China: More than a million could die from COVID in 2023
With crematoriums working 24/7 and 1.6 million predicted deaths, where is the Chinese government's medical response?
When China relaxed its zero-COVID policy at the start of December, international observers warned there would be mass outbreaksin the Chinese population, which, it was estimated, lacks sufficient herd immunity or vaccine protection.
One statistical model published by healthdata.org predicts that 300,000 people could die from COVID-19 infections by April 2023 and 1.6 million people could die by the end of the year.
"Infections are steeply on the rise and hospitals are overwhelmed. It's quite [certain] that the situation is spiraling out of control, at least in Beijing and other big cities," said Björn Alpermann, a sinologist at the University of Würzburg in Germany.
Benjamin Netanyahu paves way for Israel’s most rightwing government to date
Coalition of prime minister-elect expected to include extremist figures and boost authority of security minister seen as anti-Arab
Ben Lynfield in Jerusalem
Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to inform Israel’s president today that he has succeeded in forming a coalition, paving the way for the swearing-in of the most rightwing and anti-Arab government in the country’s history.
The prime minister-elect intends to give cabinet positions to extremist figures on the far right whose stated goals are to weaken the judicial system and further entrench the occupation of the Palestinian territories.
In a sign of policies to come, parliament on Wednesday passed a bill that would greatly expand the authority over the police of the incoming national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, the firebrand head of the Jewish Power party and a disciple of the late terrorist rabbi Meir Kahane.
Qatar sees off World Cup criticism to claim diplomatic victory
Qatar fought a "culture war", corruption claims and accusations over rights abuses in hosting the World Cup but experts say the Gulf state has reinforced its image everywhere except parts of Europe.
The emirate went into the tournament under scrutiny for its treatment of foreign workers and LGBTQ people but one of the final images to emerge from the event was Qatar's emir putting a traditional Arab cloak over the shoulders of Argentina star Lionel Messi.
"That is what people will remember," said Carole Gomez, a sports sociology specialist at the University of Lausanne, in Switzerland.
‘My heart is bleeding’: Afghan women devastated by university ban
The Taliban’s decision to suspend women from accessing higher education has extinguished a rare source of hope for many.
Maryam, a 23-year-old political science student in Afghanistan, was finishing her university assignments on Tuesday evening, when her fiancé called to say that the Taliban had banned all women from universities.
“He told me, ‘I am very sorry, you will not be able to take your final exams; universities have closed for you.’ My heart has been bleeding since I heard those words,” she told Al Jazeera, choking back tears.
On Tuesday, the Taliban told all public and private universities to “[suspend] education of girls until further notice”, according to a statement issued by the Taliban’s Minister of Higher Education Nida Mohammad Nadim said.
Children among dead as stranded Rohingya face starvation at sea, families say
Many Rohingya are feared dead at sea more than three weeks after their boat became stranded off the Indian coast, where at least 160 people remain aboard on the brink of starvation, family members and the United Nations’ refugee agency said.
Mohammed Rezuwan Khan, whose sister and 5-year-old niece are on the vessel, told CNN Wednesday that two children and a woman had died, adding that those still alive have “no water, food or medicine.”
“We are extremely concerned and want them to be rescued. It’s growing increasingly difficult for them to survive,” said Khan, adding that he last spoke to the boat’s captain on Sunday.
Ukraine war: Russia not to blame for conflict - Putin
Vladimir Putin believes Russia is not to blame for the war in Ukraine, adding both countries are "sharing a tragedy".
During a televised address with senior military officials, the Russian president said he continued to see Ukraine as a "brotherly nation".
He claimed the conflict was "the result of the policy of third countries" and not down to Russian policy.
The theory, which implies Western expansion is the cause, has been repeatedly dismissed outside Russia.
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