World

Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic rides in car as he leaves a government detention facility before attending a court hearing at his lawyers office in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022. (James Ross/AAP via AP)

Australia leaves door open for Djokovic to play at next year’s Open

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has left the door open for Novak Djokovic to compete at next year’s Australian Open despite the tennis superstar facing an automatic three-year ban from entering the country. The world number one player left Australia late on Sunday…

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The Japan Meteorological Agency lifted all remaining tsunami advisories at 2 P.M. on Sunday local time. (Photo by AP/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan lifts all tsunami warnings

All tsunami warnings issued in Japan, following Saturday’s massive volcanic eruption in Tonga, have been lifted. The final alert which had been in effect for Iwate Prefecture was downgraded to…

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Hostages freed in Texas synagogue standoff, suspect dead

All four people taken hostage in a more than 10-hour standoff at a Texas synagogue have been freed unharmed, police said late Saturday, and their suspected captor is dead.  The…

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Japan issues Tsunami alerts volcanic eruption in Tonga

Tsunami alerts are in effect over wide areas along the Pacific coast of Japan, after a massive volcanic eruption in Tonga on Saturday. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami…

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The woman was standing on the platform at around 9.30am, waiting for the train at the 42nd Street station in Times Square / AFP

Asian woman pushed in front of a train in New York

A 40-year-old Asian woman was pushed to her death at a subway station in Times Square on Saturday morning, according to U.S. local media. Subway passengers alerted the police after…

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Tonga volcano eruption triggers tsunami warnings in Japan, Pacific islands

An underwater volcano off Tonga erupted on Saturday, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders in Japan and causing large waves in several South Pacific islands, where footage on social media…

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This photo provided on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, by the North Korean government shows a missile test from railway in North Pyongan Province, North Korea, on Jan. 14, 2022. North Korea on Jan. 15 said it test-launched ballistic missiles from a train in what was seen as an apparent retaliation against fresh sanctions imposed by the Biden administration. Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency.(Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP)

North Korea says it test launched missiles from train

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Saturday said it test launched ballistic missiles from a train in what was seen as an apparent retaliation against fresh sanctions imposed…

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Volcano erupts near Tonga, islanders rush to escape waves

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — An undersea volcano erupted in spectacular fashion near the Pacific nation of Tonga on Saturday, sending large waves crashing across the shore and people rushing…

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Students gather outside of CPS headquarters to stage one of several mass “Walkout for COVID Safety” at high schools due to the Omicron spread in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. January 14, 2022. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska

As Omicron fuels surge, U.S. students stage walkouts to protest in-person classes

BOSTON/CHICAGO, Jan 14 (Reuters) – Hundreds of students in Boston and Chicago walked out of classes on Friday in protests demanding a switch to remote learning as a surge in…

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US President Joe Biden speaks during a memorial service for the late US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 8, 2022. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)

US human rights still found wanting

The recently released Human Rights Watch (HRW) annual report is an all too familiar assessment of the global rights situation, except in the US itself. Indeed, the report should have…

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A handout photograph released by the UK Parliament shows Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson attending Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons in London on January 12, 2022. – UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Wednesday apologised for attending a lockdown-breaching party held in his Downing Street garden, but deflected calls to resign as the opposition leader called him a “man without shame”. After days of dismal headlines and collapsing poll ratings, Johnson said he regarded the newly revealed boozy get-together in May 2020 as a work event for Downing Street staff. (Photo by JESSICA TAYLOR / UK PARLIAMENT / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – NO USE FOR ENTERTAINMENT, SATIRICAL, ADVERTISING PURPOSES – MANDATORY CREDIT ” AFP PHOTO / Jessica Taylor /UK Parliament”

UK govt apologises to Queen for parties on eve of prince funeral

The UK government on Friday apologised to Queen Elizabeth II, after revelations that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s staff broke coronavirus restrictions by partying on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral….

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FILE – This photo provided by the North Korean government shows what it says a test launch of a hypersonic missile on Jan. 11, 2022 in North Korea. North Korea on Friday, Jan. 14, berated the Biden administration for imposing fresh sanctions against the country over its latest missile tests and warned of stronger and more explicit action if Washington maintains its “confrontational stance.” Independent journalists were not given access to cover the event depicted in this image distributed by the North Korean government. The content of this image is as provided and cannot be independently verified. Korean language watermark on image as provided by source reads: “KCNA” which is the abbreviation for Korean Central News Agency. (Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP, File)

N. Korea fires fresh missiles in response to US sanctions

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Friday fired what appeared to be two short-range ballistic missiles in its third weapons launch this month, officials in South Korea said,…

