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.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to The World’s fall fundraising drive! The coverage we provide on the air, on the web, and via the podcast is free and accessible to everyone thanks to listener support. 

When you donate $130 or pledge $11/month during our fall drive, host Marco Werman will personally thank you on the podcast. Make your gift today to help us reach our goal and unlock a dollar-for-dollar match! 

The UN climate summit wrapped up this past weekend, issuing a set of agreements that use the strongest language yet to convey the gravity of the climate crisis. But nearly every climate envoy or minister at the meeting left Glasgow saying more still needs to be done — and fast. And Britain's terror threat level has been raised from "substantial" to "severe" following an explosion outside a hospital in Liverpool on Sunday morning. One man died at the scene and four men have since been arrested. Plus, master djembe player Weedie Braimah has a new album, “The Hands of Time,” where he shows off the djembe's range and power.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated to The World’s fall fundraising drive! The coverage we provide on the air, on the web, and via the podcast is free and accessible to everyone thanks to listener support. 

When you donate $130 or pledge $11/month during our fall drive, host Marco Werman will personally thank you on the podcast. Make your gift today to help us reach our goal and unlock a dollar-for-dollar match! 

COP26 President Alok Sharma has said that the summit will be a success only if it keeps the target of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius alive. But it’s extremely unlikely that countries will commit to those kinds of carbon cuts at the summit. Also, Nov. 13 marks the sixth anniversary of the coordinated terrorist attacks at the Bataclan concert hall and six other sites in Paris. This year, it comes amid a major trial against the 10-man group that carried out the attacks. Plus, ever wonder what happens if a large asteroid goes on a trajectory to hit planet Earth? NASA is now testing a solution called the Double Asteroid Redirection Test — or DART — and they say it’s the world’s first planetary defense mission.

The crisis along Poland's border with Belarus has escalated over the last few days with thousands of migrants stranded there in near-freezing conditions. Barbed wire separates the two countries. Polish authorities are now planning to build an 18-foot wall along its border, and 12 other EU countries are also considering border walls. And, we take a look at a day in the life of a climate negotiator from the island nation of Palau, as he fights for his country’s future at the UN climate summit in Glasgow. Also, the US marks its first Veterans Day following the war in Afghanistan. We hear reflections from one US veteran who fought in the war there. 

For years, developing countries have been lobbying for money through the United Nations system to pay for damages and losses from climate change. Where does the finance issue stand now? And, Dearborn, Michigan is home to many immigrant populations, but especially Arab Americans. Last week, the city elected its first Arab American Muslim mayor, Abdullah Hammoud. Plus, forced migration can be the most painful experience of one's life. Thousands of Afghans have experienced this since last August, when the Taliban took over. They all made last-minute decisions about what to leave behind or take with them. We hear from two women and their final decision.

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!

On the border between Belarus and Poland, there's been an ongoing standoff between thousands of migrants — mostly from Africa and the Middle East — and Polish border guards. EU countries like Poland have been steadfast in their attempts to deny entry. And, this week, many foreign travelers were finally allowed to enter the US, after a year and a half of intense travel restrictions. But New Zealand remains one of the most closed-off places in the world — even for citizens to reenter — proving most challenging for separated families. Also, the Biden administration has approved the sale of 280 air-to-air missiles for the Saudi air force. Bomb sales to Saudi Arabia are still on hold, but the US is reluctant to block all weapons sales as leverage to encourage Riyadh to improve its human rights record or end its war with the Houthis in Yemen.

The European Union’s climate chief said during the ongoing COP 26 conference in Glasgow that talks must focus on meeting the headline goal of the Paris agreement. Former US President Barack Obama spoke on the sidelines of the conference on Monday, saying President Joe Biden's climate package will be “historic,” while welcoming the efforts of bipartisan US support in working toward slowing down global warming. Also, pressure is building for more Haitians to migrate by sea, as The World’s Monica Campbell shares first-hand accounts of the latest. And, an app at a Swiss university tries to use augmented reality to help people overcome arachnophobia.

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!