Sanctions failed, no talks with Trump: Iran’s Khamenei

Iran will not open talks with the United States that will only benefit Donald Trump, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday, insisting the US president’s sanctions policy had failed.

Floods may cost 20% of global GDP by 2100: Study

Coastal flooding and storm surges could threaten assets worth up to 20 percent of global wealth, according to research published Thursday highlighting the potential economic catastrophe that climate change may bring.

U.S. coronavirus deaths surpass 150,000

America has now recorded more than 150,000 COVID-19 fatalities, reaching a grim new milestone in the coronavirus pandemic.

Hong Kong blocks 12 democrats from election

Hong Kong on Thursday disqualified a dozen pro-democracy candidates from running in a key election, citing reasons including collusion with foreign forces and opposition to the new China-imposed national security laws.

Australia marks deadliest day of coronavirus epidemic

Australia on Thursday reported a record number of new coronavirus infections and its deadliest day of the epidemic so far following a spike in cases at elderly-care homes.

US President backs hydroxychloroquine as Covid cure

US President Donald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, contradicting his own public health officials.

Hong Kong on verge of large coronavirus outbreak

Hong Kong is on the verge of a “large-scale” coronavirus outbreak that could overwhelm hospitals, its leader warned Wednesday, as authorities implemented their toughest social distancing measures yet in a new blow for the economy.

Indian businessman converts office into coronavirus ward

An Indian businessman who recovered from coronavirus has converted his office into an 85-bed facility to provide free treatment for the poor.

Coronavirus cost global tourism $320 billion in Jan-May: UN

The coronavirus crisis cost the global tourism sector $320 billion in lost revenue during the first five months of 2020, threatening the livelihoods of millions of people, the UN said Tuesday.

Pfizer kicks off 30,000-person coronavirus vaccine trial

German biotech BioNTech and US drugmaker Pfizer said on Monday they are launching a pivotal global study to evaluate their lead COVID-19 vaccine candidate.

Malaysia’s former PM sentenced to 12 years jail term

Malaysia’s former prime minister Najib Razak was found guilty today in the first of five trials over the multi-billion-dollar 1MDB scandal and sentenced to 12 years in jail and fined £38 million.

Global virus deaths near 650,000

Recorded deaths from the coronavirus neared 650,000 on Monday as the disease surged back at hotspots in Asia, Europe and the Americas, prompting renewed restrictions, targeted lockdowns and compulsory mask-wearing orders.

Hundreds of flights cancelled as coronavirus returns to NE China

Hundreds of flights were cancelled in northeastern China on Monday to combat the country’s latest resurgence of the coronavirus, state media reported.

Putin announces hypersonic weapons for the Russian Navy

President Vladimir Putin has announced that Russian warships will be equipped with the latest hypersonic weapons.

Modi warns of rapid coronavirus spread as caseload nears 1.4 million

The novel coronavirus is spreading rapidly in several parts of India and the public should remain extremely vigilant, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sunday as the number of infections in India neared 1.4 million.

Brazil records 51,000 Covid-19 cases, 1,211 deaths in past 24 hours

More than 51,000 new coronavirus cases were confirmed in Brazil in the past 24 hours, while the death toll increased by over 1,200 in that period,

China retaliates: Orders US to shut Chengdu consulate

China ordered the United States to close its consulate in the city of Chengdu on Friday, responding to a U.S. demand this week that China close its Houston consulate, as relations between the world’s two largest economies deteriorate.

China reacts to envoy’s remarks on India-China stand off

Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong on Friday criticised his British counterpart Philip Barton’s remarks regarding the India-China border standoff, saying it was a bilateral matter that required no “third party interference”.

Trump scraps Republican convention, coronavirus cases top four million

President Donald Trump announced Thursday he was scrapping the Republican nominating convention in Florida as the number of coronavirus cases in the United States topped four million.

US records 2,600 new coronavirus cases every hour

US coronavirus cases were approaching 4 million on Thursday, with over 2,600 new cases every hour on average, the highest rate in the world, according to a Reuters tally. Infections in the United States have rapidly accelerated since the first case was detected on Jan. 21. It took the country 98 days to reach 1 million cases. It took another 43 days to reach 2 million and then 27 days to reach 3 million. It has only taken 16 days to reach 4 milli

Japan reports record daily coronavirus cases

Japan’s capital has reported 366 new coronavirus cases, Yuriko Koike, the governor of Tokyo, said on Thursday, a new daily record fuelling fears of a second round of infections.

US claims China hides ‘military spy scientist’

Another Chinese consulate is facing criticism, a report revealed Thursday, after the FBI alleged the San Francisco property is harboring a researcher accused of denying having any ties to the Chinese military in order to gain entry into the U.S.

Global coronavirus cases exceed 15 million

Global coronavirus infections surged past 15 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, with the pandemic gathering pace even as countries remain divided in their response to the crisis.

China warns UK of ‘forceful counter-attack’

China on Tuesday warned the UK of a “forceful counter-attack” after London suspended an extradition treaty with Beijing-ruled Hong Kong weeks after the mainland implemented a controversial security bill in the former British colony. “China will make a forceful counter-attack to the UK’s wrong actions,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, said at the daily news conference in Beijing.

Brazil set to test Chinese coronavirus vaccine

Brazil will begin advanced clinical testing of a Chinese-made vaccine against the new coronavirus Tuesday, issuing the first doses to around 900 volunteers, officials said.

S.Africa outbreak should be wake-up call for continent: WHO

South Africa’s growing COVID-19 epidemic should be an alert to the rest of the continent to strengthen disease surveillance, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Monday.

EU tries to save virus aid plan

EU leaders will resume their fractious summit on Monday to save an $860-billion coronavirus aid plan, hoping to offset some of the economic destruction unleashed worldwide by the pandemic.

Global death toll from COVID-19 passes 600,000

The World Health Organization reported a record increase in global coronavirus cases for the second day in a row, with the total rising by 259,848 in 24 hours.

Explosion hits Iran power plant

An explosion hit a power plant in the central Iranian province of Isfahan Sunday, state news agency IRNA reported, saying it was triggered by faulty equipment and caused no casualties.

Floods in India, Nepal displace nearly 4 million, 189 dead

Nearly four million people in India’s northeastern state of Assam and neighbouring Nepal have been displaced by heavy flooding from monsoon rains, with dozens missing as deaths rose to at least 189, government officials said on Sunday.