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Novak Djokovic of Serbia takes a break during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open at the Melbourne Park tennis centre in Melbourne on January 12, 2022. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

Australia cancels Djokovic’s visa citing health risk to community

MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Australia cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time on Friday saying the world number one tennis champion who has not been vaccinated for COVID-19 may pose…

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The United States Supreme Court in Washington, U.S., May 17, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/File Photo

U.S. Supreme Court blocks Biden vaccine-or-test policy for large businesses

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday blocked President Joe Biden‘s COVID-19 vaccination-or–testing mandate for large businesses – a policy the conservative justices deemed an improper imposition on the lives and health of many Americans – while endorsing…

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Britain’s Britain’s Prince Andrew, Duke of York, looks on during the funeral of Britain’s Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth, who died at the age of 99, in Windsor, Britain, April 17, 2021. Chris Jackson/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

UK’s Prince Andrew stripped of royal and military links

LONDON (Reuters) – The Royal Family removed Prince Andrew‘s military links and royal patronages on Thursday and said he will no longer be known as “His Royal Highness”, as the son of Queen Elizabeth fights a U.S. lawsuit in which he is accused…

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Biden imposes first sanctions over North Korea weapons program after missile tests

The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions over North Korea’s weapons programs following a series of North Korean missile launches, including two since last week. The sanctions targeted…

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Giuffre’s Prince Andrew suit goes ahead despite Epstein deal

A judge has — for now — refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Britain’s Prince Andrew by an American woman who says he sexually abused her when she was 17….

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Medical workers in protective suits collect swabs from residents during a citywide nucleic acid testing following cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Zhengzhou, Henan province, China, January 5, 2022. REUTERS

Chinese woman stuck in blind date’s house after city lockdown

Beijing (AFP) – Imagine being on a first date you couldn’t end? That’s what happened to a woman in China whose video blogs about going into a citywide lockdown during a…

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Reuters TV via REUTERS

UK PM Johnson apologises for attending lockdown party

LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for attending a “bring your own booze” gathering at his official residence during the first coronavirus lockdown as opponents said he had to resign. Johnson admitted…

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In this photo provided by Tokyo Zoological Park Society, visitors use smartphones to take pictures of Japanese-born twin pandas and their mother at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022./ AP

Twin panda cubs debut at Tokyo zoo, woo devoted fans

TOKYO (AP) — Twin panda cubs made their first public appearance Wednesday before devoted fans in Tokyo, but they will be on display only briefly for now — over three…

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Novak Djokovic of Serbia takes a break during a practice session ahead of the Australian Open at the Melbourne Park tennis centre in Melbourne on January 12, 2022. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

Djokovic admits ‘errors’ in urgent fight to avoid deportation

Melbourne (AFP) – Novak Djokovic on Wednesday admitted “errors” in his travel papers and in his behaviour after a claimed coronavirus infection as he battled to stay in Australia and fight…

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Municipal workers clean the streets near the main square after the mass protests triggered by fuel price increase, in Almaty, Kazakhstan January 10, 2022. / REUTERS

Russian troops to quit Kazakhstan, says president, taking aim at the elite

NUR-SULTAN (Reuters) – Russian-led forces will begin withdrawing from Kazakhstan in two days’ time after stabilising the Central Asian nation following serious unrest, the president said on Tuesday, in a speech that took…

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In this image taken from aerial video footage, tennis star Novak Djokovic practices on the tennis court during a training session Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022, in Melbourne Australia. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation/Channel 9 via AP)

Djokovic back into swing in Australia despite visa concerns

MELBOURNE (AP) — Tennis star Novak Djokovic held a practice session at Melbourne Park on Tuesday, his second day out of detention, focusing on his Australian Open title defense while…

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North Korea has continued to expand its military capabilities amid a self-imposed pandemic lockdown

North Korea fires second suspected missile in less than a week

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile into the sea, South Korea’s military said Tuesday, ratcheting up tensions less than a week after Pyongyang reported testing a hypersonic missile. The early-morning launch came as the UN Security Council met in New York to…

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In this photo provided by the University of Maryland School of Medicine, members of the surgical team show the pig heart for transplant into patient David Bennett in Baltimore on Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. (Mark Teske/University of Maryland School of Medicine via AP)

In first, US surgeons transplant pig heart into human patient

(AP) – In a medical first, doctors transplanted a pig heart into a patient in a last-ditch effort to save his life and a Maryland hospital said Monday that he’s…

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Russian President Vladimir Putin attends an extraordinary meeting of the Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) on the situation in Kazakhstan after violent protests, via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia January 10, 2022. Sputnik/Aleksey Nikolskyi/Kremlin via REUTERS

