Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Wednesday suspended travel from Europe to the United States for 30 days in a “tough” new effort to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic that has sparked a run on the stock market and is rapidly multiplying. The …
Read More »Cardinal Pell lawyers say child sex conviction ‘wrong’
Canberra, Australia | AFP | Lawyers for disgraced Cardinal George Pell claimed Wednesday he remains behind bars for child sex abuse based on “wrong” and “egregious” legal decisions, as they concluded a last-ditch appeal in Australia’s top court. The 78-year-old former Vatican treasurer is trying to overturn a six-year sentence for …
Read More »Virus deaths soar in Italy, US deploys national guard
Rome, Italy | AFP | Italians braced for a second day of national lockdown Wednesday after a sharp spike in coronavirus-related deaths, as New York deployed the National Guard to contain a disease that has sown worldwide panic. Europe’s hardest-hit country said the death toll from the COVID-19 virus had risen …
Read More »Britain’s post-Brexit budget to combat virus fallout
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain unveils its first post-Brexit budget on Wednesday, with all eyes on emergency government measures to ease the economic pain from the coronavirus outbreak. It comes the day after a minister in the health department, Nadine Dorries, tested positive for COVID-19, raising concern about whether …
Read More »Biden says fighting for US ‘soul’ after big primary wins
Philadelphia, United States | AFP | Joe Biden moved a step closer on Tuesday to a November showdown with Donald Trump, notching up big primary wins over Bernie Sanders, his sole remaining challenger for the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden, 77, the centrist former vice president, scored a resounding win in Michigan, …
Read More »Coronavirus: UK health minister tests positive
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British MP Nadine Dorries, a minister in the health department, has tested positive for coronavirus, she said in a statement on Tuesday, raising concerns about whether senior government figures have been infected. “I can confirm I have tested positive for coronavirus… and have been …
Read More »COVID-19: Arsenal players quarantined, Man City game called off
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Arsenal’s game at Manchester City was postponed on Wednesday after players from the London club were put into quarantine, making it the first Premier League fixture to be called off because of the new coronavirus. Arsenal said players and four staff had been isolated at …
Read More »Putin clears path to staying in power
Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin laid out a path Tuesday to staying in power beyond 2024, as lawmakers approved sweeping reforms to the constitution. In a surprise address to the lower house State Duma, Putin said there could be a presidential “reset” allowing him to …
Read More »Trump feels the heat as coronavirus stalks US
Washington, United States | AFP | Concern that President Donald Trump himself could be exposed to the coronavirus through contact with two Republican lawmakers loomed Monday as US stocks plummeted, feeding growing national anxiety. Trump, who flew back to Washington after a weekend golfing at his Florida resort and having dinner …
Read More »World oil prices claw back ground after crash
Singapore, Singapore | AFP | Oil prices surged more than six percent in Asian trade Tuesday following heavy losses a day earlier after top exporter Saudi Arabia began a price war with Russia. West Texas Intermediate was trading up 6.1 percent at more than $33 a barrel while Brent crude …
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