BAMAKO (Reuters) – An explosion on Wednesday in central Mali killed seven United Nations peacekeepers and seriously wounded three others, the U.N. mission said on Twitter. A logistics convoy hit an improvised explosive device between the towns of Douentza and Sevare, an area where groups linked to al Qaeda and Islamic State operate. No group …
Seven U.N. peacekeepers killed in central Mali explosion Read More »
By John Irish (Reuters) – France’s foreign minister returned from Algeria on Wednesday after holding clear the air talks to revive relations after ties between the two countries collapsed in recent months with a diplomat saying this was a step to “turning the page”. Relations between Paris and its former colony hit new lows in …
By Michael Nienaber BERLIN (Reuters) -Social Democrat Olaf Scholz became Germany’s chancellor on Wednesday, ending 16 years of conservative rule under Angela Merkel and launching his three-way coalition that has pledged to boost green investment and strengthen European integration. Scholz, 63, who over the past four years served as vice chancellor and finance minister in …
Scholz takes over as German chancellor, ending Merkel era Read More »
(Reuters) -Myanmar soldiers have been accused of rounding up 11 people in a village in a central area of the strife-torn country before shooting them and setting fire to their bodies, according to residents in the area and media reports. The charred remains were found in a village in Sagaing, an area that has seen …
Myanmar soldiers accused of killing 11 after charred remains found Read More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The UK Health Security Agency on Wednesday said that the Omicron coronavirus variant was likely to outcompete Delta and replace it to become dominant, and that it could account for at least half of new COVID-19 cases in the next 2-4 weeks. “Omicron is displaying a significant growth advantage over Delta, meaning …
UK Health Security Agency says Omicron set to become dominant Read More »
By Julie Steenhuysen (Reuters) -Arrival of the highly-mutated Omicron variant is a wake-up call to develop vaccines less susceptible to the rapid changes of the coronavirus, leading virologists and immunologists told Reuters. Most first-generation COVID-19 vaccines target the spike protein on the outer surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus used to infect human cells. Omicron has …
Analysis-Omicron is a wake-up call for COVID-19 vaccine developers Read More »
LONDON (Reuters) – China on Wednesday accused Britain of trying to smear the winter Olympics in Beijing in a blatant contravention of the Olympic spirit after Prime Minister Boris Johnson said there were no plans for British ministers to attend. “The Chinese government has not invited government ministers or officials from the UK to attend …
China says Britain is trying to smear Beijing Olympics Read More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday he was starting a so-called Plan B for England, including guidance for people to work from home, to slow the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. “While the picture may get better, and I sincerely hope that it will, we know that …
UK’s Johnson puts England under new COVID controls Read More »
By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) -Governments need to reassess national responses to COVID-19 and speed up vaccination programmes to tackle Omicron, though it is it too early to say how well existing shots will protect against the new variant, the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. The variant’s global spread suggests it could have a …
Act now to curb Omicron’s spread, WHO’s Tedros tells world Read More »
By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden said on Wednesday putting American troops on the ground in Ukraine to deter a potential Russian invasion was “not on the table” and he hoped to announce a meeting with Russia and other NATO countries by Friday. Biden said there would be high-level meetings with …
Biden says putting U.S. troops on ground in Ukraine is ‘not on the table’ Read More »
