WORLD

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP |  The UN health agency on Thursday declared an international emergency over the deadly coronavirus from China — a rarely used designation that could lead to improved international co-ordination in tackling the disease. “Our greatest concern is the potential for the virus to spread to countries …

Wuhan, China | AFP | Pregnant, newly wed and now trapped at the Chinese epicentre of a global health crisis, Thai national Aphinya is among thousands of foreigners desperate to escape — and watching helplessly as the US and Japan fly their citizens home. Hundreds were flown to safety this week …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump ridiculed his former national security advisor John Bolton this week after Bolton threatened to become a prime witness against the US leader in the Senate impeachment trial. Trump was once a big fan of Bolton, but he now knows — like so …

Balashikha, Russia | AFP |  For three years, Valeriya Pashko has been trying to get pregnant. Now her last hope is IVF, provided free by Russia’s health service as authorities try to avert a new drop in the birthrate. “My husband and I are really relieved to be getting reimbursed. This …

Des Moines, United States | AFP |  Donald Trump takes his re-election campaign roadshow to Iowa Thursday, aiming to steal the limelight from Democrats whose race to challenge the US president in November’s election remains a dead heat days before the first nomination vote. As a dozen White House candidates make …

Washington, United States | AFP |  The White House on Wednesday said that former national security advisor John Bolton cannot publish in its current form a book reportedly containing explosive evidence concerning President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial. The National Security Council said after preliminary review of the manuscript — a …

Wuhan, China | AFP | The World Health Organization on Wednesday warned all governments to “take action” over the SARS-like virus spreading from China that has killed 132 people and infected around 6,000 others. The WHO called an urgent meeting for Thursday over whether the viral epidemic should be declared …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization on Wednesday called a new emergency meeting on a deadly virus outbreak following cases of onward transmission outside China, warning that all governments should “take action”. The meeting of the WHO’s Emergency Committee on Thursday will decide whether to declare an …

Baghdad, Iraq | AFP | Iraq is considering a larger role for NATO at the expense of the US-led coalition, Iraqi and Western officials told AFP, after an American drone strike on Baghdad that sparked outrage. The January 3 strike which killed Iranian General Qasem Soleimani and a top Iraqi commander …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump has boasted that his Middle East plan will find support but most experts believe its unabashed backing of Israel and tough conditions for the creation of a Palestinian state mean it is doomed to fail. “It is a non-starter,” said Steven Cook, …