Call between IOC, Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai raises more questions

A video call between the head of the International Olympic Committee and Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai was meant to reassure the world that she was safe — but instead has raised more questions.

Austria's nationwide lockdown begins, with COVID-19 vaccine mandate looming

The new lockdown measures kicked in Monday a day after many Austrians hurriedly enjoyed a last day out at coffeehouses and Christmas markets across the country.

Mask-wearing cuts new COVID-19 cases by 53%, global studies suggest

A team reviewed the results of several studies worldwide and said findings suggest that mask-wearing was found to reduce new COVID-19 cases by more than half.

Where is Peng Shuai?: Tennis stars take on Communist Party

Tennis stars across the globe are distraught by the disappearance of colleague Peng Shuai and are challenging China’s Communist Party to get answers.

17 dead, dozens missing after heavy rains flood southern India

Authorities in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh say at least 17 people have died and dozens are reported missing after days of heavy rains.

Kim Kardashian helps fly Afghan women's youth soccer players to UK

Members of Afghanistan’s women’s youth development soccer team have arrived in Britain after being flown from Pakistan with the help of a New York rabbi, a U.K. soccer club and Kim Kardashian West.

Iran-backed hackers accused of targeting US with ransomware, other cyber threats

An advisory issued by officials in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia warns that hackers linked to the Iranian government have been targeting a “broad range of victims” inside the U.S. with ransomware and other malicious cyber activity.

Brazil's Amazon rainforest deforestation surges to worst levels in 15 years, data shows

The area deforested in Brazil’s Amazon region reached a 15-year record after a 22% increase from the prior year, according to official data published Thursday.

Peng Shuai: Doubts over China tennis star's email raise safety concerns

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, not seen in public since she accused a former top government official of sexual assault, purportedly sent an email claiming she was safe and that the allegation was false.

Biden, Trudeau kick off North American summit with in-person meeting

President Joe Biden kicked off the North American Leaders Summit on Thursday with a one-on-one meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Germany implements new COVID-19 measures amid coronavirus surge

Germany has approved new measures to rein in record coronavirus infections as Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the pandemic situation in the country “really worrying” and demanded “consequent action” to contain the spread of the virus.

Blinken arrives in Kenya to boost US response to regional crises

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made his first official visit to Africa in Kenya amid worsening crises in neighboring Ethiopia and Sudan.

US to invest billions in COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing to boost world supply

The Biden administration is making billions of dollars available to drugmakers to scale up domestic production of COVID-19 vaccines to share with the world.

Callers to helplines around the world voiced similar pandemic worries

A study on calls to crisis helplines in 19 countries shows a striking similarity in the pandemic's toll on mental health. Fears of infection, loneliness and physical health were the main concerns voiced in the pandemic's early weeks.

Frida Kahlo's 'Diego y yo' self-portrait sells for record $34.9 million

Frida Kahlo’s “Diego y yo,” one of the artist’s final self-portraits, sold this week for a record $34.9 million at Sotheby’s in New York City.

Bird flu cases reported in Europe and Asia, raising alert for global poultry industry

Health experts are concerned about the pandemic potential of avian flu and the global poultry industry has been put on high alert following recent reported cases of the virus among birds in Europe and Asia.