Factbox: Countries evacuating nationals from China virus areas
A growing number of countries around the world are evacuating or planning to evacuate diplomatic staff and citizens from parts of China hit by the new coronavirus.
Australia receives a bittersweet bushfire reprieve with floods, cyclone
Many Australians were experiencing a bittersweet break from the threat of bushfires on Thursday, with flooding rains deluging some parts of the eastern states and a tropical cyclone forecast to hit the country’s northwest over the weekend.
Desperate for coronavirus solutions, Chinese turn to HIV drugs, gray market and traditional cures
The rapidly spreading virus in China and a shortage of medical resources are prompting people to resort to unorthodox ways to obtain treatment, with some appealing to HIV patients and unauthorized importers for medicine.
Taiwan says China feeding WHO wrong information about virus cases on island
China is providing the World Health Organization (WHO) with wrong information about the number of coronavirus cases in Taiwan, the island’s foreign ministry said on Thursday, after the WHO published incorrect case numbers earlier this week.
Fourteen people, mostly soldiers, hurt in Jerusalem car-ramming: Israeli officials
A car ran down and injured 12 Israeli soldiers and two other people in Jerusalem early on Thursday before fleeing, Israeli military and medical officials said, in an incident police described as a suspected Palestinian attack.
China virus death toll jumps past 500, more cases on cruise ship off Japan
Ten more people on a quarantined cruise liner in a Japanese port have tested positive for coronavirus, officials said on Thursday, as the virus death toll in mainland China hit 563, with almost 3,000 new cases reported.
India’s divisive protests could help Modi’s party in election test
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party this week face their first electoral test since deadly anti-government protests erupted nearly two months ago, with the divisive turmoil likely to win them votes at polls in the capital.
WHO investigates Singapore conference linked to foreign virus spread
At least three employees of a multinational company that held a meeting of more than 100 international staff in Singapore have contracted the new coronavirus, sparking a World Health Organization investigation of the case.
China may delay annual meeting of parliament due to virus outbreak: sources
China is considering delaying the annual meeting of its top legislative body, five people familiar with the matter said, as it grapples with a virus epidemic that has forced drastic curtailment of travel and other activity to curb its spread.
South Sudan Olympic athlete says he plans to take home message of peace
Abraham Majok, a South Sudanese 1,500m runner training in Japan for the Tokyo Olympics, aims to bring back two things to his war-torn country after the Games: an Olympic medal and a message on the importance of peace.
