Lauren Frayer
Lauren Frayer covers the United Kingdom, Ireland and parts of Europe for NPR News. She is a regular contributor to NPR podcasts, and serves as a guest host of Weekend Edition and Weekend All Things Considered.
She moved to London in 2023 after five years in Mumbai, covering South Asia. For her coverage of King Charles III’s coronation, Frayer traced the controversial path of a 105-carat diamond discovered in India, snatched from a 10-year-old Sikh prince and “gifted” to British royals in the 19th century. In northern England, she uncovered a little-known World War II battle between Black and white U.S. soldiers. She has chronicled Sinn Fein’s political makeover, toured pro-Palestinian graffiti in Dublin, and rediscovered one of soccer’s greatest underdog stories.
Her other datelines include Gaza, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Seoul, Dhaka – as well as the Dalai Lama’s monastery, Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, James Bond’s birthplace and Taylor Swift’s favorite London pub.
In India, Frayer reported a five-part true crime podcast called Love Commandos, investigating a Delhi-based vigilante group that offers shelter and aid to couples who cross the boundaries of caste and religion to marry the people they love. She has also reported podcasts about caste discrimination in America, the death of a Jesuit priest in Indian custody, and the changing height of Mount Everest.
Frayer has been honored with two Gracie Awards, the Lowell Thomas Award from the Overseas Press Club of America, a Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists, a New York Festival Radio Award and three National Headliner Awards.
She has also contributed to The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and the BBC. Her career began at the Associated Press, where she worked in the agency's bureaus in Washington, Jerusalem, Cairo and Baghdad.
Born and raised in Connecticut, Frayer holds a bachelor's degree in philosophy from The College of William & Mary in Virginia. [Copyright 2025 NPR]
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It began on the edgy margins of a mainstream festival — which it's now eclipsed. But nearly 80 years on, performers and spectators say rising costs threaten the Fringe's alternative vibe. -
Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor used to be the face of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. President Trump, a UFC fan, hosted him at the White House for St. Patrick's Day this year. -
The U.S. president is spending a long weekend in his late mother's birth country of Scotland. There, he's been confronted by protesters waving photos of Jeffrey Epstein. -
On a state visit, France's president announced the loan of the tapestry embroidered with scenes of the 1066 Norman invasion. It will return to the U.K. for the first time in more than 900 years. -
Tennis lovers don costumes, throw Pimm's parties and camp overnight in line for day-of Wimbledon tickets. Some say waiting in the Queue is more fun than the actual tennis. -
They were on opposite sides during Syria's civil war and now must do lifesaving work together. A makeshift brick wall divides them in their Damascus fire station. The psychological wall is higher. -
In London, an actor playing Evita sings "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" on a balcony over the street. It's livestreamed into the theater — frustrating some ticket holders but delighting passersby. -
The new law makes it illegal to investigate, arrest, prosecute or imprison any woman in England or Wales for terminating her own pregnancy — no matter what term or trimester she's in. -
It's a case of real life catching up with James Bond fiction: Britain's MI6 spy agency named its first-ever female chief. She used to be Q. Now she'll be C. -
On Friday, Brand pleaded not guilty to five counts of rape and assault that date back more than 25 years. He says the charges are politically motivated. His trial is set for 2026.