Putin claims victory in defending Kazakhstan from revolt

NUR-SULTAN, Jan 10 (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory on Monday in defending Kazakhstan from what he described as a foreign-backed terrorist uprising, and promised leaders of other ex-Soviet…

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FILE – Serbia’s Novak Djokovic holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after defeating Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. (AP Photo/Andy Brownbill, File)

Australian judge reinstates tennis star Djokovic’s visa

MELBOURNE (AP) — Tennis star Novak Djokovic on Monday won a court battle to stay in Australia to contest the Australian Open despite being unvaccinated against COVID-19, but the government…

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Bob Saget attends the “Shameless” FYC event at Linwood Dunn Theater on Wednesday, March 6, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)

Bob Saget, TV dad and comedian, found dead in Florida hotel room

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Bob Saget, an actor and comedian best known as the jovial dad on the television sitcom “Full House,” was found dead in a hotel room in Orlando, Florida, at age 65, authorities and his family said on Sunday. The cause of Saget‘s death…

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In this undated photo issued on Dec. 23, 2021, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II records her annual Christmas broadcast in Windsor Castle, Windsor, England. (Victoria Jones/Pool Photo via AP, File)

UK plans holiday weekend to honor queen’s 70 years on throne

LONDON (AP) — The United Kingdom will celebrate Queen Elizabeth II’s 70 years on the throne with a military parade, neighborhood parties and a competition to create a new dessert…

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Emergency personnel work at the scene of a fatal fire at an apartment building in the Bronx on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/Jeenah Moon)

Bronx apartment fire kills 19, including 9 children

NEW YORK (AP) — A malfunctioning space heater sparked a fire that filled a high-rise Bronx apartment building with thick smoke on Sunday, killing 19 people including nine children in…

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European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson gives a news conference following the EU High-level Forum on providing protection to Afghans at risk, at the European Commission, in Brussels, Belgium, October 7, 2021. Stephanie Lecocq/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

EU plans law requiring tech firms to do more to combat child abuse

FRANKFURT, Jan 9 (Reuters) – The European Union plans to legislate in the coming months to require technology companies to do more to tackle child sexual abuse, beefing up current…

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This handout image taken and released by the Kazakh presidential press service on January 7, 2021 shows Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (C) holding a meeting at the counter-terrorism headquarters in Alamaty. – Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on December 7, 2022 that order had mostly been restored in the country after days of unprecedented unrest. The interior ministry said security forces had taken all the country’s regions “under increased protection” and that 26 “armed criminals” had been killed and 18 wounded in the unrest. (Photo by Handout / Kazakhstan Presidential press office / AFP)

Kazakhstan detains ex-security chief, president consults with Putin

ALMATY, Jan 8 (Reuters) – Kazakhstan’s former intelligence chief has been arrested on suspicion of treason, the state security agency said on Saturday, as the former Soviet republic is roiled…

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Protestors gather outside an immigration detention hotel where Serbia’s Novak Djokovic is believed to stay, in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Locked in a dispute over his COVID-19 vaccination status, Djokovic was confined to the immigration detention hotel in Australia on Thursday as the No. 1 men’s tennis player in the world awaited a court ruling on whether he can compete in the Australian Open later this month. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)

Djokovic could face future bans if deported from Australia

Novak Djokovic risks missing more than one Australian Open if he fails to have his visa cancellation overturned and gets deported for not having enough evidence to support a medical…

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In this image taken from footage provided by the RU-RTR Russian television, A Kazakhstan’s soldier stands next to a military vehicle at a check point in Kazakhstan, Friday, Jan. 7, 2022. Over 70 cargo planes are being deployed in Russia’s peacekeeping mission in Kazakhstan according to the Defense Ministry chief spokesman’s briefing on Friday, after the worst street protests since the country gained independence three decades ago. The demonstrations began over a near-doubling of prices for a type of vehicle fuel and quickly spread across the country. (RU-RTR Russian Television via AP)

Kazakh president: Forces can shoot to kill to quell unrest

MOSCOW (AP) — Kazakhstan’s president authorized security forces on Friday to shoot to kill those participating in unrest, opening the door for a dramatic escalation in a crackdown on anti-government…

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(FILES) In this file photo taken on May 22, 2011, Czech Republic’s Renata Voracova reacts while playing against France’s Alize Cornet during their women’s singles first round match in the French Open tennis championship in Paris. – Australia has cancelled the visa of female Czech tennis player Renata Voracova who entered the country to play in this month’s Australian Open, several media said on January 7, 2022. (Photo by MIGUEL MEDINA / AFP)

