A huge piece of China’s Long March 5B rocket is tumbling uncontrollably to Earth, prompting the White House to call for “responsible space behaviours”.

China’s out-of-control rocket core draws attention to how agencies can safely dispose of unwanted spacecraft using Earth’s “Point Nemo”.

The U.S. has joined India and South Africa in calling for a waiver on COVID vaccine patents, to allow any manufacturer in the world to produce their own copies without fear of infringing intellectual property rights.

China emits more greenhouse gas than the entire developed world combined, a new report from the U.S.-based Rhodium Group claims.

Two Royal Navy ships and two French vessels are patrolling the waters off the British Channel Island of Jersey, as a dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights escalates.

The birth rate in the United States fell 4% last year – to the lowest since 1979 – dropping “below replacement levels”, a government report finds.

Archaeologists have found the remains of a child buried at a cave in Kenya 78,000 years ago, which provide new insights into the origin of mortuary practices on the continent of our species’ birth.

Politically motivated crime is emerging as an issue ahead of Germany’s national elections in September, with offences surging to more than 44,600 and far-right criminality accounting for more than half.

In 2020, 93 U.S. law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty, 46 of them a result of intentional crime – overall a slight increase on the previous year.

Britain’s HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier will lead Carrier Strike Group 21 – a flotilla of Royal Navy ships – on its 28-week maiden deployment to East Asia.

At least 23 people have been killed and dozens injured in Mexico City, after a metro overpass collapsed while a train was travelling on it.

Germany’s Greens are making their first bid for the country’s most prestigious post, with party co-leader Annalena Baerbock seen as a serious contender for the German chancellor in September’s elections.

A pioneering design to bore a train tunnel between Helsinki and Tallinn is gaining ground after Finland and Estonia signed a letter of intent.

Trillions of cicadas are set to emerge, after 17 years underground across large parts of the eastern United States, bringing their distinctive, high-volume mating calls to towns and cities.

China has launched Tianhe -- a module containing what will be living quarters for three astronauts. Tianhe is the first part of its permanent Tiangong Space Station that Beijing plans to complete in 2022.

China could soon reveal census data that shows its population is falling – its first decline since the Great Chinese Famine 60 years ago that saw tens of millions of people starve to death.

Australia will invest A$747 million ($580 million) to upgrade four northern military bases and expand joint exercises with the United States, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday.

As President Joe Biden marks his first 100 days in office, he has delivered on a number of his biggest campaign pledges focused on Covid-19 response, but in some other issues he is grappling with how to enact promised reforms.

With drones increasingly important in 21st century warfare, a U.S. startup has developed a portable and powerful microwave energy weapon that can disable enemy drones with pinpoint accuracy.

Despite the economic effects of Covid-19, total global military spending rose to nearly $2 trillion in 2020 – an increase of 2.6 percent from 2019 – according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Ethnic minority Karen insurgents have seized a military outpost near the Thai border, a sign that civil conflict will continue despite a recent pledge by the junta to end the violence.

Just over half of Americans approve of the job President Joe Biden is doing as he marks 100 days in office, thanks mainly to the way he is handling the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to formally recognise the massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire during World War One as an act of genocide, a move likely to infuriate Turkey.

Russian police have arrested key supporters of opposition leader Alexei Navalny to disrupt their plans for nationwide protests on Wednesday - the day of a state-of-the-nation speech by President Putin.

During its first video broadcast of 2021, Apple unveiled a slew of new hi-tech gadgetry including AirTags, colourful new iMacs and a revamped Apple TV 4K with redesigned Siri remote.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are forecast to rise by the second largest annual amount on record, as global economies pour stimulus cash into fossil fuels to aid recovery from the Covid-19 recession.

Nearly 1,800 Afghan civilians were killed or wounded in the first three months of 2021, a 29% rise compared with the same period last year. The spike comes as the U.S. is to pull out all its troops by September.

After reports of rare blood clotting, the U.S., EU and South Africa have paused the rollout of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccine. The move follows similar cases after doses of AstraZeneca’s vaccine.

Fifty-five of America’s largest corporations – including Nike and FedEx – paid no federal income tax on more than $40 billion in profits last year, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

President Joe Biden unveils his administration’s first steps to curb U.S. gun violence after a slew of mass shootings have put pressure on him to act.

Europe’s drug regulator has reported 222 cases of rare blood clotting among 34 million adults vaccinated with AstraZeneca’s Covid shot -- but says the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risks.

