Coronavirus hug image named World Press Photo of the Year
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A photo symbolizing “love and compassion” of an 85-year-old Brazilian woman getting her first embrace in five months from...
Israeli army: Rocket from Gaza hits south Israel
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military says a projectile fired from the Gaza Strip Thursday evening landed in south of the country, breaking weeks...
UN Security Council votes on monitors of Libya cease-fire
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is voting on a draft resolution that urges all foreign forces and mercenaries to leave Libya...
France hits unwanted milestone: Over 100,000 virus deaths
PARIS (AP) — France on Thursday became the third country in Europe after the U.K. and Italy to reach the unwanted milestone of 100,000...
Princes William, Harry won’t walk side-by-side at funeral
LONDON (AP) — Prince William and Prince Harry won’t walk side-by-side Saturday as they follow their grandfather’s coffin into the church ahead of Prince...
EXPLAINER: What’s behind the conflict in eastern Ukraine?
MOSCOW (AP) — Tensions are rising over the conflict in eastern Ukraine, with growing violations of a cease-fire and a massive Russian military buildup...
Ukraine seeks stronger Western backing amid Russian buildup
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's top diplomat asked Thursday for stronger Western backing, saying “words of support aren't enough” amid escalating tensions in the...
Gucci heirs worry over family depiction in Ridley Scott film
MILAN (AP) — The great-grandchildren of Guccio Gucci, who founded the luxury fashion house that bears his name a century ago in Florence, are...
Top associate of Navalny convicted of trespassing in Russia
MOSCOW (AP) — A top associate of Russia's imprisoned opposition leader Alexei Navalny was convicted of trespassing Thursday and handed a suspended sentence of...
India’s biggest cities shut down as new virus cases hit 200K
NEW DELHI (AP) — India's two largest cities imposed stringent restrictions on movement and one planned to use hotels and banquet halls to treat...
Growers fret as Mexico moves to legalize marijuana
BADIRAGUATO, Mexico (AP) — For the first time that María can remember, half of her marijuana harvest is still in storage on her ranch...
1 killed, 12 wounded in market explosion in Iraq’s capital
BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) — An explosion rocked a market in east Baghdad on Thursday, killing one person and injuring 12 others, according to Iraq's...
Blinken in Afghanistan to sell Biden troop withdrawal
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan on Thursday to sell Afghan leaders and a...
St Vincent fears COVID-19 outbreak with volcano evacuations
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (AP) — Officials in St. Vincent said Thursday that they were extremely worried about a COVID-19 outbreak given the lack of...
Mideast’s largest mall operator to expand amid vaccine hopes
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The Middle East's largest operator of malls expects revenue and earnings to climb back to pre-pandemic levels by...
Lawyer: 290 relatives file for compensation in MH-17 downing
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — A lawyer for relatives of people killed in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine...
French lawmakers OK security bill increasing police powers
PARIS (AP) — France’s parliament passed a security bill Thursday to extend police powers despite criticism from civil rights activists who fear it threatens...
Iran to purchase 60 million COVID-19 vaccines from Russia
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran has finalized a deal with Russia to purchase 60 million doses of Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine, the state-run IRNA...
EXPLAINER: What are the Iran nuclear talks all about?
BERLIN (AP) — Negotiations to bring the United States back into a landmark nuclear deal with Iran resumed Thursday in Vienna amid signs of...
Macron visits Notre Dame 2 years after devastating fire
PARIS (AP) — Two years after a fire tore through Paris’ most famous cathedral and shocked the world, French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday...
Ousted Myanmar ambassador appeals for UK government help
LONDON (AP) — The ousted Myanmar ambassador to Britain has appealed to the British government to help him as he faced eviction from his...
Judge orders release of 6 detained over Lebanon port blast
BEIRUT (AP) — The Lebanese judge leading the investigation into last year’s massive blast at Beirut’s port on Thursday ordered the release of six...
WHO: Europe has surpassed 1 million COVID-19 deaths
GENEVA (AP) — A top official from the World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains...
Ambassador: UAE played part in India-Pakistan cease-fire
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The United Arab Emirates played a role in getting longtime Asian rivals India and Pakistan to agree to...
EU top court backs bloc in ban on electric pulse fishing
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union’s highest court on Thursday backed the bloc’s decision to ban as of July the practice of using electric...
