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

Booster jabs are still providing high levels of protection for older people against severe disease from the Omicron coronavirus variant and there is no need for now for people to have a fourth shot, British health officials said on Friday.

A building housing a canteen in Chongqing in China's southwest collapsed on Friday after an explosion suspected to have been caused by a gas leak, killing at least 16, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said he had tested positive to COVID-19 and was isolating, joining other senior government officials to have contracted the disease amid a record number of cases in an outbreak of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

COVID-19 hospitalisations in the United States are poised to hit a new high as early as Friday, according to a Reuters tally, surpassing the record set in January of last year as the highly contagious micron variant fuels a surge in infections.

Spain's 14-day COVID-19 infection rate rose by 147 cases to 2 722.72 cases per 100 000 people, the Health Ministry said on Friday, compared to 2 574.46 on Wednesday when the last figures were released before a public holiday on Thursday.

President Jair Bolsonaro criticized Brazil's health regulator Anvisa on Thursday for authorizing the vaccination of children aged 5 to 11 years against COVID-19, one day after his health minister unveiled plans to inoculate that age group.

Argentina reported a record number of COVID-19 cases on Thursday for a third day in a row at nearly 110 000, as the highly infectious Omicron variant drives a third pandemic wave in the South American nation.

Mexico is likely to surpass 300 000 deaths from COVID-19 this week - the fifth highest death toll worldwide - as infections rise after the holiday season, fuelled by the Omicron coronavirus variant and largely unrestricted tourism.

President Joe Biden will accuse his predecessor Donald Trump of posing a continuing threat to democracy on Thursday, the anniversary of the deadly attack on the US Capitol by Trump supporters who tried to overturn his election defeat.

Italy on Wednesday made COVID-19 vaccination mandatory for people from the age of 50, one of very few European countries to take similar steps, in an attempt to ease pressure on its health service and reduce fatalities.

United States and its allies will raise election interference, arms agreements, Ukraine and other issues at security talks with Russia next week, White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Wednesday.

Ireland will no longer require vaccinated arriving travellers to present a negative COVID-19 test, Prime Minister Michael Martin said on Wednesday.

President Joe Biden will tell Americans that his predecessor, Donald Trump, carries "singular responsibility" for the deadly January 6 attack on the Capitol when he marks the first anniversary of the assault on Thursday, the White House said.

The government on Wednesday defended President Emmanuel Macron's use of a coarse insult in a stepped-up campaign against France's unvaccinated, after the phrase drew condemnation from the opposition and mixed reactions from voters.

New COVID-19 cases in India surged to 58 097 on Wednesday, a doubling of the daily tally over the past four days, as health experts called for preparations to ensure hospitals are not overwhelmed by a new wave of patients.

Protesters stormed public buildings in Kazakhstan's biggest city on Wednesday as security forces struggled to impose control after the government resigned in response to popular anger over a fuel price increase.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he wanted to "p**s *ff" the non-vaccinated, in a slangy, cutting remark that prompted howls of condemnation from opposition rivals less than 4 months before the next presidential election.

North Korea fired a suspected ballistic missile off its east coast on Wednesday, authorities in the region reported, underscoring leader Kim Jong Un's New Year vow to bolster the military to counter an unstable international situation.

US authorities on Tuesday charged a Colombian man with conspiracy to commit murder or kidnapping outside the United States in connection with the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moise, the first official charges in the brazen crime.

The Biden administration doubled its order for Pfizer Inc’s oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment, the company and the White House said on Tuesday, providing the government a total of 20 million courses as it fights a record surge in COVID-19 cases. The White House now expects some 4 million treatment courses of the pills to be […]

The United States set a global record of almost 1 million new coronavirus infections reported on Monday, according to a Reuters tally, nearly double the country's peak of 505 109 hit just a week ago as the highly contagious Omicron variant shows no sign of slowing.

A Chinese city has locked down its 1.1 million residents after reports of new coronavirus cases officials rushed to contain even small outbreaks just over four weeks before the Winter Olympics begin.

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday urged vigilance against the spread of the coronavirus after the island detected its first cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant spreading in the community.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday he had tested positive for COVID-19, a day after speaking at an election rally where none of the people on the dais could be seen wearing a mask despite rising infections in the country.

Australia's COVID-19 cases touched a fresh pandemic high on Tuesday amid an Omicron surge in its two most populous states as hospitalisations in New South Wales (NSW), home to Sydney, surpassed the record numbers hit during the Delta outbreak.

China, Russia, Britain, the United States and France have agreed that a further spread of nuclear arms and a nuclear war should be avoided, according to a joint statement by the five nuclear powers published by the Kremlin on Monday.

New York state's attorney general is demanding that two of Donald Trump's adult children, Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, testify in her civil probe into the former US president's business practices and namesake company.

Gunmen unsuccessfully attempted to assassinate Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry during an event on Saturday commemorating the Caribbean country's independence, his office said in a statement.

Israel said on Monday it will admit foreigners with presumed COVID-19 immunity from countries deemed medium-risk next week, partially reversing a ban imposed in late November in response to the fast-spreading Omicron variant.

Many US schools that would normally welcome students back to classrooms on Monday are delaying their start dates, scrambling to test pupils and teachers and preparing, as a last resort, to return to remote learning as record COVID-19 cases from the Omicron variant sweep the country.