The World: Latest Stories

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.

The public outcry in Barbados over a routine land acquisition has highlighted broad support for formal reparations from the descendants of slave holders. Under public pressure, the prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley has paused" government plans to seize - through eminent domain - 50 acres of a former slave plantation and compensate its owner Richard Drax, a British member of Parliament. Host Carol Hills speaks with David Comissiong, Barbados' ambassador to the Caribbean Community and deputy chair of the Barbados National Task Force on Reparations, about the deal and what it represents to Barbadians.

Officials from New Zealand, Australia, Germany, the US and the UK spent this week calling for an independent investigation into the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) handling of the 23 Chinese athletes who tested positive for a banned substance in 2021. WADA continues to stand by its actions, but amid the mounting pressure, the agency announced yesterday that an independent prosecutor will review its handling of the case. The announcement isn't satisfying all critics, though, as The World's Bianca Hillier reports.

Scientists in the UK are hailing trials for the development of an mRNA vaccine used to treat patients with skin cancer. Host Carol Hills speaks with Dr. Lawrence Young, professor of Molecular Oncology at the University of Warwick, about how the vaccine works and other potential benefits.

Residents of Toronto, Canada, are scrambling to protect their cars from an epidemic of car theft. Many are simultaneously installing tire clamps, steering locks, burglar alarms and steel bollards in their driveway, but have their cars stolen anyway. Thefts increased by 40% last year as Anita Elash reports from Toronto.

A baby orca trapped in a lagoon off the coast of Canada's British Columbia swam free this morning at high tide. She managed to get free on her own. Now, the hope is that her cries will be heard by her family so the orca clan can be reunited.

On Saturday, South Africa will celebrate 30 years since Nelson Mandela became the country's first democratically-elected Black president. Under Mandela's leadership, a new constitution abolished apartheid and afforded all South Africans equal rights. While Mandela's party, the African National Congress, has ruled the country ever since that historic 1994 vote, recent polls suggest this could be the first year South Africans vote them out of power. The World's Carol Hills spoke with Thabo Leshilo, the politics editor of The Conversation Africa.

Ukraine has struggled in recent months on the military front, losing territory to Russia. It's also struggling to protect civilian life and infrastructure. US military assistance for Ukraine that was passed this week is supposed to change that. But Ukraine's also looking to beat back Russia and win back its territory. Host Marco Werman speaks with Samuel Charap, senior scientist at the Rand Corporation about what victory means for Washington and Kyiv and how this military aid plays into that.

Authorities in Venice today began charging day-trippers 5 euros - about $5 - to enter the city of canals, alleys and historic architecture. Host Marco Werman tells how the new scheme works, and how it was received on opening day.

The murder of dozens of political candidates since pre-campaign activities kicked off is looming over Mexico's largest election in history. The World's Tibisay Zea reports from Mexico City.

In Haiti, the nine-member Transitional Presidential Council has been sworn in. It replaces the prime minister, Ariel Henry, who officially resigned on Wednesday. It now has the difficult task of leading the gang violence-stricken Haiti. Their main task is to get the country ready for elections in 2026, the first since 2016. Host Marco Werman has the details.

Government officials from around the world are looking on, as the US Supreme Court considers former President Donald Trump's case for legal immunity. Israel, Brazil, France, and South Korea are just a few of the nations that have grappled with the question of legal immunity for their head of state. The University of Chicago Law School's Tom Ginsburg speaks with The World's Marco Werman about how other countries have dealt with the issue.

Following a 2016 deal, the European Union sent 6 billion euros to Turkey to support refugees in the country and prevent asylum-seekers from crossing into Europe. The deal served as a template for later agreements with Egypt, Libya and Mauritania. But a new audit of the money spent raises questions of transparency and how effective the funds were. The World's Durrie Bouscaren reports from Istanbul.

Global average sea-surface temperatures have set records for more than a year straight. It's incredibly anomalous, and worrying for everything from marine life to hurricane season. Scientists believe several factors are at play, but don't think they fully understand why temperatures have jumped up quite so fast. The World's Carolyn Beeler reports on what kinds of questions this global ocean overheating raises about climate change.

European police have busted a criminal ring that over a period of two years stole rare books by famous Russian authors from libraries across Europe. Europol says it has arrested four Georgian nationals in Georgia and Lithuania who are thought to have collaborated in the plot, in which at least 170 books were stolen by Russian writers including Pushkin and Nikolai Gogol. Marco Werman speaks with Pierre-Yves Guillemet, an antiquity books collector and seller behind PY Rare Books in London.

At its height, ISIS recruited and trained children to fight for its cause. Some participated in atrocities and appeared in propaganda videos. Others were brought to the so-called caliphate by their parents or they were born there. The World's Shirin Jaafari visits a rehabilitation center in northeastern Syria and brings us the story of one young man from Trinidad who has been stuck there for 5 1/2 years.

For weeks now, health workers in public hospitals across Kenya have been on strike over low pay and other issues. Union representatives accuse Kenya's government of not investing enough in the health sector. Government officials have shot back, saying they are endangering the lives of Kenyans. Attempts to negotiate an end to the strike have been unsuccessful so far. The World's Halima Gikandi reports from the capital, Nairobi.

Argentina's President Javier Milei ran for office promising to repair the economy through austerity measures. Martin Castellano, head of Latin American Research at the Institute of International Finance in Washington tells host Carolyn Beeler how Milei's "shock therapy" for the country's ailing economy has generated some backlash.

US-China relations are fraying again, as America's top diplomat touches down for a three-day visit. The US is pressuring China on a variety of prickly issues, including arms for Taiwan, and support for Russia's war on Ukraine. The Economist's Beijing bureau chief David Rennie speaks with The World's Marco Werman about the obstacles hamstringing negotiations.

For more than five years, thousands of people with perceived connections to ISIS have been locked up in detention camps, prisons and rehabilitation centers across northeastern Syria. Women and children make up a significant part of the population. The World's Shirin Jaafari visited several of these sites and brings us the first of a three-part series about this forgotten legacy of the war against ISIS.

This week, the US and the Philippines will conduct one of their largest-ever military exercises on the tiny islands called the Batanes. The islands belong to the Philippines but are just 100 miles from Taiwan. The US military is looking to build a permanent seaport there that could serve as a base for warships. As The World's Patrick Winn reports, Beijing, which lays claims to Taiwan, is not happy.