US airstrike, 1st under Biden, kills Iran-backed militiaman

An Iraqi militia official says a U.S. airstrike in Syria has killed one militiaman and wounded a number of others with a powerful Iranian-backed Iraqi group.

Vaccine 'passports' may open society, but inequity looms

Governments say getting vaccinated and having the proper documentation to prove it will smooth the way to recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and such efforts have gotten a head start in Israel.

Grandma chases down, tackles thief who stole her purse

A security camera captured an elderly woman chasing down a man who allegedly nabbed her purse at a pub in Australia, according to reports. 

Mount Etna lights up Sicily's night sky with 6th eruption in 8 days

Etna erupted for the sixth time in eight days on February 24, according to local media, with footage from the area showing lava fountains shooting 500 meters into the air.

Prince Philip has infection and will stay in hospital for several days, Palace says

The palace said Tuesday that the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II is responding to treatment for an infection but is not expected to leave the hospital for several days.

Prince Harry, Meghan won't return as working royals, Buckingham Palace confirms

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will not be returning to royal duties, and Harry will give up his honorary military titles.

Prince Charles visits his father, 99-year-old Prince Philip, in hospital

Prince Charles has visited his 99-year-old father, Prince Philip, in the London hospital where he was admitted earlier his week for “observation and rest” after falling ill.

US deports 95-year-old Tenn. man who served as former Nazi concentration camp guard

The United States has deported Friedrich Karl Berger, a 95-year-old who had been living in Tennessee with German citizenship who had once served as a guard in one of Nazi Germany’s concentration camps.

US officially rejoins Paris climate accord as Biden administration works on new 2030 emissions goal

World leaders welcomed the United States' official return to the Paris climate accord Friday, but politically trickier steps lie just ahead for President Joe Biden, including setting a tough national target in coming months for cutting damaging fossil fuel emissions.

Huge societal changes needed to keep nature, make Earth livable for humans, UN says

Humans are making Earth a broken and increasingly unlivable planet through climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. So the world must make dramatic changes to society, economics and daily life, a new United Nations report says.

Seiko Hashimoto named president of Tokyo's Olympic organizing committee

A woman has been named president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee. Seiko Hashimoto had been serving as Olympic minister and replaces 83-year-old Yoshiro Mori.

‘Major breakdown’ of polar vortex blamed for unusual winter weather around the world

Texas and Oklahoma are seeing record subzero temperatures. Greenland is warmer than normal. Snow fell in Greece and Turkey. Meteorologists call this one of the biggest, nastiest and longest-lasting polar vortex breakdowns they've seen.

WHO greenlights AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, opening door for use in the UN

The World Health Organization has granted an emergency authorization to the COVID-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca, likely allowing the U.N. health agency's partners to ship millions of doses to countries worldwide.

New Zealand finds no new COVID-19 cases after largest city goes on lockdown for 1st time in 6 months

As people in Auckland adjust to a new lockdown, health officials say they’ve found no evidence the coronavirus has spread further in the community, raising hopes the restrictions might be short-lived.

Cow attacks people in hospital waiting room

A cow on the loose ran into a hospital waiting room and attacked people waiting to see the doctor.

New Zealand enters first lockdown in 6 months after unexplained COVID-19 cases found

The lockdown in Auckland, which extends through Wednesday, is the first in New Zealand in six months and represents a significant setback in the nation's largely successful efforts to control the virus.