Fellow scientists question his findings, but an unlikely mix of supporters — from French yellow vest protesters to U.S. President Donald Trump — are cheering their promise.Last month, French immunology specialist Didier Raoult had no Twitter account. Now, he has more than a quarter-million followers, and counting. The 68-year-old French physician has emerged as one of France’s most publicized and polarizing figures of theseRead more
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan officially make the transition Tuesday from senior members of Britain’s royal family to — well, it’s unclear. International celebrities, charity patrons, global influencers? The royal schism that the couple triggered in January by announcing that they would step down from official duties, give up public funding, seek financial independenceRead more
With train service suspended in the country, Pakistan railway officials have begun converting air-conditioned sleeper and business class cars into medical wards for COVID-19 virus patients.Pakistan Railway medical officer Dr. Abdula Samad tells the Associated Press news agency the sleeper and business class cars they converted can each hold about 36 patients, and they alsoRead more
A Taliban delegation arrived in Kabul Tuesday to monitor the long-delayed release of their 5,000 detainees under a prisoner swap with the Afghan government brokered by the United States.This is the first time representatives of the Islamist insurgency have visited the Afghan capital since a U.S.-led military invasion of the country ousted the Taliban fromRead more
Millions of U.S. workers are losing their jobs in a surge of layoffs as businesses large and small shut their operations amid the coronavirus pandemic.A week ago, nearly 3.3 million workers filed for unemployment benefits. The figure is expected to rise rapidly in the coming weeks, with 40 million people predicted to be unemployed byRead more
The death of a U.S. prisoner in the state of Louisiana is amplifying concerns that COVID-19 could spread unchecked in America’s detention facilities that hold more than two million people nationwide. Health officials and local leaders warn the prison population is especially vulnerable to an outbreak, and that hospitals near prisons would be overwhelmed byRead more
While confirmed cases in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and Gaza are relatively low, numbering a little over 100, Palestinian health officials worry because so far there has been little testing for the virus. They fear the situation will rapidly become dire, especially in densely populated Gaza, where the health care infrastructure isRead more
In Greece, the case of an Iranian migrant now jailed on charges of inciting an insurrection is highlighting the Greek government’s rising concerns about a flare-up of clashes involving migrants along Greece’s border with Turkey. Greek authorities say the Iranian man — a self-described anarchist — was urging groups in Greece to arm asylum seekers trying toRead more
Hungary’s parliament granted nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban the right to rule by decree on Monday to fight the coronavirus, ignoring calls by opponents and rights groups to put a timeframe on the extra powers. President Janos Ader, an Orban ally, signed the legislation extending a state of emergency after it was approved byRead more
The Trump administration is prepared to lift sanctions on Venezuela in support of a new proposal to form a transitional government representing allies of both Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, U.S. officials said. The plan, which will be presented Tuesday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, echoes a proposal made over the weekendRead more
Two ships carrying passengers and crew from an ill-fated South American cruise are pleading with Florida officials to let them carry off the sick and dead, but Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida’s health care resources are already stretched too thin.As the Zandaam and its sister ship the Rotterdam make for Florida, passengers confined to theirRead more
Ukraine’s parliament has voted to lift the ban on the sale of farmland in a move that would allow the country to get $8 billion worth of aid from the International Monetary Fund. The bill, long pushed by economists to stimulate investment in agriculture, was approved by 259 votes out of 450 late Monday. ItRead more
Despite vast improvements in countries such as China and South Korea, the World Health Organization said Tuesday the coronavirus outbreak is “far from over” in the region. “This is going to be a long-term battle and we cannot let down our guard. We need every country to keep responding according to their local situation,” WHO Regional DirectorRead more
Don’t wear face masks to fend off the coronavirus, the World Health Organization says. “There is no specific evidence to suggest that the wearing of masks by the mass population has any potential benefit. In fact, there’s some evidence to suggest the opposite in the misuse of wearing a mask properly or fitting it properly,” WHO executive director ofRead more
A man who was among the five people stabbed during a Hanukkah celebration north of New York City has died three months after the attack, according to an Orthodox Jewish organization and community liaison with a local police department. Josef Neumann, 72, died Sunday night, the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council said in a tweet. TheRead more
The United Nation’s top envoy for Syria warned Monday that the coronavirus could be a new “calamity” for the war-torn country and that a nationwide cease-fire must be implemented immediately.“COVID-19 is an enormous threat to Syrians, and it demands a complete shift in mindset from all now,” Special Envoy Geir Pedersen told the U.N. SecurityRead more
United Arab Emirates Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Zayed spoke with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by phone over the weekend to express solidarity over the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Some analysts said the call may also signify support from the UAE for reintegrating Damascus into the Arab League, from which it was expelled in 2011.The UAE’s Crown Prince Mohammed Ben Zayed tookRead more
Russia tightened controls aimed at combating the spread of the coronavirus on Monday, with Moscow introducing temporary quarantine measures, and the Kremlin moving to extend the lockdown nationwide. The new restrictions came as President Vladimir Putin discussed the coronavirus, among other issues, with President Donald Trump in a phone call that the Kremlin insisted was atRead more