INTERNATIONAL

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday that U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is aiming to lead the international bloc opposed to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine into a broader coalition to counter what it sees as a more serious, long-term threat to global order from China.

A man declared the world’s oldest living person is preparing for his birthday as a record-holder.

Earlier this month, we asked you, readers and viewers, if you could relate to what’s happening in Ukraine.

The city of Mariupol looks like it will be in Russian hands shortly after hundreds of the remaining Ukrainian soldiers were ordered to evacuate.

Russian forces pounded targets across Ukraine, taking aim at supply lines for foreign weapons in the west and intensifying an offensive in the east, as the European Union moved Wednesday to further punish Moscow for the war with a proposed ban on oil imports.

Joe Hurston, who is the founder of the humanitarian nonprofit, Air Mobile Ministries says there is just too much work to be done.

This oil spill in Santa Monica was the worst in U.S. waters at the time.

Refugees continue to pour into other countries such as Poland and England, with an estimated four million Ukrainian refugees leaving the country.

As veterans of World War II get older and older, with most of them now in their late 80s and 90s, how will we preserve that legacy and keep their sacrifice alive?

Russia’s relentless bombardment of Ukraine has edged closer to central Kyiv. Large explosions thundered across Kyiv before dawn Tuesday as Russia’s assault on the capital appeared to become more systematic, The Associated Press reported.

Endurance belonged to Sir Ernest Shackleton, who led a crew of 27-men and 69 dogs who attempted to traverse the continent via the South Pole and establish a base on the coast of the Weddell Sea.

After weeks of buildup, Russia began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier this week, invading the country from the north, east and south, launching airstrikes on cities and military bases.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing a sharp spike in violence in and around territory held by Russia-backed rebels and increasingly dire warnings that Russia plans to invade, has called for Russian President Vladimir Putin to meet him and seek a resolution to the crisis.

There are many holiday rituals that are celebrated by just about everyone around the world, whether that means exchanging gifts, family get-togethers or attending church services.

Members of the group include Arab jihadists, Pakistani militants and possibly former members of the Taliban.

The deadline to evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghanistan’s who helped the U.S. during the 20 years of conflict is closing in.

Azizm said she’s also worried about other family members who live in Afghanistan.

Air Mobile Ministries is on the impoverished island to assist the earthquake victims.

When we think of castles, we often think of kings and queens, or maybe even some fairytale Disney movie -- but always some extravagant place, and certainly not one in which we’d be able to stay -- until now.

How would you like to live forever? If a child prodigy in Belgium has his way, then that could eventually be the case.

Thousands of people poured into the streets in Cuba on Sunday in what is becoming the largest anti-government protest in decades.

Florida elected officials took to social media to express their support for Cubans marching across the island to protest food shortages and high prices amid the coronavirus crisis.

The nonprofit Israeli initiative whose spacecraft crashed on the moon two years ago says it has secured $70 million in funding to make a second attempt at a lunar landing.

Authorities in the Turks and Caicos Islands say a boat was found drifting about a mile off Grand Turk island with 20 dead people on board, including two children.

Back in May, a farm in Mexico started developing a sinkhole that has since caused the evacuation of a family living in a nearby house, the collapse of that same house and a rescue operation for two dogs that, like the house, were also swallowed up by the sinkhole.

What are some interesting facts about flags around the globe?

Already famous at home, China's wandering elephants are now becoming international stars.

As the United States has seen vaccination numbers rise and COVID-19 cases decline, many Americans might be feeling a desire to travel more.

In Central Florida, the 11-day conflict resonated among both Israelis and Palestinians.

Some countries celebrate Father's Day a little differently than in the U.S.

How well do you know your international travel destinations? It’s time to test your knowledge.

Just like in 84 countries around the world, Father’s Day is celebrated in the United States the third Sunday of every June.

China has postponed a supply mission to its new space station for unspecified technical reasons, while photos sent back from Mars by its newly arrived rover earned plaudits from NASA.

