News
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Did nature heal during the pandemic 'anthropause'?
The pandemic was, and remains a global human tragedy. But for ecologists, it has also been an unparalleled opportunity to learn more about how people affect the natural world by documenting what happened when we abruptly stepped back from it
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Hunger pains on Slave Island as Sri Lanka's food prices rocket
During the country's worst-ever economic crisis, which has driven rampant inflation and spurred protests that last week brought down the president, Sri Lankans are buying less, eating less and working less
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Forest fires rage in scorching southwest Europe
Blazes raging in France, Greece, Portugal and Spain have destroyed thousands of hectares of land and forced thousands of residents and holidaymakers to flee
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Passengers sigh as Heathrow caps numbers to head off 'Airmageddon'
After two solid years of pandemic-induced staycations, travel has come roaring back in Europe. But the return has come with myriad problems as airports and airlines that let employees go during the pandemic are feeling the strain of meeting the recent surge in demand
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Breakthroughs elude Joe Biden on fraught Middle East tour
US President Joe Biden sought to use his first Middle East tour in office to reassert Washington's influence but emerged without a single diplomatic breakthrough, an outcome analysts said was no surprise
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European Central Bank ends the era of cheap money as inflation pressure mounts
To try and counteract a steep rise in prices ECB has said it intends to raise its interest rates by a quarter point, the first such move since 2011
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Mon Dieu! No mustard. France stews without its beloved condiment
Deprived of the condiment that gives an edge to a steak frites, life to a grilled sausage, depth to a vinaigrette and richness to mayonnaise, France has been casting around with quiet desperation for alternatives
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Far from Kabul, building a new life, with music and hope
Under the U.S.-backed government in Kabul, the Afghanistan National Institute of Music had flourished, becoming a symbol of Afghanistan's changing identity. The Taliban had long treated it as a threat. More than 250 students fled and found asylum in Portugal and are now reviving their passion for music
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Sharp drop in childhood vaccinations threatens millions of lives
It is the largest backslide in routine immunization in 30 years, according to a new analysis from UNICEF, the United Nations agency that vaccinates half the world's children, and the World Health Organisation
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China's surveillance state hits rare resistance from its own subjects
As China builds up its vast surveillance and security apparatus, it is running up against growing public unease about the lack of safeguards to prevent the theft or misuse of personal data
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Saudi Arabia-US: From protection for oil to Khashoggi murder, a crisis-peppered partnership
Saudi Arabia and the United States have a long-standing strategic partnership, but the oil and security driven relationship has been strained by several crises. Here's a look at the complicated relationship