The new variant has spread across 41 countries as the WHO categorises it as a ‘variant of interest’. JN.1 has been detected in the US, India, China, France, Canada and many other countries [File: Petr David Josek/AP Photo] By Areesha Lodhi Published On 22 Dec 202322 Dec 2023   A new strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that caused the coronavirus pandemic four years …

A L. ASHRAFF  KINNIYA  : Former Chief Minister – Najeeb Abdul Majeed, 73,passed away at a Leading private hospital around 6.30 am in Colombo on Friday, Dec 22 .  Janaza will take place in his hometown Kinniya at 10 pm same day. Najeeb was the son of former parliamentarian A L Abdul Majeed from Kinniya.  Najeeb was the first Muslim …

The West Bank city loses Christmas tourism amid daily Israeli raids and the continuing assault on the Gaza Strip. There are no tourists on Bethlehem’s streets and churches have announced the cancellation of all Christmas festivities amid the continuing Israeli assault on Gaza [Mosab Shawer/Al Jazeera] By Mosab Shawer Published On 22 Dec 202322 Dec 2023   Bethlehem, occupied West Bank …

PM says Israel’s actions ‘violate international law through the ongoing massacre and brutality against Palestinians’. ZIM, Israel’s biggest shipping company, has been singled out in Malaysia’s ban on shipping to and from Israel [Amir Cohen/ Reuters] Malaysia has banned all Israeli-flagged cargo ships from docking at its ports in what it said was a response to the war in Gaza, …

A group organized a protest at Lipton Circus in Colombo today demanding a ceasefire, humanitarian access and an end to occupation, in support of Palestine. Pix by Kithsiri De Mel