TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Saturday he would refocus his efforts on foreign policy and pledged to make 2022 the year of diplomacy, in a New Year statement posted on his website. “The deft handling of diplomatic and security issues and the establishment of a stable administration is crucial, as …
Japan PM pledges 2022 will be year of “summit diplomacy” in New Year address Read More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – China ended the final week of 2021 with its biggest tally of local COVID-19 cases for any seven-day period since it contained the country’s first epidemic nearly two years ago. The National Health Commission reported on Saturday 175 new community infections with confirmed clinical symptoms for Dec. 31, bringing the total number …
China ends 2021 with highest weekly COVID cases since taming original epidemic Read More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia started 2022 with a record number of new COVID-19 cases as an outbreak centred in the eastern states grew, and New South Wales eased its isolation rules for healthcare workers as the number of people hospitalised with the virus rose. New South Wales, the most populous state, and Victoria both posted …
By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 …
Canada to resettle female Afghan judges, families living in limbo Read More »
By Josh Smith SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un capped off his 10th year in power with a speech that made more mention of tractor factories and school uniforms than nuclear weapons or the United States, according to summaries by state media on Saturday. North Korea’s main goals for 2022 will be …
By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada will take in female Afghan judges and their families who have been living in limbo, primarily in Greece, since their evacuation from Afghanistan in the fall, a spokesperson for the immigration minister said Friday. In addition to the judges and their families, a group totalling about 230 …
Canada to resettle female Afghan judges, families living in limbo Read More »
By Renju Jose and Sisipho Skweyiya SYDNEY (Reuters) – Although farewell celebrations to the pandemic year of 2021 were almost as muffled as those that ushered it in, news that the Omicron variant wave appeared to be starting to recede brought hope for a happier New Year. The Australian city of Sydney was one place …
New Year celebrations muted by Omicron, but South Africa offers hope Read More »
By Neil Jerome Morales MANILA (Reuters) -The Philippines will impose tighter curbs in the capital region for the next two weeks, the acting presidential spokesperson said on Friday, to try to limit infections by the Omicron coronavirus variant that is spreading globally. The health ministry on Friday recorded 2,961 new coronavirus infections, a two-month high, …
Philippines limits mobility, business in capital area over Omicron threat Read More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed the importance of maintaining a “strategic focus” in his 2022 New Year address and of being mindful of “potential risks” in the Communist Party’s long-term vision to turn China into a global power. Xi in 2021 declared that China had achieved its aim of building a so-called …
Look to the future and stay focused, Xi tells China in New Year’s address Read More »
(Reuters) – Many countries are expanding COVID-19 vaccine booster programmes or shortening the gap between shots as governments scramble to shore up protection against the new Omicron variant which emerged a month ago in southern Africa and Hong Kong. Studies have shown that an initial course of COVID-19 vaccines – typically given in two doses …
Factbox-Countries weigh need for COVID-19 booster shots Read More »
