WORLD

Paris, France | AFP | The sharp rise in cases and the geographical spread of the coronavirus outside China confirm WHO fears over dealing with the crisis, experts warned Sunday as they appealed for ever greater vigilance. “There has been a profound shift in the direction that COVID-19 (new coronavirus) …

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  British composer and pianist Alexis Ffrench, a rising black star in the overwhelmingly white world of classical music, is on a mission “to change the narrative” that the genre is stuffy and outdated. The 48-year-old, who is set to release his latest album next month, …

Dakar, Senegal | AFP |  After months of threats from his landlord, visits to the police and a court hearing, Djibril Diagne came home on New Year’s Day to find the water had been cut off. Today, Diagne, his second wife and five children use outdoor taps to wash and cook. …

Las Vegas, United States | AFP |  Tyson Fury reigns again as a heavyweight world champion after battering Deontay Wilder to a stunning seventh-round stoppage in their World Boxing Council title rematch. Fourteen months after their dramatic split-decision draw, Britain’s Fury dominated the American champion — who had blood dripping from …

Las Vegas, United States | AFP |  Progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders earned a decisive victory Saturday in the Nevada caucuses, solidifying his frontrunner status in the race to choose the Democratic nominee who faces President Donald Trump in November’s election. His win is a substantial accomplishment in a state seen as …

Las Vegas, United States | AFP |  From glitzy Las Vegas casinos to dusty desert crossroads, Nevada Democrats vote Saturday for who should challenge President Donald Trump in November’s election, with leftist firebrand Bernie Sanders riding high in the saddle. The western state, home to three million people, is the third …

San Francisco, United States | AFP |  Twitter said Friday it suspended 70 accounts for spam-like posts supporting Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg, whose campaign has hired hundreds of people to promote him on social media. “We have taken enforcement action on a group of accounts for violating our rules against …

Chicago, United States | AFP |  A refugee from Myanmar’s tyrannized Rohingya minority, Lila Mubarak embodies perfectly the “poor, huddled masses” welcomed to the United States for more than a century by a bronze plaque at the foot of the Statue of Liberty. The 27-year-old beams as she recounts her difficult …

Washington, United States | AFP |  Donald Trump replaced his intelligence chief Thursday as reports emerged that the US president was furious with the official over a briefing given to lawmakers about Russian interference in the 2020 election campaign. Trump erupted in anger at acting director of national intelligence (DNI) Joseph …

The World Bank has just warned that a fourth debt wave could dwarf previous ones and hit emerging economies hard COMMENT | KAUSHIK BASU | Over the last decade, the world economy has experienced a steady build-up of debt, now amounting to 230% of global GDP. The last three waves …