Cuba today feels more isolated than ever after years of sanctions from the United States have severely damaged the economy. Now Cubans are watching the U.S. ramp up pressure on the government of Venezuela, Cuba’s most loyal ally and an important trading partner. Our reporter in Havana talks to some Cubans about the current moment.

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President Trump has ordered a ban on all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, escalating pressure on the country's president. Venezuelans tell us that in a country long battered by shortages, it’s just another crisis to endure.

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Myanmar, also known as Burma, will hold a phased general election starting later this month. It comes amidst a years long civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions. And it is being called by a military government that seized power in a coup four years ago. We learn about the lengths the leadership is going to in order to convince the world to accept the election’s results.

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One method of combating extreme poverty is providing cash grants to allow people to start businesses. We go to Uganda to take a look at one such program that has changed their model in an effort to increase the impact of their support. And the changes caused intended consequences.

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Jews in Israel had been looking forward to the Hanukkah holiday this year, since recent public celebrations had been curtailed first by COVID and then the wars that followed the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023. But this year’s celebration is happening in the aftermath of a horrific attack on a Hanukkah event in Australia that killed at least 15. We go to Tel Aviv to hear how people are feeling about the holiday this year.

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NPR recently met with a senior Hamas leader on the outskirts of Doha, Qatar as the organization prepares to negotiate the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire. He says Hamas is willing to lay down its weapons for up to ten years. Our correspondent gives us the highlights of the conversation.

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Life for Russians has changed in myriad ways since the start of the full scale war in Ukraine in 2022. It has affected everything from what they can say to what they can buy. But perhaps the most far reaching change is in what Russians learn. Our correspondent in Moscow tells us about a new undercover documentary that shows the changes to Russian schools.

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