A World Health Organization spokesperson says the COVID-19 episode is far from over and the world is just in the middle of the pandemic.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday dramatically eased its COVID-19 guidelines for masks, including in schools.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set Monday to announce an end to all pandemic legal curbs in England, insisting it is time to move on despite political opposition and unease from the UN's health agency.

Protests against New Zealand government’s COVID-19 regulations in capital Wellington enter a second week amid growing frustration among local residents.

The opening ceremony of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics kicked off on Friday night, the culmination of preparations beset by the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a two decade military presence in Africa the US has not only failed to combat extremists and terrorists, but has also been involved in coups and the overthrow of several governments.

The US inflation rate is at the highest it has been in 30 years, the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent supply chain disruptions have driven prices up resulting in food shortages.

The cumulative number of global COVID-19 cases had exceeded 360.5 million, with the death toll surpassing 5.62 million.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has "persistent deficiencies" in its ability to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies, according to the US congressional watchdog.

Almost 180,000 migrants attempting to cross the border from Mexico were detained by the US border authorities in December, according to official figures published on Monday.