Czech player Voracova joins Djokovic in Australian detention

Czech tennis player Renata Voracova has ended up in the same detention facility as Novak Djokovic in the run-up to the Australian Open, the Czech foreign ministry said Friday. “Renata…

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People hold placards up at a government detention centre where Serbia’s tennis champion Novak Djokovic is reported to be staying in Melbourne on January 7, 2022, after Australia said it had cancelled the entry visa of Djokovic, opening the way to his detention and deportation in a dramatic reversal for the tennis world number one. (Photo by William WEST / AFP)

Djokovic a victim of politics, kept in captivity in Australia, say family

BELGRADE, Jan 6 (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic’s family said he was the victim of a “political agenda” in Australia as they rallied around the world number one who was denied…

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U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Statuary Hall on the first anniversary of the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2022. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

A year after U.S. Capitol siege, Biden blasts Trump’s ‘web of lies’

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden on Thursday accused his predecessor Donald Trump of spreading a “web of lies” to undermine U.S. democracy in a speech on the anniversary of the deadly Capitol attack by…

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A year after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, television cameras and video monitors fill Statuary Hall in preparation for news coverage, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. President Joe Biden is prepared to mark the first anniversary of the Capitol insurrection Thursday, gathering with lawmakers to remember the violent attack that has fundamentally changed the Congress and raised global concerns about the future of American democracy. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Biden and Congress mark a year since violent insurrection

President Joe Biden on Thursday marked the first anniversary of the U.S. Capitol insurrection, the violent attack by Trump supporters that has fundamentally changed the Congress and raised global concerns…

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Dozens of protesters, 12 police dead in Kazakhstan protests

Dozens of protesters and 12 police died during extraordinarily violent demonstrations in Kazakhstan that saw government buildings stormed and set ablaze, authorities said Thursday. One police officer was found beheaded…

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Nadal says Djokovic knew the risks: ‘He made his own decisions’

Rafael Nadal had little sympathy for long-time rival Novak Djokovic, saying on Thursday that he must face the consequences for not being vaccinated against coronavirus.   World’s number one was…

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REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

Bitcoin, ether near multi-month lows following hawkish Fed minutes

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Bitcoin fell below $43,000 on Thursday, testing multi-month lows after minutes from the Federal Reserve’s last meeting showed it leaning toward more aggressive policy action, which…

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Novak Djokovic denied entry to Australia, seeking injunction to stop his removal

                                                           …

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The U.S. Capitol is seen through razor wire in Washington, U.S., March 4, 2021. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

Riot shields and metal detectors are a reminder of deadly U.S. Capitol assault

WASHINGTON, Jan 5 (Reuters) – A year after then-President Donald Trump’s supporters launched a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol, signs of heightened security are visible everywhere, from police riot shields…

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Having pets not kids robs us of ‘humanity’: pope

Pope Francis risked the ire of the world’s childless dog and cat owners Wednesday, suggesting people who substitute pets for kids exhibit “a certain selfishness”.  Speaking on parenthood during a general audience at the Vatican,…

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FILE – This combination of photos shows Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in London on June 15, 2021 and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Dec. 21, 2021. / AP

Australia, Japan to sign ‘historic’ defense, security pact

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia and Japan will sign a treaty on Thursday to increase defense and security cooperation in a move that has been hailed as “historic” but which might…

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FILE – Rioters loyal to ex-president Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021. / AP

Despite brutal video, only GOP minority say Jan 6 Capitol riot very violent

WASHINGTON (AP) — The fighting — so primitive and ferocious that one Capitol Police officer described it as “medieval” and another as a “trip to hell” — left more than…

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In this file photo taken on January 06, 2021 supporters of US President Donald Trump, including member of the QAnon conspiracy group Jake Angeli, aka Yellowstone Wolf (C), enter the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Saul LOEB / AFP)

January 6 – Lessons from American democracy

A year has elapsed since American democracy was assaulted. Die-hard republican protesters and some extremists invaded the Capitol in Washington DC and forced the world’s most stable democratic symbol into…

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Mayor Sokhary Chau addresses the assembly during the Lowell City Council swearing-in ceremony, Monday, Jan. 3, 2022, in Lowell, Mass., held at Lowell Memorial Auditorium due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Julia Malakie/The Lowell Sun via AP)

First Cambodian American mayor in US takes office

BOSTON (AP) — A refugee who survived the Khmer Rouge’s brutal rule has become the first Cambodian American mayor in the United States. Sokhary Chau, a city councilor in Lowell,…

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Boycotts, Covid and controversy as Beijing Olympics count down

The Beijing Winter Olympics begin one month on Tuesday with diplomatic boycotts, the coronavirus and the fate of Peng Shuai all hanging heavy over the Games. The Chinese capital on…

