Britain on Thursday became the first country in the world to approve a potentially game-changing COVID-19 antiviral pill jointly developed by U.S.-based Merck (MRK.N) and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics, in a boost to the fight against the pandemic. Britain's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) recommended the drug, molnupiravir, for use in people with mild to moderate COVID-19.
German companies urge next government to step up on climate
Dozens of large German companies have urged the country's next government to put in place ambitious policies to meet the goals of the 2015 Paris climate accord. The 69 companies said in an open letter Monday that the next government needs to put Germany "on a clear and reliable path to climate neutrality" with a plan for doing so within its first 100 days in office.
China has won Artificial Intelligence battle with U.S., Pentagon's ex-software chief says
China is heading towards global dominance because of its technological advances, the Pentagon's former software chief told the Financial Times. China was set to dominate the future of the world, controlling everything from media narratives to geopolitics, he said. He added that U.S. cyber defences in some departments were at "kindergarten level".
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp reconnecting after nearly six-hour outage
Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and WhatsApp lit up again late on Monday afternoon Eastern time after a nearly six-hour outage that prevented the company's 3.5 billion users from accessing its social media and messaging services. Facebook apologized but did not immediately explain what caused the failure, the largest ever tracked by web monitoring group Downdetector.
Huawei CFO strikes deal with U.S. over fraud charges, allowing her to return to China from Canada
Huawei Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou has reached an agreement with US prosecutors to end the bank fraud case against her, officials said on Friday, a move that allows her to leave Canada, relieving a point of tension between China and the United States. Her arrest sparked a diplomatic storm and drew Canada into the fray when China arrested two Canadians, a businessman and a former diplomat.
Canary Islands: Lava from erupting volcano destroys homes
A volcano eruption on La Palma in the Spanish Canary Islands has destroyed houses and forced about 5,500 residents to evacuate. Lava from the Cumbre Vieja volcano has been pouring downhill since Sunday's eruption, devastating everything in its path. Local officials said about 100 houses have been destroyed so far.
Canadians have re-elected a Liberal minority government
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has won enough seats in this 44th general election to form another minority government - with voters signalling Monday they trust the incumbent to lead Canada through the next phase of the pandemic fight by handing him a third mandate with a strong plurality. After a 36-day campaign, the final seat tally doesn't look very different from August 2021.
Paralympic closing marks end of Tokyo's 8-year Olympic saga
The final act of the delayed Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics came Sunday, almost eight years to the day after the Japanese capital was awarded the Games. The Paralympics ended a 13-day run in a colorful, circus-like ceremony at the National Stadium overseen by Crown Prince Akishino, the brother of Emperor Naruhito.
Judge: California ride-hailing law is unconstitutional
A judge Friday struck down a California ballot measure that exempted Uber and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery services from a state law requiring drivers to be classified as employees eligible for benefits and job protections. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Frank Roesch ruled that Proposition 22 was unconstitutional.
Merkel, Putin clash over opponent Navalny on her last trip to Russia
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday used her final official visit to Russia to tell President Vladimir Putin to free Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, but the Kremlin leader rebuffed her, saying the jailing was unrelated to politics. The talks, as Merkel prepares to step down following elections next month, coincided with the first anniversary of Navalny's poisoning.
In Haiti, close relation between the living and the dead (earthquake)
Haiti's unusually close relationship between the living and the dead has helped hide, in part, the huge toll of Saturday's earthquake: People in Haiti want to be close to their deceased relatives, to the point of sometimes burying them in their front yards. Haiti's Civil Protection Agency puts the number of dead from the quake at almost 2,200.
'We do not have any illusions': Europe seeks united response to Taliban takeover
European leaders said Monday they will press for a unified international approach to dealing with a Taliban government in Afghanistan, as they looked on with dismay at the rapid collapse of two decades of a U.S.-led Western campaign in the country. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to French President Emmanuel Macron Monday, stressing the need for a common stand.
Taliban enter Afghan capital, official says President Ghani has left for Tajikistan
Taliban insurgents entered Afghanistan's capital Kabul on Sunday and an official said President Ashraf Ghani had left the city for Tajikistan, capping the militants' lightning push for power. American diplomats were evacuated from their embassy by chopper after a swift advance by the militants, who were poised to run Afghanistan again 20 years after they were toppled by U.S.-led forces.
The pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympic Games came to an end Sunday with a smaller, more subdued closing ceremony than in years' past, much like the opening ceremony 17 days ago. While many athletes wore masks and were asked to observe physical distancing, they were given the opportunity to mingle in a way that they weren't allowed to during the Games.
Racist abuse targets 3 English players who missed penalties
Three Black players who missed penalty kicks for England in the decisive European Championship shootout against Italy on Sunday night were subjected to racist abuse online, prompting the English Football Association to issue a statement condemning the language used against the players. Bukayo Saka, at 19 one of the youngest players on the England squad, missed the last penalty.
Italy wins Euro 2020, beats England in penalty shootout
Italian soccer's redemption story is complete. England's painful half-century wait for a major title goes on. And it just had to be because of a penalty shootout. Italy won the European Championship for the second time by beating England 3-2 on penalties on Sunday. The match finished 1-1 after extra time at Wembley Stadium, which was filled mostly with English fans hoping to celebrate.
Argentina beat Brazil 1-0 to win Copa America, first major title in 28 years
Argentina won their first major title in 28 years on Saturday and Lionel Messi finally won his first medal in a blue-and-white shirt when an Angel Di Maria goal gave them a 1-0 win over Brazil and a record-equalling 15th Copa America. Di Maria, starting for just the second time in the Copa, justified his selection by scoring the opener midway through the first half.
Olympics host city Tokyo bans spectators amid COVID-19 emergency
The Olympics will take place without spectators in host city Tokyo, organisers said on Thursday, as a resurgent coronavirus forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the Games. The move marked a sharp turnabout from as recently as last week, when some officials were still insisting they could organise the Games safely with some fans.
Study: Northwest heat wave impossible without climate change
The deadly heat wave that roasted the Pacific Northwest and western Canada was virtually impossible without human-caused climate change that added a few extra degrees to the record-smashing temperatures, a new quick scientific analysis found. An international team of 27 scientists calculated that climate change increased chances of the extreme heat occurring by at least 150 times.
Jovenel Moise, Haiti's embattled president, killed at 53
Haitian President Jovenel Moise, a former banana producer and political neophyte who ruled Haiti for more than four years as the country grew increasingly unstable under his watch, was killed on Wednesday. He was 53. Moise was assassinated at his private home during "a highly coordinated attack by a highly trained and heavily armed group", interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph said.
Deaths surge in Canada and U.S. from worst heatwave on record
A heatwave that smashed all-time high temperature records in western Canada and the U.S. Northwest has left a rising death toll in its wake as officials brace for more sizzling weather and the threat of wildfires. The worst of the heat had passed by Wednesday, but the state of Oregon reported 63 deaths linked to the heatwave. Multnomah County, which includes Portland, reported 45 of those deaths.
Canada weather: Heat hits record 46.6C as US north-west also sizzles
Canada has recorded its highest ever temperature as the country's west and the US Pacific north-west frazzle in an unprecedented heatwave. Lytton in British Columbia soared to 46.6C (116F) on Sunday, breaking an 84-year-old record, officials said. A "heat dome" - static high pressure acting like a lid on a cooking pot - has set records in many other areas.
UN General Assembly calls for US to end Cuba embargo for 29th consecutive year
A total of 184 countries on Wednesday voted in favour of a resolution to demand the end of the US economic blockade on Cuba, for the 29th year in a row, with the United States and Israel voting against. With overwhelming backing from the international community, the resolution has been approved ever since 1992 when the General Assembly began to vote annually on the issue.
European Union data watchdogs ruling sharpens focus on Facebook, big tech
Facebook and other Silicon Valley giants could face more scrutiny and potential sanctions in the European Union after the bloc's top court backed national privacy watchdogs to pursue them, even when they are not the lead regulators. Consumer lobbying group BEUC welcomed Tuesday's ruling by the EU Court of Justice (CJEU).
Leftist teacher inches toward victory in disputed Peru vote
Peru finished tallying votes in the country's tight presidential contest Thursday but no winner was declared, with electoral authorities saying they were scrutinizing a small number of ballots amid unproven claims of possible vote tampering leveled by the apparent loser. With votes from rural areas and Peruvian embassies abroad now fully in, leftist Pedro Castillo maintained his narrow lead.
Vietnam detects hybrid of Indian and UK COVID-19 variants
Authorities in Vietnam have detected a new coronavirus variant that is a combination of the Indian and UK COVID-19 variants and spreads quickly by air, the health minister said on Saturday. After successfully containing the virus for most of last year, Vietnam is grappling with a rise in infections since late April that accounts for more than half of the total 6,856 registered cases.
Spain to welcome back international cruises from June 7
Spain will allow cruise ships to dock in its ports from June 7, the transport ministry said on Saturday, hoping to salvage the country's battered tourism sector in time for the summer season. Spain's maritime authorities approved the reopening because of falling COVID-19 incidence rates and an increase in vaccinations, according to an order in Spain's state gazette published on Saturday.
A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip appeared to be holding hours after coming into effect. It began early on Friday, bringing to an end 11 days of fighting in which more than 250 people were killed, most of them in Gaza. Both Israel and Hamas claimed victory in the conflict.
Israeli strikes kill 33, topple buildings in Gaza City
Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City flattened three buildings and killed at least 33 people Sunday, medics said, making it the deadliest single attack since heavy fighting broke out between Israel and the territory's militant Hamas rulers nearly a week ago. The violence marked the worst fighting here since the devastating 2014 war in Gaza.
Brazil struggles with Covid-19 vaccine rollout as death toll spirals
Four months into a Covid-19 vaccination campaign marred by shortages and delays, hard-hit Brazil is still struggling to find enough doses, as political and diplomatic blunders prolong its pandemic nightmare.
'Shocking and horrifying': Israel destroys Associated Press office in Gaza
An Israeli airstrike on Saturday destroyed a high-rise building that housed The Associated Press office in the Gaza Strip, despite repeated urgent calls from the news agency to the military to halt the impending attack. AP called the strike "shocking and horrifying". Twelve AP staffers and freelancers were working and resting in the bureau on Saturday afternoon before evacuation.
Israel destroys Gaza tower housing Associated Press and Al Jazeera News offices
Israel destroyed a 12-storey tower block in Gaza housing the offices of the U.S.-based Associated Press and other news media on Saturday, saying the building was also used by the Islamist militant group Hamas. The al-Jalaa building in Gaza City, which also houses the offices of Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera as well as other offices and apartments, had been evacuated after a warning.
