Paris, France | AFP | Here are the latest developments in the coronavirus crisis: – More than one million cases – At least 1,082,470 cases of infection, including 57,474 deaths have been reported in 188 countries and territories around the world since the epidemic started in December, according to an …
Read More »The measures taken to curb a virus
China shuts down Beijing, China | AFP | China has enacted extraordinary measures to contain the spread of a new coronavirus that has killed more than 130 people, infected thousands and reached some 15 countries. Here is a rundown of the steps taken so far in an unprecedented effort: – …
Read More »Contenders jockeying to replace British PM
London, United Kingdom | AFP | After British Prime Minister Theresa May announced her resignation on Friday, here are the top contenders for her job: – Boris Johnson – A former mayor of London, “Boris” or “BoJo”, has confirmed he would “of course” contest any upcoming leadership contest, surprising …
Read More »Here we go again: Earth’s major ‘mass extinctions’
Paris, France | AFP | Most scientists agree that a “mass extinction” event is underway on Earth, with species disappearing hundreds of time quicker under the influence of human activity. But this is not the first: over the last half-billion years there have been five major wipeouts in which well …
Read More »The winding road to power in Israel: How elections work
Jerusalem, Undefined | AFP | Israel will hold general elections on April 9. Here are some facts about the process: Dozens of parties Israel’s system of proportional representation allows small parties a chance of getting a seat in the 120-member Knesset, Israel’s parliament. There is however a barrier to the …
Read More »Trump and Russia: what drives the suspicions?
Washington, United States | AFP | President Donald Trump faced new heat Monday after news reports that he has hid from aides the details of discussions with Vladimir Putin and that the FBI investigated him as a potential national security risk who might be acting on behalf of Russia. Trump …
Read More »Black boxes: crucial to air crash probes
Jakarta, Indonesia | AFP | One of the first priorities for air crash investigators is to locate a plane’s two black boxes, which hold vital clues on what caused it to go down. On Monday, Indonesian authorities found the cockpit voice recorder from a Lion Air Boeing 737 MAX that …
Read More »By any name, major tropical storms are bad news
HURRICANES: low-pressure systems that pack more power than the energy released by the atomic bomb that levelled Hiroshima. Paris, France | AFP | No matter what they are called — hurricanes, cyclones or typhoons — the giant tropical storms that form in oceans near the Americas and Asia can be …
Read More »Here are Africa’s longest-serving leaders
Luanda, Angola | AFP | Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos, in power since 1979, will not contest Wednesday’s general election, meaning he will soon lose his place as Africa’s second longest-serving leader. The continent is home to many men who have held office for two decades or more, and …
Read More »What we know about Europe’s contaminated eggs scare
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Europe faces a growing scandal over the contamination of millions of eggs with the insecticide fipronil, which can be potentially harmful to humans. Here is what we know about a scare which has seen eggs pulled from supermarket shelves in eight countries and involves multiple criminal …
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