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Fireworks explode over skyline building to celebrate New Year in Hong Kong, China, January 1, 2022. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

Omicron dampens worldwide New Year celebrations, but London throws party on TV

Jan 1 (Reuters) – The Omicron coronavirus variant dampened New Year festivities around much of the world, as cities from Paris to Kuala Lumpur cancelled civic celebrations, but London threw…

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People wearing masks attend a vigil for late Li Wenliang, an ophthalmologist who died of coronavirus at a hospital in Wuhan, February 7, 2020. / REUTERS

Thousands message late Chinese COVID whistleblower doctor 2 years on

SHANGHAI, (Reuters) – Thousands of people left messages on the social media account of the late Chinese COVID-19 whistleblower Li Wenliang on the anniversary of the day he learned of possible pneumonia-causing virus…

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/ AFP

Biden, Putin to discuss Ukraine crisis in new call

US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will speak Thursday in a latest effort to defuse tensions surrounding Moscow’s military build-up on the border with Ukraine. It…

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Hong Kong police have arrested six people linked to media outlet Stand News, including chief editor Patrick Lam / AFP

Hong Kong police raid local media outlet, arrest six for ‘seditious publication’

Hong Kong police raided the office of a local media outlet and arrested six current and former staff on Wednesday, deepening fears for press freedom in a territory where media…

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In this photo provided by the North Korean government, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, center, attends a meeting of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers’ Party in Pyongyang, North Korea on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. / Korean Central News Agency/Korea News Service via AP

North Korea holds key meeting as Kim marks 10 years in power

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea opened a key political conference Monday to review past projects and discuss new policies amid the pandemic and a diplomatic deadlock with the…

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A general view of destruction following a reported air strike by the Saudi-led coalition targeting the Huthi rebel-held Yemeni capital’s Sanaa International Airport. MOHAMMED HUWAIS / AFP

Saudi-led coalition hits Yemen rebel camp in ramped up air war

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said Sunday it struck a Huthi rebel camp in the capital Sanaa, as it intensified an aerial bombing campaign against the Iran-backed insurgents. The coalition,…

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Anti-apartheid icon Archbishop Desmond Tutu dead at 90

South African anti-apartheid icon Desmond Tutu, described as the country’s moral compass, died on Sunday aged 90, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. “The passing of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is another chapter of bereavement in our…

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Travelers move through Delta Airlines check-in at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, California, on December 24, 2021. – Over 2,000 flights have been cancelled and thousands delayed around the world as the highly infectious Omicron variant disrupts holiday travel. According to tracking website Flightaware.com at 1540 GMT on Friday, a total of 2,118 flights had been cancelled worldwide, including 500 flights originating from or headed to US airports, and over 5,700 delayed. (Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP)

Covid clouds Christmas celebrations for second year

Pope Francis called for more solidarity with those living in poverty as he celebrated mass in the Vatican in front of a masked congregation of around 2,000 people, while billions…

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People wearing protective face masks walk at Capitoline Museums (Musei Capitolini), on the day before coronavirus disease (COVID-19) health passes, known as Green Passes, become mandatory on public transport, in Rome, Italy December 5, 2021. REUTERS/Remo Casilli

Italy bans New Year events as COVID infections surge

ROME (Reuters) – Italy has tightened restrictions to curb surging COVID-19 infections, including banning all public New Year‘s Eve celebrations, as daily infections hit a record high, the government said on Thursday. Health Minister Roberto Speranza said mask…

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Travelers push their luggage past baggage claim inside the United Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) during the holiday season as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Omicron variant threatens to increase case numbers in Los Angeles, California, U.S. December 22, 2021. REUTERS/Bing Guan

United, Delta cancel more than 200 U.S. Christmas Eve flights amid COVID surge

(Reuters) – United Airlines and Delta Air Lines on Thursday said they had each canceled dozens of Christmas Eve flights, as the spreading COVID-19 Omicron variant takes a toll on its flight crews and other workers. Chicago-based United canceled 120 flights for Friday,…

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North Korean leader Kim Jong Un speaks during the Eighth Conference of Military Educationists of the Korean People’s Army at the April 25 House of Culture in Pyongyang, North Korea in this undated photo released on December 7, 2021. KCNA via REUTERS/File Photo

North Korea’s Kim praises ‘fresh heyday’ in China relations as longtime envoy departs

SEOUL (Reuters) – North Korean leader Kim Jong Un praised outgoing Chinese Ambassador Li Jinjun for helping to improve relations between Pyongyang and Beijing, state media reported on Thursday, as the envoy left office after seven…

