The World: Latest Stories

Cleaning up the Seine River so it's safe enough to swim in has been the big question going into the Paris Olympics. The Games are now less than three months away and the water is still dirty by many standards. The World's Bianca Hillier reports on how the Herculean feat is going.

COVID-19 is still with us. Long COVID-19, where people suffer symptoms for months and years after the infection, affects 400 million people across the globe. Host Marco Werman speaks with Dr. Ziyad al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System, about what patients experience, how patients endure the virus and what treatments are available.

Ties between Beijing and the European bloc have frayed since the pandemic. And now with a war raging on the continent and China's economy slumping, Chinese leader Xi Jinping's push for a positive and pragmatic" policy with Europe has taken on new urgency. The World's Carolyn Beeler speaks with Finbarr Bermingham of the South China Morning Post about Xi's visit to France, Serbia and Hungary.

Each year, thousands of tourists visit the demilitarized zone that separates North and South Korea. They get a view through a southern lens. Now a North Korean defector is guiding tourists in the DMZ and offering his view of what it is actually like to grow up on the other side. Reporter Jason Stother tagged along with a tour that promises to offer a different perspective of what ordinary life is like in North Korea.

Israel's military says it's approved plans to attack the Gazan city of Rafah, which is home to a million Palestinians sheltering from the fighting. The move comes after Hamas said on Monday that it would accept a ceasefire proposal. Israel says it has begun bombing the city.

The Israeli military has dropped leaflets and sent phone messages to Palestinians in eastern Rafah telling them to relocate. The city in southern Gaza is crowded with more than a million people seeking safety from Israel's military campaign. The call to move could be a sign of an imminent Israeli ground incursion into Rafah, which the Biden administration has cautioned Israel against carrying out. The World's Matthew Bell has the latest.

Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that has also been hosting US troops, a move that follows a decision by Niger's junta to expel US forces. Daniel Eizenga, a research fellow at the African Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, briefs host Carol Hills about the changing priorities of junta leaders in Niger and in its neighbors, Mali and Burkina Faso, and the changing strategic role of the US in Africa's Sahel region.

According to the latest report by the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), the United States continues to be the largest aid donor to Afghans. Since the withdrawal of its forces in 2021, the US has spent nearly $18 billion in assistance to Afghanistan and Afghan refugees, according to the report. The World's Shirin Jaafari has more.

For the first time, researchers observed a wild animal treating a wound with a plant known by humans for its medicinal qualities. That's according to a study published Thursday in the journal Scientific Reports. The World's Carol Hills speaks to one of the authors of the study, Isabelle Laumer, a cognitive biologist at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, who joined the show from Nuremberg, Germany.

A new Frontline documentary follows investigative journalist Roberto Deniz as he uncovers efforts by affiliates of the Venezuelan government to import fake milk during the country's worst hunger crisis. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Deniz about the relationship between the government and corrupt businessman Alex Saab as well as the difficulties of doing this kind of investigative work inside Venezuela.

Singer and music producer Ghaliaa was born in Syria, and moved to Abu Dhabi as a child. As part of our series "Movement," about music and migration, Meklit Hadero speaks with Ghaliaa about how she gained confidence in her voice, and in herself as a musician.

There are always art exhibits at the Olympic games, but a century ago, people also competed in the arts. For medals. From literature to painting to architecture, artists dreamed of Olympic glory. But the dream was short-lived. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Barcelona.

The Turkish government announced it would suspend trade with Israel, until a permanent ceasefire is achieved and humanitarian aid is allowed into Gaza without interruption. Imports and exports between Turkey and Israel totaled $6.8 billion last year. The World's Durrie Bouscaren speaks with host Carol Hills.

UK ministers are considering banning the sale of smartphones to children under the age of 16. And in France, a hard-hitting study says children should not be allowed to use smartphones until they are 13 and they should be banned from accessing conventional social media such as TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat until they are 18. But The World's Europe correspondent, Orla Barry asks, are these bans effective?

Haiti's newly installed transitional council chose Fritz Belizaire, a little known former sports minister, as the Caribbean country's new prime minister earlier this week. But the selection process sparked backlash, and the council reversed its decision, as the Miami Herald's Jacqueline Charles explains to The World's Carolyn Beeler.

Economic challenges are driving crime in Peru. Cases of loan sharking and extortion increased by 370% between 2021 and 2023, according to the Attorney General's Office. The trend is continuing into 2024. The World's Tibisay Zea spoke with some victims of extortion in Peru's capital of Lima.

The assertion that "birds of a feather flock together" may require an update, taking the age of the birds into account. A recent study published in Current Biology found that - in the case of migratory storks - it's mostly the younger birds that stick together for survival. As they age, migrating storks tend to lean into their own knowledge of the route, choosing optimal flying conditions over companionship.

Immigrants in the US face unique obstacles in accessing care for depression and anxiety. Utah is working to provide more mental health care services, especially for its Latino population. They are a group that is among the least likely to see help. From Salt Lake City, KUER's Ciera Hulet reports that Spanish-speaking therapists are key to expanding care.

