With Delta and Omicron on the rise, the country is dealing with mass lockdowns in eight cities, hamster exterminations in Hong Kong and international mail restrictions in Beijing.

The best photos from the international wire services as chosen by our picture editors.

The Tongan government reported extensive damage to housing on outlying islands following the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano.

Smart diplomacy can still defuse this crisis but the US and its allies face a long, diplomatic struggle.

Multiple media outlets say the British Prime Minister will face a no-confidence vote in his leadership over claims he broke coronavirus lockdown regulations by hosting a drinks party at his residence.

After a year in the White House, Joe Biden’s presidential agenda has stalled and America’s democracy continues to fray. So, how does he regain control and guide the country back from the brink?

Lady Victoria Hervey said that Jeffrey Epstein and Maxwell were a close team, like “Batman and Robin” but that she was young and naive about the pair’s abuse.

Europe is locked in a stand-off reminiscent of the Cold War. Why is Russia threatening Ukraine and what does it mean for NATO – and the rest of the world?

Bernie Sanders has repeatedly warned this month that the Democrats needed to make a “course correction” or risk losing more working people to the Republicans.

The White House warned that Russia could attack its neighbour at “any point,” while the UK delivered a batch of anti-tank weapons to Ukraine.

Michelle Gotthelf alleged she was fired two months after revealing to an executive that former editor Col Allan had sexually harassed her.

The seven-day average of coronavirus cases in the US exceeded 800,000 for the first time Friday, exceeding that level again on Saturday and Sunday.

Despite sitting almost on top of the volcano that erupted so violently on Saturday, Tonga appears to have avoided the widespread devastation that many initially feared.

Hong Kong will also stop the sale of hamsters and the import of small mammals.

The airline workers were accused of violating pandemic rules and causing the city’s Omicron outbreak, as Beijing announced tickets would not be publicly available for the Winter Olympics.

The Tongan government released a statement saying three people had died so far from the eruption and tsunami.

Djokovic returns home at Serbia's President request.

If Serbians were jubilant that their hero was home, you couldn’t tell on the streets of Belgrade.

The best photos from around the world

A six-year cold case investigation into the betrayal of Anne Frank has identified a surprising suspect in the mystery of how the Nazis found the hiding place of the famous diarist in 1944.

The image may look familiar. It rises again just about annually, of a library that has been attributed over the years to authors including Umberto Eco and buildings in Italy and Prague.

While the vaccine dose, which was sent to Rwanda, is a significant moment for what has become the largest vaccine operation in history, it lags well behind where the scheme hoped to be.

British media reported that at least 11 gatherings took place at 10 Downing Street or in other government departments between May 2020 and April 2021.

Malcolm Turnbull has had his critics over the years – including this writer – but it’s now absolutely clear that Turnbull’s policy towards China was very much in Australia’s best interests.

The Cambodian Prime Minister has already “zoom-bombed” an opposition meeting, now from next month the country will filter all online content China-style.

The Chinese-Australian writer says his plight has allowed him to put a spotlight on China’s legal system. 

The best photos from the international wire agencies as chosen by our picture editors

While Tonga’s neighbours struggled to access information about what was happening on the ground, scientists, equipped with modern monitoring technology, saw the blast in real time.

The North Korean regime fired two ballistic missiles from Pyongyang airport on Monday, demonstrating the depth of Kim Jong-un’s arsenal, say analysts.

Two teenagers have been arrested in England in connection with the gunman was killed in the Sunday stand-off.

In the five years since California voters approved a legal market for marijuana, farms have sprouted but say they can’t survive on legal pot alone.

The traditional night-time celebration takes place in San Bartolome de Pinares in Spain.

A growing trend to contract COVID-19 at a “convenient” time has health officials worried.

Friends and associates of the pair say their “easy warmth” suggested an intimate relationship in the past.

Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic said his nation could not understand Australia’s treatment of the unvaccinated world tennis number one.

Prince Harry has filed a claim for a judicial review against the British government’s decision not to let him personally pay for police protection while in the UK.

The case could result in the former president and opposition leader being banned from politics.

The country has so far been free of the disease.

The people of Tonga witnessed a catastrophic event. We must hope there are no further eruptions.

The extent of damage in Tonga following a volcanic eruption remains unknown, with authorities yet to make contact with some coastal areas and smaller islands.

Rodrigo Duterte’s government will acquire a shore-based anti-ship missile system from India to beef up its navy.

Lawyers for Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre have filed their initial requests for witnesses in her lawsuit accusing the British royal of sexually abusing her at age 17.

Donald Trump has set the scene for a fiery midterm election year at his first rally for 2022. But there are signs some Republicans are not behind him.

Cerruti gave Giorgio Armani his break, gave Hollywood movie stars style and was even the fashion designer for a Formula 1 team.

At least three hostages were believed to be still inside the synagogue, when the siege finally ended.

Doctors thought “space anaemia” was a temporary problem, but new research shows it could interfere with future planned missions.

Some scientists are warning we may be underestimating the potential for the virus to do more damage.

New court documents show the royal’s defence team wants to interview two Australians over his accuser’s “false memories”. Her team requested other witnesses.

Four people in San Mateo County, south of San Francisco, were swept into the water, and two were taken to a hospital, a spokeswoman from the local fire department said.

Alec Baldwin has surrendered his mobile phone to authorities as part of the investigation into a fatal shooting on a New Mexico film set last fall, a law enforcement official said.