Greg Dixon

There is a fight for power happening among Palestinian groups in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. The Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, has spent weeks weeks besieging the Jenin refugee camp. The tussle is also a fight over different visions for the Palestinian people.

For more coverage of all sides of this conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates

Authorities in South Korea are continuing to try to arrest impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, following his failed declaration of martial law over a month ago. As the country continues to be mired in political crisis, analyst are studying the health of the country's democracy. And as our correspondent in Seoul tells us, they're drawing comparisons to recent events in the U.S.

For most western countries January first is a holiday. In Afghanistan and Pakistan it is the date of many, many birthdays. We find out why.

The region drained by the Amazon River, including the Amazon Rainforest, is in the second year of a punishing drought. That has lead to the lowest water levels in more than 100 years for the Amazon and its major tributaries. Millions of people and an array of wildlife depend on those quickly disappearing waters. In a story we first brought you in October, we travel to the region to see the effects.

Support our non-profit journalism by joining NPR+

Ukrainian soldiers are struggling to stabilize defensive lines near the city of Pokrovsk, in the country's east, against Russia's much larger advancing army. We go to the front lines of Pokrovsk, to see how the fight is playing out.

Support our non-profit journalism by joining NPR+

The outgoing U.S. national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, has been a top advisor and envoy to President Biden on issues of foreign policy. He talks to NPR about his view of recent events in the Middle East, the U.S. relationship with China and the future of the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Former Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad depended on his military to keep him in power for years. Then in just a matter of days, that same feared military disintegrated as rebel groups took control of the country. Our reporter in Damascus talks to former military members to understand why the military collapsed so fast.

Support our non-profit journalism by joining NPR+ at Plus.NPR.org

The film "All We Imagine As Light" is an Indian film that has won rare international acclaim from Cannes and the Golden Globes. But at home in India the international buzz was ignored and it was passed over as India's entry for the Oscars. Our correspondent in Mumbai, where the film was shot, explores why it is not receiving the same acclaim in India.

As the future of Syria begins to emerge, one minority group is particularly fearful about how they'll be treated. The Alawites feel like they were mistreated by now-deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad, but because he was a member of that sect, they are also unfairly tied to him in the minds of other Syrians. We go to an Alawite neighborhood of Damascus to hear their concerns.

The U.N. estimates over a 100,00 people have gone missing in Syria under the regime of Bashar al-Assad. And many families never knew the fate of their loved ones. Now that the regime has fallen, the search is on for the missing. We join some Syrians on that search.

Sign up for State of the World+ to listen sponsor-free and support the work of NPR journalists. Visit plus.npr.org.

The regime of President Bashar al-Assad crumbled in rapid fashion as rebel groups challenged his power. Assad is now in exile in Russia and the rebels have taken control of the capital, Damascus. Now displaced Syrians, some of whom have been out of the country for over a decade, are returning home. Our correspondent in Lebanon spoke to some returning Syrians.

Chile is poised to create it's 47th national part in the coming year, protecting wilderness at the southern tip of South America. That's thanks in large part to the work of a U.S. conservationist and her organization. We go to the bottom of the world to see the stunning landscape that will make up the park.

Joe Biden's first and last trip to Africa as president wrapped up in a port city in Angola. It's the end of an 800 mile train line connecting the port to massive mineral deposits in Central Africa. The U.S. and other Western countries are raising billions to upgrade the rail line, a move that is seen as an effort to counter China's investments in mining in the region. We go to one of the mining cities along that train route to see how the geopolitics are playing out.

Support NPR and get sponsor-free episodes of State of the World. Sign up for NPR+ at plus.npr.org

Israel has agreed to a ceasefire with the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon that hopes to bring an end to 13 months of fighting which has uprooted masses of civilians on both sides, and left immense destruction. We hear from NPR reporters on both sides of the conflict.

Support NPR and get sponsor-free episodes of State of the World. Sign up for NPR+ at plus.npr.org
Or donate to NPR this Giving Tuesday at donate.npr.org

Israel has mandatory military services for citizens over the age of eighteen that meet certain requirements, and refusing to serve, which has always been controversial is even more contentious now that the country is fighting in Gaza and Lebanon. We meet one young person choosing to go to jail rather than serve in the military.

Support NPR and get sponsor-free episodes of State of the World. Sign up for NPR+ at plus.npr.org
Or donate to NPR this Giving Tuesday at donate.npr.org

A series of deadly attacks within China in recent weeks have killed dozens and left people uneasy. Those who carried out the attacks have been seemingly ordinary people who authorities say became disgruntled or unhappy. Our correspondent brings us to the site of one recent attacks and says these incidents are raising difficult questions about society and the government.

North Korea and Russia each ratified a mutual defense treaty within days of each other. The pact means the countries will defend one another if attacked. And some say it may mean more involvement by North Korea in the war between Russia and Ukraine. We hear about the ramifications from our correspondent in Seoul.

There are rules and norms in place in conflicts meant to shield civilians from the worst harms of war. But human rights groups say lately they're being ignored or broken. Our correspondent has been covering two wars in which many of the laws of war are being flouted.

We go to the borders between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Afghanistan to see the dried up shores of what was once one of the largest lakes in the world, the Aral Sea. Mismanagement of the rivers that fed the sea because of demand for irrigation in the dry region, caused the Aral Sea to slowly disappear. And now an irrigation project being undertaken by the Taliban government in Afghanistan threatens to disrupt the ecological and economic balance of one of the main sources of water in the region.

The U.S. Justice Department says it has foiled at least four assassination attempts tied to foreign powers in recent years. They're part of a trend of governments attempting to silence their critics overseas. We hear from the target of one of those assassination plots, which was allegedly orchestrated by an Indian intelligence official.