The Canadian province of British Columbia changed it's drug policy dramatically in 2023 to try and address an opioid crisis. It decriminalized the possession of drugs like fentanyl and heroin, for example. But now after law enforcement and backlash from the public, British Columbia is reversing course, and making public use of drugs illegal again. The World's Marco Werman talks with Mike Hager, a reporter from the Canadian outlet, The Globe and Mail, for the latest details.

Until recently, Myanmar's army was widely seen as undefeatable - too big and brutal to take down. That is changing. An armed uprising started three years ago, after the military seized power from elected officials and tried to rule as a regime. That resistance is now on a roll, capturing vast territory and leaving senior generals "demoralized," according to an army major who defected and spoke to The World's Patrick Winn. In a rare interview, the ex-major says Myanmar's generals feel no remorse for killing civilians and anticipate a coming "fight to the death."

Palaeoartists spent a year working with part of a skull discovered in Iraq to complete a 3D model of what the person's face probably looked like. Based on the model, and some other factors, scientists believe they uncovered a Neanderthal woman. And they think she was well into her mid 40s when she died.

A new telescope has opened in Chile's Atacama desert. At 18,500 feet above sea level, the Tokyo Atacama Observatory is billed as the world's highest astronomical site in the world. The conditions of northern Chile make it the optimal place for telescopes. Marco Werman finds out why from astronomer Luis Chavarria, the European Southern Observatory's representative in Chile.

Georgia's capital city Tbilisi sits at the ancient crossroads of Asia and Europe, of Islam and Christianity, and it is currently the scene of a political confrontation over a Russia-inspired law that critics fear will stifle media freedom. Host Marco Werman speaks with National Geographic Explorer Paul Salopek, in Tbilisi, about the city's rich cultural past and its current tensions.

Colombia's President Gustavo Petro said on Tuesday that an inspection in April showed that hundreds of thousands of bullets, thousands of grenades and 37 anti-tank missiles had been stolen from two different military bases. He said an organized network is behind the theft of weapons and is selling them to militant groups within Colombia and overseas. Host Marco Werman speaks with Colombia-based reporter Manuel Rueda.

May 1, the International Workers Day, marks the contribution of laborers with parades, picnics and speeches in many countries across Europe and in nations influenced by the former Soviet Union: including China, Vietnam, Cuba, Laos, and North Korea. Host Marco Werman looks at today's May Day celebrations in countries around the globe, and tells why the US is not among them.

Engineered stone, or quartz, is the most popular countertop material in the country. But it is causing an epidemic of silicosis, a fatal lung disease among workers who grind and polish the stone. In California, nearly all the victims are Latin American immigrants. KQED's labor reporter Farida Jhabvala Romero says the state has imposed emergency safety measures to protect workers but smaller shops can skirt around them.

This week, the Chinese coast guard fired water cannons at two Philippine patrol vessels near a disputed territory in the South China Sea. The US has a mutual defense pact with The Philippines, so this incident draws the US and China into tension with each other. This incident comes just days after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in China, meeting with the Chinese President Xi Jinping. Host Marco Werman interviews the US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns about the tense relationship between the US and China.

Major protests in Tbilisi took place today as local residents criticized a foreign influence bill. The legislation being debated in Georgia's Parliament would require non-governmental organizations and independent media to register as "foreign agents" when more than 20% of their funding comes from outside of Georgia. Host Marco Werman speaks with Ana Jegnaradze, a Georgian reporter, about how the bill is advancing in the country's parliament and the protesters' demands.

For the first time in 421 days, North Atlantic sea-surface temperatures dipped below record-setting levels. That's expected to do little to change the forecast for an extremely active 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1. Host Marco Werman has an update.

The rallying cry of many pro-Palestinian protestors is divest from Israel." University administrators and donors have so far rebuffed that demand. Many investment analysts argue that it's not feasible for universities to alter their portfolios and sell all assets linked to particular countries. Witold Henisz of the Wharton Business School speaks with host Marco Werman about why divestment isn't as easy as it sounds.

Host Marco Werman reports on the many visitors in Israel, both local and international, to the sites of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, and asks people there why they visit. The answers, it turns out, are complicated.

University of Sydney students set up pro-Palestinian encampments on campus last week, while others in France, Italy and the UK are staging their own forms of protests against Israel's war with Hamas. For now, the demonstrations are small compared to what's happening on US college campuses, but students say their actions are significant and likely to spread. The World's Sarah Birnbaum reports from Sydney.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is back in the Middle East. On Monday, he said Israel is offering an "extraordinarily generous" deal and that, "the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and ceasefire is Hamas." But this morning, Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said whether there's a ceasefire or not, the Israeli military will launch a ground offensive into Rafah. The World's Matthew Bell reports.

