World News Roundup: Philippines reports dozens more deaths from Typhoon Rai; France not planning to extend Christmas holidays due to COVID - minister and more

The emergency in Afghanistan, with millions facing hunger as winter sets in, has caused mounting alarm, but the international community has struggled to come up with a coordinated response given Western reluctance to help the Taliban government, which seized power in August. Four people killed in expressway bridge collapse in China's Hubei province Four people were killed and another eight injured on Saturday when part of a bridge ramp collapsed in Ezhou City, in China's central Hubei province, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Philippines reports dozens more deaths from Typhoon Rai

At least 72 people died in the central Philippine province of Bohol in the wake of Typhoon Rai, the provincial governor said on Sunday, taking the total number of casualties across the country to above 100. Authorities ramped up relief operations on Sunday after Typhoon Rai hit on Thursday and Friday, the strongest tropical storm to hit the Philippines this year. It displaced more than 400,000 people, damaged homes and toppled power and communication lines.

France not planning to extend Christmas holidays due to COVID - minister

French Education Minister Jean-Michel Blanquer said on BFM television that the government has no plans to extend the Christmas school holidays because of the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant. Some European countries have brought Christmas holidays forward, and French conservative presidential candidate Valerie Pecresse has called for an extension of them in order to help ensure any infections caught over year-end holidays are discovered before children return to school.

France to make it easier for citizens to take mother's family name

France will make it easier for citizens to take their mother's name once they are adults, Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti said on Sunday. He said the government would support a bill proposed by ruling LREM party lawmaker Patrick Vignal to allow children, when they turn 18, to easily change their family name through a simple procedure at the local town hall.

Pompidou Centre architect Richard Rogers dies at 88 -media

Richard Rogers, the Italian-born architect who designed landmark buildings including the Pompidou Centre in Paris and the Millennium Dome in London, has died aged 88, media reported.

The BBC reported a spokesman saying he had "passed away quietly" on Saturday evening.

Islamic countries seek response to Afghanistan emergency

Muslim nations sought to respond to the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as neighbouring Pakistan opened an extraordinary meeting on Sunday of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. The emergency in Afghanistan, with millions facing hunger as winter sets in, has caused mounting alarm, but the international community has struggled to come up with a coordinated response given Western reluctance to help the Taliban government, which seized power in August.

Four people killed in expressway bridge collapse in China's Hubei province

Four people were killed and another eight injured on Saturday when part of a bridge ramp collapsed in Ezhou City, in China's central Hubei province, the official Xinhua news agency reported. The bridge collapsed over an expressway, causing three trucks to fall while a car was crushed underneath, Xinhua reported, adding an investigation is under way.

Thailand sends refugees back to Myanmar as clashes continue

Thailand has sent over 600 Myanmar refugees who fled fighting between the military and ethnic rebels back across the border, according to a senior Thai official who said on Sunday clashes were continuing. Some of the refugees who reached northwest Thailand's Tak province told Reuters before they went back over the frontier on Sunday morning that they had volunteered to return. On Sunday afternoon, Reuters reporters on the Thai side of the frontier were hearing continuous gunfire.

UK health minister doesn't rule out new COVID restrictions before Christmas

Britain's health minister Sajid Javid declined on Sunday to rule out the chance of further COVID-19 restrictions before Christmas, saying the spread of the Omicron variant was a very fast moving situation. Britain reported a surge in cases of the Omicron coronavirus variant on Saturday, which government advisors said could be just the tip of the iceberg. London's mayor declared a "major incident" to help the city's hospitals cope.

Turnout down as Hong Kong votes in 'patriots'-only election

Hong Kong government efforts and last-ditch campaigning by candidates were struggling on Sunday to boost turnout in an overhauled "patriots"-only legislative election, the first under a sweeping new security law. After eight hours of voting, turnout was more than 10 percentage points below the previous Legislative Council election five years ago.

Malaysian emergency services, volunteers rescue 21,000 from flooding

Hard-pressed Malaysian emergency services, reinforced by civilian volunteers, on Sunday rescued 21,000 people displaced by flooding from torrential rain in seven states, officials and volunteers said. More than 66,000 police, army and fire department personnel were mobilised to help pluck people from vehicles marooned in flood waters or from inundated streets outside their homes.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)