
-
Under-pressure Doohan vows to learn from Japanese GP smash
-
Harman goes four clear at Texas Open
-
McLaughlin-Levrone, Thomas cruise to wins at opening Grand Slam Track
-
US cardinal defrocked for sex abuse dies at 94
-
Lula admits 'still a lot to do' for Indigenous Brazilians
-
England, Germany and Spain on mark in women's Nations League
-
Judge orders return to US of Salvadoran man deported in error
-
Amadou of Malian blind music duo dies aged 70
-
Freeman hat-trick eases Northampton into Champions Cup quarters with Clermont win
-
Defiant Trump dismisses stock market's tariff plunge
-
Musiala injury sours Bayern win at Augsburg
-
Peruvian schoolkids living in fear of extortion gangs
-
Top seed Pegula rallies to oust defending champ Collins in Charleston
-
Amadou of Malian blind music duo Amadou & Mariam dies aged 70
-
California to defy Trump's tariffs to allay global trade fears
-
Bayern's Musiala subbed off with injury days out from Inter clash
-
Russian strike kills 16 in Ukraine leader's home city, children among dead
-
NBA fines Grizzlies' Morant for imaginary gun gesture
-
Trump tariffs offer opportunity for China
-
UK comedian Russell Brand charged with rape
-
Marsh, Markram help Lucknow edge Mumbai in IPL
-
Israel attorney general accuses PM of 'conflict of interest' in security chief dismissal
-
Emery glad to see Rashford make landmark appearance
-
Sean 'Diddy' Combs faces more charges ahead of criminal trial
-
Russian missile strike kills 14 in Ukraine leader's home city
-
Trump's tariff Big Bang puts global economy under threat
-
I Am Maximus backed for National as Mullins hot streak continues
-
2014 World Cup winner Hummels to retire at season's end
-
Intercommunal violence kills dozens in central Nigeria
-
Nigerian, S. African music saw 'extraordinary growth' in 2024: Spotify
-
Russell Brand: From Hollywood star to rape suspect
-
France soccer star Mbappe unveiled in London... in waxwork form
-
Trump goads China as global trade war escalates
-
Israel expands Gaza ground offensive, hits Hamas in Lebanon
-
TikTok faces new US deadline to ditch Chinese owner
-
US Fed Chair warns tariffs will likely raise inflation, cool growth
-
Mbappe among three Real Madrid players fined for 'indecent conduct'
-
How can the EU respond to Trump tariffs?
-
Canada loses jobs for first time in 3 years as US tariffs bite
-
Real Madrid and Barcelona respect each other, says Ancelotti
-
Nations divided ahead of decisive week for shipping emissions
-
Trump goads China after Beijing retaliates in global trade war
-
Arteta urges Arsenal to enjoy "beautiful" run-in despite injury woes
-
London mayor gets new powers to revive capital's ailing nightlife
-
Italy's ski star Brignone takes on 'new challenge' after serious leg injury
-
Amorim in a 'rush' to succeed at Man Utd
-
PSG coach Luis Enrique targets unbeaten season
-
Duterte victims seeking 'truth and justice': lawyer
-
UK comedian and actor Russell Brand charged with rape
-
Postecoglou 'falling out of love' with football due to VAR
RBGPF | 1.48% | 69.02 | $ | |
SCS | -0.56% | 10.68 | $ | |
RYCEF | -18.79% | 8.25 | $ | |
AZN | -7.98% | 68.46 | $ | |
BTI | -5.17% | 39.86 | $ | |
GSK | -6.79% | 36.53 | $ | |
RELX | -6.81% | 48.16 | $ | |
CMSC | 0.13% | 22.29 | $ | |
NGG | -5.25% | 65.93 | $ | |
BP | -10.43% | 28.38 | $ | |
RIO | -6.88% | 54.67 | $ | |
JRI | -7.19% | 11.96 | $ | |
BCE | 0.22% | 22.71 | $ | |
BCC | 0.85% | 95.44 | $ | |
VOD | -10.24% | 8.5 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.7% | 22.83 | $ |

Chinese state media signals no end to zero-Covid curbs
China's state media on Wednesday signalled no let-up in its strict zero-Covid policy, publishing an editorial -- the fourth this week ahead of the Communist Party Congress -- vowing to never "lie flat" on virus controls.
The messaging dashes widespread hopes from the Chinese public and overseas observers that the strategy might be relaxed after the congress, a twice-a-decade political reshuffle which begins Sunday and will set the blueprint for the country's development.
China is the last major economy still trying to stamp out Covid-19 within its borders, through a series of harsh measures involving snap lockdowns, mass testing and travel restrictions.
These have kept case numbers low, but left the country's economy battered -- causing knock-on effects globally -- and reinforced its isolation from the world.
On Wednesday, Communist Party flagship mouthpiece the People's Daily newspaper claimed that "lying flat has no way out", referencing a slang term for relaxation popular among Chinese youth.
It argued loosening restrictions would overwhelm China's medical system and lead to further mutations of the virus.
China is currently facing its worst nationwide surge in cases since early September.
The country reported its first incidence of the BF.7 Omicron subvariant in late September, which has caused a spiralling outbreak in the northern region of Inner Mongolia with over 4,000 infections as of Wednesday.
BF.7 was also detected in Shenzhen, a major manufacturing and tech hub in the southern province of Guangdong, earlier this week.
"The vaccination rate has not yet formed a sufficient barrier against severe illness and death," the editorial wrote.
"It is precisely because of our insistence on dynamic zero-Covid that we have protected people's lives and health to the greatest extent possible."
Only 86 percent of elderly Chinese have received two doses of the Covid vaccine, according to the People's Daily, while the more effective foreign mRNA vaccines are not approved in China.
The People's Daily piece follows on from two successive editorials this week on the same theme, portraying Covid control as an existential struggle for China that pits its political system against the West.
"The struggle against the epidemic is a trial of material strength as well as a battle of spirits," it said in a Tuesday editorial.
The article was trending on social media platform Weibo on Tuesday, but online comment sections were disabled.
State news agency Xinhua also ran an editorial Tuesday vowing never to "lie flat".
In the lead-up to the congress opening in Beijing on Sunday, officials have rushed to squash outbreaks across the country, imposing new lockdowns and restrictions in major cities like Shanghai.
President Xi Jinping, who has staked his political legitimacy on the zero-Covid policy, is expected to secure a norm-breaking third term at the event.
E.Raimundo--PC