State of the World from NPR
NPR
Immerse yourself in the most compelling and consequential stories from around the globe. The world is changing in big ways every day. State of the World from NPR takes you where the news is happening — and explains why it matters. With bureaus spanning the globe, NPR reporters bring you facts and context from the ground so you can cut through the noise of disinformation. NPR's State of the World, a human perspective on global stories in just a few minutes, every weekday. State of the World was previously State of Ukraine. You'll continue to hear Ukraine coverage here, along with other international stories.Support NPR's reporting by subscribing to State of the World+ and unlock sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org/stateoftheworld
Episodes
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Mar 20, 2026 • 5min
The Ukrainian town enmeshed in netting to evade deadly Russian drones
Eleanor Beardsley, NPR correspondent reporting from Izium, Ukraine, paints a vivid scene of streets swathed in overhead netting. She explores low-tech defenses against lethal FPV drones. Short interviews with residents and a doctor show how nets tangle drone propellers and reshape daily life. The report outlines Ukraine’s plan to expand netting across the front lines.
Mar 19, 2026 • 8min
A U.S. proposal to disarm Hamas; we hear voices from Iran
Arzu Rezvani, an NPR reporter who gathered Iranians' voice memos about life under airstrikes and crackdowns. Daniel Estrin, NPR Jerusalem correspondent covering Gaza and regional diplomacy. They discuss a U.S. proposal for armed groups in Gaza to surrender weapons to enable reconstruction. They also share personal accounts of fear, repression, and polarization inside Iran during the conflict.
Mar 18, 2026 • 8min
How drones are being used globally: in conflicts and by criminals
Ada Peralta, NPR reporter in Mexico covering cartel drone smuggling and local reaction. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR reporter on West and Central Africa detailing drone strikes and humanitarian costs in Sudan. Joanna Kakissis, NPR correspondent in Ukraine reporting on air, sea and ground drone innovations. They discuss how drones are reshaping warfare, countermeasures, civilian harm, and criminal uses.
Mar 17, 2026 • 9min
Who were the Iranian leaders killed in airstrikes?
Reports on Israeli strikes that reportedly killed two top Iranian leaders and what roles those figures played in wartime operations. Coverage of Iran-linked missile and drone activity and rising tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border. Personal stories from over a million displaced Lebanese, crowded shelters, and struggles with sanitation, housing access, and children’s emotional trauma.
Mar 16, 2026 • 6min
The Global Impact of High Oil Prices
Ashish Valentine, Taipei-based reporter on Asian energy and renewables; Rob Schmitz, Berlin correspondent on Germany’s economy and energy; Charles Maines, Moscow reporter on Russian politics and hydrocarbons. They talk about recent oil price spikes, how Russia may profit and skirt sanctions, Germany’s economic strain and rising pump prices, and Asia’s renewable and fuel-security strategies.
Mar 13, 2026 • 5min
A glimpse of one Iranian’s life in Tehran during the war
A Tehran writer shares diary entries from amid airstrikes, describing rooftop reactions and the tense atmosphere. She explains living anonymously for safety and the fear of arrest. Friends band together as windows shake and flights roar overhead. Strikes on oil depots coat streets in soot and spark worries that hope for change is fading.
Mar 12, 2026 • 5min
While the war in Iran gets attention, what’s happening in Gaza?
Aya Batrawy, NPR international reporter covering the Middle East from Dubai, narrates on-the-ground realities in Gaza. She walks through stalled ceasefire plans, how attention shifted after the Iran war, and daily life under occupation. Short reports highlight damaged infrastructure, restricted crossings, stalled negotiations, and the risk that the pause could collapse back into renewed fighting.
6 snips
Mar 11, 2026 • 9min
Another front in the war with Iran: the Israel-Lebanon border
Hadil al-Shalchi, an NPR reporter covering Hezbollah and Lebanon, and Carrie Khan, an on-the-ground reporter in northern Israel, discuss fighting on the Israel-Lebanon border. They describe daily rocket fire near Kiryat Shmona, life and resilience in border towns, displacement and damage in southern Lebanon, shifting local support for Hezbollah, and the humanitarian and economic toll of the strikes.
Mar 10, 2026 • 8min
What four years of war in Ukraine looks like from Russia
A correspondent in Moscow describes Kremlin parades and victory rhetoric tied to World War II memory. Reporting covers weaponized polling, propaganda and shifting measures of public support. Stories explore life in small towns under social pressure, enlistment incentives and arrests for dissent. The piece also looks at rising censorship, exiled critics and claims officials still predict eventual victory.
Mar 9, 2026 • 9min
Does the Iraq war hold lessons for Iran?
They compare current U.S. combat operations in Iran with the 2003 Iraq invasion and its long, costly aftermath. They examine claims that this campaign differs from Iraq and debate whether planning avoids nation building. Risks of fomenting insurgency, strengthening hardline forces, and the gap between public euphoria and postwar realities are explored.
