International

China’s virus death toll spikes to more than 360, exceeding SARS deaths in mainland

  by Jing Xuan Teng and Beiyi Seow Agence France Presse BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s death toll from a new coronavirus jumped above 360 on Monday to surpass the number of fatalities of its SARS crisis two decades ago, with dozens of people dying in the epicentre’s quarantined ground-zero. The 57 confirmed new deaths was the single-biggest increase since the virus was detected late last year in the central city of Wuhan, where it […]

Democrats make final pitch in Iowa hours before first US vote

by Elodie CUZIN DES MOINES, United States (AFP) — Democratic candidates made their frantic, final campaign pitches Sunday in Iowa, on a mission to persuade undecided voters one day before the state’s nominating contest officially starts the US presidential election season. Iowa, a largely rural state of three million people, has traditionally served as a vital launching point — or burial ground — for presidential hopefuls. Even as all eyes turn to the debut vote, […]

Hong Kong medics strike for China border closure over virus fears

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — Hundreds of Hong Kong medical workers walked off their jobs on Monday, demanding the city close its border with China to reduce the coronavirus spreading — with frontline staff threatening to follow in the coming days. The financial hub has 15 confirmed cases of the disease, many of them brought over from the Chinese mainland where the epidemic began and has so far killed more than 360 people. The action […]

Somalia declares locusts a ‘national emergency’: agriculture ministry

MOGADISHU, Somalia (AFP) — Somalia on Sunday declared a locust infestation sweeping the Horn of Africa to be a national emergency, as insects devastate food supplies in one of the poorest and most vulnerable regions in the world. “The Ministry of Agriculture… has declared a national emergency in view of the current desert locust upsurge, that poses a major threat to Somalia’s fragile food security situation,” the ministry statement read. Experts say the locust swarms […]

Japan destroyer heads to Middle East as Iran-US tension lingers

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan sent a naval destroyer to the Middle East on Sunday for a rare overseas mission to ensure the safety of its ships amid lingering tension between Iran and the US. The vessel left the Yokosuka naval base, south of Tokyo, for an information-gathering mission in the Gulf of Oman, northern parts of the Arabian Sea and parts of the Gulf of Aden. Japan earlier decided not to take part in […]

Virus deaths in China rise to 360, exceeding SARS mainland toll

by Helen Roxburgh and Beiyi Seow BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s death toll from the coronavirus epidemic soared to 360 on Monday, with deepening global concern about the outbreak and governments closing their borders to people from China. The fresh toll came a day after China imposed a lockdown on a major city far from the epicenter and the first fatality outside the country was reported in the Philippines. Authorities in Hubei, the province at […]

London police kill man after ‘Islamist-related’ terror stabbings

by Robin MILLARD / Joe JACKSON / Charlotte DURAND LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — British police on Sunday shot dead a man in London wearing a “hoax device” and suspected of stabbing two people, leaving one of them with life-threatening injuries, in an “Islamist-related” terrorist incident. The Metropolitan Police said armed officers responded immediately “as part of a proactive counter-terrorism operation” when they shot the attacker, who was declared dead at the scene — a […]

20 China evacuees in France showing coronavirus symptoms: health minister

AIX-EN-PROVENCE, France (AFP) — Around 20 of the 250 people flown back to France from China Sunday because of the coronavirus outbreak are presenting symptoms of the virus, the country’s health minister said. “About 20 people who presented symptoms have stayed on the tarmac” at Istres airport in the south of France, Agnes Buzyn told journalists. They included French and non-European nationals. Army medics there were carrying out tests to establish whether or not they […]

US military ready to house 1,000 for virus quarantine

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States military will provide accommodation for 1,000 people if they need to be quarantined because of the deadly novel coronavirus, the Department of Defense said. Several facilities each capable of housing at least 250 people in individual rooms will be made available until February 29, the department said in a statement. The US is one of a number of countries isolating citizens returning from the center of […]

Novel coronavirus fatalities reach 305 with first virus death outside China reported in PHL

  (Eagle News) — The number of confirmed deaths from the novel coronavirus rose to 305 on Sunday, Feb. 2 — 304 from China, and one in the Philippines, the first outside China where it originated. Total confirmed cases meanwhile rose to 14,599 — most of which are in China at 14,422. Additional confirmed cases were also reported in various countries, with Britain, Russia and Sweden confirming their first nCoV-2019 infections this weekend. With the […]

Australia to refuse entry to non-citizens arriving from China

  SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — The Australian government on Saturday said it would bar non-citizens arriving from mainland China from entering the country under new measures to combat the spread of the coronavirus epidemic. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said only “Australian citizens, Australian residents, dependents, legal guardians or spouses” would be permitted into the country from mainland China from Saturday. “The arrangements are being put in place through our border authorities to ensure that that […]

Trump set for midweek acquittal after witnesses blocked

  by Chris Lefkow Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United Stares (AFP) — The US Senate on Friday rebuffed Democratic calls for new witnesses at President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial, paving the way for his acquittal next week of charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Following the 51-49 vote, the Senate scheduled four hours of closing arguments by Democratic prosecutors and White House defense lawyers on Monday and a vote for acquittal on […]