French village bids adieu to doctor who succumbed to COVID-19
In Villers-Outreaux’s village square, doctors, nurses and patients gathered, heads bowed and standing apart, to bid farewell to a local practitioner who succumbed to the new coronavirus.
Lesotho PM shows no signs of leaving to defuse crisis
Lesotho Prime Minister Thomas Thabane has said he will not be told when to leave office, a national newspaper reported on Thursday, resisting efforts to defuse a political crisis with the offer of a “dignified retirement.”
Pompeo says U.S. may never restore WHO funds; Democrats insist it must
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said a fundamental reform of the World Health Organization was needed following its handling of the coronavirus pandemic and that the United States, the WHO’s biggest donor, may never restore funding to the U.N. body…
African nations to get ventilators from Jack Ma foundation, stress need for WHO help
African nations that lack ventilators to treat COVID-19 patients will receive some from the Jack Ma Foundation, an African Union official said on Thursday, as Nigeria stressed Africa’s dependence on a properly-funded World Health Organization (WHO)to h…
Czech government aiming to reopen locked-down shops, restaurants faster
The Czech Republic will move forward plans to ease its coronavirus lockdown by two weeks to get most businesses and restaurants operating again by May 25, Industry Minister Karel Havlicek said on Thursday.
PETA offers Spain’s Pamplona cash to ban bull-running for good
Seizing on a rare cancellation of Spain’s world-famous bull-running festival in Pamplona due to the coronavirus, animal rights group PETA offered 250,000 euros ($269,700) on Thursday for the city to make the ban permanent.
US extends economic aid to Greenland to counter China, Russia in Arctic
The United States announced a $12.1 million economic aid package for Greenland on Thursday aimed at strengthening mutual ties and boosting a renewed U.S. push for a greater military presence in the Arctic.
Glad to be helping: refugee Syrian film-maker turns London hospital cleaner
On a coronavirus ward in an east London hospital, award-winning film-maker Hassan Akkad, a refugee from Syria, is working as a cleaner, joining the fight against the pandemic in his adopted home.
Coronavirus means low-key, cost-saving wedding for one Egyptian couple
Mustafa Amin had looked forward to a regular Egyptian wedding party in a large Cairo reception hall packed with family and friends.
Italy’s daily coronavirus death toll edges up, but new cases fall
Deaths from the COVID-19 epidemic in Italy climbed by 464 on Thursday, against 437 the day before, the Civil Protection Agency said, but the daily tally of new infections declined to 2,646 from 3,370 on Wednesday.
