At least 18 killed in explosion in Syria’s Idlib – war monitor

Germany, the Czech Republic and the UK are the latest countries to confirm cases of the omicron variant. The new strain that was first detected in South Africa has prompted governments around the world to re-introduce travel restrictions.

Ethiopian authorities have closed all secondary schools so pupils can harvest crops for those on the frontline of the civil war, state-affiliated media says. ... More than 2 million pupils were already out of school due to the war which started in the northern region of Tigray last year, the government says.

Architects from Spain have completed a novel design for the upcoming FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Named the 974 Stadium, the 40,000-seater facility it's designed to be relatively easy to disassemble and rebuild, and was constructed using almost 1,000 shipping containers.⁣

Governments have set their eyes on the world's largest tech companies. But why has Big Tech come under so much fire? And how did it get so "Big" in the first place?

The accused — Mahamat Said Abdel Kani — faces a slew of charges, including persecution, enforced disappearance and other inhumane acts. The alleged militia leader rose to prominence amid a coup in Bangui in 2013.

A new report by Amnesty international has documented war crimes and atrocities committed during the fall of the internationally backed Afghan government in August.

Kinshasa residents welcomed on Wednesday UNESCO's decision to add Congolese rumba to its list of global cultural treasures, although some older fans felt the genre lacked the storytelling power it had in the past.

His images capture the universality of the human experience, in expressive portraits, breathtaking landscapes or arresting scenes of photojournalism. Steve McCurry's image of a young Afghan girl made the cover of National Geographic in the 1980s, catapulted him to fame and brought the plight of the country's refugees to the world's attention. As his body of work is brought together for a retrospective at the Musée Maillol in Paris, the photojournalist gives us his take on the current situation in Afghanistan, why children are naturally photogenic and how he finds inspiration in the people he photographs.

With Europe still grappling with Covid-19, Talking Europe speaks to Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC). The EESC is the body that brings together European employers, trade unionists and representatives of social, occupational, economic and cultural organisations.

With Europe still grappling with Covid-19, Talking Europe speaks to Christa Schweng, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).

2021 began with the promise of vaccines to the rescue. But as one variant begets another, rich nations talk of boosters and jabs for kids while much of the developing world still waits for first doses.

The future is now: Today, a virtual Mona Lisa or a cat meme can be worth millions. Welcome to the world of NFTs. Fraudulent — or the future of the art world?