With pandemic worsening in US, surgeon general worried

The U.S. surgeon general said Sunday that he's concerned about what lies ahead with cases of COVID-19 increasing in every state, millions still unvaccinated and a highly contagious virus variant spreading rapidly.

Earth's richest man Bezos to blast off into space

Jeff Bezos, the richest person in the world, is set to join the astronaut club Tuesday on the first crewed launch by Blue Origin, another key moment in a big month for the fledgling space tourism industry.

How can you become a space tourist?

Thrill-seekers might soon be able to get their adrenaline kicks—and envy-inducing Instagram snaps—from the final frontier, as space tourism finally lifts off.

Environmental concerns grow as space tourism lifts off

After years of waiting, Richard Branson's journey to space this month on a Virgin Galactic vessel was supposed to be a triumphant homecoming. Instead, the jaunt attracted significant criticism—about its carbon footprint.

Who's who on Blue Origin's first crewed flight

Blue Origin's maiden crewed flight on Tuesday involves four people who will cross the Karman line, which separates Earth's atmosphere from space, for the very first time.

France pledges to end chick culling in 2022

France will outlaw the culling of male chicks in the poultry industry in 2022 after years of protests from animal welfare activists, Agriculture Minister Julien Denormandie said Sunday.

Israel removes cancer patients from third vaccine jab list

Israel on Sunday walked back part of its policy for third coronavirus vaccination shots, saying that contrary to a recent announcement, oncology patients should actually stick with two jabs only.

Germany questions warning system after deadly floods

As Germany mourns more than 150 people who died in floods and begins a mammoth clean-up task, questions are mounting about whether the country's weather warning system failed to keep citizens safe.

Los Angeles hopes new mask mandate will reverse virus spike

Los Angeles County residents are again required to wear masks indoors regardless of their vaccination status—a new mandate starting this weekend that health officials hope will reverse the latest spikes in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Senegal sees dramatic COVID-19 surge as major holiday looms

Adama Ndiaye got up before dawn to travel about 25 miles (40 kilometers), hoping that she would be able to get a sheep for the celebration next week of the Muslim holiday of sacrifice, Eid al-Adha.

Vietnam puts southern region in lockdown as surge grows

Vietnam put its entire southern region in a two-week lockdown starting midnight Sunday, as confirmed COVID-19 cases exceeded 3,000 for the third day in a row.

California fire prompts evacuations; Oregon blaze balloons

A rapidly growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada on Saturday as critically dangerous wildfire weather loomed in the coming days.

Vaccine inequity: Inside the cutthroat race to secure doses

No one disputes that the world is unfair. But no one expected a vaccine gap between the global rich and poor that was this bad, this far into the pandemic.

Centennial of ex-astronaut, US Senator John Glenn marked

John Glenn has been honored over the weekend with a three-day festival in Ohio marking what would have been the history-making astronaut and U.S. senator's 100th birthday.

EXPLAINER: How Blue Origin's Jeff Bezos will soar into space

When Blue Origin launches people into space for the first time, founder Jeff Bezos will be on board. No test pilots or flight engineers for Tuesday's debut flight from West Texas, just Bezos, his brother, an 82-year-old aviation pioneer and a teenage tourist.