International

Italy thirsts for tourists as country reopens to Europe

by Ella IDE ROME, Italy (AFP) — Italy reopened to travellers from Europe on Wednesday, three months after the country went into coronavirus lockdown, but few arrivals dimmed hopes of reviving the key tourism industry as the summer season begins. Gondolas are ready to punt along Venice’s canals, lovers can act out “Romeo and Juliet” on Verona’s famed balcony, and gladiator fans have the chance to pose for selfies at Rome’s Colosseum. But there were […]

Charges filed against all four police officers in Floyd killing

by Joy Powell with Chris Lefkow in Washington MINNEAPOLIS, United States (AFP) — Three Minneapolis policemen were charged Wednesday for their role in the killing of a handcuffed black man that ignited nationwide protests, while more serious charges were filed against the officer primarily responsible. Minnesota prosecutors had announced a third-degree murder indictment Friday against 44-year-old Derek Chauvin — the white officer filmed kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nearly nine minutes while […]

Germany to lift travel warning for Europe from June 15: official

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany will lift its blan`ket travel warning for European nations from June 15, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday, as the continent looks to further ease restrictions imposed to contain the coronavirus. “We have decided today that the travel warning for the named circle of countries will not be continued but replaced by travel advice,” Maas said, referring to EU nations plus a handful of countries in the region including Switzerland […]

Powerful Cyclone Nisarga makes landfall near Mumbai

MUMBAI, India (AFP) — Cyclone Nisarga ripped roofs off homes in a coastal town near Mumbai Wednesday after officials ordered offices and factories to shut and told people to stay home, reversing a move to ease a coronavirus lockdown in the Indian megacity. Mumbai and its surrounds are usually sheltered from cyclones — the last severe storm to hit the city was in 1948 — but authorities have evacuated at least 100,000 people from flood-prone […]

Total COVID-19 cases among overseas Filipinos reach 5,230, more than half undergoing treatment

(Eagle News) – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported 12 new confirmed COVID-19 cases involving overseas Filipinos, with the total number of confirmed cases at 5,230 as of Tuesday, June 2. Of this number, more than half, or 2,717, are still undergoing treatment. Most of the OFW COVID cases are also in the Middle East/Africa region and in Europe, according to the DFA. Middle East/Africa has a total of 3,258 cases, and 1,835 of […]

South Korea approves remdesivir for virus patients

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea on Wednesday issued emergency authorization for the anti-viral drug remdesivir to be used to treat coronavirus patients, paving the way for imports. The US authorized the emergency use of remdesivir in hospitals at the start of May, followed by Japan, while Europe has been considering the following suit. A South Korean government review of remdesivir research said it had proven “clinically meaningful” in cutting patients’ recovery times, the […]

New York night-time curfew extended to June 7 after looting

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — New York’s mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday extended a night-time curfew for the city until June 7 following outbreaks of violence and looting during anti-racism protests gripping America. The mayor added that the deployment of National Guard soldiers, seen in other protest-hit states and demanded by President Donald Trump, was not necessary, however. De Blasio told reporters that a 8:00 pm to 5:00 am curfew, due to come […]

Mali teachers strike over virus concerns as schools reopen

BAMAKO, Mali (AFP) — Teachers in the West African state of Mali went on strike Tuesday, the first day schools reopened after being closed for two months, over fears of inadequate protection against coronavirus. Details of the number of students affected were unavailable, but seven teachers’ unions are striking, officials said, in a move that will hit public primary and secondary schools, as well as teacher-training colleges. The government shut schools to curb coronavirus in […]

Spain records no virus deaths for second day running

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Spain recorded no deaths from the coronavirus for the second day running, the health ministry reported Tuesday, while acknowledging some “discrepancies” in the reported daily figures. The ministry’s daily report recorded 34 deaths over the previous week, but none over the previous 24 hours. It was Monday’s report on the previous 24 hours that first broke a run of daily reported deaths dating back to March 3. To date, Spain has […]

India evacuates 100,000 from homes, virus hospital ahead of cyclone

MUMBAI, India (AFP) — At least 100,000 people, including some coronavirus patients, were being moved to safer locations according to officials Tuesday, as India’s west coast braced for a cyclone, the first such storm to threaten Mumbai in more than 70 years. Authorities in India’s financial capital, which is struggling to contain the pandemic, evacuated nearly 150 COVID-19 patients from a recently built field hospital to a facility with a concrete roof as a precautionary […]

Brazil tops 30,000 coronavirus deaths: official

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazil surpassed 30,000 deaths from the coronavirus outbreak on Tuesday as the disease continued to rip through South America’s worst-hit country. Figures released by the health ministry showed a new record 1,262 deaths in the previous 24 hours, as well as 28,936 new infections. The figures come as some Brazilian states began to emerge from weeks of economically-stifling quarantine measures despite warnings from the WHO and epidemiologists. The overall […]

Panama protest over lifting of quarantine

PANAMA CITY, Panama (AFP ) — Trade unions took to the streets of Panama City on Tuesday in protest at the government’s decision to reopen the country’s economy, claiming it will lead to a spike in infections and deaths from the coronavirus. “We all know that the number is going to skyrocket, both in terms of infections and deaths,” said Saul Mendez, secretary general of the country’s largest union Suntracs. “It’s like throwing everything the […]