Russia foreign minister visits Venezuela as U.S. warns of sanctions reprisal
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro holds talks with Russia’s foreign minister on Friday as Moscow continues to support the isolated South American nation’s socialist government despite Washington’s warnings that it may ramp up sanctions.
WHO warns of global shortage of coronavirus protective equipment
The world is facing a chronic shortage of gowns, masks, gloves and other protective equipment in the fight against a spreading coronavirus epidemic, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.
Death of doctor who sounded coronavirus alarm sparks anger at government
A Chinese doctor who was reprimanded for warning against a “SARS-like” coronavirus before it was officially recognised died of the virus on Friday, triggering a wave of mourning in China and rare online expressions of anger towards the government.
Barcelona mayor says major fair to go ahead despite coronavirus
The mayor of Barcelona on Friday said she was confident that a major telecoms conference in the city would go ahead as normal after Swedish telecoms equipment maker Ericsson joined Korea’s LG in saying it would not attend due to concerns over a coron…
Diplomat Karen Pierce appointed as UK’s new ambassador to U.S.
Britain has named career diplomat Karen Pierce as its new ambassador to the United States, the first woman to hold the U.S. post, with the task of shoring up relations with London’s closest ally after Brexit.
Hong Kong shoppers snap up rice and noodles as coronavirus fears mount
Panicky Hong Kong residents scooped noodles, rice, meat and toilet rolls into supermarket trolleys on Friday despite government assurances of ample supplies during an outbreak of a new coronavirus that has killed 637 people in mainland China.
Brazil’s Bolsonaro signs into law bill on quarantine rules for coronavirus
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has signed into law quarantine rules for Brazilians who will be brought back from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicenter of a coronavirus outbreak, the Official Gazette said on Friday.
World faces chronic shortage of coronavirus protective equipment: WHO
The world is facing a chronic shortage of gowns, masks, gloves and other protective equipment in the fight against a spreading coronavirus epidemic, World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday.
Berlin wants to evacuate more Germans from virus-hit Wuhan: magazine
The German government wants to evacuate another group of Germans from the Wuhan area in China due to the coronavirus outbreak that has killed more than 630 people, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Friday.
Italy denies ‘groundless’ China assertion on resuming flights
Italy on Friday denied it was ready to resume direct flights with China, frozen over the coronavirus outbreak.
