WORLD

Washington, United States | AFP | The US is facing a severe economic downturn amid the global pandemic, but will not suffer another Great Depression and will see a recovery begin later this year, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Sunday. The world’s top economy was strong before the COVID-19 outbreak hit, like a natural …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Here is a look at the World Health Organization in five snapshots, as the UN agency’s World Health Assembly decision-making body holds its annual conference this week: – Founded in ashes of WWII – When diplomats met in 1945 to form the United Nations in the …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization has been at the heart of the battle against the new coronavirus since the first reported outbreak in China. As the WHO’s World Health Assembly gathers on Monday to plot the path ahead, here is a timeline covering the key moments in …

Berlin, Germany | AFP |  A long simmering row between the leaders of Germany’s far-right AfD party and its radical fringe has boiled over, sapping their strength as Chancellor Angela Merkel climbs in the polls. As voters look for steady leadership amid the coronavirus outbreak, the Alternative for Germany party, which …

Crema, Italy | AFP |  Neither the northern Italian chill nor the unfamiliar language has deterred a young Cuban doctor who for the past two months has been helping in the fight against coronavirus in Europe, thousands of miles from home. Roberto Arias Hernandez, one of Cuba’s so-called “Army of White …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Newcastle manager Steve Bruce believes going to the supermarket or petrol station could pose a greater a risk of coronavirus than a return to football given the strict measures put in place to protect players. However, Bruce warned his squad could “fall down like a …

Washington, United States | AFP |  Congressional Democrats on Saturday launched a probe into President Donald Trump’s “politically-motivated” dismissal of a government watchdog believed to have been investigating Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The announcement came after Trump told House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi late Friday that he planned to …

San Francisco, United States | AFP |  As Amazon becomes an increasingly important lifeline in the pandemic crisis, it is being hit with a wave of criticism from activists, politicians and others who question the tech giant’s growing influence. Amazon has become the most scrutinized company during the health emergency. It …

Berlin, Germany | AFP |  Germans with holiday homes in Mallorca are clamouring to return to the sun-soaked island as the coronavirus lockdowns ease, but Spanish authorities are pushing back. Several hundred Germans have in recent weeks sent pleading, sometimes angry letters to the regional government of the Balearic Islands asking …

Detroit, United States | AFP |  Detroit’s auto giants are keen to resume production this week, but there will be unease on assembly lines where social distancing is difficult and worries about the deadly coronavirus persist. Motor City carmakers insist they are taking precautions to protect employees for the ramp-up that …