Thousands arrested in Russia for 2nd week straight at protests backing activist Alexei Navalny

Thousands were arrested for the second week straight during protests in Russia demanding the release of Alexei Navalny, Putin's best-known critic. Now the U.S. is criticizing the crackdown and urging Russia to release Navalny.

Black Lives Matter nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

The movement has also been criticized for violence during demonstrations in the US last summer.

COVID-19 symptoms remained for at least 6 months for some Wuhan patients, study finds

A study out of Wuhan, China, where COVID-19 was first identified, found that nearly 2,000 patients hospitalized during the onset of the pandemic were still reporting symptoms six months later.

EU regulator authorizes AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for all adults

Regulators have authorized AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine for use in adults throughout the European Union, amid criticism the bloc is not moving fast enough to vaccinate its population.

UK study finds Novavax vaccine 89% effective against COVID-19

Novavax Inc. said Thursday that its COVID-19 vaccine appears 89% effective based on early findings from a British study and that it also seems to work — though not quite as well — against new mutated strains of the virus circulating in that country and South Africa.

'Cookie Monster' gemstone found in Brazil goes viral

A geologist recently discovered a gemstone in Brazil that looks just like Cookie Monster from "Sesame Street." The scientist said he's been offered $10,000 for the rare rock.

Coronavirus variant from South Africa detected in US for 1st time

A new coronavirus variant identified in South Africa has been found in the U.S. for the first time, with two cases diagnosed in South Carolina.

Pakistani court orders release of man accused of beheading American journalist Daniel Pearl

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of a Pakistani-British man convicted and later acquitted in the beheading of American journalist Daniel Pearl in 2002.

Global shark populations have declined more than 70% since 1970, researchers say

When marine biologist Stuart Sandin talks about sharks, it sounds like he’s describing Jedis of the ocean. “They are terrific predators, fast swimmers and they have amazing senses — they can detect any disturbance in the ocean from great distance,” such as smells or tiny changes in water currents.

'Circumstances force us to do these things': IOC, Tokyo Olympics to release game plan for beating pandemic

Organizers and the International Olympic Committee are finally going public with their planning, hoping to push back against reports the Olympics will be canceled with Tokyo and much of Japan still under a state of emergency with COVID-19 cases rising.

UK COVID-19 variant ‘may be’ more deadly, prime minister says

There is emerging evidence to suggest that the recently discovered, highly transmissible COVID-19 variant first reported in the United Kingdom is potentially more deadly, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

President Biden proposes 5-year extension of Russian nuclear arms treaty

The Biden administration is proposing to Russia a five-year extension of the New START treaty limiting the number of U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons, U.S. officials said Thursday.

Under Biden, world leaders hope for renewed US cooperation

World leaders welcomed into their ranks the new U.S. President Joe Biden, noting their most pressing problems, including the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, require multilateral cooperation, an approach his predecessor Donald Trump ridiculed.

'Don’t haste ye back': Scotland's leader says 'cheerio' to Trump, congratulates Biden, Harris

Speaking ahead of President Joe Biden’s inauguration on Jan. 20, Nicola Sturgeon, first minister of Scotland, said the country “will be very happy to say ‘cheerio’ to Donald Trump.”