A variant now named omicron, first detected in South Africa, prompted new overseas travel restrictions in Europe and a special World Health Organization meeting on Friday.
Russian authorities released the names of 51 people presumed dead after a devastating methane explosion in a coal mine in Siberia, believed to be the country's deadliest mining incident since 2010.
Five U.S. lawmakers met with Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen Friday morning in a surprise one-day visit intended to reaffirm the United States' "rock solid" support for the self-governing island.
The World Health Organization is holding an emergency meeting on Friday to review the variant. While it's too soon to tell exactly how the new variant functions, virologists are rushing to learn more.
After boycotting elections for years, Venezuela's opposition chose to participate in state and regional elections this week. The ruling Socialist Party won overwhelmingly.
The Biden administration has promised to help end the war in Yemen, but it continues to approve weapons sales to the Saudi government that is blamed for prolonging the war.
NPR's Audie Cornish talks with Annika Silva-Leander, the lead writer of the International IDEA's report that designated the U.S as a "backsliding democracy."