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China quietly locks down area near Beijing with Olympics a week away
Chinese authorities locked down an area neighbouring the capital city of Beijing this week following a handful of reported Covid cases, but made no public announcements about the fresh restrictions with just a week until the Winter Olympics.
UK's Johnson waits for report on lockdown parties
Boris Johnson on Thursday awaited a report into lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street that could determine his future as Britain's prime minister, and rejected new claims that he prioritised pets over people in the chaotic Afghan evacuation.
Trudeau to isolate after Covid exposure
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday that he had been exposed to Covid-19 and would isolate for five days, in accordance with health rules for vaccinated people.
Return to 'Plan A': England lifts Omicron curbs
Commuters trooped back to the office in England on Thursday, with public transport visibly busier, after the government scrapped restrictions imposed to combat the Omicron coronavirus variant.
Hong Kong shortens on-arrival quarantine from three weeks to two
Hong Kong on Thursday shortened the mandatory quarantine for international travellers from three weeks to two, even as the city struggles to contain virus outbreaks involving Omicron and Delta variants.
Pressure on UK PM mounts over Afghan pet evacuations
The UK government denied Thursday that embattled Prime Minister Boris Johnson had prioritised pets over people in the chaotic evacuation out of Afghanistan as Kabul fell to the Taliban.
US ships nearly 1.7 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Uganda
The United States is shipping nearly 1.7 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine to Uganda, a White House official said Thursday, in the latest wave of jabs donated to stem the global pandemic.
Boston hospital refuses heart transplant to unvaccinated patient
A hospital in Boston refused to perform a heart transplant on a patient who had not been vaccinated for Covid-19, US television media reported Wednesday.
Performing medical miracles in impoverished Venezuela
Venezuelan indigenous teenager Lidiana Requena lies on an old, dirty hammock under an awning, her sunken eyes gazing at her newborn baby in the arms of the village nurse.
England lifts Omicron restrictions
England on Thursday lifted coronavirus restrictions imposed to tackle the Omicron variant, with masks no longer required in enclosed places and vaccine passports shelved.
Moderna begins trial of Omicron-specific vaccine booster
US biotech company Moderna announced on Wednesday that it has begun clinical trials of a booster dose of vaccine designed specifically to combat the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Spotify removing Neil Young's music after rocker's Rogan ultimatum
Neil Young made good on his vow to have his music removed from Spotify after demanding the streaming service choose between him and Joe Rogan, the controversial podcaster accused of spreading disinformation.
UK's Johnson defiant as 'partygate' report looms
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Wednesday defended his government's record and vowed to fight on as he braced for a potentially damning report into lockdown-breaching parties.
Abbas rival delivers one million vaccine doses to Gaza
One million doses of coronavirus vaccine arrived in Gaza from the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday, the latest donation facilitated by an exiled rival of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.
Djokovic to play in Dubai after vaccine controversy: reports
Unvaccinated world number one Novak Djokovic has signed up to play at next month's ATP Dubai tennis tournament, reports said on Wednesday, after his deportation from Australia prevented a tilt at a record 21st Grand Slam title.
Germany cuts 2022 GDP growth forecast on virus woes
The German government on Wednesday lowered its economic growth forecast for 2022 as an Omicron-fuelled surge in coronavirus cases holds back Europe's industrial powerhouse.
China shrugs off IMF warnings on zero-tolerance Covid approach
Beijing shrugged off IMF warnings about the economic impact of its aggressive anti-Covid policy, saying on Wednesday that China has achieved "significant results" and is a key driver of global growth.
Chinese trauma doctors perfect ski skills for Olympics
Undeterred by the heavy medical bags on their backs, a group of Chinese doctors zipped down a steep ski slope, part of a crack medical team tasked with racing to any injured athletes during the Winter Olympics.
At up to $8,000/week, America's travel nurses keep Covid-slammed hospitals afloat
For Allyssa Findorff, the decision to hit the road on short-term nursing contracts was an easy one: she'd always wanted to see the rest of America, and the attractive rates on offer helped seal the deal.
UK's Johnson promises cooperation with police probing 'partygate'
The threat to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's position deepened on Tuesday, as police said they were investigating lockdown-breaking parties at his Downing Street office and government departments.
IMF slashes global growth outlook amid Omicron hit
The Omicron variant of Covid-19 is creating an obstacle course for the global economy, which will slow growth this year, notably in the world's two largest economies, the IMF said Tuesday.
IMF warns of possible market correction as interest rates rise
Global equity markets that have see-sawed in recent weeks but show signs of "overvaluation" are at risk of a sharp correction as major central banks raise interest rates, a top IMF official said Tuesday.
Neil Young demands Spotify remove his music over Joe Rogan 'disinformation'
Neil Young demanded in an open letter to Spotify to remove his music from the platform he said is spreading vaccine disinformation via the popular podcaster Joe Rogan.
UK PM promises cooperation with police 'partygate' probe
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday vowed to cooperate with police in any formal probe into coronavirus lockdown-breaking parties at Downing Street, which has deepened the threat to his position.
Pfizer-BioNTech begin Omicron vaccine trial
Pfizer and BioNTech have begun enrollment for a clinical trial to test the safety and immune response of their Omicron-specific Covid-19 vaccine in adults aged up to 55, the companies said in a statement Tuesday.
Beijing tests 2 million for Covid as Winter Olympics loom
Beijing city officials on Sunday said all two million residents of a neighbourhood where they identified a small cluster of Covid-19 infections will be tested, less than two weeks ahead of the start of the Winter Olympics.
How vaccine misinformation left children vulnerable to Omicron
The Covid-19 pandemic took a deadly toll on adults in the United States for two years while largely sparing children from the dire statistics.
Rio, Sao Paulo postpone carnival parades due to pandemic
Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are postponing the glittering parades that are the highlight of carnival festivities due to a surge in the pandemic, the Brazilian cities said Friday.
Covid-19 vaccines showed high efficacy against severe Omicron: US data
Covid-19 vaccines and boosters continued to have very high efficacy against severe outcomes during the Omicron wave of the virus, a large real-world study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed Friday.
'The last wave?' Spain ICU staff exhausted by Covid battle
Seemingly milder for some but still highly contagious, Omicron has filled intensive care beds again at a hospital near Barcelona where shattered staff are still fighting a virus that refuses to retreat.
UN religion envoy to join China's Winter Olympic torch relay
China on Friday said the UN's religious freedom envoy will take part in the Winter Olympics torch relay, which organisers announced would be closed to the public because of coronavirus fears.
Soaring Covid self-test kit sales fuel India underreporting fears
Booming sales of home self-test kits for Covid are prompting Indian authorities to tighten the rules around their sale and fuelling long-held fears of underreporting as cases surge.