How did this new strain of the coronavirus evolve? Researchers are investigating various possibilities. One leading theory involves ... just one person.
There's serious concern about the effectiveness of vaccines against the omicron strain. But there's also reason to be hopeful — especially for those who've had a booster.
African nations are bristling at the restrictions imposed on them by rich countries — and say they are harmful to local economies and discriminate against countries in the region.
Preliminary data about omicron suggests the variant became widespread across southern Africa in a very short period of time. Scientists say its many mutations may play a role in its transmissibility.
At a special session this week, the World Health Organization hopes to start sketching out a new world order. "We don't have rules of the game," says WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
An isolated city on the Amazon illustrates why Peru has the highest COVID death rate in the world. One infectious disease expert called the country's awful record the result of a "perfect storm."
It's definitely not a turkey day. Jollof rice is more like it. It's questioned as a holiday because of its American origins. And the way Liberians do celebrate holds lessons for the U.S.
The photo series Unyielding Floods recently won its fifth award this year. It captures the strength and hardship of those affected by flooding of biblical proportions in South Sudan.
Globally, boys and young men made up two-thirds of all deaths among young people in 2019. A recent report finds that many such deaths in this "neglected" age group are preventable.
Let's take time off from pondering the pandemic to enjoy some toilet humor courtesy of signage sent in by our audience — and also to think about how lucky we are if we have a safe toilet.
One of the surprising aspects of the pandemic is that symptoms can linger months after infection. This syndrome has been called "long COVID," and it's had a profound impact on many people's lives.
It's difficult to treat Gazans, said psychologist Ismael Ahel. "We can't just deal with the first trauma or the second trauma. It's a complexity of trauma." And children are deeply affected.
The doctor specializes in treating women attacked by a spouse or who self-immolate in desperation. Now she faces threats from Taliban commanders and the husbands of those she's helped.
Elon Musk reportedly made $36 billion in a single day. What if he gave a sixth of that to the World Food Programme? We ask researchers how much of a change $6 billion could bring.