The US Navy has become a steady presence in Vietnam. It's part of a strategy to help Vietnamese forces stand up to China, which is beefing up its military presence in the area. But just how far will the US go in its relationship with Vietnam’s military? Also, in the past few weeks, we've been hearing a lot about the migration crisis in Europe. At the center of the storm are Iraqi Kurds fleeing the semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq. Now, many are being flown back to northern Iraq and having to restart their lives with very little. Plus, the new director of Interpol is the former minister of the interior from the United Arab Emirates. Critics want him removed for his spotty record policing his own country with allegations of abuse, even torture.

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In Britain and other parts of Europe, at-home COVID-19 tests have long been available for free and have become a part of everyday life. Now, US President Joe Biden is trying to beef up access for at least 150 million Americans with private health insurance. And, Russia has been moving thousands of troops to its border with Ukraine in recent months. Tensions between the two countries are now at a high point. Also, fighting around Yemen’s oil-rich city of Marib has intensified. The last northern Yemeni city loyal to the Saudi-backed Yemeni government is surrounded on three sides by Houthi forces, which may be a critical turn in the yearslong civil war. 

Every day, our incredible team brings you powerful human stories from diverse perspectives you can’t hear anywhere else. Without your support, none of it would be possible. Help us unlock a matching gift of $67,000 by being one of 515 supporters giving $130, or $11 per month. Thank you for being a part of our fall drive, and making our work possible. 

The new omicron variant of COVID-19 is a reminder to the world that the pandemic is far from over. At the same time, nearly 200 countries reached a historic pandemic treaty agreement on Wednesday, focused on global preparedness and response. Also, Lebanon has 18 recognized religious sects and sectarianism is built into the Lebanese political system. We hear about how some Lebanese people involved in the protest movement are advocating for a different path. Plus, historians consider Riverside, California, as the birthplace of the Korean American community, known as Pachappa Camp. It’s a little-known story now getting attention in an exhibit at the University of California at Riverside.

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Germany has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe. The country is now edging closer to mandatory vaccines for the coronavirus with lawmakers set to vote on the issue before the end of the year. And, five years ago, Colombia’s government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a peace agreement. Since then, deforestation has been on the rise as cattle ranchers, loggers, miners, subsistence farmers and criminal groups move into areas formerly controlled by them. Plus, at midnight, Barbados removed Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state and installed Governor General Sandra Mason as its first president. We hear from Barbados’s poet laureate Esther Phillips about the Caribbean nation's efforts to grapple with its brutal colonial past.

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.

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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.

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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.