News Snapshot:
View comments The [World Health Organisation](/news/world-health-organization/index.html) has been accused of bowing to [China](/news/china/index.html) by skipping a letter in the Greek alphabet when naming the new Covid variant. The agency on Friday announced that it would be calling the new strain Omicron – jumping over the letter Xi, which is also the name of China’s premier [Xi Jinping](/news/xi-jinping/index.html) . The WHO said its decision was based on Xi being a ‘common surname’ and to avoid either ‘stigma’ or the risk of causing offence to ‘cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups’. Critics said the decision provided [read more from dailymail.....](/World-News/1867955/WHO-bowed-to-China-by-skipping-a-letter-in-Greek-alphabet-when-naming-new-.html?source=true)