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The “Pillar of Shame” statue, a memorial for those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown, is removed from the University of Hong Kong, Thursday, Dec. 23, 2021. (Lam Chun Tung/The Initium Media via AP)

Hong Kong university dismantles Tiananmen statue, sparks outcry

Hong Kong (AFP) – Hong Kong’s oldest university removed a statue commemorating the deadly 1989 crackdown on Tiananmen Square democracy protesters on Thursday, the latest step in China’s campaign to silence…

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Boosters may prolong Covid WHO warns, France jabs kids as Omicron surges

London (AFP) – The WHO warned Wednesday that rich countries cannot use boosters to escape the coronavirus and France became one of the first nations to vaccinate children over five, as nations…

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Customers are seen inside a private COVID-19 testing clinic in a busy shopping area, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London, Britain, December 22, 2021. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

Britain exceeds 100,000 daily COVID-19 cases for the first time

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain reported more than 100,000 new daily COVID–19 cases for the first time since widespread testing was introduced, with 106,122 on Wednesday compared with 90,629 on Tuesday. The rapid spread of the Omicron variant has driven a surge…

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Case drop may show South Africa’s omicron peak has passed

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa’s noticeable drop in new COVID-19 cases in recent days may signal that the country’s dramatic omicron-driven surge has passed its peak, medical experts say. Daily…

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The operator of a wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant said it has applied for safety authorities’ approval to construct an undersea tunnel and other facility needed for a planned release of treated radioactive water from the plant to sea.(Kyodo News via AP, File)

TEPCO to release treated radioactive water into the sea around mid-April 2023

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced on Tuesday that it has filed a plan for handling the water with Japan’s nuclear regulators. The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power…

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Photo courtesy of Front View Africa

Madagascar minister swims 12 hours to shore after helicopter crash

Antananarivo, Madagascar (AFP) – A Madagascan minister was one of two survivors to have swum some 12 hours to shore Tuesday after their helicopter crashed off the island’s northeastern coast, authorities said. A…

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A soldier from the Corps of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) administers a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic set up at Chester Cathedral on December 16, 2021 as the UK steps up the country’s booster drive to fight a “tidal wave” of Omicron.

Europe considers new curbs as Omicron sweeps world

Countries across Europe were considering new curbs on movement on Tuesday as the fast-moving Omicron variant swept the world days before Christmas, throwing travel plans into chaos and unnerving financial…

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Omicron uncertainty prompts WEF to delay Davos summit to mid-2022

The World Economic Forum (WEF) on Monday postponed its annual meeting in Davos due to the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, putting off the event scheduled for January until…

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Pro-Beijing candidates sweep victories at Hong Kong polls

Pro-Beijing candidates dominated Hong Kong’s legislative elections, beating out moderates and independents in the city’s first public poll after Beijing passed a resolution to amend the city’s election laws. Candidates…

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This combination of file photos shows tennis player Peng Shuai of China (L) during her women’s singles first round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 16, 2017; and Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli (R) during a visit to Russia at the Saint Petersburg International Investment Forum in Saint Petersburg on June 18, 2015. (Photo by Paul CROCK and Alexander ZEMLIANICHENKO / AFP)

Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai denies making sexual assault claim

Beijing (AFP) – Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai has denied accusing anyone of sexual assault in her first media comments since publicly alleging that a top Communist Party official forced her to…

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Firefighters work outside an office building where a fire broke out in Osaka on December 17, 2021. (Photo by Philip FONG / AFP)

24 dead in Japan fire at mental health clinic

Osaka (AFP) – At least 24 people were killed after a blaze gutted a mental health clinic in a commercial building in the Japanese city of Osaka on Friday, local media said,…

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Citizens visit the bronze statues of their late leaders Kim Il Sung, left, and Kim Jong Il on Mansu Hill in Pyongyang, North Korea Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021, on the occasion of 10th anniversary of demise of Kim Jong Il. (AP Photo/Cha Song Ho)

NKorea calls for unity on anniversary of Kim Jong Il’s death

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea on Friday commemorated the 10th anniversary of former leader Kim Jong Il’s death with calls for greater public loyalty toward his son and…

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Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki arrives to attend an European Union Summit with all 27 EU leaders at The European Council Building in Brussels on December 16, 2021. The lightning spread of Omicron in Europe and elsewhere has added a sense of urgency to an EU summit on December 16, 2021, with leaders struggling to present a united, bloc-wide approach. Kenzo Tribouillard / POOL / AFP

EU leaders weigh new sanctions on Russia amid ‘series of attacks’

The European Union is under assault from Russia on multiple fronts and must unite behind new economic sanctions, Baltic and central European leaders said on Thursday, with Lithuania citing a…

