WORLD

Paris, France | AFP |  Could exposure to the coronaviruses that cause the common cold help protect against COVID-19? Is herd immunity closer than previously thought? As nations lift lockdowns and experts worry about a potential second peak in cases, our ability to ward off infection is one of the hottest …

Minneapolis, United States | AFP | Violent protests erupted across the United States late Friday over the death of a handcuffed black man in police custody, with murder charges laid against the arresting Minneapolis officer failing to quell boiling anger. Demonstrators clashed with police for a fourth straight night in …

Merkel a ‘no’ for Trump’s in-person G7 summit: report Washington, United States | AFP |  German Chancellor Angela Merkel will not attend an in-person summit of G7 leaders that US President Donald Trump has suggested he will host despite concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the Politico website quoted her spokesman …

United States | AFP |  SpaceX’s “Demo-2” mission from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida this weekend will be the first flight with astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon capsule built by entrepreneur Elon Musk’s commercial space company. SpaceX conducted a successful test flight of Crew Dragon to the International Space Station …

Washington, United States | AFP |  President Donald Trump said Friday he would strip several of Hong Kong’s special privileges with the United States and bar some Chinese students from US universities in anger over Beijing’s bid to exert control in the financial hub. In a day of concerted action, the …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP |  Movie legend Clint Eastwood turns 90 on Sunday, but don’t count on the famously stoic and hard-working star of “A Fistful of Dollars” and “Dirty Harry” hanging up his cowboy boots just yet. The multiple Oscar-winning actor-turned-director, who churned out nine films in his …

Trump says US ‘terminating’ relationship with WHO Washington, United States | AFP |  President Donald Trump said Friday he was severing US ties with the World Health Organization, which he says failed to do enough to combat the initial spread of the novel coronavirus. Trump first suspended funding to the …

Paris, France | AFP | Dozens of scientists have raised concerns over a large-scale study of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine published in the Lancet that led to the World Health Organization suspending clinical trials of the anti-viral drugs as a potential treatment for COVID-19. Hydroxychloroquine, normally used to treat arthritis, has become …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain said Friday it was pushing the United States to form a club of 10 nations that could develop its own 5G technology and reduce dependence on China’s controversial technology giant Huawei. The issue is expected to feature at a G7 summit that US President …

Minneapolis, United States | AFP | Hundreds of troops deployed to the streets of Minneapolis and St. Paul early Friday after a third night of rioting over police brutality against African Americans left hundreds of shops damaged and a police station on fire. After the angry demonstrations spread overnight to multiple …