Violent clashes over Jerusalem escalated dramatically on Monday with Gaza health officials saying at least 20 people, including nine children, were killed by Israeli air strikes launched after Palestinian militant groups fired rockets close to Jerusalem.
Chinese rocket debris lands in Indian Ocean, draws criticism from NASA
Remnants of China's biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean on Sunday, with most of its components destroyed upon re-entry into the atmosphere, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit but drawing U.S. criticism over lack of transparency. The coordinates given by Chinese state media, put the point of impact in the ocean, west of the Maldives archipelago.
'Dire need of beds, oxygen': India's capital under siege from COVID-19
India's capital New Delhi recorded 25,500 coronavirus cases in a 24-hour period, with about one in three people tested returning a positive result, its chief minister said, urging the federal government to provide more hospital beds to tackle the crisis. Less than 100 critical care beds were available in the city of more than 20 million people, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday.
Sao Paulo exhumes old graves to make space for surging COVID-19 burials
Brazil's biggest city on Thursday sped up efforts to empty old graves, making room for a soaring number of COVID-19 deaths as Sao Paulo city hall registered record daily burials this week. Gravediggers in the Vila Nova Cachoeirinha cemetery in the city's northern reaches worked in white hazmat suits to open the tombs of people buried years ago.
France to close schools and extend Covid-19 lockdown to all of the country, president Macron says
President Emmanuel Macron extended light lockdown measures from 19 areas including Paris to all of mainland France from April 3 for 4 weeks at a televised address on the resurgent Covid-19 pandemic on Wednesday. Macron widened the light lockdown measures currently imposed on a third of the French population - including the Paris region - to all of mainland France.
Canada pauses AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine use for those under 55 years old
Canadian health officials said on Monday they would stop offering AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine to people under age 55 and require a new analysis of the shot's risks and benefits based on age and gender. The moves follow reports from Europe of rare but serious blood clots, bleeding and in some cases death after vaccination, mainly in young women.
As daily deaths near 4,000, worst may lie ahead for Brazil
Brazil currently accounts for one-quarter of the entire world's daily COVID-19 deaths, far more than any other single nation, and health experts are warning that the nation is on the verge of even greater calamity. The nation's seven-day average of 2,400 deaths stands to reach to 3,000 within weeks, six experts told the Associated Press.
Canada's Trudeau calls Chinese sanctions over Xinjiang "unacceptable"
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Saturday said China's sanctions against two American religious-rights officials and one Canadian lawmaker were unacceptable and vowed to continue to defend human rights. Beijing's sanctions followed those imposed by the USA, EU, Britain and Canada earlier this week for what they say are violations of the rights of Uighur Muslims and other Turkic minorities
The accord brings Iran into China's Belt and Road Initiative, a multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure scheme intended to stretch from East Asia to Europe. The project aims to significantly expand China's economic and political influence, and has raised concerns in the United States. China has spoken out often against U.S. sanctions on Iran and partly contested them.
Pfizer, BioNTech launch COVID-19 vaccine trial in kids under 12
Pfizer Inc and German partner BioNTech SE began testing their COVID-19 vaccine in children under 12, with hopes of expanding vaccination to that age range by early 2022, the U.S. drugmaker said on Thursday. The first volunteers in the early-stage trial were given their first injections on Wednesday, Pfizer spokesperson Sharon Castillo said.
A skyscraper-sized container ship has become wedged across Egypt's Suez Canal and blocked all traffic in the vital waterway, officials said Wednesday, threatening to disrupt a global shipping system already strained by the coronavirus pandemic. Images showed the ship's bow was touching the eastern wall, while its stern looked lodged against the western wall.
Germany extends virus lockdown till mid-April as cases rise
Germany has extended its lockdown measures by another month and imposed several new restrictions, including largely shutting down public life over Easter, in an effort to drive down the rate of coronavirus infections.
Policing of the Sarah Everard vigil has increased interest in plans to give officers more precise powers to restrict demonstrations. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is a mammoth piece of legislation that includes major government proposals on crime and justice in England and Wales. It's being debated by MPs this week. One part of it covers changes to protests.
Germany, Italy, France suspend AstraZeneca shots amid safety fears, disrupting EU vaccinations
Germany, France and Italy said on Monday they would suspend AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots after several countries reported possible serious side-effects, but the World Health Organization. Still, the decision by the European Union's three biggest countries to put inoculations with the AstraZeneca shot on hold threw the already struggling vaccination campaign in the 27-nation EU into disarray.
Netherlands halts use of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
The Netherlands on Sunday joined a fast-growing list of countries suspending use of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine after reports of unexpected possible side effects from the injection. The vaccine will not be used until at least March 29 as a precaution, the Dutch government said in a statement.
Top Shiite cleric Sistani tells Pope Francis that Iraqi Christians should live in 'peace'
Iraq's top Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani told Pope Francis in a landmark interfaith meeting in the holy city of Najaf Saturday that the country's Christians should live in "peace". For its part, the Vatican said Francis thanked Sistani and the Shiite people for having "raised his voice in defence of the weakest and most persecuted" during some of the most violent times in Iraq.
Huge crowds in Myanmar undeterred by worst day of violence
Huge crowds marched in Myanmar on Sunday to denounce a Feb. 1 military coup in a show of defiance after the bloodiest episode of the campaign for democracy the previous day, when security forces fired on protesters, killing two. The military has been unable to quell the demonstrations and a civil disobedience campaign of strikes against the coup.
Undeterred by Facebook news blackout, Australia commits to content law
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed on Friday to press ahead with laws to force Facebook Inc to pay news outlets for content, saying he had received support from world leaders after the social media giant blacked out all media. Facebook stripped the pages of domestic and foreign news outlets for Australians and blocked users of its platform from sharing any news content on Thursday.
Barricades burn in Spanish streets amid protests over jailed rapper, who was critic of the Spanish monarchy
Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets, and sound bombs at two protests in Madrid and Barcelona on Wednesday, each attended by thousands, the day after a rapper was arrested on charges of glorifying terrorism and insulting royalty in his songs. Protests in the capital's central Plaza de Sol square were initially peaceful.
UK vaccine gambles paid off, while EU caution slowed it down
French pharmaceutical startup Valneva had big news in September: a government contract for 60 million doses of its coronavirus vaccine candidate. The buyer? The United Kingdom - not the European Union, as might be expected for a company on the banks of the Loire.
US president Biden ending deals with Central America restricting asylum
The Biden administration is withdrawing the U.S. from agreements with three Central American countries that restricted the ability of people to seek asylum at the southwest border, part of a broad effort to undo the the immigration policies of President Donald Trump Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Saturday the administration had notified El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Protests sweep Myanmar to oppose coup, support Suu Kyi
Tens of thousands of people rallied across Myanmar on Sunday to denounce last week's coup and demand the release of elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in the biggest protests since the 2007 Saffron Revolution that helped lead to democratic reforms.
Britain explores mixed COVID vaccine shots as variants threaten
British researchers are to explore mixing doses of the Pfizer and AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines in a world first trial aimed at finding new ways to swiftly reduce coronavirus infections as new mutated variants emerge.
Canada puts far right Proud Boys group on terror list
Canada named the far-right Proud Boys a terrorist entity on Wednesday, saying it posed an active security threat and played a "pivotal role" in last month's attack on the U.S. Capitol that left five people dead. Although the Proud Boys have never mounted an attack in Canada, Public Safety Minister Bill Blair said domestic intelligence forces had become increasingly worried about the group.
Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine candidate appears safe and effective
Denis Logunov and colleagues report their interim results from a phase 3 trial of the Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine in The Lancet. The trial results show a consistent strong protective effect across all participant age groups.
Israel supplies first COVID-19 vaccines to Palestinians
Israel said on Monday it had supplied the Palestinians with their first shipment of COVID-19 shots, totalling 2,000 doses of Moderna Inc's vaccine. The vaccines were transferred to the occupied West Bank and will be used by Palestinian Authority medical teams, according to a statement from COGAT, Israel's military liaison to the Palestinians.
Myanmar's military staged a coup Monday and detained senior politicians including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi - a sharp reversal of the significant, if uneven, progress toward democracy the Southeast Asian nation has made following five decades of military rule.
Biden to tackle coronavirus pandemic on first full day in White House
President Joe Biden will launch an array of initiatives on Thursday to rein in the raging coronavirus pandemic, tackling his top priority on his first full day in the White House as he tries to turn the page on Donald Trump's tumultuous leadership. Biden will sign 10 executive orders to fight the pandemic, including ordering the use of disaster funds to help re-open schools.
Democrat Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States on Wednesday during a ceremony at a heavily protected U.S. Capitol, ending the tumultuous four-year presidency of his Republican predecessor Donald Trump.
India starts world's largest COVID-19 vaccination drive
India started inoculating health workers Saturday in what is likely the world's largest COVID-19 vaccination campaign, joining the ranks of wealthier nations where the effort is already well underway. India is home to the world's largest vaccine makers and has one of the biggest immunization programs. But there is no playbook for the enormity of the current challenge.
Indonesia rescue teams scour sea for crashed plane amid poor weather
Indonesian ships with rescue divers and equipment to detect signals from a flight recorder resumed the search on Sunday for a Sriwijaya Air jet believed to have crashed into the sea minutes after takeoff from the Indonesian capital Jakarta. The Boeing 737-500 with 62 people on board was en route to Pontianak in West Kalimantan before it disappeared on Saturday from radar screens.
PHOTOS: Scenes of violence at U.S. Capitol shock world
A mob invading the U.S. Capitol. Police officers with guns drawn inside the House of Representatives. Lawmakers hiding from intruders seeking to overturn a national election. These and other scenes from Capitol Hill shocked the world Wednesday as violent protesters loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the nation's halls of power in a brazen attempt to undercut democracy.
Biden win confirmed after pro-Trump mob storms US Capitol
Congress confirmed Democrat Joe Biden as the presidential election winner early Thursday after a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in a stunning attempt to overturn America's presidential election, undercut the nation's democracy and keep Trump in the White House.
New Year comes to COVID ward, with hope for end to nightmare
While the world said goodbye - or good riddance - to 2020, a year in which the pandemic brought hardship and pain to billions, some of those who have been fighting the virus on the front lines soldiered on even as the clock passed midnight.
