The latest on the Omicron coronavirus variant
By Rhea Mogul, Adam Renton, Sheena McKenzie & Ed Upright, CNN
- South Africa's Covid-19 cases appear to be spiking at the fastest rate since the start of the pandemic, with Omicron now the dominant variant in some provinces.
- The US joined a growing number of countries that have confirmed cases of the new coronavirus variant. The US has confirmed two cases of the variant, including a person who traveled from South Africa.
- The UN Secretary-General said travel bans imposed on southern African countries over Omicron fears are "unacceptable," likening the restrictions to apartheid.
- There is still a lot we don't know about Omicron, but Israel's health minister said there are "indications" people who got a vaccine booster are "protected."
China hits back at WTA as IOC says it has spoken again to Peng Shuai
Foreign ministry criticises tennis boycott, saying it is against ‘acts that politicise sports’
China has attacked the Women’s Tennis Association’s boycott in response to the treatment of Peng Shuai, as the International Olympic Committee claimed to have had a second video chat with the player.
Wang Wenbin, a foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a daily briefing that his government was “always firmly opposed to acts that politicise sports”.
The WTA said on Wednesday it was suspending all tournaments in China in response to continued questions over Peng’s condition.
German leaders approve new COVID curbs for unvaccinated
"Get a vaccine, get a booster — that's how we get out of this crisis," Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz said. Outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel says she is in favor of mandatory vaccinations.
Those who have yet to be vaccinated are to face additional restrictions after German leaders held talks on Thursday.
Acting German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chancellor-designate Olaf Scholz spoke with state leaders and agreed on new measures to curb a dramatic spike in coronavirus cases.
Unvaccinated people are to be barred from accessing almost all businesses, except for grocery stores and pharmacies, as Merkel joined Scholz in backing mandatory vaccines.
Myanmar junta slams UN’s delay on approval for its chosen envoy
Myanmar's junta on Thursday slammed a UN decision to deny its chosen representative a seat at the world body and keep in place an envoy appointed by Aung San Suu Kyi's ousted government.
The committee responsible for approving nominations of ambassadors to the New York body met Wednesday but deferred a decision over the rival claims to Myanmar and Afghanistan's seats, diplomats said.
The deferral keeps in place envoys appointed to the body by both governments before they were toppled -- by a coup in Myanmar in February and the Taliban's takeover in Afghanistan in August.
Kishida backs off request to reject reservations for flights to Japan
THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
December 2, 2021 at 13:50 JST
In a move similar to the flip-flops of his predecessor, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Dec. 2 retracted the government’s request to airlines to stop taking reservations for international flights to Japan.
The transport ministry the previous day had asked airlines around the world to reject bookings to Japan for the remainder of the year to prevent the Omicron variant of the novel coronavirus from spreading.
At his Dec. 2 news conference, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno confirmed the day-old policy has been reversed.
“The transport ministry has retracted its request to airlines to stop taking new reservations and has sent out another notice asking the companies to take sufficient consideration for the demand that may exist among Japanese nationals desiring to return home,” he said.
Iran says nuclear deal ‘within reach’ if West shows goodwill
Iran provides European powers involved in the 2015 nuclear deal two drafts on sanctions removal, nuclear commitments.
Iran’s top diplomat says an agreement to revive his country’s nuclear deal with world powers was “within reach” but that this depended on the goodwill of the West.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said on Twitter on Thursday that negotiations in the Austrian capital, Vienna, were “proceeding with seriousness” and that the removal of sanctions was a “fundamental priority”.
“Good deal within reach if the West shows good will. We seek rational, sober and result-oriented dialogue,” said Amir-Abdollahian.
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