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 »
By Deena Beasley (Reuters) – The Omicron variant, spreading now in southern Africa and detected in over 30 other countries, has prompted fears it could significantly undermine the effectiveness of vaccines against COVID-19. Yet as scientists race to understand the full consequences of Omicron, some are also asking whether this new version of coronavirus might …
Explainer-Could the Omicron variant bring milder illness? Read More »
(Reuters) – National tennis federations hailed the leadership of the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) in representing and protecting players’ rights after its decision to suspend tournaments in China over the treatment of former doubles world number one Peng Shuai. Peng was unseen in public for nearly three weeks after she posted a message on social …
Tennis-National bodies back WTA suspension of China tournaments over Peng concerns Read More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – K-pop sensation BTS hopes to hold an in-person concert in Seoul for the first since the pandemic, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday, after the group posted a tweet promising to “see you in Seoul, MARCH 2022”. The tweet included hashtags for the group’s “Permission to Dance” stage performances, but provided no …
K-pop sensation BTS hopes to ‘see you in Seoul’ in March Read More »
