Poland to begin easing coronavirus curbs from Sunday, eyes on May election
Poland will gradually lift lockdown measures imposed to contain the novel coronavirus starting from this coming Sunday, the government said on Tuesday, as the nation prepares for a presidential election on May 10.
Iraq suspends Reuters for three months over report on coronavirus cases
Iraq has suspended the licence of the Reuters news agency after it published a story saying the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country was higher than officially reported.
Officials say eight killed in Myanmar’s Rakhine state; army says reports fabricated
Eight people were killed by shelling in Myanmar’s Rakhine state on Monday, two local officials and a resident said, but the army said reports that civilians in the village had been shelled were “fabricated”.
With no fairs or markets, Portugal’s Roma struggle amid coronavirus
Portugal has stepped up efforts to support its impoverished Roma communities during the coronavirus pandemic, but rights group say more help is needed as many families saw their income drop to zero with street markets and fairs shut across the country….
Pakistan extends coronavirus lockdown, some industries to reopen in phases
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday announced a two-week extension to the nationwide shutdown to curb the COVID-19 spread, but said some industries would reopen in phases.
China tightens Russia border checks, approves coronavirus vaccine trials
China has approved early-stage human tests of two experimental vaccines to combat the new coronavirus as the country where the disease was first detected battles to contain imported cases, especially from Russia.
As rebel-held Syria fears virus, just one machine is there to test
A single machine at Mohamad Shahim Makki’s medical centre in Idlib province, part of Syria’s last rebel stronghold, is the only alarm that will sound when the coronavirus strikes a population of millions of the world’s most vulnerable people.
Singapore reports 334 new coronavirus infections, total reaches 3,252
Singapore’s health ministry confirmed 334 more coronavirus infections on Tuesday, taking its tally to 3,252.
Human Rights Watch warns against Polish abortion debate
Human Rights Watch, one of the world’s largest human rights groupings, on Tuesday accused the Polish government of taking advantage of the coronavirus lockdown to debate new limits on abortion and sexual education.
Special Report: Hong Kong judges battle Beijing over rule of law as pandemic chills protests
The independence of Hong Kong’s judicial system is under assault from the Communist Party leadership in Beijing, senior judges in the city told Reuters, posing the gravest threat to the rule of law since Britain handed its former colony back to Chinese…
