Tokyo

Japanese health officials have claimed the new variant of the coronavirus discovered in their country has similarities to that of the highly-contagious strains in the UK and South Africa. The new strain was detected on passengers who had disembarked from a plane that had arrived from Brazil.

The United States reported a daily record of COVID-19 deaths and Brazil's toll passed the bleak milestone of 200,000 on Jan. 7 as new surges of the coronavirus dimmed hopes for respite from the pandemic anytime soon.

For another year The World Best Cities 2021 ranking results were published, listing the cities worth living in or visiting this year.

Countries across the world tightened restrictions on their populations on Jan. 2 to fight a resurgence in the coronavirus, as the European Union offered to help drug companies expand vaccine production to improve distribution "bottlenecks".

From local curfews to alcohol bans and complete lockdowns, governments are trying to tackle a surge in cases.

Japan will consider issuing a new emergency declaration after governors in the capital region urged action to tackle a record surge in COVID-19 cases, the head of the nation's pandemic response said on Saturday.

From Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Acropolis, fireworks burst in skies above eerily deserted landmarks as the world ushered in the New Year with muted celebrations and said good riddance to a pandemic-ridden 2020.

4,518 new coronavirus infections in Japan on Thursday, means the highest daily count ever, as the country struggles to contain a third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thus was exceeded Saturday's previous single-day record of 3,851 new cases, according to a Kyodo News tally.

President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR), Mihai Covaliu, told AGERPRES that the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games could represent "the light at the end of the dark tunnel" the COVID pandemic has driven humanity into. "Team Romania's top performance athletes show us that they know how to face challenges.

Harley Davidson bikers dressed in Santa Claus costumes rode through the streets of central Tokyo on Dec. 20 for their annual parade against child abuse, saying more children were vulnerable in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Turkey's Foreign Ministry has begun appointing new envoys to missions abroad, with the ministry's spokesperson, Hami Aksoy, being be assigned as Ankara's ambassador to Belgrade.

Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu had a phone conversation with some ambassadors to notify them on their new positions and extended his best wishes, state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Dec. 8.