Authorities confirm death of 11 miners in coal mine accident in Russia’s Kemerovo region

Earlier, there was a report about a fire and an explosion in the mine’s airway

KEMEROVO, November 25. /TASS/. The death toll in an accident at the Listvyazhnaya coal mine in Russia’s Kemerovo region has risen to 11, regional Governor Sergei Tsivilev said in a statement on Telegram.

"Another body has just been found. The death toll has risen to 11," the statement reads.

The regional government said on its website that 35 people still remained in the mine. A total of 43 miners have been taken to the hospital, four are in serious condition.

The Siberian branch of the Federal Service for Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision received a report about a fire and an explosion in the mine’s airway at 09:08 am local time. According to the Emergencies Ministry, the fire broke out at a depth of 250 meters. The accident was caused by coal dust that had caught fire in the airway, spreading smoke across the mine, an emergency source told TASS.

https://tass.com/emergencies/1366135

Czech president sent back to hospital

Czech President Milos Zeman has been sent to hospital after testing positive for Covid-19. The test came hours after he was discharged from a healthcare facility, where he spent some six weeks due to an undisclosed diagnosis.

The hospitalization of the 77-year-old official was announced by the Czech presidency late on Thursday. Zeman was taken to the Central Military Hospital (UVN) after testing positive for the coronavirus at the presidential retreat at Lany, outside of the country’s capital city of Prague.

"The president’s program will be suspended pending the treatment of Covid-19,” Zeman's office said in a statement.

Zeman was discharged from the UVN earlier in the day, having spent around six weeks there. The president was originally hospitalized on October 10 and placed in an intensive care unit, where he remained during most of his stint at the facility.

While no diagnosis has been officially confirmed, local media reported that Zeman’s prolonged stay at the UVN was due to a liver condition. The presidency offered little clarification on the issue, saying only that he was treated for a chronic illness.

Regarding his positive test for Covid-19, the president has reportedly shown no symptoms of the disease. According to local media, he had previously been vaccinated against the virus at least three times.

https://www.rt.com/news/541358-zeman-covid-test-hospital/

Scott Morrison to send letters to all Australian homes as booster program kicks off

Prime Minister Scott Morrison will send letters to all Australian homes asking people to book in for a third COVID-19 vaccine.

It comes as national campaign spruiking booster shots kicks off today.

A third coronavirus shot is recommended six months after receiving the second, to combat waning immunity.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/covid19-vaccine-booster-scott-morrison-to-send-letters-to-all-australian-homes-as-program-kicks-off/3e9eb9dc-d145-48b5-9f4c-81b17ffa6298

State Media - ausgovcorp rolls on it's back for its masters

Government will not complain about Chinese navy ship near Australian waters

The Prime Minister says the government had been aware of a Chinese navy ship that was in waters off the Australian coast recently, adding it did not break international law.

Key points:

The ship travelled through the Torres Strait and down the eastern coastline

It was not in Australian territorial waters

Scott Morrison said the the ship's presence highlighted tensions in the region

Speaking on Adelaide radio station 5AA, Scott Morrison said the ship was in Australia's economic zone.

"They can be in those areas just like we can be in the South China Sea," he said.

Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews confirmed the government monitored the ship as it travelled through the Torres Strait and down the eastern coastline.

"In this case, that particular vessel was in our exclusive economic zone, not in territorial waters as such, but we actually do respect the right of sovereign nations to behave in a manner that is lawful," she said.

No formal complaint or protest will be made about the ship.

In a statement, a Department of Defence spokesperson said Defence was aware the People's Liberation Army intelligence ship Yuhengxing operated off the east coast in August this year.

Mr Morrison said the ship's presence showed the nature of the geo-political tensions in the Indo-Pacific region.

"People are not making this up," he said.

Chinese spy ship returns off Queensland

A large ship flying China's flag sits on open waters.

A spy ship from China is spotted approaching Australia as Defence gears up for its largest war-fighting exercise.

Read more

"It does mean that Australia has to be on its guard and Australia has to stand up to those who want to coerce us … and slap trade sanctions on things like our wine, and our government is standing up to that."

That was echoed by Defence Minister Peter Dutton on Channel Nine, who pointed to the fact that another Chinese surveillance ship travelled near Queensland in July to monitor Australian and US military exercises.

"[The ship] will be involved in intelligence collection, signals collection," he said.

"They'll be looking to survey different attributes and have that general presence — let us know that they're there.

"It was a prolonged [time] that they were very close to Australian waters off the east coast, unusually.

"I think it's right people have a clear picture of what's going on."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-11-26/australia-will-not-complain-about-chinese-navy-ship-off-coast/100652416

Fully vaccinated Canadian rocker Bryan Adams tests positive for #COVID19 for the second time in a month.

Bryan Adams tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival at Milan's Malpensa Airport on Thursday, ahead of the unveiling of the 2022 Pirelli calendar that he photographed.

The Canadian rock `n roller disclosed the positive test in an Instagram post that included a photograph of him in a room after being tested and then sitting in an ambulance, being taken for a more reliable PCR test. He was seated normally, wearing a surgical mask.

“Here I am, just arrived in Milano, and I've tested positive for the second time in a month for COVID,” Adams said in the post. “So it's off to the hospital for me.” He thanked fans for his support.

Adams, who also enjoys a career as a photographer, has shot the 2022 Pirelli calendar, after initially being engaged to shoot the 2021 version that was cancelled due to the pandemic. Adams was expected to appear at in-person press events promoting the calendar Sunday and Monday, but that was now uncertain.

Normally the unveiling of the Pirelli calendar is a gala event attended by those who appear and other VIPS, but this year was already a scaled-back affair due to the ongoing pandemic, with a tight guest list for an evening cocktail.

Adams chose as his subjects for the calendar called “On the road,” other musical talents, including Iggy Pop, Cher, Jennifer Hudson, Saweetie and St. Vincent.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/entertainment/bryan-adams-tests-positive-for-covid-19-for-second-time-1.5681280