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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.

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State of the World from NPR

The small island country of Trinidad and Tobago is in the middle of an American military buildup. The U.S. has deployed warships and attacked alleged drug boats nearby, leaving residents on edge. We hear from fishermen who see drones in the sky and go to the funeral of someone presumed to have been killed by a U.S. strike.

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The Impact of U.S. Strikes in the Caribbean

China’s fast fashion mega-seller Shein is opening its first permanent Paris boutique in the iconic Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville department store. Parisian purists say the move betrays the artistry and craftsmanship of France’s tradition of couture. Some are boycotting the store and others have even started a petition in opposition of Shein’s Paris arrival.

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Furor over Fast Fashion in France

The automotive industry in Germany, once the backbone of Europe’s biggest economy, is in a rapid decline. In the past year, the German car industry shed more than 51,000 jobs – about 7% of its total workforce. We go to some companies that are now turning to manufacturing weapons as part of the country’s boost in military spending to keep their factories running.

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Struggling German Industry Turns to Defense Manufacturing

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, the country has been hit with more than 50,000 drone strikes. The constant threats of war have changed many things about life in Ukraine, including the way the night time sounds. We meet members of a youth orchestra outside Kyiv who are marking the new sounds of their country with a sonic poem.

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Making Music from the Sounds of War

In just seven minutes, in broad daylight, millions of dollars worth of jewels that once belonged to French royalty were stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris. We hear about what was stolen, how the French people are reacting and what it might take to catch the thieves who did it.

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A Brazen Theft from France’s Most Famous Museum

As a shaky ceasefire between Israel and Hamas seems to hold and Gaza starts to emerge from war, the immense challenges facing the territory in its eventual recovery are becoming clear. Around ninety percent of buildings damaged or destroyed, there are no funds for reconstruction and unexploded bombs are buried beneath debris. We hear from the U.N. program that has a team on the ground working to clear rubble and rebuild infrastructure about the challenges that lie ahead.

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How to Deal with Mountains of Rubble in Gaza

When Oscar Wilde was jailed for, "gross indecency," a 19th century euphemism for gay sex, his library card was revoked. 130 years later, the British Library has re-issued it to his grandson.

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Author Oscar Wilde Gets Back His Library Card Over A Century After His Death

Migrants travel by boat for hundreds of miles from Africa to reach Spain’s Canary Islands. After surviving the dangerous crossing, many are stranded for months and unable to work. 

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A Dangerous Sea Journey Was Just the Start of One Migrant’s Ordeal

In a deeply personal postcard from NPR’s Emmanuel Akinwotu, we go the funeral of his venerated grandfather in Nigeria. It was a huge celebration of life, with music and dance. However, the family was confronted with extortion and exploitation at the gravesite. It’s an all too common occurrence, one that amplifies the grief of many Nigerians. 

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An Adored Grandfather’s Funeral Exposes Painful Realities of a Beloved Country

Nearly 2000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli prisons were released into Gaza and the occupied West Bank as part of phase one of the ceasefire deal. All 20 surviving Israeli hostages were freed by Hamas after spending more than two years in captivity in Gaza. We hear reaction from Gaza and Tel Aviv.

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Israel Exchanges Palestinian Prisoners, Detainees for Hostages in Gaza

The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza approaches the one year mark. Violence between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continues to escalate. And there are fears that Iran will get deeply involved with these conflicts. In a volatile moment in the region, Jordan balances a unique set of relationships with all these countries. We hear from Ayman Safadi, who is Jordan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, about what he thinks it will take to end the conflicts. 

For more coverage of differing views on these conflicts, go to npr.org/mideastupdates

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Jordan's Unique Position in a Region at War

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