With little ado, a divided United Kingdom casts off into the Brexit unknown
The United Kingdom began the New Year outside the European Union's orbit on Friday after ending a tempestuous 48-year liaison with the European project, its most significant geopolitical shift since the loss of empire.
Trump pardon of Blackwater Iraq contractors violates international law (UN)
U.S. President Donald Trump's pardon of four American men convicted of killing Iraqi civilians while working as contractors in 2007 violated U.S. obligations under international law, U.N. human rights experts said on Wednesday. Nicholas Slatten was convicted of first-degree murder, while Paul Slough, Evan Liberty and Dustin Heard were convicted of voluntary and attempted manslaughter.
A pandemic atlas: How COVID-19 took over the world in 2020
Almost no place has been spared - and no one. The virus that first emerged a year ago in Wuhan, China, swept across the world in 2020, leaving havoc in its wake. More than any event in memory, the pandemic has been a global event. On every continent, households have felt its devastation - joblessness and lockdowns, infirmity and death. And an abiding, relentless fear.
The new coronavirus variant in South Africa - Are concerns justified?
South Africa has identified a new variant of the novel coronavirus, which authorities believe is driving a surge in COVID-19 infections that could overwhelm its healthcare system. Several countries, including Britain which has found the mutant variant in cases linked to South Africa, have banned flights from South Africa, disrupting holiday travel and frustrating tour operators.
Global coronavirus infections surpassed the 75 million mark on Saturday, according to a Reuters tally, as several nations around the world begin vaccinating against the virus. Britain this month became the first Western country to start immunizing with the COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNtech, followed by the United States which has now also approved a vaccine.
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2020
In a year defined by a devastating pandemic, the world lost iconic defenders of civil rights, great athletes and entertainers who helped define their genres. Many of their names hold a prominent place in the collective consciousness: RBG, Kobe, Maradona, Eddie Van Halen, Little Richard, Sean Connery, Alex Trebek, Christo.
Europe set to approve COVID-19 vaccine in Christmas week
Europeans are set to start getting coronavirus vaccines before the new year after the regional drug regulator accelerated its approval process following the launch of immunisation campaigns in the United States and Britain. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said an expert panel would convene on Monday Dec. 21 to evaluate the vaccine made by U.S. company Pfizer and German partner BioNTech.
U.N. chief urges leaders of every country to declare 'climate emergency'
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on every country to declare a "climate emergency" on Saturday, as world leaders marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate accord made mostly incremental pledges relative to the scale of the crisis.
US virus deaths hit record levels with the holidays ahead
Deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. have soared to more than 2,200 a day on average, matching the frightening peak reached last April, and cases per day have eclipsed 200,000 on average for the first time on record, with the crisis all but certain to get worse because of the fallout from Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's.
Venezuela: Maduro and allies win National Assembly poll
President Nicolas Maduro's party and allies have won in Venezuela's legislative elections, boycotted by the main opposition parties. With over 80% of ballots counted, his coalition had 67.6% of the vote, the National Electoral Council said. The victory means that Mr Maduro now has total control of the country's political institutions.
Japanese space officials eager to analyze asteroid samples
Japanese space officials said they are excited about the return of a capsule that landed safely in the Australian Outback on Sunday while carrying soil samples from a distant asteroid, and that they are eager to begin analyzing the "treasure" inside. The capsule's delivery by Japan's Hayabusa2 spacecraft completes its six-year sample-return mission.
The potential impact of Brexit without a trade deal
Britain and the European Union sought on Sunday to strike an elusive trade deal, with failure likely to end with trade in chaos, markets tumbling and a huge economic price to pay.
UK authorizes Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use
British officials authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use on Wednesday, greenlighting the world's first shot against the virus that's backed by rigorous science and taking a major step toward eventually ending the pandemic. The go-ahead for the vaccine developed by American drugmaker Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech comes as the virus surges again in the United States and Europe.
Argentine authorities seize files from Maradona's doctor in probe of death
Argentine justice officials on Sunday seized medical files from the doctor of Diego Maradona as part of their investigation into the recent death of the soccer star. Maradona died at age 60 on Wednesday after a heart attack. The search was requested by prosecutors in the rich Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro.
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's top nuclear scientist, assassinated near Tehran
Iran's most senior nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has been assassinated near the capital Tehran, the country's defence ministry has confirmed. Fakhrizadeh died in hospital after an attack in Absard, in Damavand county. Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, has condemned the killing "as an act of state terror".
Diego Maradona, Argentine soccer genius who saw heaven and hell, dead at 60
World soccer great Diego Armando Maradona, who died on Wednesday less than a month after his 60th birthday, was worshipped like a god for his genius with the ball, but his demons almost destroyed him. Maradona had died after suffering a heart attack at his home in the suburbs of Buenos Aires, those close to him confirmed. Argentine President Alberto Fernandez declared three days of mourning.
50,000 COVID-19 deaths and rising. How Britain failed to stop the second wave
The country is one of many struggling to cope with a new surge of the disease. With more than 12,000 additional deaths by Nov. 19 in the second wave, Britain is recording nearly four times more deaths per capita than Germany, though not as many as Spain or France. Few countries have got things completely right.
Germany wants quarantines before Christmas holiday visits
Germany's 16 states want people to self-quarantine for several days before visiting family at Christmas, to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus to elderly and vulnerable relatives. The dpa news agency reported Tuesday that states have agreed among themselves on a proposal for tightening Germany's partial lockdown measures in the coming weeks, so they can be relaxed over the holidays.
China's Xi to take spotlight at Asia-Pacific summit in Trump's absence
Fresh from the success of creating the world's largest free trade region, China's President Xi Jinping will be among the speakers on Thursday heralding a Asia-Pacific virtual summit that U.S. President Donald Trump has decided to skip. Last week, 15 countries signed the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), and the China-backed accord, which excludes the United States.
Peru's Congress selects centrist lawmaker to be new leader
Peru's political crisis appeared on the verge of resolution Monday as Congress cleared the way for an elder statesman and consensus candidate to become the country's third president in a week. People waved the nation's red-and-white flag and blared horns outside the gates of Congress as Francisco Sagasti of the centrist Purple Party was selected the legislature's new president.
Peru's interim president resigns as chaos embroils nation
Peru's interim president resigned Sunday as the nation plunged into its worst constitutional crisis in two decades following massive protests unleashed when Congress ousted the nation's popular leader. In a short televised address, Manuel Merino said Congress acted within the law when he was sworn into office as chief of state Tuesday.
French police increase COVID lockdown checks in Paris
French police stepped up controls in Paris over the weekend to ensure residents were complying with strict lockdown rules imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19, amid signs that some people were breaching them. Prime Minister Jean Castex has said people are not abiding by the rules as strictly as during the first lockdown back in the spring.
Seven dead as Typhoon Vamco triggers Philippine capital's worst floods in years
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday ordered government agencies to hasten relief efforts after a powerful typhoon killed at least seven people and unleashed some of the worst flooding in years in the capital Manila.
Biden defeats Trump for White House, says 'time to heal'
Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald Trump to become the 46th president of the United States on Saturday and offered himself to the nation as a leader who "seeks not to divide, but to unify" a country gripped by a historic pandemic and a confluence of economic and social turmoil.
US election 2020: Agony and ecstasy as Americans react to Biden's win
Scenes of joy and disappointment have been seen across the US after Joe Biden was projected to win the presidential election, ending a nail-biting wait for results that left the world in suspense. Spontaneous celebrations erupted in major cities after media outlets announced Mr Biden's victory over President Donald Trump on Saturday.
Eta wreaks 'shocking' Central America devastation, death toll surges
The remnants of Hurricane Eta unleashed torrential rains and catastrophic flooding on Central America, with fatalities sharply up on Thursday as streets turned into rivers and dozens more were feared to be buried in their homes by mudslides. In Guatemala, the death toll shot up past 50 over the course of the day, according to President Alejandro Giammattei.
Jittery public awaits fate of race in bitterly divided United States
With a bitterly divided America failing to deliver a decisive result for either party, a jittery public awaited clarity Wednesday over the fate of a race that remained too early to call. Across the country, sleep-deprived voters kept TV screens tuned to newscasts while refreshing maps checkered with blue and red that delivered no clear answers.
US VoteCast: Voters favor Biden on virus, Trump on economy
Voters in the U.S. presidential election faced a public health crisis and a wounded economy, but neither candidate emerged as the clear choice to handle both of those issues, according to AP VoteCast.
With US election results from key states unclear, Trump declares victory
Despite incomplete results from several battleground states that could determine the outcome of the U.S. presidential race, President Donald Trump early on Wednesday proclaimed victory over Democratic challenger Joe Biden. "Frankly, we did win", Trump told supporters at the White House.
Johnson locks down England as UK COVID-19 cases pass 1 million
Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered England back into a national lockdown after the United Kingdom passed the milestone of one million COVID-19 cases and a second wave of infections threatened to overwhelm the health service. The United Kingdom, which has the biggest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19, is grappling with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day.
With election looming, U.S. faces new daily world record of 100,000 coronavirus cases
A record surge of coronavirus cases in the United States pushed hospitals closer to the brink of capacity and drove the number of infections reported on Friday to an ominous new daily world record of 100,000, four days before the U.S. presidential election. The United States also documented its 9 millionth case to date on Friday, representing nearly 3% of the population.
With an average 40,000 new coronavirus cases per day, President Macron orders France back into Covid-19 lockdown
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a new nationwide lockdown from Friday to stem a surge in coronavirus patients in French hospitals, warning that the second wave of the virus is "likely to be deadlier than the first". "We have been overwhelmed by the rapid acceleration of Covid-19", Macron announced on Wednesday in a prime-time televised address.
France and Germany thrust into lockdown as second COVID-19 wave sweeps Europe
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel ordered their countries back into lockdown on Wednesday, as a massive second wave of coronavirus infections threatened to overwhelm Europe before the winter. World stock markets went into a dive in response to the news that Europe's biggest economies were imposing nationwide restrictions.
Facebook says suspected Iranian hackers behind U.S. election threats operated in 2019
U.S. officials blamed Iran last week for thousands of threatening emails and an online video that purported to show hackers breaking into a voter registration system just days before the U.S. presidential election. Tehran has denied the allegations.
Child malnutrition at record highs in parts of Yemen (United Nations survey)
Parts of Yemen are suffering record levels of acute child malnutrition, with nearly 100,000 children now at risk of dying, heightening warnings that the country is approaching a dire food security crisis, a U.N. report and officials said on Tuesday. Drivers of malnutrition in Yemen worsened in 2020.
