World News

Chinese city seeing half a million Covid cases a day: official

Half a million people in a single Chinese city are being infected with Covid-19 every day, a senior health official has said, in a rare and quickly censored acknowledgement that the country's wave of infections is not being reflected in official statistics.. A news outlet operated by the ruling Communist Party in Qingdao on Friday reported the municipal health chief as saying that the eastern city was seeing "between 490,000 and 530,000" new Covid cases a day.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 2 mins read

World News

'Rambo' Rabuka returns as Fiji prime minister

Former military commander Sitiveni Rabuka was on Saturday confirmed as Fiji's prime minister, after accusing the outgoing government of stoking "fear and chaos" to derail his return to power.. But Rabuka--who served as prime minister between 1992 and 1999--said the government was "sowing fear and chaos" and "trying to set the nation alight along racial lines". 

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 2 mins read

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Despite 'Pinocchio' success, del Toro fears for Mexican cinema

Despite his international success, including a new adaptation of the classic puppet tale "Pinocchio," Oscar-winning Mexican director Guillermo del Toro fears that his country's cinema industry is facing "systematic destruction.". - 'Brutal' destruction - But in stark contrast to the international acclaim for the trio, dubbed "The Three Amigos," del Toro has now warned that the country's film industry is facing "unprecedented" challenges.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 3 mins read

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British tabloid The Sun 'regrets' publishing Meghan 'hate' article

British tabloid The Sun on Friday said it regretted publishing a column by former Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson about Prince Harry's wife Meghan after a huge backlash.. "We at The Sun regret the publication of this article and we are sincerely sorry," The Sun said in a statement on its website.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 1 mins read

World News

US asks Putin to keep 'acknowledging reality' after 'war' reference

The United States on Friday derisively called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to acknowledge reality and pull troops from Ukraine after he finally called the conflict a "war.". Finally, after 300 days, Putin called the war what it is," a State Department spokesperson said.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 1 mins read

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Russia's FM Lavrov calls to lower tensions in Karabakh

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Friday called for de-escalation in Azerbaijan's Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh, a region which has sparked two wars between the Caucasus neighbours.. "We need to de-escalate the situation as soon as possible," Lavrov told reporters following talks with Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov in Moscow.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 1 mins read

World News

Attack on Kurds in Paris revives trauma of unresolved murders

Furious Kurdish demonstrators clashed with police in central Paris on Friday after a deadly attack on a community centre which has revived the trauma of three unresolved murders in 2013 that many blame on Turkey.. The Kurdish Democratic Council of France, an umbrella Kurdish group headquartered in the cultural centre targeted on Friday, also pointed the finger at Turkey on Friday.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 2 mins read

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Spain border police absolved of Melilla migrant deaths

Spain's public prosecutor closed an investigation Friday into the deaths of at least 23 African migrants trying to cross from Morocco into Melilla, one of its two North African enclaves.. The prosecutors' decision came just months after Spain and Morocco patched up ties following a lingering diplomatic spat.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Military plugs gap as UK passport control staff strike

Military personnel standing in for striking UK passport control staff appeared to minimise feared disruption on Friday, despite an escalating public sector fight for more pay.. Public sector employees are furious the government is refusing to discuss increasing pay after years of wage stagnation and a cost-of-living crisis fuelled by inflation running at nearly 11 percent.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 2 mins read

World News

Mexican president holds 1,000th daily news conference

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Friday delivered his 1,000th daily news conference -- a marathon appearance before the cameras every weekday that, like the populist leader, sharply divides opinion.. Instead most deliver reports at Lopez Obrador's news conferences, which have also been attended by business people and foreign dignitaries including Argentinian and Bolivian presidents.

Fri, Dec 23, 2022 2 mins read