US to reopen land borders next month to fully vaccinated people

Travelers with any WHO-approved vaccines will be allowed to cross the US border from November. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following US to reopen land borders next month to fully vaccinated people [A family visits across the US-Canada border at the Peace Arch Historical State Park as a cyclist rides past on the Canadian side, Monday, Aug. 9, 2021, in Blaine, Wash.] Credit: Elaine Thompson/AP United States The US is set to reopen its land borders to nonessential travel in November for people who are fully vaccinated. It comes after 19 months of travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada and Mexico have been pushing the US to ease its [land border restrictions](, which have separated some families. "We are pleased to be taking steps to resume regular travel in a safe and sustainable manner," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said. The CDC says travelers with any [World Health Organization-approved vaccines]( will be allowed to enter, including the AstraZeneca shot widely used in Canada. Afghanistan European Union nations pledged $1.15 billion in assistance to Afghanistan during a [G-20 emergency meeting]( on Tuesday. “We must do all we can to avert a major humanitarian and socioeconomic collapse in Afghanistan,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyent said. The international community has been looking for ways to help Afghans financially while circumventing the Taliban government. Global aid to Afghanistan was disrupted when [nations cut diplomatic ties]( with the country after the Taliban takeover in August. During a conference in Doha on Monday, acting foreign minister for the Taliban, Amir Khan Muttaqi, called on the international community to cooperate with the new government to address insecurity in the country. Iran-Saudi Arabia Arch-foes Iran and Saudi Arabia have been holding talks brokered by Iraq. Iran has asked Saudi Arabia to reestablish diplomatic ties and reopen consulates as a prelude to ending the devastating war in Yemen that both countries are invested in, though on opposing sides. The two regional rivals have quietly held [four rounds of discussions](, the last one taking place on Sept. 21. They come as Riyadh looks for regional support to boost its own security after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and while international talks over Tehran’s nuclear program have stalled since the election of hardline cleric Ebrahim Raisi. The two countries officially cut ties in 2016 after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, following the [execution]( of a revered Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [A rusting oil tanker off Yemen’s coast is at risk of exploding. It could cut off humanitarian aid to millions.]( [A cargo ship and oil tanker ship sit idle while docked at the port of Hodeida, Yemen, Sept. 29, 2018.]( Credit: Hani Mohammed/AP/File photo Five miles off the coast of Yemen in the Red Sea, there's a rusting oil tanker. It's been compared to a ticking time bomb. That's because its cargo is 1 million barrels of crude oil waiting to explode or pour out into a spill that could potentially be four times the size of the 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster off the coast of Alaska. Ben Huynh, a researcher at Stanford University, joined The World's host Marco Werman to discuss [the potential disaster an oil spill could cause]( on the Red Sea coasts. [Chinese blockbuster war film salutes China's military might and heroism]( [A screen shot from the YouTube trailer of the “Battle at Lake Changjin”]( Credit: Via YouTube The [“Battle at Lake Changjin](” is a Hollywood-style war movie with A-list actors, cutting-edge special effects and some pretty gruesome fight scenes. It’s about a brutal battle of the Korean War. In China, people often refer to it as “the war to resist US aggression and help Korea.” The three-hour long film has set box-office records. The film glorifies the Chinese troops that defeated the Americans — a fact disputed by historians — in a decisive battle. --------------------------------------------------------------- Global Hit Musician [Sorie Kondi]( is from Sierra Leone and lived through the civil war that ravaged his country in the 1990s. He was born blind in Freetown and taught himself to play the thumb piano. Through a series of chance encounters, he came to the attention of LA-based producer Chief Boima, himself a Sierra Leonean American. Together, they created the Kondi Band. One more chance encounter brought London producer Will Horrocks into the band. Now, the Kondi Band as a trio is out with a new album, "We Famous." Check out [global hits from]( from Kondi Band and other global artists we have featured on the show. 🎶 Credit: Screen shot from Spotify --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it from The World --------------------------------------------------------------- - [Chance encounters bring the Kondi Band together]( - [UN biodiversity summit kicks off in China and online]( - [Iraq elections: Low turnout and disputed returns]( - [Dozens of State Department roles remain unfilled]( - [Anti-LGBT law gains supporters and detractors in Ghana]( - [Charter container ships]( - [Rising number of children make dangerous journey across Darién Gap]( - [Yemen’s floating time bomb]( - [UN Court rules in contentious Kenya-Somalia maritime dispute]( - [Mink farmers in Denmark angry over mounting losses]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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