CGTN头条新闻2022 北京地区进行大规模核酸检测（在线收听）

Beijing district conducts mass nucleic acid testing

China opposes U.S. sanctions against three Chinese companies

Chinese authorities have expressed firm opposition to U.S. sanctions against three Chinese companies.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry says the country will take countermeasures to resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

Officials say U.S. crackdown on Chinese enterprises damages the interests of businesses from both countries and such practice disrupts the global supply chains.

Beijing district conducts mass nucleic acid testing

Fengtai, one of the 16 districts of Beijing Municipality, on Sunday started district-wide nucleic acid testing as local COVID-19 cases have been reported recently.

Local authorities say the district has found a cluster infection and is facing the risk of community transmission.

Beijing reported nine confirmed local COVID-19 cases and three asymptomatic cases from Friday to Saturday. Four of the confirmed cases and all three asymptomatic cases are from Fengtai District.

New Zealand to escalate to Red Light settings due to Omicron community transmission

New Zealand will move to Red Light settings from midnight Sunday due to Omicron cases detected in the community.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed that nine COVID-19 cases reported in the Nelson Marlborough region had the Omicron variant. A further case was confirmed late Saturday.

"These cases are in a single family that flew to Auckland on 13 January to attend a wedding and other events on the week end of January 15 and 16. An initial estimate suggests that there were well over one hundred people at these events."

According to the Red Light settings under the COVID-19 Protection Framework, gatherings will be limited to 100 people in places where COVID-19 vaccine passports are used.

Japan confirms over 50,000 daily COVID-19 cases, new record for 5th day

Japan confirmed over 54,000 daily COVID-19 cases on Saturday, setting a new record for the fifth day in a row.

Tokyo reported more than 11,000 new cases, while Osaka Prefecture in western Japan confirmed a fresh high of over 7,300 cases.

Amid surging cases across the country, the Japanese government first placed 16 prefectures under a quasi-state of emergency, and then added Tokyo and 12 other prefectures to the measure on Friday.

U.S. health regulators expand eligibility for antiviral drug

In the United States, the U.S. CDC says almost all new infections in the country are of the Omicron variant.

Data also suggests the number of Omicron cases has peaked in the country's eastern states, while new cases in the west coast and the south continue to rise.

Peru declares 90-day environmental emergency following oil spill

The Peruvian government has declared a 90-day environmental emergency in the coastal area of Lima which has been affected by a recent oil spill.

The oil spill occurred on Jan. 15 when an oil tanker was unloading at one of the terminals of a refinery operated by Repsol, in the province of Callao, neighboring Lima.

Repsol has said the cleanup of the areas affected by the oil spill should be completed by the end of February.

The petrochemical company says over 1,500 cubic meters of contaminated sand have been removed.

7 killed in minibus bomb blast in western Afghanistan

At least seven civilians have been killed and nine others wounded when a bomb blast hit a minibus in Herat city, capital of Afghanistan's western Herat province, on Saturday.

Some of the wounded are in critical condition.

The vehicle was destroyed by the blast.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.