Israeli officials rushing to evacuate citizens from Ukraine as Russia tensions escalate – WION

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is seeking to evacuate as many Israelis as possible from Ukraine amid growing fears of a Russian invasion.

Swedes step up military contingency over Russian activity

A top military chief in Sweden said Friday that there is increased Russian activity in the Baltic Sea which “deviates from the normal picture,” leading the Scandinavian nation’s military to raise its preparedness. “We have decided to reposition our troops. It does not have to mean an increased threat, but we always want to adapt

Gravitas: Kazakhstan protests create a new headache for Putin – WION

Kazakhstan is a country in crisis. Overwhelmed by the public anger, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called in Russian paratroopers. What’s at stake for the Russian President in Kazakhstan? Palki Sharma tells you more.

China orders 13 million Xi’an residents to stay home over COVID-19 outbreak

The northern Chinese city of Xi’an ordered all 13 million residents to stay home in a strict lockdown on Wednesday (Dec 22), while dramatically tightening travel controls to fight a growing COVID-19 outbreak. With Beijing preparing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in February, China is on high alert as it fights local outbreaks in several cities.

The Netherlands and Australia find the omicron variant as curbs spread

The Netherlands confirmed 13 cases of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus on Sunday and Australia found two as the countries half a world apart became the latest to detect it in travelers arriving from southern Africa. A raft of curbs being imposed by nations around the world as they scramble to slow the

Uganda loses only international airport to China – WION

Uganda has lost its only international airport to China after it failed to repay its loan. Uganda is the latest African country to fall into China’s debt trap and had to give up national assets to China.

Suspected Omicron coronavirus case found in Germany

The Omicron variant of the coronavirus has probably arrived in Germany, officials in the western state of Hesse said on Saturday, after mutations were found in a passenger arriving from South Africa. “Last night several Omicron-typical mutations were found in a traveller returning from South Africa,” tweeted Kai Klose, social affairs minister in Hesse, home

Flights cancelled, schools closed as China fights new COVID-19 outbreak

Authorities in China cancelled hundreds of flights, closed schools and ramped up mass testing on Thursday (Oct 21) to try and stamp out a new COVID-19 outbreak linked to a group of tourists. Beijing has maintained a relentless zero-COVID approach with strict border closures and targeted lockdowns, even as other countries tentatively try to ease

EU considers sanctions against Belarus airline over migrant arrivals

EU foreign ministers are considering possible sanctions against Belarusia’s national airline over allegations that it is transporting migrants from Iraq in order to push them across the country’s border into the bloc. Several ministers want to stop EU-registered companies leasing aircraft to the country’s national airline Belavia. This would ban European companies from doing any

Madison Cawthorn accused of having knife at NC school board meeting about masks

A North Carolina school system contacted a sheriff’s office after a report that U.S. Rep. Madison Cawthorn brought a knife to a school board meeting that he attended to oppose the district’s COVID-19 mask mandate. On Monday, Cawthorn spoke to the school board in Henderson County. The next day, one of his political opponents released