The latest gathering of the world's nations to come up with a treaty to end plastic pollution ended on Tuesday. One area of disagreement was how to address greenhouse gas emissions generated in the manufacture of plastics. Industry groups want the treaty to focus on reuse and recycling. Most other stakeholders want to phase out the use of plastic. Host Marco Werman speaks to Kristian Syberg, a plastics pollution specialist at Roskilde University in Denmark who attended the talks in Ottawa.

Au pairs come to the U-S to live with a family and care for the children. They are paid small stipends and work long days, which opens them to abuse. The State Department is considering revamping the program, which would likely make it unaffordable for parents. WGBH's Hannah Reale in Boston reports some parents fear it will be the end of au pairs.

The first scientist to publish a sequence of the COVID-19 virus in China is now protesting outside of his own lab in Shanghai. Zhang Yongzhen wrote in an online post Monday that he and his team had been suddenly notified they were being evicted from their lab, the latest in a series of setbacks, demotions and ousters since the virologist published the sequence in January 2020 without state approval. Host Marco Werman has more.

A step forward toward stability today in Haiti as a new prime minister takes over an office that's been effectively vacant for two months. Today, former Sports Minister Fritz Belizaire stepped into the role, as Haitians deal with spiraling violence from gangs that have overtaken most of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Host Marco Werman has more.

In a groundbreaking discovery, scholars have deciphered an ancient scroll buried under the ashes of Mount Vesuvius. The papyrus document describes a previously unknown story about the final days of the Greek philosopher Plato. Stanford philosopher Christopher Bobonich and host Marco Werman talk about the discovery and why Plato remains an enigma.

The federal government is proposing that au pairs across the US get paid a minimum wage for full-time work and enjoy more worker protections. Host Marco Werman speaks with Karina Yosseline Perez, a New York City au pair from Mexico, about her experiences, the challenges she's faced, and what the proposed changes could mean for her.

Connie Chin was born and raised in the US. Both her parents are of Chinese origin and she's always struggled with her inability to speak Mandarin. Throughout her life she made every effort to learn the language. She tells her story of why she felt ashamed for not succeeding to Stories From The Stage, produced by GBH's World TV channel.

One Japanese prefecture, sick of badly behaved tourists, is trying a novel approach to keep them away. Instead of charging a fee to visit, they're removing the tourist sight. That is, they're making it impossible for tourists to see the site, hoping they'll go somewhere else to take pictures. Host Carol Hills has the details.

More trucks carrying aid are crossing the border into Gaza. And the relief group World Central Kitchen is resuming operations there, four weeks after Israeli soldiers killed seven of the group's aid workers. Still, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire, as the Norwegian Refugee Council's Suze an Meegen in Rafah explains to Host Carol Hills.

Soon after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the US and scores of other countries imposed significant sanctions. But after an initial tumble, Russia's economy has stabilized. The International Monetary Fund has even forecast that this year, Russia's economy will grow faster than all of the world's other advanced economies, including the US. The World's Daniel Ofman reports from Riga, Latvia on why this is the case.

US beef exports are being impacted by the avian flu. Last week Colombia announced it had placed restrictions on beef exports from the US. Host Carol Hills speaks with Jada Thompson, an agricultural economist at the University of Arkansas, about the mechanisms in place to safeguard beef production in the US.

Tayi Tibble is making headlines in the poetry world. And if you haven't been paying attention you should be. The New Zealand born Maori poet released a new collection of poems, "Rangikura" earlier this month to critical acclaim. Host Carolyn Beeler speaks with Tibble about her youth, Maori identity, and what it means to connect with Indigenous groups beyond New Zealand.

Trucks swept away by water, collapsing dams, and flooded airports: These are the scenes witnessed in Kenya over the weekend because of heavy rainfall and flooding. The downpours have also killed around 100 people so far. Experts say the extreme weather is wreaking havoc across several countries in East Africa. The World's Africa Correspondent Halima Gikandi reports from the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

It's been 20 years since France introduced a law banning the hijab and other religious symbols in schools. But two decades later the issue is more divisive than ever. Last month, the French government said it plans to sue a student involved in a row with a school principal over the wearing of the Islamic headscarf. And at this summer's Olympic Games in Paris, French athletes will be prohibited from wearing the hijab or any other religious symbol while competing. The World's Europe correspondent Orla Barry reports from Paris.

The work of 33-year-old Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi is as poetic as it is technically challenging - covering topics ranging from government corruption to the 2022 Mahsa Amini protests, he channels the voice of Iran's disillusioned youth. This week, a revolutionary court in Isfahan overruled a previous court decision granting leniency for Salehi, and sentenced him to death. The World's Durrie Bouscaren shares this profile of Salehi's work, which first aired in July of last year.

When COVID-19 hit, federal and state health agencies issued regular warnings which were typically only in English. Seeing the need to share critical information among more people, the Vermont Language Justice Project was started. They now make public service videos in more than a dozen languages. Vermont Public's Elodie Reed reports on how the program has become a vital program, which now faces budget cutbacks.

In the last of a three-part series, The World's Shirin Jaafari sits down with the wife of an American ISIS member in Syria. She tells the story of life under the brutal group and the challenges she faces today.