Singapore lifts virus alert to SARS level, sparking panic buying
Singapore on Friday raised its coronavirus alert level and reported more cases not linked to previous infections or travel to China, a move that sparked panic-buying of essentials in some shops across the island.
Mexicans will win $1 million raffle prizes, not presidential plane
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gave details on Friday of a raffle aimed at covering the cost of a luxury presidential plane he has struggled to sell, clarifying that winners will get $1 million in cash rather than the plane itself.
Spain’s poor suffer as economy recovers from crisis: U.N. poverty expert
Spain is depriving its poor of basic rights, even as its businesses recover from the economic crisis, a U.N. poverty expert said on Friday.
Merkel protegee struggles to assert control after far-right row
Chancellor Angela Merkel’s would-be successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, struggled to assert her control over her conservative party on Friday after a regional branch defied her by backing a local leader helped into office by the far right.
Passenger plane makes emergency landing to avoid coming under Syrian fire: Russia
A passenger plane carrying 172 passengers from Tehran to Damascus made an emergency landing at the Russian-controlled Hmeimim Air Base in Syria on Thursday to avoid coming under fire from Syrian air defenses, Russia said on Friday.
Coronavirus cases on cruise ship marooned off Japan rise to 61
Dozens more people on a cruise ship quarantined in a Japanese port tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday and thousands of passengers remained confined to their cabins, only allowed on deck briefly for fresh air.
“We will be independent,” Catalan regional leader says
Catalonia’s regional leader Quim Torra told Reuters on Friday that he wants to agree on a date for an independence referendum as part of talks with the Spanish government, arguing that the region’s path towards secession is “irreversible”.
Roll up! Mexico’s presidential plane to be raffled off at 500 pesos a ticket
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador will raffle off his predecessor’s luxury plane in a bid to raise funds for the country’s public hospitals, he announced on Friday.
Scientists question work suggesting pangolin coronavirus link
Independent scientists questioned research on Friday that suggested that the outbreak of coronavirus disease spreading from China might have passed from bats to humans through the illegal traffic of pangolins.
Italy contradicts China over possible air traffic restart
Italy on Friday contradicted China’s assertions over a possible resumption of flights between the two countries, in a move that could further raise diplomatic tensions after Rome’s decision to shut air traffic due to the coronavirus emergency.