2/3rds of Chilean voters back rewriting their constitution
Amid a year of contagion and turmoil, Chileans turned out Sunday to vote overwhelmingly in favour of having a constitutional convention draft a new charter to replace guiding principles imposed four decades ago under the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.
The number of confirmed daily cases in Croatia has soared to more than 2,000. Authorities say 2,242 people tested positive for the virus in the past 24 hours amid a steady surge in new cases. Sixteen people have died. Most of the cases have been confirmed in the capital city of Zagreb where authorities are setting up new testing facilities and adding hospital beds.
Coronavirus: US cases reach record high amid new wave of infections (83,010 new cases on Friday)
US coronavirus cases have hit a record daily high as states grapple with a renewed wave of infections. Citing data from local state health authorities, the Covid Tracking Project reported 83,010 new cases on Friday. US Surgeon General Jerome Adams has warned that hospital admission numbers are growing, but mortality rates are falling due to better patient care.
A newly restrained Trump faces the same old problems
President Donald Trump turned in the restrained and consistent performance his advisers said he needed in his final debate with Democratic challenger Joe Biden, but it was unlikely to alter the U.S. presidential race in any fundamental way. With just 11 days to go before the Nov. 3 election, Trump still faces the same fundamental problem: A country battered by the coronavirus.
Global powers push to end Nagorno-Karabakh fighting
Armenia's president headed to Brussels for talks with the European Union and NATO military alliance on Wednesday in a renewed drive to end the heaviest fighting since the 1990s over the mountain enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Both sides reported new fighting on Wednesday in and around Nagorno-Karabakh, a breakaway territory within Azerbaijan that is populated and controlled by ethnic Armenians.
The Movement to Socialism claims victory in Bolivia's election redo
Evo Morales' party claimed victory in Bolivia's presidential election as official results trickled in from Sunday's high-stakes redo of last year's annulled ballot that saw the leftist leader resign and flee the country. More than nine hours after polls closed, barely 6% of all ballot boxes had been counted and they showed Morales' handpicked successor, Luis Arce, trailing a conservative rival.
Chileans clang pots, rally in Santiago to mark anniversary of 2019 protests
Thousands of Chileans gathered in the central square of the capital, Santiago, on Sunday, clanging pots, cheering and chanting to mark the one-year anniversary of mass protests over inequality that left more than 30 dead and thousands injured. Protesters gathered early in the day in largely peaceful rallies downtown under bright, cloudless skies of the Southern Hemisphere spring.
Nagorno-Karabakh: Armenia-Azerbaijan truce broken minutes after deal
Both sides agreed had agreed a truce to start at midnight local time (20:00 GMT Saturday). But an Armenian defence ministry spokeswoman said Azerbaijan broke the ceasefire after just four minutes by firing artillery shells and rockets. Azerbaijan later said Armenia had broken the truce after two minutes. Both countries signed a Russian-brokered ceasefire last Saturday.
United Nations' arms embargoes on Iran expire despite US objections
A decade-long U.N. arms embargo on Iran that barred it from purchasing foreign weapons like tanks and fighter jets expired Sunday as planned under its nuclear deal with world powers, despite objections from the United States. While insisting it planned no "buying spree", Iran in theory can purchase weapons to upgrade military armament dating back to before its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ever since Russian agents and other opportunists abused its platform in an attempt to manipulate the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Facebook has insisted - repeatedly - that it's learned its lesson and is no longer a conduit for misinformation, voter suppression and election disruption. But it has been a long and halting journey for the social network.
Swiss tighten measures to combat spike in COVID-19 cases
Switzerland announced tighter restrictions on Sunday to tackle the recent spike in coronavirus cases, including a national obligation to wear masks and a ban on large scale public gatherings. Gatherings of more than 15 people in public places will be banned from Monday and masks must be worn in all indoor public places, the government announced following an extraordinary meeting.
China passes new law restricting sensitive exports
Under the law, China can take "reciprocal measures" toward countries or regions that abuse export controls and threaten its national security and interests. The new law allows Beijing to retaliate against the U.S. which in recent months has attempted to block Chinese technology firms such as telecommunications gear supplier Huawei, Bytedance's TikTok app and WeChat on grounds of national security
New Zealand's Ardern to form government within 3 weeks after historic election win
After a thumping election win, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Sunday that she would form a government within three weeks but declined to say whether she would rule alone or form a coalition. Ardern on Saturday delivered the biggest election victory for her centre-left Labour Party in half a century.
France's new COVID-19 cases set new 24-hour record, above 30,000
French health authorities on Thursday reported the number of new daily coronavirus infections jumped above 30,000 for the first time since the start of the epidemic. French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ordered a nightly curfew in Paris and eight other big cities where the coronavirus is rampant.
Europe hits record of over 700,000 new coronavirus cases
The World Health Organization said European nations reported more than 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week - the highest-ever figure since the start of the pandemic. In a weekly briefing published Tuesday, WHO said weekly virus cases and deaths across Europe jumped by 34% and 16% respectively. Britain, France, Russia and Spain accounted for more than half of the new cases seen in the region.
European Union's travellers could avoid quarantine under plans for COVID-19 testing regime
Travellers across Europe could avoid quarantine under plans to introduce a comprehensive COVID-19 testing regime, The Telegraph reported on Monday. The European Commission wants testing to be the "preferred" alternative to quarantine for travellers and has commissioned health experts to develop protocols, the report bit.ly/3doSz0O said.
'I have failed' - Kim Jong Un shows tearful side in confronting North Korea's hardships
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un appeared to shed tears at the weekend as he thanked citizens for their sacrifices, in the most striking demonstration yet of how he is relying on his "man of the people" persona to tackle his country's deepening crises.
Armenia and Azerbaijan accuse each other of violating Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire
Azerbaijan and Armenia accused each other of swiftly violating the terms of a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh on Saturday, raising questions about how meaningful the truce, brokered by Russia, would turn out to be. The ceasefire was meant to halt fighting to allow ethnic Armenian forces in Nagorno-Karabakh and Azeri forces to swap prisoners and war dead.
Lesson not learned: Europe unprepared as 2nd virus wave hits
Europe's second wave of coronavirus infections has struck well before flu season even started, with intensive care wards filling up again and bars shutting down. Making matters worse, authorities say, is a widespread case of "COVID-fatigue". Record high daily infections in several eastern European countries have made clear that Europe never crushed the COVID-19 curve as hoped.
The U.N.'s World Food Program wins Nobel Peace Prize
The United Nations' World Food Program on Friday won the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe. The organization provided assistance to almost 100 million people in 88 countries around the world last year. "I think this is the first time in my life I've been without words", WFP's head David Beasley told The Associated Press from Niger.
Trump's antibody treatment was tested using cells originally derived from an abortion
The Trump administration has looked to curtail research with fetal cells. But when it was life or death for the president, no one objected. This week, President Donald Trump extolled the cutting-edge coronavirus treatments he received as "miracles coming down from God". If that's true, then God employs cell lines derived from human fetal tissue.
Trump faces backlash for removing mask on return to White House
U.S. President Donald Trump faced a backlash on Tuesday for removing his mask when he returned to the White House and urging Americans not to fear the COVID-19 disease that has killed more than 209,000 people in the country and put him in hospital. Trump arrived at the White House on Monday in a made-for-television spectacle in which he descended from his Marine One helicopter.
Armenia and Azerbaijan clash as Iran works on peace plan
Armenia accused Azerbaijan of firing missiles into the capital of the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh on Monday, while Azerbaijan said several of its towns and its second-largest city were attacked. Iran, which borders both countries, said it was working on a peace plan for the decades-old conflict, which reignited last month and has killed scores of people on both sides.
Pope says free market failed to produce the social benefits their proponents claim
Pope Francis said on Sunday that the COVID-19 pandemic was the latest crisis to prove that market forces alone and "trickle-down" economic policies had failed to produce the social benefits their proponents claim. In an encyclical on the theme of human fraternity, Francis also said private property cannot be considered an absolute right where some lived extravagantly while others had nothing.
Trump's COVID-19 symptoms 'are very concerning', a source says
President Donald Trump is not yet on a clear path to recovery from COVID-19 and some of his vital signs over the last 24 hours were very concerning, a person familiar with his health said on Saturday. The source's assessment of the Republican president's medical status came after a team of doctors told reporters at a press conference earlier on Saturday that he was "doing very well".
Trump, stricken by COVID-19, flown to military hospital
Stricken by COVID-19, a feverish and fatigued President Donald Trump was flown to a military hospital Friday night where he was given remdesivir following treatment with an experimental drug at the White House. In a day of whipsaw events Friday, the president, who has spent months downplaying the threat of the virus, was forced to cancel all campaign events a month before the election.
President Donald Trump, who minimized the threat of the coronavirus pandemic for months, said on Friday that he and his wife Melania had tested positive for COVID-19 and were going into quarantine, upending the race for the White House. Trump, 74, is at high risk with the deadly virus both because of his age and because he is considered overweight.
First U.S. presidential debate 'not a very good night' for U.S.
The first debate of this fall's U.S. presidential election achieved the rare feat of uniting the pundits in a notoriously divided country. They found near unity in their dismay. The point of agreement was that this was a sad spectacle for what's sometimes described as the world's oldest democracy. The 90-minute affair concluded with a surreal exchange.
Tensions mount as Armenia, Azerbaijan continue fighting
Armenian and Azerbaijani forces accused each other of attacks on their territory Tuesday, as fighting over the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh continued for a third straight day following the reigniting of a decades-old conflict.
Coronavirus deaths rise above a million in "agonizing" global milestone
The global coronavirus death toll rose past a million on Tuesday, according to a Reuters tally, a grim statistic in a pandemic that has devastated the global economy, overloaded health systems and changed the way people live. The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus this year is now double the number of people who die annually from malaria - and the death rate has increased in recent weeks.
China pushes emergency use of COVID vaccine despite concerns
After the first shot, he had no reaction. But Kan Chai felt woozy following the second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in China. "When I was driving on the road, I suddenly felt a bit dizzy, as if I was driving drunk", the popular writer and columnist recounted in a webinar earlier this month. "So I specially found a place to stop the car, rest a bit and then I felt better".
With no successful vaccine candidates yet, Canada signs deal to secure 20M more COVID-19 vaccine doses
Canada has signed an agreement to secure another 20 million vaccine doses as the global race for a COVID-19 vaccine intensifies. During a news conference in Ottawa today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a deal with AstraZeneca on access to a vaccine prospect now being developed at Oxford University. As a result, Canada has now secured access to six leading vaccine candidates.