US warns of punitive actions for Lebanese blocking reforms
BEIRUT (AP) — A senior U.S. official warned Thursday that Lebanese politicians who continue to block reforms in the crisis-hit country could face punitive...
Report: Dubai ‘jetman’ didn’t deploy chute in fatal crash
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — One of Dubai's famed “jetman” pilots killed in a crash in November failed to deploy the emergency parachute...
Saudi university catches fire near Yemen border in attack
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — A Saudi university near the country's border with Yemen caught fire early Thursday after the kingdom's air defenses intercepted...
Amnesty: Eritrean troops still killing in Ethiopia’s Tigray
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Eritrean soldiers remain in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region and are killing civilians weeks after Ethiopia said the soldiers would leave,...
Iran’s supreme leader: Vienna offers ‘not worth looking at’
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday dismissed initial offers at talks in Vienna to save Tehran's tattered nuclear deal...
Algeria protesters at crossroads as Islamists take spotlight
ALGIERS, Algeria (AP) — Algeria's pro-democracy movement is at a crossroads two years after it ousted the country's long-serving leader, confronting fears it's been...
Bangkok nightlife clusters expose Thailand’s virus stumbles
BANGKOK (AP) — When Thailand's transport minister was recently diagnosed with COVID-19, it was Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha who got a headache.
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Months after hack, US poised to announce sanctions on Russia
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is preparing to announce sanctions in response to a massive Russian hacking campaign that breached vital federal agencies,...
Biden’s gamble: Will pulling troops revive extremist threat?
BRUSSELS (AP) — At its start, America’s war in Afghanistan was about retribution for 9/11. Then it was about shoring up a weak government...
Myanmar charges doctors over civil disobedience protests
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar's ruling junta has charged at least 19 medical doctors for participating in civil disobedience protests against the military's Feb....
Biden to pull US troops from Afghanistan, end ‘forever war’
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Wednesday he will withdraw remaining U.S. troops from the "forever war” in Afghanistan, declaring that the Sept....
The Latest: California governor says all schools must reopen
SAN FRANCISCO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom is urging all schools in the state to reopen, saying there are no health barriers to getting...
Humanitarian crisis feared in St. Vincent amid eruptions
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Ongoing volcanic eruptions have displaced about 20% of people in the eastern Caribbean island of St. Vincent as...
Queen returns to royal duties after death of Prince Philip
LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II has returned to royal duties, four days after the death of her husband, Prince Philip, as preparations stepped...
NATO to match US troop pullout from Afghanistan
BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says the alliance has agreed to withdraw its roughly 7,000 non-American forces from Afghanistan to match U.S....
We need to plan: UK travel urges clarity from government
LONDON (AP) — Leaders from Britain's aviation industry joined forces Wednesday to urge the British government to ensure that popular European destinations face the...
South Africans anxious over pause in use of J&J vaccines
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's decision to suspend the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to preliminary reports of rare blood clots...
Somalia’s president OKs mandate extension, alarming US, EU
MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) — Somalia’s president has defiantly signed into law an extension of his mandate and that of his government as the United...
Europe scrambles as J&J vaccine delay deals another blow
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — European countries diverged Wednesday on whether they would push ahead with giving their residents Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine after...
EU throws weight behind Pfizer-BioNTech and new technology
BRUSSELS (AP) — In a stinging rebuke to pharma giant AstraZeneca Wednesday, the European Union announced plans to negotiate a massive contract extension for...
Russian President Putin gets 2nd COVID-19 vaccine shot
MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday he got his second COVID-19 vaccine shot, three weeks after getting the first dose.
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Greece, Libya to discuss delineating maritime boundaries
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece and Libya are to discuss delineating maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean, the Greek prime minister's office said Wednesday after...
Haiti prime minister resigns amid violence, political strife
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Haitian Prime Minister Joseph Jouthe announced early Wednesday that he has resigned as the country faces a spike in killings...
US urges Lebanese leaders to break political impasse
BEIRUT (AP) — A senior U.S. official on Wednesday berated Lebanese politicians for fighting over the formation of a new government for months while...
Trump-era spike in Israeli settlement growth has only begun
EFRAT, West Bank (AP) — An aggressive Israeli settlement spree during the Trump era pushed deeper than ever into the occupied West Bank —...
India’s worst-hit state imposes strict virus restrictions
MUMBAI (AP) — India's worst-hit and richest state Maharashtra will impose stricter restrictions for 15 days on Wednesday in an effort to stem the...
