International

New Zealand PM delays election after virus return

by Neil SANDS WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday delayed New Zealand’s looming election by four weeks to October 17 after a renewed coronavirus outbreak hampered campaigning. Ardern was under pressure from political opponents and her coalition partners to shift the original September 19 vote following the shock discovery of COVID-19 in Auckland last week, sending the country’s largest city into lockdown. She said the return of the virus after […]

Floods in Sudan kill 63 since July: interior ministry

  KHARTOUM, Sudan (AFP) — Sudan on Sunday said floods caused by torrential rains have killed 63 people since July, with thousands more forced from their homes by the seasonal storms. Over 14,000 homes and 119 public buildings were destroyed, while more than 16,000 homes have been badly damaged, government civil defence organisations calculate, according to a statement from the interior ministry. Heavy rains usually fall in Sudan from June to October, and Sudan faces […]

Russia produces first batch of virus vaccine: ministry; Putin says one of his daughters inoculated

MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after President Vladimir Putin announced it had been first in the world to approve a vaccine. Putin’s announcement on Tuesday about the vaccine was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organization who said it still needed a rigorous safety review.afety review. “The first batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya research […]

Trump’s younger brother dies: White House

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump’s younger brother Robert died on Saturday after being hospitalized for an undisclosed illness, the US president said in a statement mourning his loss. “It is with heavy heart I share that my wonderful brother, Robert, peacefully passed away tonight,” Trump said in a White House statement. “He was not just my brother, he was my best friend. He will be greatly missed, but we will […]

South Korea tightens curbs in capital to control virus surge

  SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea tightened coronavirus measures on Saturday in Seoul and its surrounding areas as the country reported the highest number of new daily infections in more than five months. The stricter social distancing guidelines include restrictions on gatherings and activities including professional sports, which will be played behind closed doors in the capital area again. The move came as South Korea reported 166 new cases on Saturday, the highest […]

World leaders praise Israel-UAE deal as Palestinians cry foul

by Jonah Mandel Agence France Presse World leaders voiced hope Friday that a historic deal between the UAE and Israel could kickstart moribund Middle East peace talks, even as the Palestinians and some of their allies denounced the move to normalise ties as a betrayal of their cause. Announced by US President Donald Trump on Thursday, it is only the third such accord Israel has struck with an Arab country, and raised the prospect of […]

Trump announces ‘historic peace agreement’ between Israel, UAE

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump, in a surprise announcement, said Thursday that Israel and the United Arab Emirates had reached a peace agreement. The normalization of relations between the UAE and Israel is a “HUGE breakthrough” Trump tweeted, calling it a “Historic Peace Agreement between our two GREAT friends.” Speaking to reporters later, Trump suggested that more diplomatic breakthroughs between Israel and its Muslim neighbors in the region were expected. “Things […]

Mexico surpasses 500,000 coronavirus cases: ministry

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AFP) — Mexico on Thursday surpassed half a million confirmed cases of COVID-19 after registering 7,371 new infections in 24 hours, authorities said. The country now has 505,293 cases overall, with 55,293 deaths, the Ministry of Health said. © Agence France-Presse

COVID-19 vaccine will be free for Americans: officials

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — If a COVID-19 vaccine is proven effective, the US will ensure it’s distributed for free to all Americans, officials said Thursday, underscoring there will be no shortcuts on safety. “We are not at all reducing the regulatory rigor with which we will evaluate and hopefully approve vaccines,” Paul Mango, a senior health department official, told reporters. Washington has invested more than $10 billion in six vaccine projects and signed contracts […]

Trump says to host Mideast deal signing in three weeks

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said Thursday he would host a summit for the signing of a historic peace accord between Israel and the United Arab Emirates in around three weeks. “I look forward to hosting them (the Israeli and UAE leaders) at the White House very soon to formally sign the agreement,” he told reporters. “We’ll probably be doing it over the next, I would say, three weeks.” © Agence […]

European virus surge due to relaxed behavior: WHO expert

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AFP) — A combination of eased restrictions, less strict rule-following in summer and increased testing explains the rising number of COVID-19 cases seen around Europe, the European chapter of the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday. Nevertheless, deaths have not kept pace even as countries around Europe have seen an increase in cases. Richard Peabody, epidemiologist leading the High Threat Pathogens Team at the WHO Regional Office for Europe, insists “there is no […]

33 dead in Niger floods

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast(AFP) —  Thirty-three people in Niger have died and more than 80,000 have been affected by floods caused by heavy rains, the country’s emergency services said on Thursday. The worst-hit regions are Maradi in south-central Niger, Tahoua and Tillaberi in the west, and Dosso in the southwest. Rice, clothing, mats, blankets, and soap are being distributed to victims, emergency officials said. The Niger River and other waterways have burst their banks, and further […]