By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The International Monetary Fund is likely to lower its global economic growth estimates due to the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus, the global lender’s chief said at the Reuters Next conference on Friday in another sign of the turmoil unleashed by the ever-changing pandemic. Omicron has spread rapidly to …
IMF chief says Omicron could dent global economic growth Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Any move by China to invade Taiwan would have “terrible consequences,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Friday, adding that he hoped Chinese leaders would think very carefully about “not precipitating a crisis” across the Taiwan Strait. Blinken, speaking at the Reuters Next conference, said China had been trying to change …
Blinken says any move by China to invade Taiwan would have ‘terrible consequences’ Read More »
By Alessandra Galloni and Simon Lewis LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the Reuters Next conference on Friday that Chinese leaders should think carefully about their actions toward Taiwan, warning of “terrible consequences” if China precipitates a crisis across the Taiwan Strait. In an interview, Blinken addressed multiple foreign policy challenges …
Blinken warns Chinese leaders over Taiwan as global crises mount Read More »
PARIS (Reuters) -France has carried out an evacuation mission in Afghanistan, taking 258 Afghans as well as 11 French, some 60 Dutch nationals and an unspecified number of people linked to them out of the country, a French foreign ministry spokeswoman said on Friday. The operation was organised with help from Qatar, a ministry statement …
France evacuates more than 300 people from Afghanistan Read More »
By Nancy Lapid NEW YORK (Reuters) – The Omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 likely acquired at least one of its mutations by picking up a snippet of genetic material from another virus – possibly one that causes the common cold – present in the same infected cells, according to researchers. This genetic …
Omicron variant may have picked up a piece of common-cold virus Read More »
By David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The approach of the United States and Europe toward China is “increasingly convergent,” U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said on Friday, following meetings with the chief of the European Union’s diplomatic service. U.S. President Joe Biden has stressed as a hallmark of his foreign …
U.S. and EU hail ‘convergent’ stances toward China Read More »
By Mubasher Bukhari LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) -A mob of factory employees in eastern Pakistan tortured and burned a Sri Lankan manager on Friday over apparent blasphemy in a “horrific” attack that Prime Minister Imran Khan said brought shame on the country. A police official in the eastern town of Sialkot, who spoke on condition of …
Sri Lankan manager killed by mob of workers at Pakistan factory Read More »
By Jane Lanhee Lee (Reuters) – China may be downplaying how fast its population is shrinking, and a recent policy to promote three-child families has poor chances to improve birth rates, a fertility expert told the Reuters Next conference on Friday. Fuxian Yi, senior scientist in the obstetrics and gynecology department at the University of …
Researcher questions China’s population data, says it may be lower Read More »
VIENTIANE (Reuters) – A $6 billion high-speed rail line connecting China with its Southeast Asian neighbour Laos opened on Friday, a milestone in Beijing’s ambitious Belt and Road infrastructure plans. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisoulith attended a virtual ceremony to mark the maiden voyages on the line, which stretches from the …
China and Laos open $6 billion high-speed rail link Read More »
By Charlotte Greenfield ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – A decree released by the Taliban barring forced marriage was a major step forward, two leading Afghan women said on Friday, but questions remained about whether the hardline Islamist group would extend women’s rights around work and education. Afghanistan’s Taliban government on Friday released a decree which said women …
Advocates welcome Taliban decree barring forced marriages but call for more Read More »
