In the United States, a long holiday weekend over the 4th of July celebrates America’s 250th birthday. Recently, NPR’s correspondent in India found an unlikely place that same birthday is being marked. On the back of three-wheeled motorbike taxis known as rickshaws in New Delhi. We investigate. 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...
Jul 03, 2026•5 min
Thousands remain missing more than a week after the twin earthquakes struck Venezuela and hope for finding survivors is fading into and effort to recover remains. With little help from the government many families are taking it upon themselves to dig through the rubble to find their loved ones. We witness some these efforts on Venezuela’s northern coast. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship prefer...
Jul 02, 2026•8 min
Exiled Russian journalist Vladimir Raevsky has used a well-known Russian fairy tale as the basis for his stand-up comedy. It’s called “the realm that never smiled” and it encourages Russian speaking audiences to laugh at their own history as a way to fight authoritarianism. 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...
Jul 01, 2026•5 min
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 300 people, putting it on track to become one of the deadliest incidents of Ebola in recent history. We go to the epicenter of the outbreak where overwhelmed clinics and a lack of protective gear leave health workers exposed 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...
Jun 30, 2026•5 min
The death toll continues to rise in Venezuela after twin earthquakes struck last week devastating coastal areas. The government says more than 1,700 people have been killed. Tens of thousands are still missing. In today’s episode, we’re on the ground in Venezuela to get an understanding of the rescue effort. We’ll hear frustration at the Venezuelan government’s response which many consider slow and poorly coordinated. And we hear the hope of rescue crews and families who are still digging throug...
Jun 29, 2026•10 min
As the world focused on the war with Iran, Israeli forces steadily took more territory in the Gaza Strip and killed more people last month than at any time this year, according to Gaza health records. More than one thousand Palestinians have been killed in the eight months since President Trump declared the war there was over. We go to Gaza where civilians say they don’t feel safe anywhere, despite the ceasefire. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data f...
Jun 26, 2026•6 min
Earthquakes have caused vast damage in Venezuela, catching residents by surprise in a place not accustomed to temblors. A state of emergency has been declared in Venezuela— a nation that was politically and economically fragile before this natural disaster hit. Rescue workers are searching buildings for survivors as help begins to arrive from nearby countries. We hear from people there and from scientists who say there are some unusual features about this event. See pcm.adswizz.com for informati...
Jun 25, 2026•7 min
An Ebola outbreak is spreading across eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that health experts warn could become one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in recent years. In just over a month, Congo's Ministry of Health says more than 1,000 cases have been confirmed, and more than 250 people have died. The outbreak was first detected in the gold-mining town of Mongbwalu, where health workers began noticing a cluster of mysterious illnesses and deaths earlier this year. By the time authorities offi...
Jun 24, 2026•7 min
In today’s episode we look at political shifts in two countries. In the UK, the former mayor of Manchester, England, Andy Burnham, may soon replace British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who announced his resignation. Burnham would be the U.K.'s seventh leader in 10 years. And in Colombia a sharp political turn from a president on the left to one on the far-right, backed by President Trump. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to man...
Jun 23, 2026•7 min
Now that World Cup games have taken over nearly every television around the globe, today we bring you two stories of World Cup firsts in this year’s tournament. Uzbekistan is the first Central Asian country to appear in the tournament, and we go there to find that their achievement is not an accident and may be a sign of bigger changes underway. And Iran is the first team to play in a host country it is at war with, but while their games are in the U.S., they are being forced to stay and train i...
Jun 22, 2026•10 min
India plans to build a major port, airport and town on pristine, remote Great Nicobar Island. Supporters say it could boost trade and jobs, but critics worry about environmental damage. 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
Jun 19, 2026•7 min
Ukraine recently launched one of the biggest attacks on Moscow since Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country began. Hundreds of long-range drones were sent towards the Russian capital. This attack illustrates a paradigm shift in the conflict: Ukraine has seized the advantage even though Ukrainian forces are far outnumbered by the the Russian military. They’re doing it largely with drones, like the ones used to attack Moscow. We’ll hear from our correspondent in Moscow about what was targeted...
Jun 18, 2026•9 min
We’re learning more about the deal between the U.S. and Iran that’s aims to end hostilities and reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz. It’s called a Memorandum of Understanding, and it’s a preliminary agreement to set up negotiations for a final deal. Major issues still need to be worked out in those negotiations like the fate of Iran’s nuclear program and lifting U.S. sanctions. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, President Trump said it’s a very strong deal. But he also threatened to continue bomb...
Jun 17, 2026•10 min
President Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and her husband Jared Kushner, are planning to develop a luxury resort on a beautiful stretch of Albania’s coastline. But there is a growing protest movement against the project, which is on public land and many Albanians view it as government corruption. And the identities some partners involved in the development are hard to find. We go to the Adriatic coast to learn more about the project. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...
