Burundi expels national WHO head amid COVID-19 outbreak
Burundi has expelled the national head of the World Health Organisation (WHO), according to a letter written by the country’s foreign minister, which gave no reason.
Singapore reports 752 new COVID-19 cases taking tally over 26,000
Singapore’s health ministry reported 752 new coronavirus infections on Thursday, taking city-state’s total to 26,098.
Panda dolls kick pandemic blues for Thai diners
One restaurant in Thailand is ensuring it meets new social distancing guidelines, and providing lonely diners a bit of company, by seating stuffed pandas at its tables.
Vietnam determined to save British pilot, avoid its first COVID-19 death
Vietnam has mounted an all-out effort to save the life of its most critically ill coronavirus patient, a British pilot who works for Vietnam Airlines, the national carrier.
Only 4.4% of French population infected by coronavirus: Pasteur institute
A study led by the Pasteur Institute says a mere 4.4% of the French population – or 2.8 million people – have been infected by the novel coronavirus, much higher than the official count of cases but way too low to achieve so-called “herd immunity”.
UK says Belgium is worse on COVID-19 deaths per million
The United Kingdom is on a similar level to France, Italy and Spain on COVID-19 deaths per million but Belgium is worse, a junior British health minister said on Thursday.
Truck bomb in eastern Afghan city kills five, Taliban claim responsibility
A truck packed with explosives blew up near a court in the eastern Afghan city of Gardez on Thursday, killing at least five people in an attack claimed by Taliban insurgents.
Australians warned worse still to come after job losses hit record high
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned citizens to brace for more bad news as data released on Thursday showed the country’s monthly job losses rose to a record high because of coronavirus lockdown measures.
Malaysia drops 1MDB money laundering case against “Wolf of Wall Street” producer
Malaysian prosecutors on Thursday dropped a $248-million money laundering case against a producer of Hollywood film “The Wolf of Wall Street” and the stepson of former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, citing a deal for an undisclosed amount of fun…
New Zealand leaps out of coronavirus lockdown with bungee jumps, midnight haircuts
After seven weeks trussed up with some of the world’s toughest coronavirus curbs, New Zealanders like Jim Boult leapt at the chance to cheer the end of the country’s lockdown on Thursday – literally in his case, with a bungee jump.
