Varieties: Discover Latest News Today

China Has Slashed Air Pollution, but the ‘War’ Isn’t Over 

Varieties This picture taken on February 11, 2026 shows pedestrians walking along an overpass as traffic snarls in Beijing. (AFP)

China Has Slashed Air Pollution, but the ‘War’ Isn’t Over 

Fifteen years ago, Beijing's Liangma riverbanks would have been smog-choked and deserted in winter, but these days they are dotted with families and exercising…

Varieties Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania. (AFP file)

Sydney Man Jailed for Mailing Reptiles in Popcorn Bags 

A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight…

Varieties A member of the CRS Alpes Grenoble mountain rescue team operates as he searches for potential buried victims during an avalanche emergency response rescue mission in an off-piste area of the Ecrins massif, French Alps on January 29, 2026. (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

Two Snowboarders Dead after Austrian Avalanche

Two snowboarders have been confirmed dead after their bodies were recovered following an avalanche in western Austria over the weekend, police said Monday. …

Varieties Trees lie amid the floodwaters after heavy rain and wild winds in Puketotara, Waikato region, New Zealand, February 14, 2026, in this picture obtained from social media. Wayne Feisst/via REUTERS

Wild New Zealand Storm Disrupts Transport, Leaves Thousands Without Power

Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand's North Island on Monday,…

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Varieties A couple dances next to a street musician in Central Park on Valentine's day in New York, on February 14, 2026. (Photo by Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP)

New York Creatives Squeezed Out by High Cost of Living

After 20 years as a makeup artist for TV and cinema, Noel Jacoboni sees few other options than to leave New York City, where she has been "priced out" by the…

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Varieties A bird eats an acai berry from a basket on the boat of merchant Evandro Santos, 38, resident of the riverside community of Sao Jose, in Melgaco, southwest of Marajo Island, state of Para, Brazil, on June 11, 2020. (AFP)

Brazil Declares Acai a National Fruit to Ward off 'Biopiracy'

Brazil has declared the acai berry a national fruit, a move to stamp its ownership on the popular "superfood" as concerns grow about foreign companies staking…

Varieties Residents dig out their cars in the South Boston neighborhood following a winter storm that dump more than a foot of snow across the region, Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Boston. (AP)

What to Know About America’s Colossal Winter Storm

A life-threatening freeze is gripping large swaths of the United States after a monster storm caused at least 38 deaths from the Deep South to the Northeast,…

Varieties A view of a burnt forest outside Gellibrand, Australia, 28 January 2026. (EPA)

Record-Breaking Australia Heatwave Fuels Bushfires, Cuts Power to Thousands

A record-breaking heatwave baked Australia's southeast for a fifth straight day on Wednesday, fanning bushfires and straining ​the power grid, leaving…

Varieties A handout photo released by Suvarnabhumi Airport shows Thai health officials wearing protective masks monitoring passengers from international flights arriving at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Samut Prakan province, Thailand, 25 January 2026. (EPA/The Suvarnabhumi Airport Office Handout)

India Says It Has Contained Nipah Virus Outbreak as Some Asian Countries Ramp up Health Screenings

Indian authorities said they had contained a Nipah virus outbreak after confirming two cases in the eastern state of West Bengal, as several Asian countries…

Varieties With this release, the total number of wildlife species released by the NCW to date has exceeded 10,000 as part of its specialized programs - SPA

75 Wildlife Species Released into King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve

The National Center for Wildlife (NCW), in cooperation with the King Abdulaziz Royal Reserve Development Authority, today released 75 wildlife species into the…

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Varieties Artist's rendering of James Webb Space Telescope in space near Earth, in this image released on September 19, 2023. NASA/dima_zel/Handout via REUTERS

Astronomers Unveil Map of Dark Matter's Distribution in Universe

Using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope in a patch of the sky covering almost three times the area of the full moon, scientists have created the…

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Varieties Giant panda Lei Lei eats bamboo at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, Japan, 25 January 2026. (EPA)

Japan’s Beloved Last Pandas Leave for China as Ties Fray

Hundreds gathered to say farewell to two popular pandas departing Tokyo for China on Tuesday, leaving Japan without any of the beloved bears for the first time…

Varieties Lou Zhenxian, owner of Vision Plush Toys, works at her desk near crying horse plush toys, ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year, which will welcome the Year of the Horse, at Yiwu International Trade City in Yiwu, Zhejiang province, China January 21, 2026. REUTERS/Nicoco Chan

Accidental 'Crying Horse' Toy Wins Hearts in China

At Yiwu International Trade City, China’s largest wholesale market, customers crowd into a small shop searching for an unlikely bestseller ahead of the Lunar…

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Varieties A man shades himself from the heat with a fan in Melbourne, Australia, 27 January 2026. (EPA)

Firefighters Order Evacuation as Heatwave Bakes Australia

Firefighters told people to flee an out-of-control bushfire in southeast Australia on Tuesday as a heatwave baked much of the country. Temperatures hit a…

Varieties The world's addiction to plastic is a 'global public health crisis', a researcher warned. Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP/File

Health Threat of Global Plastics Projected to Soar

The threat posed by plastic production, usage and disposal to human health will skyrocket in the coming years unless the world does something to address this…