NASA is to explore a giant asteroid which, unlike most other asteroids that are rocky or icy bodies, appears to be the exposed metal core of a planet from the early days of our solar system.

G20 finance ministers will discuss a global minimum tax to stop companies from evading taxes by establishing headquarters in countries with low corporation tax rates -- a practice prevalent among tech companies which drains receipts from governments.

Marine Le Pen, leader of France’s extreme right Rassemblement National party, is neck-and-neck in the polls with incumbent Emmanuel Macron ahead of the presidential vote in April 2022.

France is to open its archives on its role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide to the public. The timing coincides with the 27th anniversary of the start of the massacres, in which ethnic Hutu extremists killed around 800,000 people in 100 days.

President Joe Biden has unveiled his plan to plough $2.3 trillion in government spending into U.S. infrastructure -- to reshape the world’s largest economy -- paid for by higher corporate taxes.

Jailed Fatah party activist Marwan Barghouti is to field his own list of candidates in a direct challenge to Fatah President Mahmoud Abbas in forthcoming elections to the Palestinian parliament.

Over 80% of the world’s semiconductors originate in Taiwan or South Korea and in the wake of the pandemic this dependence has led to a global shortage and rising tensions between the world’s biggest economies to obtain the valuable microchips.

The U.S. has imposed sanctions on two of Myanmar’s military cartels, Myanmar Economic Holdings Limited (MEHL) and Myanmar Economic Corporation (MEC). Britain has also targeted MEHL.

Co-ordinated attacks have killed hundreds of civilians in southwest Niger amid increasing violence between rival ethnic groups and jihadist militants spilling over from Mali and Nigeria.

Public confidence in AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine is falling sharply in many European countries, according to a survey conducted by YouGov UK. The data follows reports of the shot being linked to blood clots.

The U.S. Air Force is preparing to test its first hypersonic missile. The AGM-183A can fly at 20 times the speed of sound, making it impossible for enemy defences to shoot down.

The U.S. is planning a network of long-range, land-based missiles along the First Island Chain – the string of islands enclosing China’s coastal seas – to boost its deterrence against Beijing.

A tech startup is tackling climate change by turning carbon dioxide into salt crystals and storing the greenhouse gas permanently, up to 2 kilometres deep underground in basalt rock.

The UEFA Champions League 2020/21 season reaches climax, only four months after joining Chelsea, coach Thomas Tuchel has led the Blues to their first Champions League final since 2012 -- dispatching Real Madrid to set up an all-English showpiece against Manchester City.

The 2021 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship is scheduled to take place in the Latvian capital of Riga. Latvia was confirmed as the sole host following the decision to withdraw the tournament from Minsk, Belarus.

Pep Guardiola has guided English Premier League champions-elect Manchester City to their first ever UEFA Champions League final, after securing a commanding victory over 2020 finalists Paris Saint-Germain. The final takes place in Istanbul on May 29.

The UEFA European Championships, postponed for a year by the coronavirus pandemic, will be hosted in 11 cities across Europe, with Turkey and Italy contesting the opening match in Rome.

Take a quick spin around the 4.655-kilometre Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya where, over 66 laps, the 2021 Spanish Grand Prix will be played out.

UEFA Europa League Semi-final second leg matches, including match-ups between Arsenal and Villarreal at the Emirates Stadium, and Roma against Manchester United at the Stadio Olimpico.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen resume their growing rivalry at the Spanish Grand Prix, which takes place over 66 laps of the 4.675-km Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.

The 2021 French MotoGP, officially known as the SHARK Grand Prix de France, is the fifth race of the 2021 FIM MotoGP World Championship, staged at the Circuit Bugatti, Le Mans, France

UEFA Champions League Semi-final first leg matches, including match-ups between Chelsea and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge, and Manchester City against Paris Saint-Germain at the Etihad Stadium.

The Giro d’Italia – one of cycling’s prestigious Grand Tours – first set out from Milan in 1909, inspired by the success of the Tour de France. The 2021 race begins in Turin and will celebrate a cultural, historical, touristic and sporting narrative as it passes through Italy

The 104th edition of the Giro d’Italia starts with a time trial in the former royal capital, Turin, for the third time in the race’s history, and finishes in Milan after a gruelling 21 days and 3,480km, with an altitude gain of 47,000m.

The semi-finals in the UEFA Champions League takes place across Europe, as the knockout stages reach a climax. For only the second time since 2009, two English teams -- Chelsea and Manchester City -- will compete in the Champions League semi-finals, while Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain complete the line-up

The 103rd PGA Championship will be contested with a limited number of spectators at the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. The course will play as the longest in major championship history, at 7,875 yards.

