Pope Francis has dedicated a large part of his traditional Christmas message on Saturday to reflect on the pandemic and its impact on relationships.

At least 16 people died when their boat overturned off the Greek island of Paros in the central Aegean Sea on Friday, in the third maritime disaster involving migrants this week, the country's coastguard said.

Sixteen European governments have issued a statement to "firmly condemn the deployment of mercenary troops" in the west African state of Mali.

The White House will eject Ethiopia from a trade program between sub-Saharan African countries and the United States over human rights violations, according to a statement Thursday.

French presidential candidate Eric Zemmour is being compared to former President Trump as well as Fox News' Tucker Carlson for his far-right stance and rhetoric. CNN's Cyril Vanier reports.

Russian President Vladimir Putin's past came into sharper focus recently with the admission that, in the tumultuous days following the collapse of the Soviet Union, he earned cash on the side as a taxi driver.

Japan will not send any senior officials or Cabinet ministers to the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, the government said Friday -- but stopped short of calling the decision a diplomatic boycott.

US President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law legislation that bans imports from China's Xinjiang region over concerns about forced labor, the White House said, provoking an angry Chinese condemnation.

The South Korean government has pardoned former President Park Geun-hye, who was serving 22 years in prison for corruption, the country's Justice Ministry said on Friday.

The Middle East nation of Qatar has announced an ambitious plan to expand its public art program as it prepares to play host to the 2022 Fifa World Cup.