
-
Gaza civil defence describes medic killings as 'summary executions'
-
Francis: radical leader who broke the papal mould
-
Oscar stars, Max keeps mum, Sainz alive - Saudi GP talking points
-
Iyer, Kishan win back India contracts as Pant's deal upgraded
-
Vance lands in India for tough talks on trade
-
Inside South Africa's wildlife CSI school helping to catch poachers
-
Nigerian Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti takes a look inward
-
Kim Kardashian: From sex tape to Oval Office via TV and Instagram
-
Vance in India for tough talks on trade
-
Thunder crush Grizzlies as Celtics, Cavs and Warriors win
-
Vance heads to India for tough talks on trade
-
China slams 'appeasement' of US as nations rush to secure trade deals
-
'Grandpa robbers' go on trial for Kardashian heist in Paris
-
Swede Lindblad gets first win in just third LPGA start
-
Gold hits record, dollar drops as tariff fears dampen sentiment
-
As Dalai Lama approaches 90, Tibetans weigh future
-
US defense chief shared sensitive information in second Signal chat: US media
-
Swede Lingblad gets first win in just third LPGA start
-
South Korea ex-president back in court for criminal trial
-
Thunder crush Grizzlies, Celtics and Cavs open NBA playoffs with wins
-
Beijing slams 'appeasement' of US in trade deals that hurt China
-
Trump in his own words: 100 days of quotes
-
Padres say slugger Arraez 'stable' after scary collision
-
Trump tariffs stunt US toy imports as sellers play for time
-
El Salvador offers to swap US deportees with Venezuela
-
Higgo holds on for win after Dahmen's late collapse
-
El Salvador's president proposes prisoner exchange with Venezuela
-
Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, Antetokounmpo named NBA MVP finalists
-
Thomas ends long wait with playoff win over Novak
-
Thunder rumble to record win over Grizzlies, Celtics top Magic in NBA playoff openers
-
Linesman hit by projectile as Saint-Etienne edge toward safety
-
Mallia guides Toulouse to Top 14 win over Stade Francais
-
Israel cancels visas for French lawmakers
-
Russia and Ukraine trade blame over Easter truce, as Trump predicts 'deal'
-
Valverde stunner saves Real Madrid title hopes against Bilbao
-
Ligue 1 derby interrupted after assistant referee hit by projectile
-
Leclerc bags Ferrari first podium of the year
-
Afro-Brazilian carnival celebrates cultural kinship in Lagos
-
Ligue 1 derby halted after assistant referee hit by projectile
-
Thunder rumble with record win over Memphis in playoff opener
-
Leverkusen held at Pauli to put Bayern on cusp of title
-
Israel says Gaza medics' killing a 'mistake,' to dismiss commander
-
Piastri power rules in Saudi as Max pays the penalty
-
Leaders Inter level with Napoli after falling to late Orsolini stunner at Bologna
-
David rediscovers teeth as Chevalier loses some in nervy Lille win
-
Piastri wins Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Verstappen second
-
Kohli, Rohit star as Bengaluru and Mumbai win in IPL
-
Guirassy helps Dortmund past Gladbach, putting top-four in sight
-
Alexander-Arnold lauds 'special' Liverpool moments
-
Pina strikes twice as Barca rout Chelsea in Champions League semi

China censors zero-Covid debate after WHO criticises policy
China's censors scrambled to wipe out online debate over its zero-Covid strategy on Wednesday after the World Health Organisation (WHO) criticised the country's hardline approach to crushing the virus.
China is the last major economy glued to a zero-Covid policy and enforces some of the most stringent virus controls anywhere in the world.
Those restrictions have trapped most of Shanghai's 25 million people in a lockdown with no clear end date, while Beijing has also gradually corralled many of its residents indoors as it battles its biggest outbreak since the pandemic began.
On Tuesday WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged China to change tack, saying the approach "will not be sustainable" in the face of new fast-spreading variants.
The intervention prompted China's army of internet censors to race to snuff out his comments.
Searches for the hashtags "Tedros" and "who" on the popular Weibo social media platform displayed no results, while users of the WeChat app were unable to share an article posted on an official United Nations account.
A social media hashtag about the WHO's comments, which had been a rallying point for lively online discussion, appeared to have been blocked by mid-morning.
Before they were expunged from the internet, comments had questioned zero-Covid, with one saying "even the WHO's Tedros has now changed his stance".
Another wrote: "Will our government listen to the WHO director general's recommendations?"
Virus controls are causing mounting anger and frustration, especially in Shanghai where residents have raged against seemingly endless lockdowns, spartan quarantine facilities and heavy-handed enforcement.
The city has witnessed repeated protests and violent scuffles with police, rare images which have pinballed across social media before censors can catch up.
The ruling Communist Party says its virus strategy places life before material concerns and has averted the public health crises seen in other nations.
A foreign ministry spokesman brushed off questions about the WHO's comments on Wednesday, saying Beijing's policy "can stand the test of history" and was "scientific and effective."
"We hope that relevant individuals can take an objective and rational view of China's epidemic prevention and control policies ... and refrain from making irresponsible remarks," Zhao Lijian said at a regular press conference.
Abandoning zero-Covid and allowing Omicron to rip across the country could result in 1.6 million deaths, according to a paper published Tuesday in the peer-reviewed journal Nature by researchers at Shanghai's Fudan University.
Health officials have said vaccination rates are low among the elderly and warn rural health facilities risk collapse under an Omicron surge.
On Monday, vice-premier Sun Chunlan reminded disease control officials of the political imperatives attached to zero-Covid.
It is necessary to "create the conditions for the victorious convening of the 20th Party Congress", she said, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The twice-a-decade conclave scheduled for later this year is expected to see President Xi Jinping secure an unprecedented third consecutive term as the leader of the world's number two economy.
Discussing Beijing's zero-Covid strategy on Tuesday, Tedros said WHO experts "don't think that it's sustainable, considering the behaviour of the virus now and what we anticipate in the future".
Hu Xijin, the influential former editor of Chinese state tabloid Global Times, slammed the comments in a message to his 24 million Weibo followers, saying "in the end, the WHO's attitude isn't important".
G.Schulte--BTB