Knifeman in Paris wounds two at scene of Charlie Hebdo attacks
A man armed with a meat cleaver attacked and wounded two people on Friday who had stepped out for a cigarette in front of the Paris office building where Islamist militants gunned down employees of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo five years ago. The suspected attacker was from Pakistan, and had arrived in France three years ago as an unaccompanied minor, Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said.
Cold diggers? The United Nations finds a record low in Greenland ice in 1991
For all the recent talk of global warming, climate historians hunting for past temperature extremes have unearthed what the UN weather agency calls a new record low in the Northern Hemisphere; nearly -70 degrees Celsius (-93 F) was recorded almost three decades ago in Greenland.-69.6 Celsius degrees were recorded on December 22, 1991 at an automatic weather station in a remote site called Klinck.
Factbox: How Russia has prepared itself to blunt threat of more sanctions
The poisoning of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and Moscow's involvement in political turmoil in neighbouring Belarus have put additional Western sanctions against Russia back on the agenda ahead of the U.S. presidential election. But even if imposed, the impact of any new sanctions would likely be muted in comparison with previous efforts to punish Russia over its annexation of Crimea in 2014.
Trump expands ban on US money for diversity training
US president Trump on Tuesday issued an order that he said will expand a ban on the use of federal money for certain diversity training. "A few weeks ago, I BANNED efforts to indoctrinate government employees with divisive and harmful sex and race-based ideologies", Trump tweeted before issuing the order. "I've expanded that ban to people and companies that do business with our country".
Letter containing poison addressed to Trump at White House
A package containing ricin poison that was addressed to US President Donald Trump has been intercepted before it reached the White House, officials told US media. The letter was discovered at a screening facility for White House mail earlier this week, the officials said. They said a substance found inside the envelope was identified as ricin, a poison found naturally in castor beans.
India's coronavirus infections top five million mark
The number of confirmed coronavirus infections in India has surpassed five million, officials say, the second-highest in the world after the US. The virus appears to be spreading much faster in India than any other country, with daily cases crossing 90,000 for the five days up until Tuesday. More than 80,000 people have died, amid reports of shortages of intensive care beds and oxygen supplies.
AstraZeneca resumes UK trials of COVID-19 vaccine halted by patient illness
AstraZeneca AZN.L has resumed British clinical trials of its COVID-19 vaccine, one of the most advanced in development, after getting the green light from safety watchdogs, the company said on Saturday. The late-stage trials of the experimental vaccine, developed with researchers from the University of Oxford, were suspended this week after an illness in a study subject in Britain, casting doubts
Finland to ease travel restrictions, allowing entry from Sweden
Finland will ease tight restrictions on entry as it tries to attract back business travellers and tourists ahead of winter, allowing arrivals from countries with higher rates of coronavirus infection including its neighbour Sweden.
Argentina provinces face 'health catastrophe' as pandemic spreads
Sergio Barrera Ruiz, a 52-year-old pediatrician from Jujuy in the north of Argentina, sees a local health crisis looming as the coronavirus pandemic ripples out from Buenos Aires, the capital, and grips the country's less well-equipped outlying provinces. As economic pressures grew, restrictions were eased and infections soared, taking the country into the global top 10 for cases.
India surpasses Brazil to take 2nd spot in global coronavirus case numbers
With 4.2 million cases, India now sits only behind the United States. India's increasing coronavirus caseload made it the pandemic's second worst-hit country behind the United States on Monday as its efforts to head off economic disaster gain urgency. The 90,802 cases added in the past 24 hours pushed India's total past Brazil with 4.2 million cases. India is now only behind the United States.
Djokovic out of US Open after hitting line judge with ball
Novak Djokovic was kicked out of the U.S. Open for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a tennis ball after dropping a game in his fourth-round match Sunday, a stunning end to his 29-match winning streak and bid for an 18th Grand Slam title.
UK's Johnson tells EU to agree trade deal by October 15 or 'move on'
Britain has set a deadline of October 15 to strike a free-trade deal with the European Union, and if none is agreed both sides should "accept that and move on", UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will say on Monday. Britain left the EU on January 31 but there has been little progress on a new trade deal after a status-quo transition arrangement ends in December.
The World Health Organization does not expect there to be widespread vaccinations against COVID-19 until mid 2021
The World Health Organization does not expect there to be widespread vaccinations against COVID-19 until the middle of next year, a spokeswoman said on Friday, stressing the importance of rigorous checks on their effectiveness and safety.
India and China said on Saturday they had agreed to work towards reducing tensions along their contested border, following a meeting of the defense ministers of the nuclear-armed Asian giants. Both sides deployed additional forces along the frontier running through the western Himalayas after a clash in June, during which 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand fighting.
U.S. court: Mass surveillance program exposed by Snowden was illegal
Seven years after former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the mass surveillance of Americans' telephone records, an appeals court has found the program was unlawful - and that the U.S. intelligence leaders who publicly defended it were not telling the truth. (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit)
Italy's former PM Berlusconi tests positive for coronavirus
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi vowed to carry on with political activities ahead of local elections in September after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. The 83-year-old media tycoon will remain under isolation in his house in the town of Arcore, north of Milan, his staff said in a statement.
Putin critic Navalny was poisoned with Novichok nerve agent, Merkel says
Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, who is in intensive care in a Berlin hospital, was poisoned with a Soviet-style Novichok nerve agent in an attempt to murder him, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday. She said Berlin now expected Moscow to explain itself and that Germany would consult its NATO allies about how to respond, raising the prospect of new Western sanctions on Russia.
German court allows Berlin protests against coronavirus curbs
A German regional court gave the go-ahead for mass demonstrations planned on Saturday in Berlin against coronavirus curbs, ruling against the capital's ban on such protests. Police deployed 3,000 officers to control crowds expected to reach 20,000 people.
U.N. Security Council president dismisses U.S. sanctions move on Iran
The president of the U.N. Security Council, Indonesia, said on Tuesday it was "not in the position to take further action" on a U.S. bid to trigger a return of all U.N. sanctions on Iran because there is no consensus in the 15-member body. The Security Council resoundingly rejected a U.S. attempt on Aug. 14 to extend an arms embargo on Iran beyond its expiration in October.
Trump announces plasma treatment authorized for COVID-19
U.S. president Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma - a move he called "a breakthrough", one of his top health officials called "promising" and other health experts said needs more study before it's celebrated.
Returning vacationers drive Italy's surge in COVID cases
With thousands of travelers being tested at Italy's airports and some ports, the nation where Europe's COVID-19 outbreak began registered a seventh straight day of increasing new infections Sunday, mostly driven by returning vacationers.
Russia to let dissident in coma fly to Berlin for treatment
Russian doctors gave a dissident who is in a coma after a suspected poisoning permission to be transferred abroad for medical treatment, in a sudden reversal Friday that came after more than 24 hours of wrangling over Alexei Navalny's condition and treatment. Navalny, a 44-year-old politician and corruption investigator is one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's fiercest critics.
Thirteen of 15-member U.N. Security Council oppose U.S. push for Iran sanctions
The United States was further isolated on Friday over its bid to reimpose international sanctions on Iran with 13 countries on the 15-member U.N. Security Council expressing their opposition, arguing that Washington's move is void given it is using a process agreed under a nuclear deal that it quit two years ago.
Virus cases reported at 41 schools in Germany's capital
At least 41 schools in Berlin have reported that students or teachers have become infected with the coronavirus not even two weeks after schools reopened in the German capital. Daily Berliner Zeitung published the numbers Friday and city education authorities confirmed the figures to The Associated Press.
France plans masks at work as daily COVID-19 cases surpass 3,000
France is to propose that masks be worn in shared workspaces as the country grapples with a rebound in coronavirus cases that rose again in the past 24 hours to over 3,000. The resurgence prompted Britain to impose a 14-day quarantine for people arriving from France, and led the authorities in Paris to expand zones in the capital where wearing a mask is mandatory outdoors.
Trump orders Chinese owner of TikTok to sell US assets
U.S. president Donald Trump on Friday gave the Chinese company ByteDance 90 days to divest itself of any assets used to support the popular TikTok app in the United States. Trump's executive order said there is "credible evidence that leads me to believe that ByteDance might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States".
'Hundreds dead' because of Covid-19 misinformation
At least 800 people died around the world because of coronavirus-related misinformation in the first three months of this year, researchers say. A study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene says about 5,800 people were admitted to hospital as a result of false information on social media. Many died from drinking methanol or alcohol-based cleaning products.
Argentina and Mexico to produce AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
Argentina and Mexico will produce the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine for most of Latin America, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said on Wednesday after a meeting with company executives involved in the project. An agreement signed between British AstraZeneca and the Argentine biotechnology company mAbxience includes transfer of technology to initially produce 150 million doses of the vaccine.
Russia becomes first country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine
President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that Russia had become the first country in the world to grant regulatory approval to a COVID-19 vaccine after less than two months of human testing, a move hailed by Moscow as evidence of its scientific prowess. The Russian business conglomerate Sistema has said it expects to put it into mass production by the end of the year.
Brazil makes grim milestone: 100,000 deaths from COVID-19
Brazil surpassed a grim milestone of 100,000 deaths from COVID-19 on Saturday night, and five months after the first reported case the country has not shown signs of crushing the disease. The nation of 210 million people has been reporting an average of more than 1,000 daily deaths from the pandemic since late May and reported 905 for the latest 24-hour period.
U.S. sets record as coronavirus cases top 5 million
The United States set a record for coronavirus cases on Saturday, with more than 5 million people now infected, according to a Reuters tally, as the country's top infectious diseases official offered hope earlier this week that an effective vaccine might be available by year-end. The country has recorded more than 160,000 deaths, nearly a quarter of the world's total.
Lebanese protesters storm ministry buildings as anger over Beirut blast grows
Lebanese protesters stormed government ministries in Beirut and trashed the offices of the Association of Lebanese Banks on Saturday as shots rang out in increasingly angry demonstrations over this week's devastating explosion. The protesters said their politicians should resign and be punished for negligence they say led to Tuesday's blast, the biggest ever to hit Beirut.
Canada to impose $3.6B in tariffs in response to Trump's U.S. move against Canadian aluminum
The federal government will spend one month consulting with Canadians about which U.S. metals products to target with retaliatory tariffs as a new trade dispute flares up with the Trump administration. The government intends to impose $3.6 billion in punitive countermeasures after a 30-day consultation with business leaders and other Canadians about potential targets from a preliminary list.