Forty-eight people in the Moncton area and New Brunswick Acadian peninsula of Canada have suffered from a rare and debilitating brain disorder.

The largest piece of a rocket that launched part of China’s space station into orbit is falling back to Earth and the timing and destination of its eventual crash remains somewhat unknown.

Most of the world seems to have a traditional way of celebrating Mother’s Day and making sure moms everywhere feel loved and receive the praise they deserve.

The United Arab Emirates’ space center announced Wednesday a more ambitious timeline for sending its first rover to the moon.

From February to November, Mother's Day is celebrated year-round throughout the world.

It’s time to adjust the clocks in the kitchen, bedroom, car and wherever else is needed, as another daylight saving time day is upon us this weekend.

Universal Studios Japan will hold its grand opening of the world’s first SUPER NINTENDO WORLD on March 18, 2021OSAKA, Japan – Universal Studios Japan said its interactive Super Nintendo World will open to guests on March 18, kicking off the park’s 20th-anniversary celebration. Guests will immerse themselves in the Super Nintendo world even further by wearing a power-up band. AdPower-Up Band Challenge at Super Nintendo World (Universal Studios Japan)The land was originally scheduled to open in July of last year but Universal delayed the opening due to concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. The news about Super Nintendo World comes as Universal Orlando said last week its resuming construction on its fourth theme park, Epic Universe. Last year, leaders with Comcast, Universal’s parent company, said a Super Nintendo World would be coming to the new theme park in Orlando.

Valentine’s Day is big business in the United States.

Tests can be taken up to three days in advance and are required for anyone 2 years or older. Orlando International Airport leaders said Tuesday, a week before the new rule begins, travelers should begin planning for a COVID-19 test prior to booking any air travel. [TRENDING: Fla. leads nation in cases with new COVID variant | 12-year-old Orlando girl still missing | Biden inauguration will be different]Airlines will confirm a COVID-19 negative test result or documentation of recovery for all passengers before boarding. The test result documentation must include information that identifies the person, a specimen collection date and the type of test. The CDC issued the latest order on Jan. 12, expanding the requirement to all international travelers.

(2020 Getty Images)On Jan. 9, the World Health Organization first announced news about the deadly coronavirus that had emerged in Wuhan, China. (2020 Getty Images)On March 24, it became official: The Olympics would be postponed. (2020 Getty Images)On May 4, it was reported that giant insects called “murder hornets” were spotted in the U.S., specifically, Washington state. (Getty Images)On Aug. 18, on the second night of the (virtual) 2020 Democratic National Convention, the party officially nominated Biden. (Getty Images)On Oct. 11, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Miami Heat in NBA Finals to win another championship.

India's coronavirus cases jumped by another 96,424 in the past 24 hours, showing little sign of leveling. India is expected to have the highest number of confirmed cases within weeks, surpassing the United States, where more than 6.67 million people have been infected. The announcement came as the university reported 130 newly confirmed coronavirus cases, bringing the total to 671 cases since classes began about a month ago. John Hopkins University says that through Thursday, Idaho had more than 36,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 434 deaths. That tally raised the state’s rolling average number of daily new confirmed coronavirus cases to 726, more than double 381 just one week ago.

BEIJING – China's Mars probe Tianwen-1, which blasted into space in July, is now more than 15 million kilometers (9 million miles) from Earth en route to the red planet, the National Space Administration said Saturday. The administration said that Tianwen-1 was in stable condition, having completed its first mid-course orbital correction early last month. It will be about 195 million kilometers (118 million miles) from Earth when it arrives at Mars around February, having traveled 470 million kilometers (292 million miles) in all to get there. The administration, however, has yet to release information about a mysterious reusable experimental spacecraft that returned to Earth a week ago after a two-day flight. Last year, China's Chang’e-4 became the first spacecraft from any country to land on the far side of the moon.

