State of the World from NPR

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 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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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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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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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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