Global Covid-19 update: Joni Mitchell vs Spotify, record cases in Russia

From the global death toll now exceeding 5.6 million to singer Joni Mitchell boycotting Spotify over spreading Covid-19 lies, here are the latest developments:

Global Covid-19 update

Record daily cases in Russia

Russia reports more than 100,000 daily coronavirus cases for the first time as the country weathers a surge of infections driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant.

A government Covid-19 portal registers 113,122 new cases over 24 hours, nearly double the number of daily infections just a week ago. 

Australian medics in Solomons

Australia flies a small team of emergency medical specialists to the Solomon Islands following a request for help in battling a worsening outbreak of Covid-19.

The team of eight experts lands in the capital Honiara alongside a shipment of more than 37,000 vaccine doses. 

Joni Mitchell boycotting Spotify

Singer Joni Mitchell says she is pulling her music from Spotify over “lies” on the streaming service about Covid-19, just days after fellow musical titan Neil Young did the same.

In a post on her website, the Big Yellow Taxi singer says she is supporting Young, who clashed with Spotify over its wildly popular Joe Rogan Experience podcast.

Covid-19 cases in Canadian Olympics team

Canada says five members of its 246-strong Winter Olympics delegation in Beijing have tested positive for Covid-19.

The winter sports powerhouse has not said whether those concerned are athletes, support staff or officials.

Canadian truckers protest

Hundreds of truckers drive their giant rigs into the Canadian capital Ottawa as part of a self-titled “Freedom Convoy” to protest vaccine mandates required to cross the US border.

French march against Covid-19 vaccine pass

Some 30,000 protesters take to the street across France to vent their frustration with requirements since Monday that people be vaccinated to enter bars, restaurants, trains and planes. The turn-out is down on the almost 40,000 people who protested a week earlier.

Covid-19 death toll: 5.6 million dead

The coronavirus has killed at least 5.64 million people since the outbreak emerged in China in December 2019, according to an AFP tally compiled from official sources on Saturday.

The US has recorded the most Covid-19 deaths with 882,881, followed by Brazil with 625,884 and India with 493,198.

Taking into account excess mortality linked to Covid-19, the WHO estimates the overall death toll could be two to three times higher.

© Agence France-Presse