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Varieties A Swedish flag hangs outside a store on a busy street as visitors walk past in the background in the old town of Stockholm, Sweden, July 14, 2023 REUTERS/Tom Little/File Photo

Sweden Plans to Jail 13-year-olds for Serious Offences

Sweden's government said Monday it was moving forward with a hotly contested bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 13 for serious…

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Varieties The conference program includes specialized panel discussions addressing space sustainability and governance, in addition to the technical and regulatory challenges associated with space debris - SPA

Second Edition of Space Debris 2026 Conference Kicks Off with Participation from 75 Countries

The second edition of the Space Debris 2026 Conference officially commenced today. Organized by the Saudi Space Agency (SSA), the conference is witnessing…

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Varieties A security officer looks on as the roof of Rod Laver Arena is closed due to extreme heat during the men's singles match between Italy's Jannik Sinner and USA's Eliot Spizzirri on day seven of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 24, 2026. (AFP)

World Not Ready for Rise in Extreme Heat, Scientists Say

Nearly 3.8 billion people could face extreme heat by 2050 and while tropical countries will bear the brunt cooler regions will also need to adapt, scientists…

Varieties People walk across Sixth Avenue as snow falls in the Manhattan borough of New York City on January 25, 2026. (AFP)

Americans Hunker Down, Help Each Other Under Blizzard and Brutal Cold

Tens of millions of Americans hunkered down on Monday or ventured out to help neighbors ​under bitter cold, blizzards of snow and lashings of freezing rain…

Varieties A close-up shows a mobile phone displaying the app UdenUSA, which translates to Without USA in Danish, Copenhagen, Denmark, 21 January 2026. EPA/Liselotte Sabroe  DENMARK OUT

Egypt to Adopt Restrictions on Children’s Social Media Use to Fight 'Digital Chaos'

Egypt's Parliament is looking into ways to regulate children’s use of social media platforms to combat what lawmakers called “digital chaos,” following some…

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Varieties A depiction of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is held by a protester during a demonstration following a march entitled "Walk for Freedom and Justice," led by opposition congressman Nikolas Ferreira, as participants arrive in Brasilia after a 240‑km walk from Paracatu to protest in support of Bolsonaro, who is serving a 27‑year sentence for plotting a coup, in Brasilia, Brazil, January 25, 2026. (Reuters)

Lightning Strike Injures 89 at Rally for Brazil’s Former President

Lightning struck near a rally of supporters of Brazil's former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia on Sunday, injuring 89 people, according to the…

Varieties A cat passes through a cat flap on the door at the The Ottoman Topkapi Palace in Istanbul on January 20, 2026. (AFP)

Living Like Sultans: Istanbul’s Pampered Street Cats

Kanyon is getting fat: since someone stole his basket, this white cat with grey markings who lives at an Istanbul shopping center has been showered with snacks…

Varieties A person walks across a street during a winter storm in Philadelphia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Massive Winter Storm Across the US Brings Ice, Frigid Temperatures

A massive winter storm continued Sunday morning, dumping sleet, freezing rain and snow across the South and up through New England, bringing frigid…

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Varieties Saudi Media Forum Signs Partnership Agreement with Expo 2030 Riyadh as 'Partner of the Future'

Saudi Media Forum Signs Partnership Agreement with Expo 2030 Riyadh as 'Partner of the Future'

The Saudi Media Forum has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, naming it the “Partner of the Future” for the forum’s fifth…

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Varieties  King Philippe of Belgium arrives at a New Year reception hosted by him and Queen Mathilde of Belgium for the Permanent Representatives and Heads of Mission to the North Atlantic Council, members of the International Secretariat, Military Representatives to NATO, and General Officers of SHAPE, at the Royal Castle of Laeken in Brussels, Belgium, 15 January 2026. (EPA)

Belgian Police Tracking the Crooks Who Would Be King

A band of crooks have been passing themselves as Belgian royalty over the past year to get money out of foreign dignitaries and business leaders, Belgian…

Varieties Giant panda Lei Lei eats bamboo at Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo, Japan, 25 January 2026. (EPA)

Fans Bid Farewell to Japan’s Only Pandas

Panda lovers in Tokyo said goodbye on Sunday to a hugely popular pair of the bears that are set to return to China, leaving Japan without the beloved animals…

Varieties US rock climber Alex Honnold climbs the Taipei 101 skyscraper building, in Taipei, Taiwan, 25 January 2026. (EPA)

US Climber Scales Taiwan’s Tallest Building Taipei 101 without Ropes

US climber Alex Honnold scaled the Taipei 101 skyscraper without ropes or safety netting on Sunday, watched by thousands of cheering and waving fans as he…

Varieties A painting drawn by artists is seen at a house destroyed by Israel, in recent Israeli-Gaza fighting, in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip June 13, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

Children's Art Supplies Enter into Gaza for First Time in Two Years

The UN children's agency (UNICEF) told AFP on Friday that it was able to bring recreational supplies including notebooks, crayons and art materials into the…

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Varieties A Nashville Department of Transportation truck applies salt brine to a roadway Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. ahead of a winter storm expected to hit the state over the weekend. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)

Massive Winter Storm Threatens Heavy Snow, Freezing Rain, to More than 170 million People Across US

Texas and Oklahoma braced for heavy snow and ice that could make roadways treacherous Friday in what is expected to be some of the initial effects of a huge,…

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