China-drafted electoral reform bill introduced in Hong Kong
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s electoral reform bill was introduced in the city’s legislature on Wednesday, setting in motion changes that will give...
Pakistan forces try to clear sit-ins by protesting Islamists
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistani security forces swinging batons and firing teargas moved before dawn Wednesday to clear sit-ins by protesting Islamists in the...
St. Vincent seeks water, funds as volcano keeps erupting
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (AP) — Leaders of volcano-wracked St. Vincent said Tuesday that water is running short as heavy ash contaminates supplies, and they...
US to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on...
Hong Kong’s delayed legislative elections set for December
HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said Tuesday that the semiautonomous Chinese territory's legislative elections will take place in December, more...
The Latest: Governor bans vaccine passports for Montana
HELENA, Mont. — Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has issued an executive order banning the development or use of vaccine passports in Montana.
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Iran says it will enrich uranium to 60%, highest level ever
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran will begin enriching uranium up to 60% purity after an attack on its Natanz nuclear facility, a...
US intel report: Virus impact to cause global ‘aftershocks’
WASHINGTON (AP) — The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are expected to contribute over the next year to “humanitarian and economic crises, political unrest,...
South Africa halts J&J vaccine jabs; Europe rollout delayed
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa suspended giving Johnson & Johnson vaccine shots Tuesday as a “precautionary measure” and the company delayed its European vaccine...
Dutch govt says it’s too early to start easing the lockdown
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government on Tuesday presented a roadmap for relaxing coronavirus lockdown measures, but caretaker Prime Minister Mark Rutte...
Pope asks US bishop to resign after cover-up investigation
ROME (AP) — A bishop in Minnesota resigned Tuesday at the request of Pope Francis after he was investigated by the Vatican for allegedly...
Turkey imposes partial Ramadan lockdown amid record cases
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkey's president announced a partial lockdown Tuesday during the first two weeks of the Muslim month of Ramadan to curb...
South Africa’s ex-president Jacob Zuma must pay legal fees
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — Former South African president Jacob Zuma has been denied state funding for his legal fees in an upcoming corruption trial and...
Bunny snatched: Record-holding giant rabbit stolen in UK
LONDON (AP) — Police say one of the world’s biggest bunnies has been stolen from its home in central England.
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Russia says troop buildup near Ukraine is a response to NATO
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's defense minister said Tuesday that the country's massive military buildup in the west was part of readiness drills amid what...
N. Macedonia: Ex-spy chief, others jailed for abuse of power
SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — A North Macedonian court on Tuesday convicted the country’s former intelligence chief and three more ex-officials of abuse of...
UK hits vaccine target; Johnson warns of more virus deaths
LONDON (AP) — Britain began offering coronavirus vaccinations to anyone over 45 on Tuesday after hitting its target of giving at least one dose...
NATO, US vow support for Ukraine, warn Russia on troops
BRUSSELS (AP) — The United States and NATO on Tuesday expressed strong support for Ukraine and warned Russia against pressing ahead with a major...
Putin foe Navalny says he sues prison for withholding Quran
MOSCOW (AP) — Imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said Tuesday he was suing his prison for withholding the Quran, which he intended to...
5 miners die, 4 missing in coal mine collapse in Afghanistan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — A makeshift coal mine collapsed Tuesday in northern Afghanistan, burying five miners and leaving four more missing, a provincial security...
India to approve coronavirus shots green-lit by WHO, others
NEW DELHI (AP) — India said Tuesday that it will approve the use of all coronavirus vaccines that have been given an emergency nod...
Kurds impose 10-day curfew in NE Syria amid coronavirus wave
BEIRUT (AP) — A 10-day curfew in areas controlled by U.S.-backed fighters in northeast Syria went into effect Tuesday in an attempt to try...
India reels amid virus surge, affecting world vaccine supply
NEW DELHI (AP) — The Indian city of Pune is running out of ventilators as gasping coronavirus patients crowd its hospitals. Social media is...
Trial starts of German far-right group that planned attacks
BERLIN (AP) — Twelve Germans went on trial Tuesday accused of being part of or supporting a far-right group that plotted to carry out...
Attack on Iran’s Natanz plant muddies US-Iran nuclear talks
WASHINGTON (AP) — The attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility is casting a major shadow over the resumption of indirect talks between the U.S....