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Image by Klaus Hausmann from Pixabay

Record 488 journalists imprisoned, 46 killed in 2021: RSF

Paris (AFP) – There are currently 488 media professionals imprisoned around the world, the highest number since Reporters Without Borders began counting more than 25 years ago, the NGO announced Thursday.  By…

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Kathleen Hicks (L), the first female U.S. deputy defense secretary, arrives for the first day in her new role at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., February 9 2021. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo

U.S. builds new software tool to predict actions that could draw China’s ire

HONOLULU (Reuters) – U.S. military commanders in the Pacific have built a software tool to predict how the Chinese government will react to U.S. actions in the region like military sales, U.S.-backed military activity and even congressional visits to hotspots…

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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers a speech during a plenary session at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021. (Julien Warnand, Pool Photo via AP)

EU official: Omicron to be dominant variant by mid-January

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that omicron is expected to be the dominant coronavirus variant in the 27-nation bloc by mid-January, amid concerns that a…

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A police vehicle is parked in front of a building during raids in several locations in Dresden, Germany, December 15, 2021, as part of an investigation into what they said was a plot to murder the state’s prime minister, Michael Kretschmer, by anti-vaccination activists. The searches in the city of Dresden targeted individual members of a group on the messaging program Telegram, where plans for the killing were discussed in connection with the state government’s coronavirus curbs, police said. REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel

German police foil ‘anti-vaxxer murder plot’ against state premier

BERLIN, Dec 15 (Reuters) – German police said on Wednesday they had uncovered a plot by anti-vaccination activists in Saxony to murder the eastern German state’s premier, adding to concerns…

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The leaders of North and South Korea embraced at a summit in 2018

Is South Korea close to officially ending the Korean War?

It has long been a dream of South Korean President Moon to formally end the war with the North, but analysts caution the idea may not be strategically sound or…

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Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph Wu speaks at an event marking the 70th anniversary of American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Taipei, Taiwan December 8, 2021 / REUTERS

China targeted Taipei’s allies while U.S. hosted democracy summit- Taiwan foreign minister

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Nicaragua’s decision last week to cut ties with Taiwan was part of a deliberate move by China to target the island’s diplomatic allies after it was excluded from a…

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A refrigerator is stuck in a tree after tornadoes ripped through several U.S. states in downtown Dawson Springs, Kentucky, U.S., December 13, 2021.REUTERS/Jon Cherry

‘From grief to shock’: Tornadoes kill at least 74 in Kentucky

MAYFIELD, Ky. (Reuters) – The barrage of tornadoes that tore through six states killed at least 74 people in Kentucky, officials said on Monday, as those fortunate enough to survive unscathed opened their doors to victims whose…

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Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats reacts after he was elected new German Chancellor in the German Parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. The election and swearing-in of the new Chancellor and the swearing-in of the federal ministers of the new federal government will take place in the Bundestag on Wednesday. (Photo/Stefanie Loos)

New German government and the regional impacts

The new “traffic light” coalition government in Germany will have to perform a major Houdini act, should it decide to take a radical departure from its predecessor’s foreign policy, especially…

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India’s Harnaaz Sandhu poses during the final round of the 70th Miss Universe pageant, Monday, Dec. 13, 2021, in Eilat, Israel. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Harnaaz Sandhu of India named 70th Miss Universe

EILAT, Israel (AP) — Harnaaz Sandhu of India was crowned the 70th Miss Universe, topping a field of some 80 contestants in a pageant that was touched by politics and…

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This handout picture taken by Italian Firefighters ( Vigili del Fuoco) on December 12, 2021 shows a four-storey apartment building collapsed following a gas explosion, in Ravanusa on December 12, 2021. Handout / Vigili del Fuoco / AFP

Four dead, five missing in Sicily apartment blast

Four people were killed and five were missing after an explosion caused a four-storey apartment building to collapse on the Italian island of Sicily, authorities said Sunday.  Two women were…

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A boat sits at rest after being sucked out of a marine dealership by a tornado in Mayfield, Kentucky, on December 11, 2021.

Powerful tornadoes kill 83 across six US states

Rescuers were desperately searching for survivors early Sunday after dozens of devastating tornadoes tore through six US states, leaving at least 83 people dead, dozens missing and towns in ruin….

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Police arrest Myanmar Now journalist Kay Zon Nwe in Yangon on February 27, 2021, as protesters were taking part in a demonstration against the military coup. (Photo by Ye Aung THU / AFP)

Record number of journalists jailed in 2021: CPJ

New York (AFP) – The number of journalists jailed around the world hit a new record in 2021, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday, with China and…

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US President Joe Biden speaks to representatives of more than 100 countries during a virtual democracy summit at the White House in Washington DC on December 9, 2021. (Photo by Nicholas Kamm / AFP)

Biden questions if “backward slide of rights and democracy” will be allowed to continue being unchecked

Democracy faces “sustained and alarming challenges” worldwide, US President Joe Biden said Thursday at a virtual summit on democracy where he sparked controversy by pointedly not inviting China and Russia….

