France on Sunday began testing passengers arriving from China in order to track potential Covid variants, Health Minister Francois Braun said.. As of Sunday, visitors from China must wear a mask and be prepared to submit to a test on arrival, which will be done at random.
Russia's New Year assault on Ukraine left three people dead and wounded another 50 as Moscow on Sunday claimed to have thwarted Kyiv's "terror attacks" on the homeland.. - 'Terror attacks' - Moscow said on Sunday its New Year attacks on Ukraine targeted the pro-Western country's drone production.
Church bells tolled for the death of ex-pope Benedict XVI in Jerusalem's Old City on Sunday, where Catholics revered their "great" former pontiff.. "Pope Benedict was a great pope... also, a great companion of Pope Francis," said Sassano, 33, from Italy.
More than 45,000 migrants crossed the Channel to the UK from mainland Europe in 2022, surpassing the previous year's record by more than 17,000, according to government figures released Sunday.. That incident occurred just over a year after at least 27 people drowned when their dinghy capsized, a disaster that sparked soul-searching on both sides of the Channel. 2022 also saw the highest ever single-day total of migrants making the crossing, with 1,295 making the journey on August 22. jwp/rox
Pope Francis hailed the "beloved" Benedict XVI on Sunday in a New Year's Day service at the Vatican, the day after his predecessor died aged 95.. At a New Year's Eve service on Saturday evening, Francis paid tribute to his "dearest" predecessor, saying he was "so noble, so kind".
Thousands of travellers were stranded at Philippine airports on Sunday after a "loss of communication" at the country's busiest hub in Manila forced hundreds of flights to be cancelled, delayed or diverted.. More than 280 flights in and out of Manila were cancelled, diverted or delayed, affecting around 56,000 passengers.
Colombia's government has agreed to a six-month ceasefire with the five largest armed groups operating in the country, President Gustavo Petro announced on New Year's Eve.. When he took power last August, Petro, the country's first leftist president, vowed to negotiate with all Colombian armed groups as part of a "total peace" policy.
Travellers from China now face restrictions when entering more than a dozen countries as concern grows over its surge in Covid-19 cases, with Australia the latest to demand a negative test before arrival.. Canada cited "the limited epidemiological and viral genomic sequence data available" on recent Covid cases in China for its negative test demand.
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is set to be inaugurated Sunday for a third term as Brazilian president, in a ceremony snubbed by outgoing leader Jair Bolsonaro, underlining the deep divisions the veteran leftist inherits.. Organizers of the ceremony -- led by first lady-to-be Rosangela "Janja" da Silva -- have maintained a mystery around who will give Lula the sash in Bolsonaro's absence.
Pope Francis will address the Catholic faithful on Sunday at the Vatican, the day after the death of his predecessor at the age of 95.. On Sunday, Francis will preside over a service marking the World Day of Peace at St Peter's Basilica, before addressing the faithful in St Peter's Square for the Angelus prayer at 1100 GMT. Preparations are underway for the funeral on Thursday morning of Benedict at St Peter's, over which Francis will preside.
