Beijing, China | AFP | China said Sunday that relations with the United States were “on the brink of a new Cold War”, fuelled in part by tensions over the coronavirus pandemic, as Muslims around the world celebrated a muted end to the holy month of Ramadan. Foreign Minister Wang Yi …
Read More »Spain to reopen to tourists as South America named virus hot
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Spain said on Saturday it would let in foreign tourists and restart top league football in the coming weeks, accelerating Europe’s exit from strict coronavirus lockdowns, even as the disease continued its deadly surge in parts of South America. Brazil saw its death toll passing 22,000 …
Read More »SpaceX ready to launch astronauts into space for the first time
Washington, United States | AFP | In the beginning, everyone was skeptical. But Elon Musk’s SpaceX defied expectations — and on Wednesday hopes to make history by ferrying two NASA astronauts into space, the first crewed flight from US soil in nine long years. US President Donald Trump will be among …
Read More »South America named virus epicenter as Trump seeks US reopening
Washington, United States | AFP | South America is “a new epicenter” of the coronavirus pandemic, the World Health Organization has declared, as US President Donald Trump intensified his push to reopen the reeling American economy. Brazil led the surge across South America, its death toll passing 21,000 on Friday from …
Read More »Cuba dreading Trump re-election, says diplomat
Havana, Cuba | AFP | The re-election of Donald Trump as president of the United States would be “the worst” scenario for Cuba, Havana’s top diplomat in charge of relations with Washington told AFP. “If the Republicans win … it’s a very negative scenario,” said Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, the foreign …
Read More »Hydroxychloroquine shows no virus benefit, raises death risk: study
Paris, France | AFP | A study of nearly 100,000 coronavirus patients has shown no benefit in treating them with anti-viral drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine and even increased the likelihood of them dying in hospital. Hydroxychloroquine is normally used to treat arthritis but pronouncement from public figures including US President Donald …
Read More »Biden: African Americans mulling Trump vote ‘ain’t black’
New York, United States | AFP | White House hopeful Joe Biden told an African-American radio host Friday that he “ain’t black” if he was unsure who to support in November’s election, igniting controversy and accusations of racism from President Donald Trump’s camp. The comments by the presumptive Democratic nominee came …
Read More »Trump urges quicker US reopening from virus lockdown
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Thursday pressed for a broader reopening of the United States as coronavirus-related job losses mounted, while parts of Europe embraced post-lockdown life. With summer approaching on both sides of the Atlantic, more stores opened their doors and beaches welcomed tourists, despite …
Read More »Trump says he finally wore a mask and ‘it looked very nice’
Ypsilanti, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump said Thursday he’d finally overcome his aversion to wearing masks against the coronavirus — but didn’t want be photographed. Touring a Ford auto factory in Ypsilanti, Michigan, where workers have converted to building respirators and other medical equipment for fighting COVID-19, Trump held up a mask …
Read More »As pandemic rages, Trump eager to vaccinate America first
Washington, United States | AFP | Leaders of China, France, Germany, and the World Health Organization want any coronavirus vaccine to be deemed a “global public good,” but President Donald Trump has another idea: vaccinate America first. Behind the principle of “global public good” lie two distinct issues: intellectual property rights …
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