Policemen and firefighters gather near a building where a fire broke out in Osaka, western Japan on Friday. Dozens of people are feared dead, fire department officials said. AP hide caption
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Helen Morgan of the Liberal Democrats makes a speech after being declared the winner in the North Shropshire by-election early Friday. Her victory is another setback for embattled PM Boris Johnson. Jacob King/AP hide caption
An Afghan money changer holds a stack of Iranian currency at Khorasan market in Herat, Afghanistan, The value of Afghanistan's currency is tumbling, exacerbating an already severe economic crisis. Mstyslav Chernov/AP hide caption
Worksafe Tasmania officers inspect a bouncy castle at Hillcrest Primary School in Devonport, Tasmania, on Thursday. A strong gust of wind lifted the castle some 30 feet into the air at an event celebrating the end of the school year. /Grant Wells/Reuters hide caption
Workers ride out of the gate of the Christian Aid Ministries headquarters in Titanyen, north of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on Dec. 6. Odelyn Joseph/AP hide caption
A new executive order from President Biden calls on the State Department to create a system through which passports can be renewed online. Jenny Kane/AP hide caption
A woman is administered a COVID-19 vaccine at a center on the outskirts of Sarajevo. Bosnia has so far inoculated just under a quarter of its 3.3 million people, one of the lowest rates in Europe. AP hide caption
Kashmir's Jamia Masjid, or the grand mosque is seen through its gate that remains locked on Fridays in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir. Mukhtar Khan/AP hide caption
In this handout photo provided by the Philippine Coast Guard, a rescuer assists a girl as they wade through flooding caused by Typhoon Rai in Cagayan de Oro City, southern Philippines. AP hide caption
Fans of Mexican singer Vicente Fernández sing his songs as they hold his picture and the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, outside the Country 2000 hospital where he died, in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Dec. 12. Ulises Ruiz/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Former Olympian Michelle Kwan speaks before then-candidate Joe Biden at a rally in Manchester, N.H., on Feb. 8, 2020. On Wednesday President Biden said he'll nominate Kwan for ambassador to Belize. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Taliban political office spokesman Muhammad Naeem Wardak spoke with NPR in Doha, Qatar, on Dec. 11. Fatma Tanis/NPR hide caption
Police stand in front of protesters during a demonstration of Germany's "Querdenker" (Lateral Thinkers) movement in November, in Leipzig, eastern Germany. Stringer/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
The proposal from the country's health officials is headlined by a ban that raises the minimum age to buy cigarettes every year beginning in 2023. It would effectively be a permanent ban on cigarettes for those aged 14 or younger. Hannah Peters/Getty Images hide caption
The fast spread of omicron has led many wealthy countries to speed up vaccine rollout and widen booster programs. Here, British soldiers administer shots at a vaccine clinic at Chester Cathedral in Manchester, England, on Wednesday. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images hide caption
People gather to pay their respects at the 1971 independence war martyrs national memorial to celebrate the 50th Victory Day, which marks the end of a nine-month war of independence from Pakistan, in Savar, Bangladesh, on Thursday. Munir Uz Zaman/AFP via Getty Images hide caption
Bangladesh is marking 50 years since the end of the war that created the country
Costumers gather for food and drinks at Time Out Market in Lisbon, Portugal. Claire Harbage/NPR hide caption
Portugal has one of the top vaccination rates but isn't taking chances with omicron
Rieden in front of Odawara Castle in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. Family photo hide caption
Cattle graze on land burned and deforested by cattle farmers near Novo Progresso, Para state, Brazil. Brazil is among the nations that have signed a pledge to protect forests. Andre Penner/AP hide caption