The World

It might seem intuitive to limit travel to curb the spread of the new omicron variant. But researchers have found that these kinds of standalone bans may do more harm than good. And, Honduran leftist candidate Xiomara Castro held a big lead early Monday as voters appeared to oust the conservative National Party after 12 years of rule. Also, Saudi Arabia recently announced a sudden ban on all Lebanese imports in response to critical comments made by the Lebanese minister of information about Saudi Arabia's role in the war in Yemen. Now, workers in Lebanon are feeling the pain. 

Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work providing you with relevant, fact-based and human-centered news from across the globe. From the initial pitch, to the chase, to interviews, to writing, to production, to broadcast, every story from The World requires careful input and touches from many different members of our nonprofit newsroom. The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom.

Become one of 515 donors to make your gift of $130, or pledge $11 monthly before Nov. 30, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000. We need your help now more than ever — give today!

The World Health Organization has announced after a meeting on Friday that the new omicron variant of COVID-19 “has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning.” Also, a major resurgence in vinyl is putting a strain on the few record plants left to press them, as well as the chemical used to make the vinyl. And, many people are wondering where their purchases are as they get stuck in the backlogs of global supply chains.

Chef Eric Ripert of the famed New York restaurant Le Bernardin doesn't just prepare food, he has a spiritual experience with it. Ripert tells host Marco Werman about how his Buddhist practice influences his cuisine. French winegrowers are feeling the impact of heat, drought, and other changes in weather patterns. The taste of water is often glazed over. But a growing group of professional water sommeliers is hoping to bring the world's attention to the different kinds of water. And, a columnist in The Washington Post met a firestorm of online protest this summer when he dismissed Indian cuisine by describing it as "based entirely on one spice."

Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work providing you with relevant, fact-based and human-centered news from across the globe. From the initial pitch, to the chase, to interviews, to writing, to production, to broadcast, every story from The World requires careful input and touches from many different members of our nonprofit newsroom. The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom.

Become one of 515 donors to make your gift of $130, or pledge $11 monthly before Nov. 30, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000. We need your help now more than ever — give today!

Thursday is Thanksgiving, a time for families to gather, but COVID-19 is surging across the US, and many parts of the world. So, is it OK to let our guards down for a meal? To answer that, and give us the latest on all-things-COVID, we turn to the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci. Also, kids here in the US were always taught to say "thank you." But a well-intentioned thanks is not always the same in other languages and cultures. And, when you think of samosas your mind might go to India or the Middle East. But in East Africa, they are a popular treat from Kenya, to Somalia, to Uganda.

Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work providing you with relevant, fact-based and human-centered news from across the globe. From the initial pitch, to the chase, to interviews, to writing, to production, to broadcast, every story from The World requires careful input and touches from many different members of our nonprofit newsroom. The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom.

Become one of 515 donors to make your gift of $130, or pledge $11 monthly before Nov. 30, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000. We need your help now more than ever — give today!

Many immigration rights advocates want an end to detention at facilities. But proponents and current immigrants under surveillance say alternative methods, like ankle monitors or cell phone tracking apps, have taken a toll on their health. Also, when the Beatles swept the world in 1964, it didn't take long before Argentina’s local bands began imitating its sounds. Argentine rock musicians, inspired by the Beatles, started to speak up against human rights violations taking place in the ‘60s and ‘70s. And, we hear from Afghanistan’s first female commercial airline pilot, Mohadese Mirzaee, who is now living in exile in Bulgaria.

Lebanon’s electric company is only able to provide power to residents for a few hours a day. For the rest of the time, people have no choice but to rely on private generator businesses, which in turn, has created its own set of problems. And, ahead of Chile's presidential elections next month, far-right candidate José Antonio Kast and leftist Gabriel Boric will compete for the position. Plus, American popstar Justin Bieber is performing in Saudi Arabia next month. Saudi youth are celebrating the concert as a sign of their country’s increasing openness, but some analysts say the kingdom may be whitewashing its human rights record.

The International Olympic Committee has announced a new framework for transgender and intersex athletes this week. In part, the guidelines say no athlete has an inherent advantage just because of physical appearance, gender or intersex identities. The guidelines also move away from using testosterone levels alone to determine eligibility. And we hear the personal story of Sofie Lovern, a Mexican American standup comedian from Oakland, California, who converted to Islam as a young adult. Plus, Shohei Ohtani has been called the Japanese Babe Ruth. Now, the Los Angeles Angels’ player has won the American League’s MVP award, making him the second Japanese-born player to score the big win.

Leaders from the US, Canada and Mexico are holding their first in-person meeting on Thursday in the first summit of its kind in five years. Each brings conflicting interests in issues of migration, trade and the pandemic. And capitol rioter Evan Neumann is wanted by the FBI for his involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Neumann recently turned up in Belarus hoping to seek asylum there. Plus, climate change and environmental degradation are two ways that China is paying a price for its fast-paced economic growth over the past 20 years. In Shanghai, a Chinese performance artist has some unusual ways of raising awareness about pollution.

Every day, the reporters and producers at The World are hard at work providing you with relevant, fact-based and human-centered news from across the globe. From the initial pitch, to the chase, to interviews, to writing, to production, to broadcast, every story from The World requires careful input and touches from many different members of our nonprofit newsroom. The story you just read is available to read for free because thousands of listeners and readers like you generously support our nonprofit newsroom.

Become one of 515 donors to make your gift of $130, or pledge $11 monthly before Nov. 30, and you’ll help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000. We need your help now more than ever — give today!

Soaring pollution levels in New Delhi, India, have prompted officials to indefinitely close schools and some coal-based power plants. We hear from a climate analyst about the health implications and causes of the smothering smog. And, the Biden administration has announced a major new investment in vaccine manufacturing, with an aim to help address global inequalities. But critics say it doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Plus, since the 1950s, Mexican painter and intellectual Frida Kahlo has been revered as a feminist icon. One of her famous self-portraits just sold for nearly $35 million — more than any other work of art from Latin America.

Migrants remain stranded at the Poland-Belarus border, attempting to cross into the EU and seek asylum. What does the escalating tension mean for Europe? And the virtual meeting between US President Joe Biden and China’s Premier Xi Jinping was big news in China, with state media calling it a success. We hear reactions from China. Plus, archaeologists in Israel say an amethyst ring they uncovered recently was likely used as a hangover cure in the third century. We hear about a few other hangover remedies that have gathered faith over time.

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