France beefs up sea rescue work, spars with UK over migrant deaths

France said on Thursday it was mobilising reservists and beefing up sea rescue operations as London and Paris traded blame over the deaths of 27 migrants trying to reach Britain in an inflatable dinghy.

Covid strain ‘worse than Delta’ found in 3 countries

Scientists are sounding the alarm, as what could be the most highly-evolved strain of the coronavirus has been discovered in patients in different parts of the world. Its resistance to vaccines adds to the concerns.

China rejects ‘malicious hypothesis’ over Peng, IOC backlash grows

China’s government has called for the end of speculation surrounding tennis star Peng Shuai, who made sexual assault allegations against a former vice premier and was then not seen for two weeks.

At least 46 killed in bus crash south of Bulgarian capital

At least 46 people including several children have been killed in a bus crash south of the Bulgarian capital Sofia that one regional leader described as a “huge tragedy.”

UN criticises India’s arrest of rights activist in Kashmir

The United Nations and rights groups have criticised the arrest of a prominent activist in Indian-administered Kashmir on terror funding charges.

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India’s Modi backs down on farm reforms in surprise victory for protesters

In a surprise announcement on Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he would repeal agriculture laws that farmers have been protesting against for more than a year, sparking celebrations for what farmers called a hard-fought victory.

Belarus trucking migrants back to the frontier despite clearing camps: Poland

Poland accused Belarus on Friday of trucking hundreds of migrants back to the border and pushing them to attempt to cross illegally, only hours after clearing camps at the frontier.

Brazil Amazon deforestation up 22% in a year

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest rose by almost 22 percent in one year, the highest level in 15 years, according to figures Thursday that cast doubt on promises by President Jair Bolsonaro’s government to reverse the trend with “forceful” action.

US throws support behind treaty to curb plastic pollution

The United States on Thursday threw its support behind negotiations on a treaty to curb plastic pollution, ending a key holdup in international efforts to clean up the planet’s oceans and save marine life.

ISIS expanded dramatically in Afghanistan: UN

The Islamic State terrorist group is tearing a path across Afghanistan, establishing itself in “nearly all” of its provinces while increasing attacks more than five-fold in the past year, the UN’s envoy to the country has warned.

‘No end in sight’ to Covid-19 pandemic: Kremlin

Russia’s decision to extend the country’s Covid-19 prevention measures until 2024 was made because the authorities see ‘no end in sight’ to the pandemic, which is currently killing more than 1,000 people per day there.

More kids in hospital, Schools shut as smog smothers Delhi

More children are in hospital with breathing problems as pollution levels remain dangerously high in New Delhi, doctors warned on Wednesday, and the government shut five power stations and extended school closures to try to contain the crisis.

NASA chief ‘outraged’ by Russia missile test

NASA administrator Bill Nelson said Monday he was “outraged” by a Russian space missile test that sparked a debris cloud and forced astronauts aboard the International Space Station to take evasive action.

Poland turns water cannon on migrants at Belarus border

Polish security forces turned water cannon on migrants who threw rocks across the Belarusian border, where thousands have gathered in a chaotic attempt to reach the European Union, video footage shared by authorities showed on Tuesday.

Biden, Xi turn down the heat in three-hour talk

U.S. President Joe Biden pressed his Chinese counterpart on human rights in a video call lasting more than three hours, while Xi Jinping warned that China would respond to provocations on Taiwan, according to official accounts of the exchange.

Britain to deploy troops to Belarus border

Poland has announced it has struck a deal with the UK, calling in British troops to help with the construction of a fortified border wall along its eastern frontier with Belarus, as a row over illegal migration escalates.

A million Afghan children at risk of dying amid acute malnutrition: WHO

Around 3.2 million children are expected to suffer from acute malnutrition in Afghanistan by the end of this year, with 1 million of them at risk of dying as temperatures drop, a World Health Organization spokesperson said on Friday.

India to prepare for emergency steps as Delhi’s smog worsens

India’s federal pollution control board on Friday ordered states and local bodies to be in “complete readiness” for emergency measures to tackle New Delhi’s worsening smog conditions due to a drop in temperature and wind speeds.

US, China unveil surprise deal to cooperate more on climate crisis

A surprise deal between China and the United States, the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, has boosted the COP26 U.N. climate summit as it enters two final days of tough bargaining to try to stop global warming becoming catastrophic.

China’s Xi warns against return to Cold War tensions

The Asia-Pacific region must not return to the tensions of the Cold War era, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Thursday, ahead of a virtual meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden expected as soon as next week.

Neighbours of Belarus say migrant crisis risks military clash

Countries bordering Belarus on Thursday warned the migrant crisis on the European Union’s eastern borders could escalate into a military confrontation while Ukraine said it would deploy thousands more troops to reinforce its frontier.

Calls grow for pressure on Belarus as Polish border situation worsens

The situation at the Polish-Belarusian border was threatening to spiral out of control on Wednesday, hours after two large groups of migrants that had been stopped from moving further westwards reportedly broke through into Poland.

$4.3-billion class action against Google blocked by UK Supreme Court

The UK Supreme Court has blocked a planned 3.2 billion pound ($4.3 billion) British class action against Google over allegations the internet giant unlawfully tracked the personal information of millions of iPhone users.

‘Ghost soldiers’ to blame for Afghan govt’s quick defeat: Ex-minister

Afghanistan’s former finance minister has claimed that “ghost soldiers” and corrupt government officials were responsible for the Taliban’s ability to quickly seize control of the country, as NATO forces withdrew their personnel.

Chennai comes to a standstill as heavy rains flood city

India’s manufacturing capital Chennai came to a standstill on Sunday with many areas flooded after the southern Indian coast was battered by heavy rainfall overnight, prompting authorities to issue warnings and evacuate people from low-lying areas.

Act now to help island nations: Obama

Former U.S. President Barack Obama called on the U.N. climate conference in Glasgow on Monday to address the risks that island nations face from rising sea levels.

Ethiopians denounce U.S. at rally to back military campaign

Tens of thousands of Ethiopians rallied in Addis Ababa on Sunday to support Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government as federal troops fight rebellious forces threatening to march on the capital.

Iraqi PM chairs security meeting after drone attack on residence

Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi escaped unharmed in an assassination attempt by armed drone in Baghdad, officials said on Sunday, in an incident that dramatically raises tension in the country weeks after a general election disputed by Iran-backed militia groups.

Sydney, Melbourne protest against Australia’s climate policy

More than 1,000 people demonstrated on Saturday in Australia’s biggest cities of Sydney and Melbourne to protest against the government’s climate policies and the strategies it offered at a U.N. climate summit in Glasgow.