A man stands in a set promoting the Disney movie Mulan in Beijing on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020. Disney is under fire for filming part of its live-action reboot Mulan in Xinjiang, the region in China where the government has been accused of human rights abuses against Uighurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities. Last year, a boycott movement was sparked when the lead actor, Liu Yifei, a Chinese-American originally from Wuhan, publicly supported Hong Kong police when they were accused of using excessive force against Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters. Donnie Yen, a renowned Hong Kong star who plays Mulans regiment leader Commander Tung, also drew ire from Hong Kong protesters for his pro-China stance. The controversy has revived calls for a boycott in Hong Kong, where the film will be released next week.

COPENHAGEN A far-right Norwegian lawmaker said Wednesday that he has nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in the Middle East. He said he nominated Trump on Wednesday, adding that Donald Trump meets the criteria for the Nobel Peace Prize. Any national lawmaker can nominate someone for the Nobel Peace Prize. Nominations must be sent to the Norwegian Nobel Committee by Feb. 1. The Norwegian Nobel Committee doesnt publicly comment on nominees.

BEIJING Chinas first reusable spacecraft landed Sunday after two days in orbit, a possible step toward lower-cost space flight, the government announced. The flight marks an important breakthrough in our countrys research on reusable spacecraft that promise a more convenient and inexpensive way to reach space, Xinhua said. Last year, it became the first country to land a robot rover on the moon's little-seen far side. The United States and the former Soviet Union both flew reusable spacecraft. The Soviet space plane, Buran, orbited the Earth twice during its single uncrewed flight in 1988.

OSHAWA, ON Police say four people have been found dead in a home east of Toronto after an early morning shooting. A spokesman for Durham regional police says multiple calls came in around 1:20 a.m. Friday reporting the sound of gunshots from a home in Oshawa, Ontario. He says investigators believe the shooter is among the dead. Police say theyre not looking for any more suspects and there are no community safety concerns. Were waiting for our homicide team to arrive so we can get a better understanding of what exactly happened and what led to the shooting, Tudos told reporters at the scene.

JOHANNESBURG Locusts are threatening another part of Africa, with up to 7 million people in the southern region facing further food insecurity, the United Nations said Friday. The outbreaks of African migratory locusts in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are not related to the huge outbreak of billions of desert locusts that has affected East Africa for months, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said. While far smaller, the southern outbreaks need quick attention to prevent a wider problem as farmers and others already struggle to recover from a serious drought last year and the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.N. agency said in a statement. Swarms of the voracious insects can eat enough food for 2,500 people in a day, according to a separate Food and Agriculture Organization document on the southern Africa outbreaks. Some of the worst-affected areas are very difficult to reach, FAO southern Africa coordinator Patrice Talla said.

A protester runs away from where police deployed chemical irritants near the 3rd Precinct building in Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 27, 2020, during a protest against the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody earlier in the week. (Christine T. Nguyen/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)Your daily look at nonvirus stories in the news:1. VIOLENCE AGAIN ROCKS MINNEAPOLIS Protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody rock the city again, with protesters looting stores and setting fires. CHINA ENDORSES HONG KONG NATIONAL SECURITY LAW Activists in the semi-autonomous territory say the law will undermine civil liberties and might be used to suppress political activity. SURVEILLANCE BILL IN DOUBT Legislation extending surveillance authorities that the FBI sees as vital in fighting terrorism has run into bipartisan opposition, dooming its prospects.

Officials said there were two survivors from the plane but they also found at least 57 bodies in the wreckage. Police in protective masks struggled to clear away crowds amid the smoke and dust so ambulances and firetrucks could reach the crash site. Sir, mayday, mayday, mayday, mayday Pakistan 8303, the pilot said before the transmission ended. Science Minister Fawad Ahmed Chaudhry said this year has been a catastrophe just survival is so difficult, with the pandemic and now the tragedy of the plane crash. Ownership records for the Airbus A320 showed China Eastern Airlines flew the plane from 2004 until 2014.