WASHINGTON, D.C., United States (AFP) – The United States has ordered an aircraft carrier to remain in the Mediterranean in a bid to reassure European allies amid fears Russia will invade Ukraine, an official said Tuesday. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier strike group to stay in the region and hold off on its scheduled onward voyage to the Middle East. The “schedule change reflects the need for a […]
Europe
Bird flu kills 100,000 hens at Czech farm
PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) — Czech vets are due to cull 80,000 hens at a farm where over 100,000 animals have died of bird flu since late last week, the state veterinary office said Tuesday. The farm in Libotenice, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) north of Prague, had a total of 188,000 hens before Christmas. “The culling of hens from halls affected by bird flu is under way,” State Veterinary Administration spokesman Petr Majer told […]
WHO warns of Omicron overload as China, Europe impose new curbs
by Hui Min NEO with AFP bureaus BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — The WHO warned Tuesday that the Omicron coronavirus variant could overwhelm healthcare systems despite early studies suggesting it causes milder disease, as China and Germany reintroduced tough restrictions to stem new infections. Covid-19 surges have wreaked havoc worldwide, forcing many nations to make tough choices between economically punishing restrictions to control the spread of the virus and keeping society open. The United States has […]
France to impose more work-from-home in Covid fight
by Joseph Schmid PARIS, France (AFP) — France will order companies to impose at least three work-from-home days a week for employees whenever possible to stem a fifth wave of Covid infections, Prime Minister Jean Castex said Monday. The new measure, which will be in place for at least three weeks, is one of several announced after a crisis cabinet meeting on the new Omicron variant, which is again threatening to overwhelm hospitals. The meeting […]
French arrest man over chemical weapons parts in Syria
PARIS, France (AFP) – A French-Syrian man has been detained by French police on suspicion of supplying components for the manufacture of chemical weapons in Syria through his shipping company, sources briefed on the case told AFP Sunday. The man, who was born in 1962 and lives abroad, was arrested Saturday in the south of France according to one of the sources. “He returned to France with his family for the holidays,” a source close […]
Portugal says Omicron dominant, infections rising
Omicron has become the dominant strain of coronavirus in Portugal where more than 10,000 daily Covid-19 cases had been registered Saturday, the national health agency said. Portugal, one of the countries with the highest Covid-19 vaccination rates worldwide, has begun inoculating children over five years old. “The Omicron variant is already dominant in Portugal, accounting for 61.5 percent of cases on December 22,” the General Directorate of Health said. On Saturday, Portugal recorded 10 deaths […]
France breaks 100,000 barrier for 24-hour Covid infections
Covid infections in France hit six figures Saturday, health officials recording 104,611 cases over the previous 24 hours, the third consecutive day the numbers have been record highs. The latest figures, from France’s public health agency, come ahead of a video-conference meeting Monday in which President Emmanuel Macron and key members of his government will discuss new Covid safety measures. Officials are concerned about the effect of the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. Already […]
UK virus cases hit new record
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — The UK on Thursday set another daily Covid-19 daily infections record, fuelled by the Omicron variant. Some 119,789 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, a day after figures exceeded 100,000 for the first time at 106,122. The UK is among the worst hit countries in Europe with a virus death toll of 147,720. The Office for National Statistics estimated that nearly 1.4 million people in UK households had […]
Germany targets New Year’s parties, sports in new Covid curbs
by Michelle FITZPATRICK Germany’s leaders on Tuesday limited private New Year’s parties to 10 people and banned spectators from football games to stem Omicron’s spread, stopping short of imposing new coronavirus curbs before Dec. 25. Speaking after talks with Germany’s 16 regional leaders, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said the country was facing “a fifth wave” as the new, highly contagious Omicron variant sweeps the globe. “We are all tired of the pandemic, but that doesn’t help […]
WHO chief says 2022 must be year ‘we end the pandemic’
by Nina LARSON GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP) — The world must pull together and make the difficult choices needed to end the Covid-19 pandemic within the next year, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Monday. “2022 must be the year we end the pandemic,” the World Health Organization’s director general told reporters in Geneva. As end-of-year festivities approach, the UN health agency chief said countries should rein in national events linked to the holidays because […]
London declares ‘major incident’ over Omicron spread
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — London mayor Sadiq Khan on Saturday declared a “major incident” in the British capital due to the spread of the Omicron variant. More than 65,000 new Covid cases were confirmed in London over the past seven days, and 26,418 cases reported in the last 24 hours -– the highest number since the start of the pandemic. A major incident is defined as an event with a range of serious consequences […]
Four children die in UK house fire
LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — London Fire Commissioner spoke of his profound sadness on Thursday after four children were confirmed dead in a house fire in the south of the British capital. Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters attended the house in Sutton, where they were faced with “an intense blaze throughout the whole of the ground floor,” according to a statement from London Fire Brigade. Firefighters gave four young children found inside immediate […]
