'Hell on Earth': Afghans have to choose between feeding or heating, according to WFP
NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with David Beasley, executive director of the World Food Program (WFP), about hunger in Afghanistan.
Global Health
Coronavirus FAQ: Is it OK for the kids to take a pic with Santa?
Plus: Is it safe to go to a holiday party if not everyone is vaccinated? And are people getting different side effects from the COVID booster?
The scientist in Botswana who identified omicron was saddened by the world's reaction
He and his team were stunned by the number of mutations. They felt they'd made a contribution by alerting the world to a dangerous variant. Then came the travel bans for residents of southern Africa.
Vaccine skeptics in Eastern Europe are having a change of heart
With surging coronavirus infections and countries making it more difficult for the unvacccinated to travel, some vaccine skeptics are now coming around.
A tantalizing clue to why omicron is spreading so quickly
A new study from the University of Hong Kong offers preliminary information that could explain why this new coronavirus variant may be more transmissible.
Portugal has one of the top vaccination rates but isn't taking chances with omicron
Scientists are watching how Portugal and other highly vaccinated countries are faring against the coronavirus' new omicron variant.
Omicron spreads faster than any other variant, WHO says. It's now in 77 countries
"Omicron is spreading at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant," says WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Vaccine protection vs. omicron infection may drop to 30% but does cut severe disease
Data from 78,000 South Africans with COVID show the Pfizer vaccine is far less effective in preventing infection by the omicron variant. But there is still significant protection from severe illness.
Vaccinators in Peru's Amazon are challenged by religion, rivers and a special tea
Peruvian health officials face many obstacles as they try to get everyone vaccinated, including those who live in remote and rural areas.
What omicron's fast spread could mean for the U.S. – and the world
The variant has spread through South Africa with remarkable speed — and been detected in at least 60 other countries. Specialists are trying to figure out the next stage for this unwelcome variant.