Putin urges more testing as Russia’s coronavirus death toll climbs
President Vladimir Putin told officials on Friday to ramp up testing for the new coronavirus, but said Russia’s outbreak was stabilising even as the death toll rose by a record one-day amount.
Czechs say epidemic under control; further lockdown easing on Monday
Czech health authorities believe the spread of the new coronavirus is under control despite a tick-up in cases in recent days, as the country prepares to open pubs, hotels and relax mask-wearing rules on Monday.
Hong Kong leader expects pro-democracy protests to continue
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Friday she did not expect pro-democracy protests that have been taking place since June last year to end, even as the central government in Beijing announced plans to introduce national security legislation.
China’s plans for security agencies in Hong Kong will ‘silence city’, activists say
A Chinese proposal to impose national security laws on Hong Kong could see mainland intelligence agencies set up bases there, raising fears of direct law enforcement and what U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called a “death knell” for the city’s au…
Britain will look at details for G7 summit next month: spokesman
Britain will study the details of what President Donald Trump is proposing for a planned G7 summit next month, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday.
Cyclone Amphan leaves thousands homeless in eastern India, Modi offers help
Several thousand people have been left homeless after the most powerful cyclone in more than a decade hit India and Bangladesh this week, officials said, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the area on Friday and pledged aid.
U.S. demands review of WHO’s handling of pandemic starts now, seeks reforms
The United States called on the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday to begin work immediately on investigating the source of the novel coronavirus, as well as its handling of the response to the pandemic.
U.S. condemns China’s ‘disastrous proposal’ on Hong Kong: Pompeo
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday called China’s proposed national security legislation on Hong Kong disastrous and said it could have an impact on the favorable economic treatment the territory receives from the United States.
At least one passenger survived Pakistan plane crash: government official
At least one passenger survived the crash of a Pakistani airliner that went down on Friday in a residential area of Karachi, a government official said.
Pakistan crash pilot sent Mayday with ‘lost engines’: liveatc.net
The pilot of a crashed Pakistan International Airlines jet sent a Mayday and told controllers the aircraft had lost power from both its engines on its second attempt to land, according to a recording posted on monitoring website liveatc.net.
