THE GUARDIAN

Omicron variant fuelling ‘exponential’ rise in Covid cases, say South Africa officials.

The Omicron variant has fuelled a “worrying” surge in coronavirus cases in South Africa and is rapidly becoming the dominant strain, local health officials have said, as more countries including the US detected their first cases.

THE GUARDIAN

Ilhan Omar airs death threat and presses Republicans on ‘anti-Muslim hatred’.

The US politician Ilhan Omar played a harrowing death threat left recently on her voicemail, as she implored House Republican leaders to do more to tamp down “anti-Muslim hatred” in their ranks and “hold those who perpetuate it accountable”.

THE GUARDIAN

Praise for Prince Charles after ‘historic’ slavery condemnation.

The Prince of Wales’s acknowledgment of the “appalling atrocity of slavery” that “forever stains our history” as Barbados became a republic was brave, historic, and the start of a “grown-up conversation led by a future king”, equality campaigners have said.

THE GUARDIAN

Trump challenges media and Democrats to debate his electoral fraud lie.

Donald Trump has challenged leading editors and politicians to debate him in public over his lie that Joe Biden beat him in 2020 through electoral fraud.

THE GUARDIAN

‘Shocking’ that UK is moving child refugees into hotels.

Record numbers of unaccompanied child asylum seekers who arrived in the UK on small boats are being accommodated in four hotels along England’s south coast, a situation that the Children’s Society has described as “shocking”.

THE GUARDIAN

Channel drownings: UK and France trade accusations after tragedy at sea.

British and French leaders have traded accusations after at least 27 people died trying to cross the Channel in the deadliest incident since the current migration crisis began.

THE GUARDIAN

Norwegian journalists reporting on World Cup workers arrested in Qatar.

Two Norwegian journalists investigating conditions for migrant workers in Qatar ahead of the 2022 Fifa World Cup were arrested and detained for 36 hours as they tried to leave the country, Norwegian media have reported.

AL JAZEERA

Sudan PM calls for halt to post-coup firings and hirings 

Sudan’s newly reinstated Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok has ordered a halt to the firing of civil servants and a review of all appointments made after his detention in last month’s military coup. 

THE GUARDIAN

Russia accuses west of building up forces on its borders.

Russia has accused the west of building up forces on its borders as well as those of Belarus in remarks that appeared tailored to mirror recent US warnings about Moscow’s aggressive positioning towards Ukraine.

THE GUARDIAN

House Democrats pass Biden’s expansive Build Back Better policy plan.

Joe Biden has hailed the US House of Representatives for passing a $1.75tn social and climate spending bill, a central pillar of his agenda that must now go before the Senate.

The Democratic majority in the House approved the Build Back Better Act on Friday despite fierce opposition from Republicans.