Peru says oil spill affects at least 2 kilometers of Pacific coast, beaches

The Biden administration on Wednesday imposed its first sanctions over North Korea's weapons programmes following a series of North Korean missile launches, including two since last week.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson offered his "heartfelt apologies" on Wednesday for attending a "bring your own booze" gathering at his official residence during the country's first coronavirus lockdown as opponents said he must resign.

Former leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva retains a clear lead for this year's presidential election in Brazil, where inflation and the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic most worry voters, a poll published on Wednesday showed.

 Germany reported 80 430 new coronavirus infections on Wednesday, the highest recorded in a single day since the pandemic began, as the contagious Omicron variant rips through a population with lower vaccination rates than some other parts of Europe.

The ruling Social Democrats (SPD) expect a bill on making COVID-19 vaccination mandatory in Germany to be voted on by Parliament in March, the party's leader in the legislature said on Tuesday.

Iran and world powers are still far from any agreement to revive their 2015 nuclear deal despite making some progress at the end of December, France's Foreign Minister said on Tuesday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease official, on Tuesday accused Republican Senator Rand Paul of spreading misinformation that has sparked threats of violence against him and his family while distracting the public from the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Russia is set to lay out its demands for security guarantees in Europe to NATO's 30 allies on Wednesday, following intense talks with the United States in Geneva that showed the two sides have major differences to bridge.

The European Union on Tuesday condemned the latest North Korean missile launch, a spokesperson for the EU's High Representative for Foreign Relations said in a statement, urging the country to "respond constructively" to US readiness for diplomacy.

Poland's death toll from coronavirus-related conditions surpassed 100 000 on Tuesday, as vaccine hesitancy and a reluctance to abide by COVID-19 restrictions fuelled a surge in infections, officials and doctors said.

France's health ministry will announce later on Tuesday a record of more than 350,000 new COVID infections over a 24-hour period, Health Minister Olivier Veran told lawmakers. 

European Parliament President David Sassoli, an Italian socialist and former journalist, died early on Tuesday in hospital in Italy, his spokesperson said. He was 65.

The United States reported 1.35 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest daily total for any country in the world as the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant showed no signs of slowing.

European Parliament President David Sassoli died on Tuesday in hospital in Italy where he was admitted on December 26, his spokesperson and office said.

 The United States reported at least 1.13 million new coronavirus infections on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, the highest daily total of any country in the world as the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant showed no signs of slowing.

Japan will maintain the tight entry restrictions it put in place to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus until the end of February, its Prime Minister said on Tuesday, though some exceptions for humanitarian issues may be considered.

North Korea fired what may be a ballistic missile on Tuesday, the Japanese coast guard said, the second apparent launch in less than a week after leader Kim Jong Un urged the military to make more military advances.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday advised against travel to Canada because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases.

Pope Francis on Monday warned against attempts to cancel culture, decrying "one-track thinking" he said attempts to deny or rewrite history according to today's standards.

A court in military-ruled Myanmar on Monday sentenced ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi to four years in jail on charges including possession of unlicensed walkie-talkies, a source familiar with the proceedings said.

Myanmar's former leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to a further four years in jail on Monday, the latest in a string of cases brought against her since she was ousted in a February 1 military coup.

Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, recorded its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths on Saturday as the Omicron variant sweeps the country and lawmakers face pressure to close widening supply chain gaps.

Ten people died in the dramatic collapse of a canyon rock face on top of motor boats visiting a waterfall in southeastern Brazil, rescuers said on Sunday.

Russia said on Sunday it would not make any concessions under US pressure at talks this week on the Ukraine crisis and its demands for Western security guarantees and that there was a risk they might end quickly.

Former Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who quit his post last year after corruption allegations against him, has been appointed co-chairman of the European Council on Tolerance and Reconciliation (ECTR), the non-governmental organisation said on Sunday.

India reported 159 632 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in the country, nudging several state governments to impose fresh restrictions.

At least seven people died and nine were seriously injured when a wall of rock collapsed on top of motor boats below a waterfall in southeastern Brazil on Saturday, the fire department said.

At least 16 tourists died in freezing temperatures after being stranded in their vehicles in northern Pakistan, where thousands had flocked to enjoy the snow, officials said on Saturday.

Britain has recorded more than 150 000 deaths within 28 days of a positive test for COVID-19, according to official figures published on Saturday.

Kazakhstan's former intelligence chief has been arrested on suspicion of treason, the state security agency said on Saturday, as the former Soviet republic cracks down on a wave of unrest and starts to assign blame.