Beirut blast: Dozens dead and thousands injured, health minister says
A large blast in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, has killed at least 70 people and injured more than 4,000 others, the health minister says. Officials are blaming highly explosive materials stored in a warehouse for six years. President Michel Aoun tweeted it was "unacceptable" that 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate was stored unsafely.
Coronavirus: WHO warns of 'no silver bullet' amid vaccine search
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that while there is hope for a vaccine against Covid-19, one might never be found. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news briefing there was "no silver bullet at the moment - and there might never be". Dr Tedros implored people around the world to comply with measures such as social distancing, hand-washing and mask-wearing.
Mexico logs over 9,000 new coronavirus cases for first time
Mexico racked up a record number of new confirmed coronavirus infections on Saturday, registering more than 9,000 daily cases for the first time and passing the previous peak for the second day running, official data showed. Mexico's health ministry reported 9,556 new cases of coronavirus, surging past the record of 8,458 set on Friday.
U.S. lawmakers accuse Big Tech of crushing rivals to boost profits
Facebook Inc's Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon.com Inc's Jeff Bezos, Google owner Alphabet Inc's Sundar Pichai and Apple Inc's Tim Cook - whose companies have a combined market value of about $5 trillion - parried a range of accusations that they crippled smaller rivals in their quest for market share.
Dozens were arrested and many police injured in clashes around Seattle's biggest Black Lives Matter protest in weeks on Saturday, police said, with a renewed energy sparked by violent clashes between activists and federal agents in nearby Portland, Oregon. By 10 p.m.(0500 GMT), police had "made 45 arrests in connection with today's riot in the East Precinct", the Seattle Police wrote in Twitter.
World Health Organization chief denounces 'unacceptable' comments by U.S. Secretary questioning his independence
The head of the World Health Organization said on Thursday that reported comments by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo questioning his independence were untrue and would not distract the organisation from its work in fighting the coronavirus. Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has come under criticism by US officials, who have accused him of being pro-China.
UK coronavirus vaccine prompts immune response in early test
Scientists at Oxford University say their experimental coronavirus vaccine has been shown in an early trial to prompt a protective immune response in hundreds of people who got the shot. Early trials are designed to evaluate safety and see what kind of immune response was provoked, but can't tell if the vaccine truly protects.
United Arab Emirates' Amal spacecraft rockets toward Mars in Arab world 1st
A United Arab Emirates spacecraft rocketed into blue skies from a Japanese launch centre Monday at the start of a seven-month journey to Mars on the Arab world's first interplanetary mission. The liftoff of the Mars orbiter named Amal, or Hope, starts a rush to fly to Earth's neighbor that is scheduled to be followed in the next few days by China and the United States.
Indonesia overtakes China with highest coronavirus cases in East Asia
Indonesia overtook China on Saturday as the country with the most confirmed coronavirus cases in East Asia with 84,882 infections, and authorities said the actual infection rate could be higher due to undetected cases.
Florida sets one-day record with over 15,000 new COVID cases, more than most countries
Florida reported a record increase of more than 15,000 new cases of COVID-19 in 24 hours on Sunday, as the US administration renewed its push for schools to reopen and anti-mask protests were planned in Michigan and Missouri. If Florida were a country, it would rank fourth in the world for the most new cases in a day behind the United States, Brazil and India, according to a Reuters analysis.
Scientists focus on how immune system T cells fight coronavirus in absence of antibodies
As scientists question whether the presence, or absence, of antibodies to the novel coronavirus can reliably determine immunity, some are looking to a different component of the immune system, known as T cells, for their role in protecting people in the pandemic. Recent studies show that some recovered patients who tested negative for coronavirus antibodies did develop T cells in virus response.
The World Health Organization has acknowledged there is emerging evidence that the coronavirus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air. The airborne transmission could not be ruled out in crowded, closed or poorly ventilated settings, an official said. If the evidence is confirmed, it may affect guidelines for indoor spaces.
Brazil's President Bolsonaro tests positive for COVID-19
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro says he has tested positive for COVID-19 after months of downplaying the virus' severity. The president has often appeared in public to shake hands with supporters and mingle with crowds, at times without a mask. He has said that his history as an athlete would protect him from the virus, and that it would be nothing more than a "little flu".
The World Health Organization halts hydroxychloroquine, HIV drugs in COVID trials after failure to reduce death
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was discontinuing its trials of the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine and combination HIV drug lopinavir/ritonavir in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 after they failed to reduce mortality.
New record daily increase in global coronavirus cases, up more than 212,000
The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases on Saturday, with the total rising by 212,326 in 24 hours. The biggest increases were from the United States, Brazil and India, according to a daily report here The previous WHO record for new cases was 189,077 on June 28. Deaths remained steady at about 5,000 a day.
Mercosur leaders look to close EU deal despite Macron's resistance
Mercosur ministers reported progress on the final text of a trade agreement with the European Union on Wednesday on the eve of a summit meeting overshadowed by French President Emmanuel Macron’s latest comments against the deal. Leaders of the South American trade bloc are expected to discuss the COVID-19 pandemic, trade deals with Canada, Singapore and South Korea.
Russians grant President Putin right to extend his rule until 2036 in landslide vote
Russians opened the door to Vladimir Putin staying in power until 2036 by voting overwhelmingly for constitutional changes that will allow him to run again for president twice, but critics said the outcome was falsified on an industrial scale.
Global coronavirus cases exceeded 10 million on Sunday according to a Reuters tally, marking a major milestone in the spread of the respiratory disease that has so far killed almost half a million people in seven months. The figure is roughly double the number of severe influenza illnesses recorded annually, according to the World Health Organisation.
A United Nations rights expert urges the European Union to punish any Israeli annexation in West Bank
A U.N. rights investigator urged the European Union on Friday to consider measures to prevent or punish any Israeli annexation of parts of the occupied West Bank, a few days after over 1,000 European lawmakers made a similar call. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres added his voice to the matter on Wednesday, calling on Israel to abandon annexations of settlements in the West Bank.
US health officials estimate 20 million Americans have had virus
U.S. officials estimate that 20 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus since it first arrived in the United States, meaning that the vast majority of the population remains susceptible. Thursday's estimate is roughly 10 times as many infections as the 2.3 million cases that have been confirmed.
'Coming back and biting us': US sees virus resurgence
A coronavirus resurgence is wiping out two months of progress in the U.S. and sending infections to dire new levels across the South and West, with hospital administrators and health experts warning Wednesday that politicians and a tired-of-being-cooped-up public are letting a disaster unfold. The U.S. recorded a one-day total of 34,700 new confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Tennis star Novak Djokovic tests positive for COVID-19
Novak Djokovic, the men's world No. 1 tennis player, has tested positive for COVID-19, he said in a statement on Tuesday. Croatia's Borna Coric, Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria and Viktor Troicki have previously tested positive after playing in Djokovic's Adria Tour exhibition tournament in the Balkan region.
Coronavirus cases soar in big countries, especially Brazil,the World Health Organization says
Coronavirus cases are soaring in several major countries at the same time, with "worrying increases" in Latin America, especially Brazil, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday. The world recorded more than 183,000 new coronavirus cases on Sunday, the most in a single day since the outbreak started in December, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Brazil records nearly 50,000 coronavirus deaths as crisis deepens
Nearly 50,000 people have died from the coronavirus in Brazil, the world No. 2 hotspot, with 1,022 fatalities in the last 24 hours, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. A total of 49,976 people have officially died from COVID-19 in Brazil, according to the ministry, with a total of 1,067,579 confirmed cases. Only the United States has recorded more deaths and cases.
Beijing sees drop in virus cases as Brazil passes 1 million
Authorities in China appeared to be winning their battle against an outbreak of coronavirus in Beijing on Saturday, but in parts of the Americas the pandemic raged unabated. Brazil surpassed 1 million confirmed infections, second only to the United States.
Mexico, India, Ireland, Norway elected to U.N. Security Council, one seat still open
Mexico, India, Ireland and Norway were elected to the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday, but the 193 U.N. member states must return on Thursday to continue voting to fill one more vacant seat after there was no clear winner. Canada lost out to Ireland and Norway in a hotly contested election.
India, China troops clash at Himalayan border, 'casualties on both sides'
India's army said on Tuesday 20 of its soldiers had been killed in clashes with Chinese troops at a disputed border site, in a major escalation of a weeks-long standoff between the two Asian giants in the western Himalayas. China's foreign ministry confirmed there had been a "violent physical confrontation" on Monday in the border area.
France is opening its borders with other European countries at midnight for the first time since shutting them amid virus fears three months ago, and will start opening up to visitors from other continents July 1. It's among several European countries opening borders first thing Monday - though it's not clear how many Europeans are ready to travel again.
Thousands of protesters in Tokyo took part in a Black Lives Matter march on Sunday, calling for an end to racial discrimination and police abuse after the killing of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis last month. Demonstrators marched through the streets of the capital's Shibuya and Harajuku districts chanting and holding up signs spelling out slogans such as "Racism Is A Pandemic".
Putin says Russia's handling of coronavirus is superior to U.S.
President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Russia was emerging from the novel coronavirus epidemic with minimal losses, having handled it better than the United States where he said party political interests got in the way. With 528,964 confirmed cases, Russia has the third-highest number of infections after Brazil and the United States.
New wave of COVID-19 cases from Beijing market spreads to Liaoning
Beijing: After weeks with almost no new coronavirus infections, Beijing has recorded dozens of new cases in recent days, all linked to a major wholesale food market, raising concerns about a resurgence of the disease.
Risk of new lockdowns rises with fear of second COVID-19 wave
Fears of a second wave of COVID-19 infections grew on Friday with a record daily increase in India, warnings against complacency in Europe and word from half a dozen U.S. states that their hospital beds were filling up fast.
For virus-tamer Merkel, global alliances trumped nationalism
Travelling in convoy through the Chinese city of Wuhan last September, Angela Merkel called a halt. As her party crossed a bridge over the Yangtze river, the German Chancellor wanted to hear about a grand gesture by revolutionary leader Mao Zedong. That Wuhan visit helped shape Merkel's response to COVID-19, three people close to the chancellor told Reuters.
The World Health Organization says the pandemic is 'far from over' as daily cases hit record high
New coronavirus cases had their biggest daily increase ever as the pandemic worsens globally and has yet to peak in central America, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, urging countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus. More than 136,000 new cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, the most in a single day so far, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.
Protests worldwide embrace 'Black Lives Matter' movement
Thousands took to the streets across Europe and Australia on Saturday, as did hundreds in Tokyo and Seoul, in support of days of U.S. protests against police brutality. The rolling, global protests reflect rising anger over police treatment of ethnic minorities, sparked by the May 25 killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by a police officer.
