Virtual worlds
Jason Brown, of the United States, competes in the men's free skate program during the figure skating event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
ATHLETES ON: Killing time when not competing

By Kelvin Chan, Candice Choi And Aaron Morrison Feb. 14, 2022 05:56 AM EST

Natalia Santos of Angola, carry her country's flag during the opening ceremony in the Olympic Stadium at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)
Olympics ceremony uses music from Japanese video games

By Walsh Giarrusso Jul. 23, 2021 07:59 AM EDT

This computer generated image shows a Gucci virtual garden on Roblox. Anyone whose avatar is traipsing around the Roblox online game platform these days might run into other avatars sporting Gucci handbags, sunglasses or hats. The digital-only items are part of the Gucci’s time-limited collection for Roblox, as the Italian fashion house that prides itself on hand-craftsmanship is dipping its toes into an expanding virtual space where many of its youngest fans already are at home. (Roblox via AP)
Gucci digitally outfits Gen-Z in metaverse foray with Roblox

By Colleen Barry Jun. 09, 2021 03:24 AM EDT

In this photo provided by U.S. Embassy Seoul, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry, left, and South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong, right, pose for photograph at the Foreign Minister's residence in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, April 17, 2021. (U.S. Embassy Seoul via AP)
After China, US envoy Kerry in S. Korea for climate talks

By Kim Tong-Hyung Apr. 17, 2021 11:22 AM EDT

President Joe Biden walks to board Air Force One for a trip to Camp David, Friday, Feb. 12, 2021, in Andrews Air Force Base, Md. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Biden to speak at virtual meeting of world’s major economies

By Alexandra Jaffe Feb. 14, 2021 06:41 PM EST

German Klaus Schwab, left, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, WEF, listens Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga displayed in screens during a video conference at the Davos Agenda, in Cologny near Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, January 29, 2021. The Davos Agenda, from 25 to 29 January 2021, is a online edition due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak gather global leaders to shape the principles, policies and partnerships needed in this challenging new context. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
Japan prime minister says he's determined to hold Olympics

By Mari Yamaguchi Jan. 29, 2021 08:10 AM EST

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a face mask as he attends a a rally in Sivsagar, east of Gauhati, India, Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021. Modi attended a rally to distribute land allotment certificates to landless indigenous people in Assam’s Sivasagar district, under a special programme of the state government. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
India invites investors to help develop manufacturing hub

Ashok Sharma Jan. 28, 2021 09:20 AM EST

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks to participants of the the World Economic Forum via a video link in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021. Putin warned of rising global tensions and growing risks of new conflicts and called for broader international cooperation to tackle new challenges. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Russia's Putin warns of worsening global instability

By Vladimir Isachenkov Jan. 27, 2021 09:50 AM EST

FILE — In this Friday, April 24, 2020 file photo, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visits a field hospital in Johannesburg. Ramaphosa has announced he has gone into quarantine after coming into contact with a dinner guest who has tested positive for COVID-19. He came into contact with a guest at a dinner of 35 people in Johannesburg last weekend, the president's spokesman said Wednesday, Oct. 28. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)
South Africa's president criticizes 'vaccine nationalism'

By Mogomotsi Magome Jan. 26, 2021 07:18 AM EST

Jessica Smalley, left, of Shelton, protests outside on the State Capitol grounds, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021, in Hartford, Conn. Hundreds of protesters turned out for the swearing-in ceremonies. Many held up signs expressing support for President Donald Trump, or opposing any legislative effort to eliminate a religious exemption for vaccinations of schoolchildren. Others voiced support for the Black Lives Matter movement or pushed for racism to be declared a public health emergency. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill)
CT lawmakers greeted by protests at start of unusual session

By Susan Haigh Jan. 06, 2021 08:11 AM EST

Virtual Pro Bowl: Game will play out on Madden NFL 21

Nov. 17, 2020 05:14 PM EST
NEW YORK (AP) — The Pro Bowl will play out on the EA Sports Madden NFL 21 video game after the real-life version of football’s all-star game was canceled. ...

Associated Press writer Tamara Lush plays video games during the coronavirus outbreak with the news on the television in the background Oct. 26, 2020, in St. Petersburg, Fla. She started playing Plague, Inc. on her iPad in 2014. A pandemic could never happen in real life, she figured. But six years later, this Florida-based writer is seeking solace in virtual worlds, and found a poignant message in one Nintendo Switch game called Spiritfarer. (AP Photo/Tamara Lush)
VIRUS DIARY: In pandemic, seeking solace in virtual worlds

By Tamara Lush Nov. 13, 2020 09:26 AM EST

FIRST Robotics Competition moves online Saturday

Oct. 24, 2020 03:10 PM EDT
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A popular robotics competition in New Hampshire is going virtual this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The...

FILE - Santa Claus waves during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Nov. 28, 2019, in New York. Macy's said Santa Claus won't be greeting kids at its flagship New York store this year due to the coronavirus, interrupting a holiday tradition started nearly 160 years ago. However, Macy's said the jolly old man will still appear at the end of the televised Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, File)
Santa Claus won't be coming to Macy's this year

By Joseph Pisani Oct. 22, 2020 11:38 AM EDT

Empire State Winter Games canceled because of COVID concerns

Oct. 20, 2020 05:21 PM EDT
LAKE PLACID, N.Y. (AP) — The 2021 Empire State Winter Games have been canceled because of safety concerns posed by the novel coronavirus pandemic. ...

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wears two masks as he watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs , Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, in Kansas City. The New England Patriots have canceled practice amid reports that a third player has tested positive for the coronavirus. Sports Illustrated reported that reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore tested positive for the virus on Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020, and was added to the team's reserve/COVID-19 list. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Patriots all-virtual in prep for delayed game vs. Broncos

By Kyle Hightower Oct. 08, 2020 10:29 AM EDT

In this UN Photo, Volkan Bozkir, President of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly, is shown on video monitors as he makes closing remarks, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at U.N. headquarters. (Loey Felipe/UN Photo via AP)
World leaders, virtual meeting 1.0: Was anybody listening?

By Ted Anthony Sep. 30, 2020 11:52 AM EDT

A woman walks past a banner showing Saudi King Salman, right, and his Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, outside a mall in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 15, 2020. This was supposed to be Saudi Arabia's year to shine as host of the prestigious G20 gathering of world leaders. Instead, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the gathering this November will likely be a virtual meet-up, stripping its host of the pomp that would have accompanied televised arrivals on Riyadh's tarmac. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Saudi Arabia: G-20 gathering of world leaders to be virtual

By Aya Batrawy Sep. 28, 2020 02:27 AM EDT

The UN Security Council holds a meeting on the Middle East, including the Palestinian question, in this Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019 file photo, at United Nations headquarters. The coronavirus that has claimed nearly 1 million lives has underscored the failure of the United Nations to bring countries together to defeat it. “We could criticize the U.N. for this — but who are we really talking about, when we blame `the U.N.?'” Switzerland President Simonetta Sommaruga asked. “We are in fact talking about ourselves, because the U.N. is its member states. And it is often member states that stand in the way of the U.N.’s work.”(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, File)
UN failures on coronavirus underscore the need for reforms

By Edith M. Lederer Sep. 27, 2020 12:40 PM EDT

De Blasio pulls out of upcoming summit in Saudi Arabia

Sep. 24, 2020 08:16 AM EDT
NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Thursday he is withdrawing from a virtual summit of world cities scheduled to be hosted by Saudi Arabia...