Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | It’s highly likely that ancient Israelites got high on cannabis in religious rituals, say researchers who have found traces of the drug at a religious site in Israel. Archaeologists made the dope discovery at the eighth-century Tel Arad pilgrimage site in the Negev desert, south of the occupied West Bank. …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The Red Cross and the UN urged countries Wednesday to avoid trying to secure future immunisation jabs against the coronavirus for their populations only, calling for a true “people’s vaccine”. The groups spoke out as scientists race to identify and test possible vaccines for COVID-19, which …

Paris, France | AFP | When Rwandan genocide suspect Felicien Kabuga was arrested at his home on the outskirts of Paris in mid-May, it marked an abrupt end to a quarter of a century on the run. Without the coronavirus pandemic, which forced his children out of the shadows to help …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Wednesday denied media reports that he was rushed for his safety to the White House bunker while protests raged in the streets outside. “It was a false report,” Trump told Fox News radio, before elaborating that he did go into the secure area but only …

Berlin, Germany | AFP | Bundesliga players including Jadon Sancho who staged protests during matches following the death of black American man George Floyd will not be punished, the German Football Federation said on Wednesday. In a statement, the DFB said “no action” would be taken against Borussia Dortmund players Sancho …

Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump on Wednesday said it is “common sense” to bring Russia back into the G7, despite Moscow’s expulsion from the club after invading part of Ukraine. Speaking to Fox News radio, Trump said that the G7 countries — Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United …

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Growing optimism about a swift global economic recovery pushed equity markets sharply higher Wednesday, as investors took heart from further easing of lockdowns while looking past China-US tensions and civil unrest across America. The upbeat mood — and hopes for an extension to a massive …

Moscow, Russia | AFP | Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered a state of emergency and criticised a subsidiary of metals giant Norilsk Nickel after a massive diesel spill into a Siberian river. The spill of over 20,000 tonnes of diesel fuel took place on Friday. A fuel reservoir collapsed …

Washington, United States | AFP | US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said Wednesday that he opposed invoking a rarely used law to deploy military to quell nationwide protests over police brutality against African Americans. “I do not support invoking the Insurrection Act,” Esper said, two days after President Donald Trump said …

Washington, United States | AFP | The nationwide US protests for racial justice are giving Joe Biden, sidelined for over two months by the coronavirus pandemic, the opportunity to reclaim the spotlight and display a contrasting leadership style to that of his November election opponent President Donald Trump. “This is very …