WORLD

Rome, Italy  | XINHUA |   Strict anti-COVID-19 measures including the mandatory use of face masks everywhere will be reintroduced in Italy, starting on Thursday, in an effort to curb a rising trend in infections registered in the latest weeks. The decision was announced on Wednesday by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, …

Paris, France  | XINHUA |   French President Emmanuel Macron is mulling more restrictions to contain the coronavirus epidemic as the country recorded nearly 19,000 new infections on Wednesday, an all-time high for new daily cases. “The epidemic continues to increase. The virus continues to circulate rapidly for several weeks,” Macron …

Washington, USA | THE INDEPENDENT  & XINHUA |  U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris went toe to toe in their sole debate as part of the 2020 race in Salt Lake City, Utah on Wednesday night, as both dodged questions key to the election. …

United Nations | Xinhua | The attempt of the United States and some other countries to smear China’s human rights record failed again on Tuesday after numerous countries spoke in support of China at the General Debate of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly. The United States, Germany, …

United Nations | Xinhua | UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called on governments to invest more in universal health coverage. COVID-19 has shown that universal health coverage, strong public health systems and emergency preparedness are essential, he said in a video message for the launch of his policy brief …

Washington, US | Xinhua | 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said on Tuesday that the next debate should not be held if his Republican opponent, U.S. President Donald Trump, still has COVID-19. “Well, uh, I think if he still has COVID, we shouldn’t have a debate,” Biden told reporters after …

Washington, US | Xinhua | U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has asked his administration’s negotiators to withdraw from COVID-19 relief talks with Democrats until after the presidential election in November. “I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we …

Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | World merchandise trade is expected to fall by 9.2 percent in 2020, followed by a 7.2-percent rise in 2021, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said on Tuesday in its revised trade forecast. In April, the WTO had predicted a decline in the volume of world …

Washington, US | Xinhua | U.S. President Donald Trump still plans to participate in the next presidential debate with 2020 Democratic nominee Joe Biden in Miami, Florida later this month, a campaign spokesman said on Monday. “It is the president’s intention to debate,” Trump 2020 communications director Tim Murtaugh told …

Geneva, Switzerland | XINHUA | The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93 percent of countries, according to a survey released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday. The survey, conducted from June to August among 130 countries across the WHO’ six regions, evaluates how …