The World

The global race toward the mass vaccination of populations continues to face hurdles around the world just as new, more contagious variants of the coronavirus are identified. And, the United Kingdom, with one of the highest COVID-19 mortality rates per capita in the world, has a new way to stop the spread of the coronavirus by putting people in hotels to quarantine. Also, long before Wuhan became known as the city where the first cases of the coronavirus were found, it had built a very different reputation as a hotbed of punk and indie rock.

The Biden administration has been undoing several controversial policies of the last four years including former President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration. And, with less than six months until the Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to take place, officials are still finalizing plans for how to keep athletes safe from the coronavirus. Also, cleaning, cooking and taking care of children is work typically unpaid and overwhelmingly, around the world, done by women. But a political party in India is putting forward a bold proposal that could change that.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday held a confirmation hearing for President Joe Biden's nominee to represent the US at the United Nations, veteran diplomat Linda Thomas-Greenfield. Also, a new study suggests that the global economy will take a major hit if low- and middle-income countries aren’t able to vaccinate their populations. And, more and more Arab women are becoming professional mountaineers, and they are making history on the mountains.

Thousands of farmers took to the streets of India’s capital on Tuesday as part of monthslong protests against agricultural laws that farmers say put their livelihoods at risk. Vishavjit Singh, a Sikh American artist and activist, suggests there’s an important similarity between the farmers in India and minorities in the US: the need to be seen and heard. And, President Joe Biden’s longtime confidant and longtime statesman, Antony Blinken, was confirmed as the next US secretary of state. Also, most ski resorts in Europe shut down this winter because of the pandemic. But Austria decided to keep running the lifts.

Just after President Dwight D. Eisenhower assumed office on Jan. 20, 1953, deep in the middle of the Cold War, his greatest adversary died. The speech that followed is considered one of his best, though not his most well-known. Today, it’s not hard to imagine Eisenhower standing up before us and making the same case he did almost 70 years ago. In this episode of "Things That Go Boom," The World's partner podcast from PRX, host Laicie Heeley sits down with US Sen. Chris Murphy, someone in a position to offer a unique perspective on Eisenhower’s “Chance for Peace.”

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador — known to flout wearing a mask — said Sunday that he has tested positive for COVID-19 and was receiving treatment for mild symptoms. And, civil rights groups are raising concerns about moves by the US Congress to strengthen laws to investigate and charge domestic terrorists suggesting it could result in the targeting of Black and other diverse communities. Also, after being inspired by South Korea's K-pop genre, a band named Ninety One pioneered "Q-pop," or Qazaq-pop, in Kazakhstan.

The Biden administration announced plans to overturn former President Donald Trump’s travel ban on refugees and travelers from many Muslim-majority countries. And, as President Biden and his foreign policy team get to work, one country presents some big challenges: China. Also, the rumor mill heated up on Thursday after a London newspaper reported the Summer Olympics would be called off. But officials with the International Olympic Committee say that the games are on schedule.

A year after the first lockdown to prevent the spread of the coronavirus in Wuhan, China, there are two different narratives: one of heroism and teamwork, and another about loss and pain. And, after four years of the US reneging on international agreements and rolling back domestic environmental regulations, what does the Biden-Harris administration have to do to regain trust and lead the world on climate action — as Biden has promised to do? Also, starting this year, the Spanish government is now paying for 16 weeks of paternity leave for new fathers.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced school systems around the world to piece together patchworks of in-person, remote and hybrid learning programs. What’s the latest science on children and COVID-19? As part of The World's regular series of conversations on the pandemic with Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health and as a special in our podcast feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discussion with Harvard education expert Meira Levinson and epidemiologist Marc Lipsitch.

US President Joe Biden used his inaugural address to send a message to the world, taking the opportunity to directly repudiate Trump's “America First” policy. And, Biden outlined his top priorities on Wednesday including the environment, calling climate change one of the "cascading crises" America faces as he takes office. Also, in stark contrast to former President Trump's policies and approach, the Biden administration marks a major shift in the US pandemic response globally.