Today on The World: More suicide bombings in Iraq highlight the challenges still ahead in the country; Also, Ireland's once booming "Celtic Tiger" economy is now hurting from the global economic crisis; Why a linguist's dream of creating a new Creole language never became a reality.

China is trying to develop into a superpower. But there are many side-effects to its rapid development. The province of Shanxi in central China is one of the most polluted places in the world. According to government officials, the rate of birth defects in this region is six times higher than the national average. The BBC's China Correspondent James Reynolds reports from Shanxi.

Hong Wei was born with an extra thumb on his right hand

South African musician Hugh Masekela turns 70 this year. He muses on politics, music, and freedom in today's Global Hit.

The answer to today's Geo Quiz is Kenya, southwest Kenya to be exact. That's where you'll find the Maasai Mara National Reserve. A new study says the wild animals in the reserve are struggling for survival. Anchor Katy Clark gets details from Robin Reid, director of the Center for Collaborative Conservation in Colorado.

Our daily geography puzzler.

Anchor Katy Clark has an update on Somali pirates facing trials in Kenya, and on efforts to help Somalia's government increase security.

WARNING: THIS STORY CONTAINS DISTURBING SOUNDS AND DESCRIPTIONS.

In the African nation of Zambia, abortion is legal, but few medical clinics offer the procedure and women therefore try it themselves. As a result, many women die from botched abortions. A hospital in Zambia's capital, Lusaka, aims to save women's lives by making abortion safer and more widely available. Rose Hoban of North Carolina Public Radio reports.

Egyptian women are often subject to sexual harassment and campaigners for women's rights are calling for new laws to deal with the issue. Some Egyptian women are now taking their security into their own hands. The BBC's Christian Fraser reports from Egypt.

The World's Alex Gallafent learned of Eritrea's love for cycling from a bike shop owner in Harlem. Eritrea in turn got its love for cycling from former colonial power Italy.

Audio Slideshow: International bicycles

Host Katy Clark speaks with New York Times reporter Jeffrey Gettleman about a Kenyan village that took the law into its own hands and fought back against a criminal gang.