The Copa Libertadores, South America’s premier club competition, kicks off, featuring 32 teams from all 10 CONMEBOL member associations battling to be crowned continental champions.

This is the second time that Tokyo has hosted the Summer Olympic Games – the first being in 1964. Athens, Paris and Los Angeles have also hosted two Olympics while only London has been a host city three times.

Cycling’s first Grand Tour of the year starts with a time trial in the former royal capital Turin, for the third time in the history of the race, and finishes in Milan after a gruelling 21 days and 3,471km, taking in an altitude gain of 47,000m.

The countdown to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics is on with the Torch Relay setting off from Fukushima, visiting all 47 of Japan's prefectures. The Olympic torch design is inspired by traditional cherry blossoms.

Swimming has been a part of every modern Olympic Games and is one of its most popular sports. Tokyo brings a new event – 4 x 100m mixed medley relay, where men and women can race against each other.

The world's top surfers will compete on Japan's spectacular Pacific coastline. Men and women will take part in Shortboard tournaments, striving to perform the most impressive aerials and tube rides.

Sport Climbing is making its Olympic debut, with athletes scaling devious wall courses, often times holding on by just their finger tips. Climbers will participate in three disciplines – Speed, Bouldering and Lead.

With its humble roots in the youthful energy of 1940s America, skateboarding has finally reached the heady heights of the Olympic Games. Two disciplines will be contested by men and women – Park and Street.

Karate is making its first appearance at an Olympic Games, in Tokyo this year. Men and women will compete in Kata (an artistic display of offensive and defensive moves) and Kumite (an explosively combative sport).

Basketball returns to Tokyo, this time with a new spin-off tournament – 3x3 Basketball. This new streamlined game has its roots in 1980s American street sports and features only one hoop.

Baseball and Softball are two of six new events debuting at the Tokyo Olympics, although strictly speaking they are returning after a 13 year hiatus – last appearing at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Eleven teams will challenge for the MotoGP 2021 World Championship, with 2020 winner Joan Mir of Suzuki ECSTAR the man to beat, and six-time champion Marc Marquez expected to return firing on all cylinders.

The Indian Premier League season begins, with the Mumbai Indians, the defending champions, taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore. A total of 60 matches will be played, with the final staged at the Narendra Modi Stadium – the world’s largest cricket stadium – in Ahmedabad on May 30.

Due to ongoing international travel restrictions, the Super Rugby season kicks off with two domestic tournaments – Super Rugby AU and Super Rugby Aotearoa – as five teams from Australia and New Zealand compete to be crowned national champions.

The opening race of the Formula 1 World Championship signals the starting lights on a season of thrilling manoeuvres, breathtaking drama and unrivalled precision over more than 20 Grands Prix that span the globe.

The Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme founded the Road Racing World Championship in 1949, staging just six Grands Prix in Europe. Now a global brand with multiple races each year, MotoGP is firmly established as the premier class of motorcycle racing.

The partial WTA schedule – reflecting the ongoing uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic – features 31 tournaments, including the first three Grand Slam showpieces of the year and four WTA 1000 events in Dubai, Miami, Madrid and Rome.

The new ATP Tour season continues to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with the first major showpiece of the year -- the Australian Open -- delayed until February.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) season continues. The NBA has been dominated by a fierce rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, each winning 17 titles.

The 72nd Formula One World Championship, comprising 22 races around the world, commences with the Australian Grand Prix and concludes in Abu Dhabi in December.

The European Rugby Heineken Champions Cup, the northern hemisphere’s premier club rugby union tournament kicks off, with 24 teams battling to lift the trophy -- English Premiership’s Exeter Chiefs are aiming to defend their title.

The new Heineken Champions Cup season kicks off with an expanded 24 teams from England’s Aviva Premiership, France’s Top 14 and the Pro14 -- contested by Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy -- competing in an adapted tournament, enforced by the Covid-19 pandemic

European Champions Bayern Munich open the defence of their title against Atletico Madrid, as the new Champions League season opens, culminating with the final at Turkey’s Atatürk Olympic Stadium on May 29, 2021.

Starting in in the north-west city of Brest, Brittany, the defining characteristic of the 2021 Tour de France is the inclusion of a double ascent of the iconic Mont Ventoux and a visit to Andorra.

The 2020-21 football season gets underway just weeks after the late finish of the previous season due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Premier League champions Liverpool hosting Championship winners Leeds Utd.