“Only in the Philippines could a leader like Ferdinand Marcos, who pillaged his country for over 20 years, still be considered for a national burial,” Singapore’s founding father Lee Kwan Yew wrote in his 2000 legacy book, From Third World to First.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday warned Omicron was spreading at an unprecedented rate and urged countries to act as drug maker Pfizer said its coronavirus pill was effective against the variant.Dutch primary schools will close early as Europe battles a fresh wave of infections and hospital admissions, while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a major parliamentary test seeking to impose fresh COVID curbs.Omicron, first detected by South Africa and reported to the WHO on 24

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:Omicron Spreading At 'Unprecedented Rate'The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the new coronavirus variant Omicron is spreading "at a rate we have not seen with any previous variant" and is likely already present in most countries.COVID Pill Results 'Positive' Pfizer says that clinical trials have confirmed that its COVID pill, a new type of antiviral treatment that should withstand the

United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Tuesday urged China to cease "aggressive actions" in the Asia-Pacific, speaking during a visit to the region, as Washington seeks to bolster alliances against Beijing.President Joe Biden's administration is trying to reset relations and reassert its influence in Asia after the turbulence and unpredictability of the Donald Trump era. Blinken's comments came in Indonesia, the first leg of a Southeast Asian tour

In the northern hemisphere, the arrival of winter has brought concerns about COVID-19 back to the forefront, with multiple countries reporting high case rates and warning of increasing pressure on hospital services.The situation prompted Austria, a small European Union (EU) member state where the daily infection rate neared 15,000 in mid-November, to go for the nuclear option - it not only reimposed a three-week lockdown but also made vaccines mandatory for adults from February 2022 in an att

At least one person has died in the United Kingdom (UK) after contracting the Omicron coronavirus variant, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday, the first publicly confirmed death globally from the swiftly spreading strain.Since the first Omicron cases were detected on 27 November in Britain, Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions and on Sunday cautioned that the variant could overcome the immune defences of those inoculated with two shots of vaccines.Britain gave no details on the d

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:First UK Death From OmicronOmicron has killed at least one person in Britain, Prime Minister Boris Johnson reveals as he launches a large booster programme against the variant.Norway Tightens MeasuresNorway announces new COVID curbs less than a week after tightening restrictions in the face of the spread of the Omicron variant and soaring case numbers and hospital admissions.Latvia ProtestsOne police officer is injured and four demons

COVID-19, we should know by now, is a moving target. In autumn the rollout of boosters to older age groups was contentious. Now they’re the single biggest focus.

Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis:South Africa's Ramaphosa Tests PositiveSouth African President Cyril Ramaphosa has tested positive for COVID-19 and is receiving treatment for mild symptoms, the presidency says.Ramaphosa, who is fully vaccinated, began feeling unwell after leaving a state memorial service for former deputy president FW de Klerk in Cape Town earlier in the day but is in good spirits and being monitored by doctors, it says.British PM Warns Of Omic

The Omicron coronavirus variant is more transmissible than the Delta strain and reduces vaccine efficacy but causes less severe symptoms according to early data, the World Health Organization (WHO) said Sunday.The Delta variant, first identified in India earlier this year, is responsible for most of the world's coronavirus infections.But South Africa's discovery of Omicron - which has a large number of mutations - last month prompted countries around the world to impose travel bans