Coronavirus deaths surge in Brazil and Mexico as regional leaders look to reopen
The number of coronavirus deaths in Brazil blew past Italy's toll on Thursday, while Mexico reported a record number of new cases, as regional leaders in Latin America push to end quarantine measures and kick their economies back into gear. With much of Latin America's population living day to day from earnings in the informal sector, many regional leaders are keen to reopen local economies.
Mexico reports record toll of coronavirus deaths, new infections
Mexican health authorities reported 1,092 novel coronavirus deaths on Wednesday, the country's highest toll in one day so far, with total infections surging past 100,000 as the Latin American country emerges as a major center of the pandemic.
After long silence, former US Defense Secretary Mattis denounces president Trump and military response to crisis
After long refusing to explicitly criticize a sitting president, former Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused President Donald Trump on Wednesday of trying to divide America and roundly denounced a militarization of the U.S. response to civil unrest.
US cities erupt in more violence as Trump decries 'lowlifes'
President Donald Trump stepped up the pressure on governors to crack down after a week of unrest set off by the death of George Floyd, demanding New York call up the National Guard to stop the "lowlifes and losers". Cities around the U.S. witnessed a seventh straight night of both peaceful demonstrations and bursts of theft, vandalism and attacks on police.
Trump threatens military force against protesters nationwide
Wielding extraordinary federal authority, U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the nation's governors on Monday that he would deploy the military to states if they did not stamp out violent protests over police brutality that have roiled the nation over the past week. His announcement came as police under federal command forced back peaceful demonstrators with tear gas.
SpaceX Crew Dragon delivers two NASA astronauts to International Space Station
Nearly 24 hours after launching from Florida, SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule delivered NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station on Sunday, marking the first U.S. space capsule to do so with a crew since 2011.
US takes aim at World Health Organization as economic outlook worsens
With new U.S. economic numbers highlighting the rough road ahead for a hoped-for rebound, President Donald Trump on Friday took aim at the World Health Organization and China, blaming both for their roles in the pandemic's devastation.
Minneapolis police officer who knelt on handcuffed black man arrested
The Minneapolis officer who was seen on video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, a handcuffed black man who died in custody after pleading that he could not breathe, was arrested Friday. The arrest comes after three days of protests, which escalated in violence as demonstrators torched a police precinct that had been abandoned by officers.
Inside a COVID-19 hospital in India, doctors see no end in sight
The coronavirus pandemic has killed over 4,500 people and infected more than 150,000 across India. While infection rates from the virus have begun to fall in many countries, in India they are still rising sharply, and epidemiologists warn peak is yet to come. Concerns are rising about how the country of 1.3 billion, will handle the surge with roughly 6,000 new infections being detected daily.
China parliament advances Hong Kong security law as U.S. tensions rise
China's parliament approved a decision on Thursday to go forward with national security legislation for Hong Kong that democracy activists in the city and Western countries fear could erode its freedoms and jeopardise its role as a global financial hub.
WHO says the Americas are new COVID-19 epicenter as deaths surge in Latin America
The Americas have emerged as the new epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a Tuesday briefing. The Americas have registered more than 2.4 million cases of the new coronavirus and more than 143,000 deaths from the resulting COVID-19 respiratory disease. Latin America has passed Europe and the United States in daily infections, she said.
UN virus therapy trial pauses hydroxychloroquine testing
The World Health Organization said Monday that it will temporarily drop hydroxychloroquine - the anti-malarial drug U.S. President Trump says he is taking - from its global study into experimental COVID-19 treatments, saying that its experts need to review all available evidence to date.
Soccer Spanish league wants to resume with Seville derby on June 11.
The president of the Spanish soccer league said Sunday the competition could restart as early as June 11 with the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis. "It will depend on how the training progresses, but hopefully it will be possible to restart with our first match on Thursday, June 11", Tebas said in his weekly Sunday night interview with league broadcaster Movistar.
Coronavirus: Yemen's healthcare system 'in effect collapsed'
War-torn Yemen's healthcare system has "in effect collapsed" and coronavirus is spreading across the country, the United Nations has warned. Jens Laerke, spokesman for the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), described the situation as "extremely alarming".
Open Skies Treaty: US to withdraw from arms control deal
The Open Skies Treaty came into force in January 2002 and some 34 countries have ratified the agreement. It allows for unarmed short-notice reconnaissance flights by specially equipped aircraft, over the entire territory of another country to collect data on troop deployments, military facilities and so on. The US has announced it will withdraw from it.
Global coronavirus cases surpass 5 million, with infections rising in Brazil
Global coronavirus cases surpassed 5 million on Wednesday, with Latin America overtaking the United States and Europe in the past week to report the largest portion of new daily cases globally. A large number of those new cases came from Brazil, which recently surpassed Germany, France and the United Kingdom to become the third-largest outbreak in the world, behind the United States and Russia.
Trump says he is taking malaria drug to protect against virus
US' President Donald Trump said Monday that he is taking hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug, to protect against the new coronavirus, despite warnings from his own government that it should only be administered for COVID-19 in a hospital or research setting due to potentially fatal side effects.
United Arab Emirates to expand nightly coronavirus curfew, allow more residents to return
The United Arab Emirates will extend a nightly curfew by two hours from this week after reporting an increase in daily cases of the coronavirus, an official said on Monday. The nationwide curfew, which currently runs from 10PM to 6AM, would start at 8PM on Wednesday until further notice, Saif Al Dhaheri, spokesman for the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority, said.
U.S. savages WHO as it promises pandemic review, but China pledges U$S2 billion
The World Health Organization said on Monday an independent review of the global coronavirus response would begin as soon as possible and it received backing and a hefty pledge of funds from China, in the spotlight as the origin of the pandemic. US' Trump said later in Washington that the WHO, which he called a "puppet of China", had "done a very sad job" in its handling of the coronavirus.
Coronavirus spreads in Yemen with health system in shambles
Hundreds of people in Aden, southern Yemen's main city, have died in the past week with symptoms of what appears to be the coronavirus, local health officials said in interviews with The Associated Press. One gravedigger in Aden told AP he'd never seen such a constant flow of dead -- even in a city that has seen multiple bouts of bloody street battles during the civil war.
Caught in Trump-China feud, WHO's leader is under siege
The U.S. offensive against the World Health Organization has shaken its leader at an already difficult time for the health agency as it seeks to coordinate a global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO insiders and diplomats say. When the head of the World Health Organization returned from a whirlwind trip to Beijing in late January, he wanted to praise China's leadership publicly.
Canada's Trudeau: the world has changed even if pandemic ends and vaccine is found someday
Canadians should accept the world will change even if a vaccine is found and the coronavirus pandemic ends, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday, urging people to adjust to a new normal that will require modified behavior. World Health Organization emergencies expert Mike Ryan said on Wednesday that the coronavirus that causes COVID19 could become endemic like HIV and "may never go away"
Tesla's Musk becomes champion for businesses defying shutdown orders
While Musk is getting support on social media from his devoted followers and even President Donald Trump, his actions might cost him in the long run. Many who buy his expensive electric vehicles do so because they tilt to the left politically and want to make a statement about protecting the environment. And they have criticized Musk in the past when he's allied too closely with Trump.
US' Fauci warns: More death, economic damage if US reopens too fast
The U.S. government's top infectious disease expert issued a blunt warning Tuesday that cities and states could "turn back the clock" and see more COVID-19 deaths and economic damage alike if they lift coronavirus stay-at-home orders too fast -- a sharp contrast as President Donald Trump pushes to right a free-falling economy.
Russia overtakes Italy and Britain after record rise in coronavirus cases
Russia's coronavirus cases overtook Italian and British infections on Monday to become the third highest in the world after a record daily rise hours before President Vladimir Putin was due to review the country's lockdown.
Iranian missile accidentally kills 19 people from its Iranian Hendijan-class support ship, The Konarak
An Iranian missile fired during a training exercise in the Gulf of Oman struck a support vessel near its target, killing 19 Iranian sailors and wounding 15, Iran's state media reported on Monday, amid heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The European Union plots to restart travel and tourism despite COVID-19.
EU states should guarantee vouchers for travel cancelled during the coronavirus pandemic and start lifting internal border restrictions in a bid to salvage some of the summer tourism season, the bloc's executive will say next week. Tourism, that normally contributes almost a tenth of the European Union's economic output, is among the sectors hardest hit by the global outbreak.
The second virus wave: How bad will it be as lockdowns ease?
From the marbled halls of Italy to the wheat fields of Kansas, health authorities are increasingly warning that the question isn't whether a second wave of coronavirus infections and deaths will hit, but when - and how badly.
Masked and standing apart, the world tiptoes out of lockdown
Italy and the United States were among a slew of countries tentatively easing coronavirus lockdowns on Monday to revive economies as global deaths surpassed a quarter of a million. World leaders and organisations pledged U$S 8 billion to fund a possible vaccine and treatments, many hoping explicitly to ensure that no country on Earth would be left out, but the United States did not contribute.
Venezuela government says eight killed in foiled mercenary 'incursion'
Venezuela's government said it foiled a marine incursion on Sunday by "terrorist mercenaries" who attempted to enter the country on speedboats from neighboring Colombia, adding security forces killed eight of the assailants. "They tried to carry out an invasion by sea (...), in order to commit terrorist acts in the country, murdering leaders of the revolutionary government", Interior Minister said
Pope says coronavirus vaccine must be shared worldwide
Pope Francis called on Sunday for international scientific cooperation to discover a vaccine for the coronavirus and said any successful vaccine should be made available around the world. He encouraged international cooperation to deal with the crisis and combat the virus, which has infected nearly 3.5 million people and killed more than 240,000 people worldwide.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorizes Gilead drug as COVID-19 emergency treatment
Gilead Science Inc's (GILD.O) antiviral drug remdesivir was granted emergency use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for COVID-19 on Friday, clearing the way for broader use of the drug in more hospitals around the United States.
Virus worries haunt workers demanding rights on May Day
No job at all, or a job without enough protections. Millions of workers worldwide marked international labor day trapped between hunger and fear Friday, as more countries and states reopen for business even though the coronavirus is far from vanquished.
As virus cases surge, Brazil starts to worry its neighbors
Brazil's virtually uncontrolled surge of COVID-19 cases is spawning fear that construction workers, truck drivers and tourists from Latin America's biggest nation will spread the disease to neighboring countries that are doing a better job of controlling the coronavirus. Brazil has reported more than 70,000 cases and more than 5,000 deaths, far more than any of its neighbors.
