stir your porridge.
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The souring relationship between Trump and Netanyahu Sep 03, 2026

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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 factored into the relationship between the two countries. The Trump administration has been showing growing signs of frustration with Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. As we hear from NPR’s correspondent in Tel Aviv, the feeling is mutual.
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Russia’s increased attacks on Kyiv and its partnership with Iran Sep 02, 2026

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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 now the attacks are more constant using drones, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, even hypersonic missiles - not only during the night, but now during the day. We hear from the mayor of Kyiv.
And while Russian President Vladimir Putin is keeping up his assault on Ukraine, he’s also professing support for Iran amid its conflict with the U.S. and Israel. But as NPR’s reporter in Moscow tells us, it’s unclear just how far that partnership goes.
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Rescuing those still trapped by flash floods in Nepal and Tibet Sep 01, 2026

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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 hundreds of missing people. Many of them are workers believed to be trapped inside a dozen hydro-power plants. We hear about the rescue operation.
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