State of the World from NPR

When the Democratic Republic of Congo is in the news, it’s usually related to poverty, or conflict— most recently it was the Ebola outbreak. But the country is a cradle of design creativity. Congolese artists have few places they can showcase their talents but in the last few years DRC Fashion Week has given them an outlet. We go to annual celebration of color, creativity and fashion.

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Just like in the United States and elsewhere, workers in China are worried about artificial intelligence taking away their jobs. So they are fighting back. This summer, acourt in the Chinese city of Guangzhou sided with a graphics designer who was replaced by AI, ruling his dismissal was unlawful. Similar court decisions have happened across several Chinese cities and are being hailed as victories for workers’ rights. But with China’s push to win the AI race, workers still have plenty to be anxious about. We go to China to learn more.

And in Rwanda, if you want to grab a tall cold one at the end of the day, your beverage very well might be milk. Milk bars are a part of daily life and the drink holds cultural significance. But, this popular beverage may be causing problems for the population.

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U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced new pressure on Iran Monday, that the administration is calling an “economic D-Day”. Almost six months after the U.S. and Israel launched the conflict in Iran, this so-called Operation Economic Outcast aims to marginalize the country even further.  It includes measures to impose sanctions on any country or entity that deals with the the government in Tehran.

We hear from NPR’s diplomatic and White House correspondents on what the sanctions hope to accomplish in the conflict. And from an Iran expert on how that country’s leadership might respond.

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After the U.S. and Israel launched the war in Iran, and Iran responded by attacking U.S. targets in the region, hundreds of U.S. diplomats were evacuated from embassies in Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. and half a dozen other countries. Some of those embassy staff may start returning to their posts soon, however the State Department is still limiting the number of personnel in the Middle East as the war in Iran drags on. NPR’s Diplomatic Correspondent tells us what that reduced presence means for U.S. interests.

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It’s summer, so warm weather is to be expected. But in Europe this summer has been really, really hot. Five heat waves so far have broken records on the continent and there has been drought and wildfires as well. Extreme weather is linked to human-made climate change. And political parties in Europe are capitalizing on the fact that the heat is at the front of voters minds. But as we learn, those political parties are probably not the ones you’re expecting.

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