China optimistic on Winter Olympics despite Omicron 'challenges'
ISTANBUL - China is confident that next February's Winter Olympics will go ahead "smoothly and successfully" despite the growing challenges posed by the new Omicron coronavirus variant, the country's Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. Relying on snap lockdowns and a rapid vaccination rollout, China has largely managed to control its Covid-19 situation, with official figures placing the country's total cases since December 2019 at 98,672, including 4,636 deaths. As Beijing gears up to host the 2022 Winter Olympics from Feb. 4 to Feb. 20, the world is bracing for a new wave ...