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Earlier in the year Portugal had one of the worst Covid-19 outbreaks on the planet. Now, the small Atlantic nation has become the country with the largest percentage of people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (85%). And though the number of daily cases is still high, deaths and hospitalizations from Covid-19 have remained low throughout the summer, with the results plain to see: businesses are open and tourism is making a comeback.

"Saturday Night Live" opened its 47th season with new cast member James Austin Johnson taking on the role of President Biden.

U.S. President Joe Biden faces opposition from within his own party in Congress to pass his signature Build Back Better legislation. The $3.5 trillion package would dramatically expand child care, health care and clean energy in America. VOA's Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reports.

Queen Elizabeth II speaks at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh saying the beginning of a new session is the time for renewal and fresh thinking after a particularly difficult time. She adds that she will attend the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow in November and that "the eyes of the world" would be on Scotland during the event.

Clashes between police and protesters marking International Safe Abortion Day in Mexico City left at least 37 people injured, Mexico city's government said. And in Chile, pro-choice demonstrations took place as Chilean lawmakers are one step closer to easing the country's abortion rules after the lower Chamber of Deputies approved a plan to debate a bill expanding access for women to get abortions.

One month into Taliban rule in Afghanistan, fears are increasing that women will again be excluded from higher education and public life. U.S. lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to keep pressure on Taliban leaders to respect women's rights.

"Saturday Night Live" returned to the airwaves and parodied some of the chaos at school board meetings seen across the United States as students returned to school amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bunch of new technologies are popping up that could help bring global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to net-zero by 2050, and all need investment. Governments worldwide are having to decide which one suits their geography and how much they can spend on a given technology.

A new book from former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham says when then-President Donald Trump would become enraged, a "music man" would play him Broadway tunes in hopes of calming him down. Legendary Broadway actress Betty Buckley joins CNN's Jim Acosta, responding to the reported impact of her performance of "Memory" from the musical, "Cats.