Jun 16, 2026•8 min
In eastern Congo’s Ituri province, a new Ebola outbreak is testing an already fragile health system. In the city of Bunia, hospitals are overwhelmed or shut down after suspected infections, while health workers race to contain the virus. 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...
Jun 15, 2026•5 min
Ukraine’s use of cutting edge drone technology is turning the tide in the war with Russia. And the latest breakthrough has been the use of drones that operate high-stakes missions on the ground. We meet one of the Ukraine military’s ground drone units near the front line. 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...
Jun 12, 2026•8 min
Soccer’s biggest event is officially underway as the 2026 World Cup kicked off in Mexico. The games will be played in Canada and the U.S. as well, but we go to Mexico City, the capital of the most soccer-obsessed host country, to hear about the jubilant atmosphere. And a Somali referee who was set to make history officiating the World Cup was denied entry to the U.S. He returned to Mogadishu to a hero’s welcome. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data fo...
Jun 11, 2026•8 min
A new report shows conflicts across the globe surged in 2025, reaching levels not seen since the Second World War. And violence against civilians reached new heights. We hear from one of the report’s authors and get an update on one of the flashpoints driving the increase in violence: the war in Sudan. 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...
Jun 10, 2026•7 min
North Korea hosted a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, the first in nearly seven years. Though the two neighboring countries have had an alliance for decades, the meeting comes as North Korea has been prioritizing its relationship with Russia. We hear from our correspondents in Shanghai and Seoul about what this meeting means. 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 Poli...
Jun 09, 2026•6 min
Guadalajara is preparing for the World Cup with fan zones and celebrations, but the city is also the capital of one of Mexico’s most violent states. Families of the more than 130,000 people reported missing in Mexico continue to search for their loved ones, putting up posters and digging for remains, even as the world watches soccer’s biggest spectacle. We go to Guadalajara to here from families balancing hope, grief, and visibility. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and u...
Jun 08, 2026•10 min
With ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz at a virtual standstill due to the war in Iran, companies are scrambling to find new and alternative ways to move everything from oil to fertilizer to household goods. We look at how they’re doing it. 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...
Jun 05, 2026•5 min
Secretary of State Marco Rubio answers questions from Congress about radical changes to the U.S. refugee program— a program that once had bipartisan support. We hear what was said about the revamped program And as the start of The World Cup approaches, fans in Colombia are eager to see their national team return to the global tournament. But even as they are getting ready to put on their jersey to show support, the team’s colors are getting wrapped up in a political controversy. We go to Bogota,...
Jun 04, 2026•7 min
People in Iran are back online after a government-imposed digital blackout that lasted nearly three months. We hear from Iranians that reconnecting has been bittersweet. And a deadly strike during the first days of the Iran war hit far away in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Sri Lanka, jolting a quiet seaside town and showing just how far the conflict’s reach extends. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sp...
Jun 03, 2026•9 min
Raja Ampat is a collection of some 600 islands in Indonesia’s West Papua province. It is a beautiful area with clear blue waters and coral reefs that is mostly untouched by development except for the recent growth of a nickel mining industry that has split locals. We go to Raja Ampat and her from people who want mining jobs and those that want to protect the fishing and tourism in the area. You can see a stunning visual report about Indonesia’s nickel mining dilemma at NPR.org See pcm.adswizz.co...
Jun 02, 2026•6 min
After the last few years of war, Israel controls adjacent territory in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Israeli officials say these areas are security buffer zones. But some in Israel want to permanently extend their country's borders, using the Bible as a map. 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...
Jun 01, 2026•8 min
Sri Lanka was careening from crisis to crisis, then came the Mideast war. People say they've got no buffer left. 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
May 29, 2026•6 min
Mongbwalu, a once-thriving gold-mining town in eastern DRC, is now emerging as the epicenter of the country’s latest Ebola outbreak. 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
May 28, 2026•5 min
In a West Bank spring where Palestinians used to rest and water their flocks, Israeli settlers now swim. 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
May 27, 2026•6 min
In recent months, a number of fishermen in Ecuador say a U.S.-flagged vessel attacked them at sea and destroyed their boats. Their accounts come amid more than 50 U.S. maritime strikes across the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean that have killed nearly 200 people. The Trump administration says the operations are lawful and aimed at alleged narco-traffickers, but has not publicly provided evidence or identified victims. We meet fishing families trying to make sense of what they say happened, and the...
May 26, 2026•10 min
Uyghurs are a mostly Muslim ethnic minority in China, that number in the millions. Human rights groups have accused China of persecuting Uyghurs because the government fears they have played a role in militant attacks. In today’s episode we hear the story of thousands of Uyghurs who travelled to Syria to gain battlefield experience fighting in the Syrian civil war. Are these people freedom fighters? Or are they the now battle-hardened militants China always feared? This story was supported by a ...
May 22, 2026•16 min