Death toll up to 42 after migrant boat capsizes off Djibouti
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The International Organization for Migration says the death toll has risen to 42 after a boat carrying migrants capsized off...
Prince Philip shaped, and was shaped by, a century of tumult
LONDON (AP) — Born into an age of revolutions in the wake of a pandemic, Prince Philip lived through a tumultuous century and worked...
Ukraine’s leader requests a talk with Putin, gets no answer
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's leader has asked for a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the Russian troop buildup across his...
Altered photos of Cambodian torture victims stir controversy
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodians on Monday continued to condemn an Irish photo restorer for altering photographs of victims of their country’s 1970s...
Attack on Iran’s Natanz plant muddies US, Iran nuke talks
WASHINGTON (AP) — The attack on Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility is casting a major shadow over Tuesday’s resumption of indirect talks between the U.S....
All schools in Ontario to shut and go to online learning
TORONTO (AP) — All schools in Canada’s most populous province will be shut down and move to online learning because of a record number...
‘Huge’ explosion rocks St. Vincent as volcano keeps erupting
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent (AP) — La Soufriere volcano fired an enormous amount of ash and hot gas early Monday in the biggest explosive eruption...
Iran blames Israel for sabotage at Natanz nuclear site
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran blamed Israel on Monday for an attack on its underground Natanz nuclear facility that damaged its centrifuges...
William, Harry remember Prince Philip’s wit, service to UK
LONDON (AP) — Princes William and Harry paid tribute Monday to their grandfather, Prince Philip, remembering his wit, sense of duty and barbecue skills.
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Taliban not ready to meet Afghan govt in Turkey as US wants
ISLAMABAD (AP) — A Taliban spokesman said Monday the religious militia won’t attend a peace conference tentatively planned for later this week in Turkey,...
Muslims navigate restrictions in the second pandemic Ramadan
CAIRO (AP) — For Ramadan this year, Magdy Hafez has been longing to reclaim a cherished ritual: performing the nighttime group prayers called taraweeh...
Bulgarian Muslims hold circumcision festival despite virus
RIBNOVO, Bulgaria (AP) — On the eve of the holy month of Ramadan, Muslims from the southwestern corner of Bulgaria flocked to the sleepy...
Shirley Williams, liberal British politician, dies at 90
LONDON (AP) — Shirley Williams, a trailblazing female lawmaker who tried to reshape a British political system dominated by two big parties, has died...
Rome judge orders arrest of Vatican suspect in London deal
ROME (AP) — A Rome judge ordered the arrest Monday of an Italian businessman living in London who is a prime suspect in the...
Russia puts feminist activist on trial for pornography
MOSCOW (AP) — A feminist artist went on trial Monday in Russia on charges of disseminating pornography after she shared artwork online depicting female...
Tweaked COVID vaccines in testing aim to fend off variants
Dozens of Americans are rolling up their sleeves for a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine -- this time, shots tweaked to guard against a...
Firefighter killed in blaze in Russian city of St Petersburg
MOSCOW (AP) — A major fire engulfed a business center in St. Petersburg, Russia's second-largest city, on Monday, killing a firefighter and injuring two...
Merkel’s bloc spars over who will run for German chancellor
BERLIN (AP) — The head of Chancellor Angela Merkel's party, Armin Laschet, on Monday rallied his party's leadership behind his bid to become the...
Venice architecture Biennale opens a year later on May 22
MILAN (AP) — A year after being postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Venice Biennale for architecture will open on May 22 for a...
Paris police hunt for gunman who killed person near hospital
PARIS (AP) — Paris police are hunting for a gunman who opened fire Monday near a hospital in the wealthy 16th district of the...
Migration activist says Spain, Morocco trying to silence her
MADRID (AP) — A renowned Spanish activist for migrants’ rights accused authorities in Morocco and Spain on Monday of trying to silence her by...
Czech foreign minister fired in government reshuffle
PRAGUE (AP) — Czech Republic’s foreign minister was fired Monday in a government reshuffle less than six months before the parliamentary election.
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UK lobbying scandal snares ex-PM Cameron; govt starts probe
LONDON (AP) — The controversy over former British Prime Minister David Cameron’s lobbying on behalf of a now-bankrupt financial services firm deepened Monday as...
Off-duty Italy art cops find looted statue in Belgian shop
ROME (AP) — Italian police say they have recovered a 1st century Roman statue that was stolen from an archaeological site in 2011 and...
