The government of Ethiopia is launching a new offensive to retake the Tigray region from separatist forces. The United Nations says the relief aid crisis is worsening there.
NPR's Scott Simon remarks on the death of Ndakasi, the gorilla who went viral for a photobomb a few years ago. A picture taken of her last moments in her caretaker's arms also went viral this week.
This year's best pictures include two friends sunbathing on giant shards of ice in Kazakhstan, workers at a red chili factory in Bangladesh and a white mangrove forest in Vietnam.
It's also the first vaccine against a parasitic disease in humans. But there are issues to consider, from its rate of effectiveness to the dosage schedule.
China invested heavily in a plan to rebuild Pakistan's infrastructure. It is part of the Belt and Road Initiative. But many projects have stalled because of corruption and COVID-19.