The Associated Press

Islamic State extremists have almost doubled the territory they control in Mali in less than a year, United Nations experts said in a new report.

Centers for Disease Control studies increased asthma-related ER visits by 17% nationwide during 19 of the smokiest days. On the worst air quality day in New York state, those visits spiked 82%.

Dozens of countries and institutions pledged more than $9 billion to help Pakistan rebuild from last summer's floods. But most of the pledges are for project loans still in the planning stages.

Private equity firm Roark specializes in franchised businesses and backs two holding companies that own multiple restaurant chains that include Arby's, Jimmy John's and Cinnabon.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are among 6 nations invited Thursday to join the BRICS bloc of developing economies. United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia are also set to join the bloc from 2024.

The failed launch prompted neighboring Japan to issue a brief "J-alert" ordering some residents to evacuate to safe places as the North Korean rocket flew over its southernmost islands of Okinawa.

A jet from Moscow to St. Petersburg crashed, killing all 10 people on board, officials said. Yevgeny Prigozhin was on the passenger list, officials said, but it wasn't clear if he was on board.

Pakistani authorities are still struggling to overcome the damage caused by massive floods last summer that affected 33 million people and killed 1,739.

Scientists believe the south pole region might hold frozen water that could help future astronaut missions.

The Teamsters said that 86% of the votes casts were in favor of ratifying the national contract. They also said it was passed by the highest vote for a contract in the history of the Teamsters at UPS.

The Ethiopian government said it will investigate a report of killings of hundreds its nationals at the Yemen-Saudi border. A Saudi government official rejected the Human Rights Watch report.

A cable car carrying six children and two adults dangled hundreds of feet above the ground in a remote part of Pakistan after it broke. Army commandos rescued them after an hourslong operation.