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A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the a sculpture for the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. China on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, threatened to take “firm countermeasures” if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February’s Beijing Winter Olympic Games. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

China dismisses UK, Canada Olympic boycott as ‘farce’

China on Thursday dismissed the decision by Canada and the United Kingdom to join Washington’s diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games as a “farce.” China is also…

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A sign indicates that the University of Aukland campus is smoke-free in Auckland, New Zealand, Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021. New Zealand’s government believes it has come up with a unique plan to end tobacco smoking, a lifetime ban for those aged 14 and under. (AP Photo/David Rowland)

New Zealand’s plan to end smoking: A lifetime ban for youth

New Zealand’s government believes it has come up with a unique plan to end tobacco smoking — a lifetime ban for those aged 14 or younger. Under a new law…

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The Beijing 2022 emblem is seen on a countdown clock for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

UK, Canada join diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Games

OTTAWA/BEIJING (Reuters) – Canada joined Australia, Britain and the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on Wednesday, with China calling the boycotts “political posturing”…

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(FILES) This file photo taken on August 19, 2019 shows Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak arriving at the Kuala Lumpur High Court for his trial over 1MDB corruption allegations in Kuala Lumpur. A Malaysian appeal court on December 8, 2021 upheld former leader Najib Razak’s conviction and 12-year jail term over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal, which contributed to his government’s downfall in 2018. Mohd RASFAN / AFP

Malaysia court upholds guilty verdict for former PM Najib

A Malaysian court on Wednesday upheld former premier Najib Razak’s conviction on corruption charges over a multi-billion dollar scandal at state fund 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), dealing a blow to…

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Olaf Scholz of the Social Democrats reacts after he was elected new German Chancellor in the German Parliament Bundestag in Berlin, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. The election and swearing-in of the new Chancellor and the swearing-in of the federal ministers of the new federal government will take place in the Bundestag on Wednesday. (Photo/Stefanie Loos)

Scholz succeeds Merkel as German chancellor, opening new era

Olaf Scholz became Germany’s ninth post-World War II chancellor Wednesday, opening a new era for the European Union’s most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel’s 16-year tenure. Scholz’s…

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The Beijing 2022 emblem is seen on a countdown clock for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, China December 7, 2021. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Australia joins diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Games

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia will join the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Wednesday, a decision that risks souring already bitter bilateral relations. The United States on…

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President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin, arrive to meet at the ‘Villa la Grange’, in Geneva, Switzerland, June 16, 2021. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Biden-Putin square off as tension grows on Ukraine border

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and Russia’s Vladimir Putin squared off Tuesday over the massive buildup of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border. The U.S. president was eager to…

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REUTERS/Thomas Peter

China says U.S. will ‘pay the price’ for diplomatic boycott of Olympics

BEIJING, Dec 7 (Reuters) – The United States will have to “pay a price” for its diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China said on Tuesday, just weeks…

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Peng Shuai to Xinjiang – the issues overshadowing the Beijing Olympics

From human rights to coronavirus and tennis star Peng Shuai, February’s Beijing Olympics have been overshadowed by several controversies. With under two months until the Games begin, the United States…

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People walk through Westminster Underground station during morning rush hour, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in London, Britain, December 1, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls

Next pandemic could be more lethal than COVID, vaccine creator says

LONDON (Reuters) – Future pandemics could be even more lethal than COVID-19 so the lessons learned from the outbreak must not be squandered and the world should ensure it is prepared for the next viral onslaught, one of the creators…

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Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

Rohingya refugees sue Facebook for $150bn over hate speech

Los Angeles (AFP) – Rohingya refugees sued Facebook on Monday for $150 billion over claims the social network is failing to stem hate speech on its platform, exacerbating violence against the…

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A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the a sculpture for the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. China on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021 (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

US plans diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will stage a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing to protest Chinese human rights abuses, the White House confirmed Monday, a move that China…

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Putin heads to India with eye on military, energy ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin will arrive in India on Monday for just his second overseas trip since the pandemic, seeking to bolster military and energy ties with a traditional ally…

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AFP PHOTO /OAKLAND COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Million-dollar bond as US school shooter parents plead not guilty

The parents of a 15-year-old who shot dead four students at a US high school with a gun bought by his father pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter Saturday, as…

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