State of the World from NPR

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hadil Al-Shalchi, Beirut reporter covering displacement and humanitarian fallout. Aya Batrawy, Dubai correspondent on regional economic and security impacts. Ruth Sherlock, reporter on the Turkish–Iranian border tracking refugee flows. Carrie Kahn, Middle East correspondent reporting from Tel Aviv on security and public mood. They discuss strikes across the region, mass displacement, border crossings, and threats to trade and daily life.

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 East with drones, the government of Ukraine is offering its expertise. They say more than 57 thousand of the same type of drones have been used against them in the last four 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

Reports detail a deadly blast at a girls’ school in southeastern Iran and new satellite images that suggest a precision airstrike. Conversations explore how targeting errors or outdated data could cause such a strike. Coverage also follows fleeing Iranians at the Turkey border and the broader regional escalation as strikes continue and military incidents cross borders.

Ruth Sherlock, NPR reporter in Iran offering firsthand accounts of civilian reactions and shortages. Franco Ordoñez, NPR White House correspondent reporting on U.S. statements and political framing. Aya Batrawy, NPR Middle East correspondent covering regional fallout and infrastructure impacts. They discuss targeted strikes on clerical leadership, U.S.-Israel narratives about responsibility, and the wider regional and civilian consequences.

Arzu Rezvani, an NPR reporter who relays firsthand voices from Iran. Scott Detrow, an NPR correspondent providing on-the-ground Middle East context. They discuss widening attacks across the region. They describe Hezbollah's return to fighting and civilian displacement. They cover life under missile barrages and the political divisions unfolding in Iran.

Ali Vales, Iran Project Director at the International Crisis Group, explains Iran's internal dynamics and regional risks. Greg Myrie, NPR Pentagon correspondent, reports on the U.S. and Israeli strikes and immediate military effects. They discuss strike details, Iran's response and civilian impact, risks of wider destabilization, and how Iranians are receiving the news.