World News in Brief: December 23
Data from South Africa suggests Omicron infections are 70% to 80% less severe than Delta, the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC) said, but warned against extrapolating that to all countries.
Laos to pilot school reopening from January 2022
NDO/VNA – The Lao Ministry of Education and Sports has introduced measures and guidelines for the safe reopening of schools nationwide amid the growing complexity of COVID-19.
Canada expands aid programs to fight Omicron, says worse yet to come
Canada will temporarily expand support programs to help people and businesses hit by the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Ottawa said on Wednesday, warning people that worse was to come as the virus spreads.
Israel set to offer fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine to people over 60
Israel announced on Tuesday that it will offer a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine to people older than 60, amid concern about the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Gloomy Christmas season
NDO - European countries are entering the Christmas season with a quieter atmosphere, as many countries strengthen restrictive measures to curb the spread of the new Omicron variant. Strict blockade measures, introduced right around Christmas and on the eve of the new year 2022, when families
ASEAN conference calls for acceleration in climate cooperation
NDO/VNA – The ASEAN Secretariat has organised the 17th Coordinating Conference on the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (SOC-COM) via video teleconference to discuss the future of climate change cooperation in the region.
ASEAN holds 5th round of RCEP webinar series
NDO/VNA - The Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asia (ASEAN), together with the East Asia Business Council, has run the 5th round of the webinar series on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
Seven dead, more than 50,000 evacuated in Malaysia floods
NDO/VNA – At least seven people have died and more than 50,000 evacuated from their homes as Malaysia faced some of its worst floods for years, officials said on December 20.
Production effectiveness boosted by 15-20% thanks to irrigated agricultural improvement
(VAN) The irrigated agriculture improvement project increased output, quality, and production effectiveness by 15% to 20% as compared to conventional farming.
COVID-19 pandemic poses risk of increasing poverty
NDO - The serious development of the COVID-19 pandemic is threatening to cause famine in many countries around the world. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has warned of an increase in hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean. Meanwhile, the United Nations
World News in Brief: December 19
Omicron, a very contagious variant first detected last month in southern Africa and Hong Kong (China), has raced around the globe and been reported in 89 countries and territories, the World Health Organization said on Saturday.
Laos to reopen to foreign visitors in three phases
NDO/VNA – Lao government has announced a plan to reopen to foreign visitors starting from January 1, 2022, according to a notice issued by the Prime Minister's Office.
