More countries impose travel restrictions over omicron variant of COVID

South African president says travel bans will only damage more economies. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following More countries impose travel restrictions over omicron variant of COVID [People pass through Waterloo train station, in London, during the morning rush hour, after the new potentially more contagious omicron variant of the coronavirus popped up in more European countries just days after being identified in South Africa, Nov. 29, 2021.] Credit: Matt Dunham/AP Poland Poland has become the latest country to impose [travel restrictions]( amid the spread of the omicron variant of COVID-19. It has suspended flights to seven southern African nations after the new variant was detected — first in South Africa — and is requiring travelers from those countries to complete a 14-day mandatory quarantine period. Japan also announced it will bar entry for all foreign visitors, after new cases appeared in Hong Kong and Australia, with new cases also reported in Scotland and Portugal. Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for a lifting of the travel restrictions, saying they’re not effective in stemming the spread of the variant, and instead would “further [damage the economies]( of the affected countries and undermine their ability to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic." Iran Talks on Iran’s nuclear program have resumed in Vienna, after a five-month hiatus, to revive the 2015 agreement between Tehran and world powers. The US had pulled out of the deal under the Trump administration in 2018, and now negotiations are resuming under the new conservative government of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Tehran has [refused to speak with the US directly](, so American negotiators have to go through European intermediaries. To complicate matters further, on Friday, Iran announced more [advances in its uranium enrichment]( that would reduce the amount of time needed to develop a nuclear weapon. Hanukkah The eight-day Jewish festival of Hanukkah began on Sunday night. This year, the holiday [started in November](, instead of December. It celebrates a special event that dates back to the second century BC, when a group of Jewish people wanted to [rededicate their temple to God]( after they felt it had been desecrated as a pagan shrine under the Seleucid Empire. Also known as the Festival of Lights, the holiday honors how the ritual oil burning in the temple miraculously lasted for eight whole days. Jewish people continue the tradition of lighting candles, coming together with family and friends to share gifts and eat traditional fried foods like potato pancakes, or latkes, and doughnuts called sufganiyot. --------------------------------------------------------------- We need just 306 more donors to reach our goal! Can we count on you? The World reaches over 2 million listeners each week, and even more through our podcast and website. If everyone who listened donated, we would be able to bring you even more deeply reported stories from all around the globe. Right now, we need only 306 listeners to donate $130, or $11/month, in order to ensure we can continue our work for another year. And every single gift gets us one step closer to our goal. [Make your gift today]( to add your name to our growing list of supporters from around the globe. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Different cultures understand "thank you" in different ways, says professor of language]( [A line of spectators spell out the words "Thank You", as a New York City police officer marches through the Financial District during a parade honoring essential workers for their efforts in getting New York City through the COVID-19 pandemic, July 7, 2021, in New York.]( Credit: AP Photo/John Minchillo "Thank you" can be perceived as an expression of gratitude, or as transactional or even as distancing, depending on where you are in the world. Elaine Hsieh — a professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she studies language and culture — [explained the various nuances]( to The World's host Marco Werman. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot Western monarch butterflies are returning to California 🦋 after their numbers fell to a record low last year. Their population has declined by more than 99%​ since the 1980s, and experts have attributed their decline to climate change, habitat destruction and lack of food from drought. The presence of the orange and black butterflies has often been a good indicator of a healthy ecosystem. [Butterflies land on branches at Monarch Grove Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, Calif., Nov. 10, 2021.] Credit: Nic Coury/AP/File photo --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it from The World --------------------------------------------------------------- - [A beloved London pub gets destroyed — then rebuilt]( - [Where’s my stuff?]( - [US addiction to "fast fashion" has environmental impact on Ghana]( - [Plastic ban goes after bubble tea straws]( - [Supply and demand for vinyl records]( - [Spain looks to renewables amid energy price hikes]( - [French law aims to protect indie bookshops]( - [Church of Sweden apologizes for abuses of Indigenous people in Arctic Europe]( - [UK, France at odds over migrant deaths]( - [New COVID variant raises concerns, travel restrictions imposed]( 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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