Following are the top foreign stories at 1700 hours

    
     FGN28 VIRUS-WHO-SAFRICA-OMICRON-TEAM
WHO rushes experts’ team to S Africa to help combat COVID-19’s new variant Omicron
    Johannesburg: The WHO has rushed a team of experts to South Africa's Gauteng province, the epicentre of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19, to ramp up surveillance and contact tracing efforts as the country grapples with rising cases of infections. By Fakir Hassen
    
     FGN24 LANKA-CHINA-LD PROJECT
China suspends energy projects in Sri Lankan islands located close to India over 'security concern' from 'third party'
     Colombo: China has suspended a project to install hybrid energy plants in three islands of Sri Lanka, citing "security concern" from a "third party", amid reports of India raising concern over its location.
    
     FGN34 CHINA-LAOS-BRI-TRAIN
China launches its first cross-border BRI train with Laos
    Beijing/Vientiane: China on Friday launched the first cross-border train of its multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) from Laos, which Beijing says will help the small and only landlocked country in South East Asia turn into a land-linked hub, boost regional connectivity and supply chain resilience. By K J M Varma
    
     FGN21 IMF-LD GOPINATH
Gita Gopinath to take No.2 role at IMF as First Deputy Managing Director
    Washington: Gita Gopinath, the IMF's Indian-American chief economist has been promoted as its First Deputy Managing Director, recognising her exceptional intellectual leadership in helping the global economy and the Fund to navigate the "twists and turns" of the "worst economic crisis of our lives".
    
     FGN30 SINGAPORE-INDIA-DEVELOPMENT
Singapore fits into India's development journey: India’s Principal Economic Advisor Sanyal
    Singapore: Singapore fits very much into what India will do in the next 30 years as part of the ongoing reform process and building on the past three decades of liberalisation, acclaimed economist and Principal Economic Advisor to the Indian government Sanjeev Sanyal has said. By Gurdip Singh
    
     FGN8 US-LD SANDHU
Amid COVID-19 challenges, 'historic milestones' set in India-US ties: Ambassador Sandhu
     Washington: India and the US have achieved some "historic milestones" in their ties, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, New Delhi's top envoy here has said. By Lalit K Jha
    
     FGN26 VIRUS-LANKA-OMICRON
Sri Lanka detects 1st case of COVID-19’s Omicron variant
    Colombo: Sri Lanka on Friday detected its first case of COVID-19’s new variant Omicron, Deputy Director General of Health Services Hemantha Herath said. PTI
    
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)