Bicycles have become the only commuting option for many Afghans, who are often unable to afford a ride in a bus or a shared cab as the economy has unraveled under Taliban rule. But the conservative Taliban culture means that women are missing from the ranks of these new riders. Diaa Hadid/NPR hide caption
A person wearing a mask walks past a flower display in front of a supermarket on Front Street East in Toronto on Sept. 16. Alex Lupul/AP hide caption
Bupe Sinkala of Zambia was diagnosed with HIV shortly before her wedding, didn't tell her fiance — and later saw her life come tumbling down. With the support of family and a new job as a community health worker, she has found joy. She shared her views on the import of community health work at the U.N. General Assembly this week. Laylah Amatullah Barrayn for NPR hide caption
Sean Murphy, lead author of a new malaria vaccine study, demonstrates how participants got their dose: by placing an arm over a mesh-covered container filled with 200 mosquitoes whose bites delivered genetically modified malaria parasites. Annette M Seilie hide caption
When the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, Nasrat Khalid says, "I think it was one of the moments I felt the most powerless in my life but also the moment that inspired my team to radically shift what we do." That's when Aseel, the online arts business he started, took on charity work, drawing on cash reserves to provide shelter and food to displaced Afghans. Mostafa Bassim for NPR hide caption
A women holds a child in the alley of a slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a country where poverty persists even as average incomes rise. Spencer Platt/Getty Images hide caption
Queen Elizabeth II rides on an elephant during one of her three official visits to India. This photo is from February 1961. AFP via Getty Images hide caption
New father Yappe Pako gets help with his kangaroo care carrier from midwife Marie-Josée Miezan. His newborn son is named Ambo Crisostome. They're in the kangaroo care ward at the University Hospital Medical Center at Treichville in the Ivory Coast. A new program teaches the technique to moms â and dads. It's especially beneficial for preterm and low birthweight babies. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds for NPR hide caption
Children reach for food handouts in the aftermath of the catastrophic flooding in Pakistan, which has destroyed rice, corn and wheat crops and left over a third of the country under water. Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images hide caption
A pharmacy in New York City offers vaccines for COVID-19 and flu. Some researchers argue that the two diseases may pose similar risks of dying for those infected. Ted Shaffrey/AP hide caption
Travel rules and regulations — and national lockdowns — have varied wildly, which gave SARS-CoV-2 lots of opportunities to spread. Above: A young traveler's temperature is checked at Taipei Songshan Airport in July 2020. Chiang Ying-ying/AP hide caption
Activists march toward the German consulate during a rally to support two Filipina domestic workers in their lawsuit against a German diplomat. Drew Angerer/Getty Images hide caption
Angélique Kidjo performs at the 1,000th NPR's Tiny Desk Concert. She sings the praises of the series: "The Tiny Desk Concerts bring the whole world into this tiny place where you can make miracles and wonder." Bob Boilen/NPR hide caption
Republican politicians claim big financial firms are using environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing to try to bankrupt the fossil fuel industry and to advance other purported liberal objectives they couldn't achieve at the ballot box. MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images hide caption