State of the World from NPR

Abandoned island in Venice lagoon saved as green nature retreat

When residents of Venice, Italy, learned that a beloved, uninhabited island was being eyed for development, they organized to save it. A year on, this citizen brigade is transforming the island of Poveglia into a rare public green space. Locals are now able to wander its newly created paths. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Wildfires threaten France. Cubans look to Brazil for new home

Firefighters have been working day and night to extinguish fires that have devoured more than 100,000 acres around Bordeaux. Cubans have historically looked to the U.S. to escape their country’s economic woes. But with legal immigration pathways to the U.S. narrowing, some Cubans are increasingly looking south — to Brazil.  Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening. Learn more at plus.npr.org.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

United Nations’ new Ebola coordinator, and choosing a new U.N. secretary-general

Veteran humanitarian official Julien Harneis will coordinate the U.N.’s response to the Ebola outbreak in central Africa. The United Nations also begins to choose its next secretary-general.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

A Zulu-language Netflix drama is a surprise global binge-watch

Netflix’s The Polygamist, a Zulu-language drama from South Africa, has become a worldwide hit. The series about a wealthy family torn apart by a husband’s secret second life has drawn millions of viewers and sparked conversations far beyond the country’s borders.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Pakistani researchers find link between the microbiome and premature birth

A single bacteria in a pregnant person’s microbiome can signal whether their baby is at risk for premature birth. Lower levels of a bacteria called Prevotella copri indicated a greater chance a woman would not carry her pregnancy to full term. Researchers in Pakistan called the discovery a “Eureka moment” for them.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy