Featured
Last news
Health woes force Celine Dion to postpone Europe tour
Canadian superstar Celine Dion announced Friday the postponement until 2023 of European concert dates for her "Courage World Tour," citing a persistent health issue.
Oktoberfest to return in 2022 after virus hiatus
Germany's iconic Oktoberfest beer festival will once again take place in Munich in 2022 after being cancelled two years running due to the coronavirus, the city's mayor said Friday.
In western Ukraine, displaced children play to forget war
Inside a play tent for displaced children in western Ukraine, 12-year-old Natan said his cat Marquisa was not acting normally, sleeping all day and staying awake all night.
Niger to vaccinate children against malaria
Niger has approved the vaccination of children under the age of five against malaria with a ground-breaking British vaccine, the health minister has told AFP.
China digs in on zero-Covid strategy despite public's frustrations
China must press ahead with its "magic weapon" zero-Covid strategy, health officials said Friday, despite mounting economic costs and more signs of public frustration in locked-down Shanghai.
Vienna show spotlights Rothschild dynasty conspiracy theories
From 19th-century anti-Semitic caricatures to disinformation linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Rothschild international banking dynasty has been a favourite target of conspiracy theorists blaming it for the world's ills.
Kharkiv children fleeing bombs find refuge in Italy
An Italian aid programme had for years provided Viktoria Shakshyna with a respite from the children's home where she lived in Kharkiv, eastern Ukraine. When the bombs began falling, it became her lifeline.
Nepal ganja campaign seeks return of Himalayan high times
Nepal's marijuana ban could soon be up in smoke, as lawmakers mull a return to the liberal drug policies that once made the Himalayan republic a popular pit stop on the overland "hippie trail".
Measles cases soar 400 percent in Africa this year
Africa is facing an explosion of preventable diseases due to delays in vaccinating children, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday, with measles cases jumping 400 percent.
Moderna seeks US authorization for Covid vaccine in children under 6
US biotech firm Moderna said Thursday it had submitted a request for an emergency use authorization in the United States for its Covid vaccine for children aged six months to under six years.
Moderna seeks US authorization for Covid vaccine in children under 6: statement
US biotech firm Moderna said Thursday it had submitted a request for an emergency use authorization in the United States for its Covid vaccine for children aged six months to under six years.
China megacity mass-tests, cancels flights after suspected Covid case
The Chinese megacity of Guangzhou cancelled hundreds of flights Thursday and launched mass testing of 5.6 million people after one suspected Covid case, as the battle to contain the coronavirus sweeps across the country.
Videoconferencing hinders creativity, study finds
People are worse at coming up with creative ideas during a video call compared to meeting in person, a study said Wednesday, suggesting that workplaces should prioritise brainstorming sessions for the office.
Measles cases surge 80%, other diseases could follow: UN
Measles cases have surged by nearly 80 percent worldwide this year, the UN said Wednesday, warning that the rise of the "canary in a coal mine" illness indicates that outbreaks of other diseases are likely on the way.
Dutch fete king's birthday, but blunders cast a pall
People across the Netherlands came out to celebrate King Willem-Alexander's 55th birthday Wednesday, as the royal family works to recover its popularity following a string of blunders during the pandemic.
Nearly 60% of US population had Covid by February
By February of this year, 58 percent of the US population -- more than 190 million people -- had been infected with Covid, according to an antibody survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Tuesday.
Nearly 60% of US population had Covid by February: CDC
By February of this year, 58 percent of the US population -- or more than 190 million people -- had been infected with Covid, according to an antibody survey carried out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published Tuesday.
Biden doubles availability of Covid therapeutic pills
President Joe Biden's administration said Tuesday it is doubling the number of outlets where at-risk Americans can obtain free Covid-19 therapeutic pills.
China's low Covid death toll prompts questions
Two years into the pandemic, China's resurgent Covid-19 outbreak has revived questions about how the country counts deaths from the virus, with persistently low fatalities despite rising cases.
Beijing expands mass testing as lockdown fears grow
Beijing on Tuesday launched mass coronavirus testing for nearly all its 21 million residents, as fears grew that the Chinese capital may be placed under a strict lockdown like Shanghai.
What we know about mystery hepatitis strain in children
An unknown, severe strain of hepatitis has been identified in nearly 170 children across 11 countries in recent weeks, with at least one child dying of the mysterious disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
France's Sister Andre claims title of world's oldest person
A French nun who recently celebrated her 118th birthday with her traditional port-and-chocolate cocktail is now the world's oldest known person, following the death announced Monday of a Japanese woman one year her senior.
China's pursuit of zero Covid driving expats away
Colin Chan spent more than a decade building a life in China, but enduring ever-changing Covid rules and five weeks of quarantine convinced the Singaporean that it was time to leave.
The quest for a universal coronavirus vaccine
As vaccine makers rush to stamp out new Covid-19 variants, some scientists have set their sights higher, aiming for a universal coronavirus vaccine that could tackle any future strains and possibly even stave off another pandemic.
Beijing Covid spike prompts mass testing, panic buying
Fears of a hard Covid lockdown sparked panic buying in Beijing as long queues formed on Monday in a large central district for mass testing ordered by the Chinese authorities.
Pakistan reports first polio case in 15 months
Pakistan's prime minister said Saturday he will chair an emergency meeting of a national task force for polio eradication after authorities detected the country's first case of the debilitating neurodegenerative disease in 15 months.
Malaria: Killer of African children set for vaccine zap
Hundreds of thousands of people, mostly children living in Africa, succumb every year to malaria, an age-old mosquito-borne scourge that worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In north Donbas, denial and fatalism face Russian onslaught
After two months of sustained Russian artillery fire, the hamlet of Lysychansk, located just 14 kilometres (nine miles) from Russian ground forces, has turned into a ghost town.
UK Covid patient was positive for record 505 days: researchers
British researchers believe they have documented the longest-known Covid-19 infection, in a patient who tested positive for a total of 505 days before their death.
Pope clears diary for tests on painful knee
Pope Francis, who has suffered from knee pain in recent months, cleared his diary Friday to undergo medical checks, the Vatican said.
S. Korean sports fans can roar again after Covid bans lifted
South Korean baseball fans and football supporters will be allowed to cheer at stadiums for the first time in two years from Friday as the country drops almost all coronavirus restrictions.
Australia primed for 'unparalleled' decade of major sporting events
Australia will over the next decade host a bumper schedule of major international sporting events as part of a long-term plan to boost tourism, health and the economy while also enhancing its global image.