WORLD

London, United Kingdom | AFP | When Amer Awan’s father died of coronavirus, mourners congregated with little thought of social distancing. But cultural practices alone do not explain why Britain’s ethnic minorities have been hardest hit by the outbreak. “Visitors to the house… were not wearing any masks or not wearing …

Rome, Italy | AFP | Doctors, nurses and healthcare workers have become the unwitting heroes of the coronavirus pandemic, winning applause from balconies and streets around the world. From Yaounde to Rome to New York, the pandemic has infected more than 1.9 million people and claimed 118,000 lives. Hospital workers are …

Paris, France | AFP | The OPEC oil cartel said Thursday that the world market for crude is undergoing an unprecedented jolt due to coronavirus mitigation measures that have decimated demand. “The oil market is currently undergoing a historic shock that is abrupt, extreme and at global scale,” said the group …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump’s administration is urging an investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, saying it doesn’t rule out that it came from a laboratory researching bats in Wuhan, China. Beijing has said that the virus, which has killed more than 138,700 people worldwide, …

Washington, United States | AFP |  President Donald Trump vowed to unveil plans Thursday to reopen the world’s top economy, following cautious moves in Europe, claiming the US had “passed the peak” of the coronavirus crisis despite a record daily death toll. Since emerging in China late last year, the pandemic …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP |  The top US health and infectious disease specialist says the key to reopening professional sports leagues in America is to have the athletes play games in front of empty stadiums. Anthony Fauci, who is helping coordinate the US response to the global coronavirus pandemic, …

Tirana, Albania | AFP |  Inside a dark shack outside Albania’s capital, 18-year-old Mirela tries to soothe her newborn with the only food she has: a can of powdered milk scrounged from a rubbish bin. “But what to do after that?” the young mother asks, as she cradles her baby in …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  Newcastle United fans have long dreamed of ridding the club from owner Mike Ashley, but a potential £300 million ($377 million) takeover backed by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund presents fans on Tyneside with a different dilemma. Retail tycoon Ashley has been deeply unpopular in …

Washington, United States | AFP |  Some complain about joggers panting on passers-by. Others wonder what to do when they overhear drunken partygoers rejecting quarantine measures. Still more question whether people they see in the street are really on “essential” business. Local social media networks, long places for recipe swaps and …

Washington, United States | AFP |  Before lifting lockdowns imposed across the United States in March, experts say we’ll need a massive screening system in place to monitor and respond to localized coronavirus surges. Are we on track? That depends on who you ask. President Donald Trump has boasted the US …