As economies stagger, pressures grow to ease virus lockdowns
The world's economic pain was on full display Thursday as Europe and the United States were releasing more figures showing the devastating impact on jobs and companies of lockdown measures designed to battle the coronavirus pandemic.
Data on Gilead drug raises hopes in pandemic fight, Fauci calls it 'highly significant'
The top U.S. infectious disease official said Gilead Sciences Inc's experimental antiviral drug remdesivir will become the standard of care for COVID-19 after early results from a key clinical trial on Wednesday showed it helped patients recover more quickly from the illness caused by the coronavirus.
Japan's Abe says impossible to hold Olympics in 2021 unless pandemic contained
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Wednesday that the Tokyo Olympics could not take place next year unless the coronavirus pandemic is contained, as the city's governor requested an extension of Japan's state of emergency. The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government last month postponed the Games until July 2021 because of the coronavirus crisis.
Indian news media fight virus on financial, political fronts
India's news publishers face a delicate balancing act as they look to offset financial losses from sinking ad sales with support from a government seeking to control the narrative on the coronavirus, sometimes by prosecuting journalists for reporting on the detrimental consequences of official pandemic policy.
Cyber-intel firms pitch governments on spy tools to trace coronavirus
When law enforcement agencies want to gather evidence locked inside an iPhone, they often turn to hacking software from the Israeli firm Cellebrite. By manually plugging the software into a suspect's phone, police can break in and determine where the person has gone and whom he or she has met. With COVID-19, Cellebrite is pitching the same capability to help authorities with the virus spread.
Wuhan, the city at the center of China's coronavirus outbreak, has no more hospitalized patients after the last 12 were discharged Sunday, the Hubei province health commission said. The 3,869 people who died in the city account for more than 80% of the country's reported deaths.
Vast majority of Mexicans back president's handling of coronavirus (poll)
A large majority of Mexicans support the work done by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to contain the coronavirus outbreak and agree with a decision to extend quarantine measures until the end of May, an opinion poll showed on Sunday.
Global death toll tops 200,000 as some virus lockdowns eased
As the global death toll from the coronavirus surpassed 200,000 on Saturday, countries took cautious steps toward easing lockdowns imposed amid the pandemic, but fears of a surge in infections made even some outbreak-wounded businesses reluctant to reopen.
"No evidence" that recovered COVID-19 patients cannot be reinfected (World Health Organization)
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that there was currently "no evidence" that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second coronavirus infection. In a scientific brief, the United Nations agency warned governments against issuing "immunity passports" or "risk-free certificates" to people who have been infected.
Britain passes milestone of 20,000 coronavirus hospital deaths
Britain passed the grim milestone of over 20,000 COVID-19 deaths on Saturday, as the daily toll rose 813 to 20,319 people who tested positive for the illness and died in hospital. Back in mid-March the government's chief scientific adviser said that keeping the death toll below 20,000 would be a "good outcome".
Doctors horrified by Trump's 'dangerous' disinfectant comments on COVID-19
Doctors and health experts urged people not to drink or inject disinfectant on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump suggested scientists should investigate inserting the cleaning agent into the body as a way to combat COVID-19. "[This is an] absolutely dangerous, crazy suggestion," said Paul Hunter, a professor of medicine at Britain's University of East Anglia.
A World Trade Organization report says 80 countries limiting exports of face masks
Eighty countries and customs territories have banned or limited the export of face masks, protective gear, gloves and other goods to mitigate shortages since the coronavirus outbreak began, the World Trade Organization reported on Thursday.
Some 2.7 million people may have been infected in New York (Governor Andrew Cuomo)
A preliminary survey of New York state residents found that nearly 14% of those tested had antibodies against the novel coronavirus, suggesting that some 2.7 million may already have been infected, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Thursday.
Canada's Trudeau announces CAN$1.1 billion scientific strategy to fight COVID-19
The plan has three components: $115 million for research into vaccines and treatments being developed in hospitals and universities. $662 million for clinical trials in Canada. $350 million to expand national testing and modelling for COVID-19.
North Korea silence on Kim's health raises succession speculation
With North Korea saying nothing so far about outside media reports that leader Kim Jong Un may be unwell, there's renewed worry about who's next in line to run a nuclear-armed country that's been ruled by the same family for seven decades.
UK's true COVID-19 death toll far higher than daily figure, data suggests
The true extent of Britain's COVID-19 death toll was more than 40% higher than the government's daily figures indicated as of April 10, according to data that put the country on track to become among the worst-hit in Europe.
Brent oil drops 25%, near two-decade lows on scant demand, storage
Brent crude futures plunged 25% on Tuesday to the lowest in nearly two decades, a day after panicked traders sent U.S. oil below minus $40 per barrel on fears of a historic glut due to the destruction of fuel demand by the coronavirus pandemic. Traders were facing a dearth of storage space and customers scrambled to avoid taking delivery of barrels.
Gunman kills at least 16 in Nova Scotia in Canada's worst mass shooting
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the gunman, 51-year-old Gabriel Wortman, who worked as a denturist, appeared at one stage to have been wearing part of a police uniform. He had also painstakingly disguised his car to look like a police cruiser.
Moscow businessman tries life as deliveryman during pandemic
A Moscow businessman tired of being stuck at home roaming the internet due to the coronavirus lockdown has temporarily switched to the low-paid but physically active job of delivering meals. Nochovnyy said he makes 1,000-1,500 rubles ($13-20) a day as a deliveryman. His consulting business was making about $2 million a year, Nochovnyy said.
U.S. stay-at-home frustration spreads; coronavirus-battered New York says may be past the worst
Demonstrations to demand an end to stay-at-home measures that have pummelled the U.S. economy spread to Texas on Saturday as the governor at the epicentre of the U.S. coronavirus crisis said his state of New York may finally be past the worst.
Singapore reports 942 new COVID-19 cases in record daily jump
Singapore's health ministry confirmed 942 more coronavirus infections on Saturday, a new daily record, the vast majority of which are among migrant workers living in dormitories. Authorities have managed to mitigate the spread of the virus and the COVID-19 respiratory disease it causes among Singapore's citizens by rigorous contact tracing and surveillance, earning praise from the WHO.
France finds more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases on flagship aircraft carrier
The French navy is investigating how the coronavirus infected more than 1,000 sailors aboard the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, amid growing pressure on government leaders to explain how it could have happened.
'Tip of the iceberg': Virus death toll seriously incomplete
China acknowledged Friday that the coronavirus death toll for epicenter of Wuhan was 50% higher than previously reported -a major revision that highlights just how seriously current numbers on infections and deaths around the globe may be understating the true toll of the pandemic.
Poorer countries face big risks in easing virus restrictions
As some wealthier Western nations begin easing coronavirus restrictions, many developing countries, particularly in the Middle East and Africa, want to do it too, but they cannot afford the luxury of any missteps. They lack the key tools -a sturdy economy, well-equipped hospitals and large-scale testing- that are needed for finding their way out of the pandemic.
COVID-19 has world's major economies on track for worst quarterly decline in history
The flood of negative economic indicators caused by COVID19 is set to reach epic proportions in the second quarter, with the world's major economies poised to see a decline unlike any before. "I don't think there's any question that the second quarter of this year is going to show the worst numbers for all major economies in recorded history" said Brett House, deputy chief economist at Scotiabank
About 850,000 people could be seriously sickened by the coronavirus in Japan and almost half of them could die if no social distancing or other measures are followed, according to a government-commissioned estimate released Wednesday. Japan has the world's oldest population, and the virus can be especially dangerous for the elderly.
EU blasts Trump's WHO funding cut, fears it worsens pandemic
Nations around the world reacted with alarm Wednesday after President Donald Trump announced a halt to the sizable funding the United States sends to the World Health Organization. Health experts warned the move could jeopardize global efforts to stop the coronavirus pandemic.
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would halt funding to the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic while his administration reviews its response to the global crisis. The United States is the biggest overall donor to the Geneva-based WHO, contributing more than $400 million in 2019, roughly 15% of its budget.
'Everyone wants them': Rapid COVID-19 test kits made in Canada approved for use
The first shipments of a made-in-Canada, rapid COVID-19 test will begin arriving at federal and provincial health agencies this week, following approval of the new technology by Health Canada over the Easter weekend. The portable test made by Ottawa-based Spartan Bioscience is being called a "game changer" by health officials because it can deliver on-location results in under 60 minutes, with an
Boris Johnson says medics saved his life as UK deaths pass 10,000 mark
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson left hospital on Sunday and thanked staff for saving his life from COVID-19, but his government was forced to defend its response to the coronavirus outbreak as the national death toll passed 10,000.
U.S. allies complain of 'Wild West' tactics in race for medical supplies
From Europe to South America, U.S. allies are complaining about the superpower's "Wild West" tactics in outbidding or blocking shipments to buyers who have already signed deals for vital medical supplies.
Sunny weather tempts Europe; UK queen urges self-discipline
As warm, sunny weather beckoned across Europe, Queen Elizabeth II appealed to Britons on Sunday to exercise self-discipline in "an increasingly challenging time" as the country saw a record 24-hour jump in coronavirus deaths that even outpaced the daily toll in hard-hit Italy.
Pope opens Holy Week amid pandemic; says now is the time to serve
Pope Francis marked a surreal Palm Sunday in an empty St. Peter's Basilica, urging people living through the coronavirus pandemic not to be so concerned with what they lack but how they can ease the suffering of others.
The New York governor said Saturday the Chinese government was facilitating a shipment of 1,000 donated ventilators to his state, highlighting the extreme measures leaders are taking in what has become a cutthroat scramble to independently secure enough lifesaving devices during the coronavirus pandemic.
What you need to know today about the virus outbreak
As the number of infections from the new coronavirus has grown to more than 1.1 million worldwide, health care systems are straining under the surge of patients and lack of medical equipment like ventilators, protective masks and gloves. The New York governor said the Chinese government was facilitating a shipment of 1,000 donated ventilators to his state.
Number of coronavirus intensive care patients in Italy drops for first time
Italy reported its lowest daily rise in COVID-19 deaths for nearly two weeks on Saturday and said the number of patients in intensive care had fallen for the first time.
Trump: 'Going to be a lot of death' in U.S. next week
US President Trump warned of a big spike in coronavirus fatalities in the coming days, as the U.S. faces what he called the toughest two weeks of the pandemic. The virus has infected more than 300,000 Americans and killed 8,100, according to a Reuters tally.
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