Athens, Greece | AFP | The new coronavirus is a “game changer” that will require a rethink of global supply networks especially in the health, medicine, and auto industries, the French finance minister said on Tuesday. “The coronavirus epidemic is a game changer for globalisation,” Bruno Le Maire said during a visit to Athens, adding …
Read More »Harvey Weinstein convicted of sexual assault and rape
New York, United States | AFP | Harvey Weinstein was convicted Monday of sexual assault and rape but cleared of the most serious predatory sexual assault charges, a verdict hailed as a historic victory by the #MeToo Movement against sexual abuse. The jury of seven men and five women, delivering …
Read More »‘No one cares’: Locked-in Wuhan residents adapt to find food
Beijing, China | AFP | The lockdown of Guo Jing’s neighbourhood in Wuhan –- the city at the heart of China’s new coronavirus epidemic –- came suddenly and without warning. Unable to go out, the 29-year-old is now sealed inside her compound where she has to depend on online group-buying …
Read More »Human rights under assault worldwide: UN chief
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | UN chief Antonio Guterres launched a “call to action” on Monday against rising attacks on human rights worldwide, highlighting the persecution of minorities and “alarming levels of femicide”. “Human rights are under assault,” said the secretary general as he opened the UN Human Rights Council’s …
Read More »China considers ‘complete ban’ on wildlife trade
Beijing, China | AFP | China’s top legislative committee on Monday began deliberating a proposal to ban all trade and consumption of wild animals, a practice believed responsible for the country’s deadly coronavirus outbreak. The official Xinhua news agency said the proposal was submitted to the Standing Committee of the …
Read More »Spread of coronavirus confirms WHO fears
Paris, France | AFP | The sharp rise in cases and the geographical spread of the coronavirus outside China confirm WHO fears over dealing with the crisis, experts warned Sunday as they appealed for ever greater vigilance. “There has been a profound shift in the direction that COVID-19 (new coronavirus) …
Read More »UK pianist Alexis Ffrench bids to change image of classical music
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British composer and pianist Alexis Ffrench, a rising black star in the overwhelmingly white world of classical music, is on a mission “to change the narrative” that the genre is stuffy and outdated. The 48-year-old, who is set to release his latest album next month, …
Read More »Precarious Dakar tenants face eviction as rents rise
Dakar, Senegal | AFP | After months of threats from his landlord, visits to the police and a court hearing, Djibril Diagne came home on New Year’s Day to find the water had been cut off. Today, Diagne, his second wife and five children use outdoor taps to wash and cook. …
Read More »Sensational Fury crushes Wilder in heavyweight title rematch
Las Vegas, United States | AFP | Tyson Fury reigns again as a heavyweight world champion after battering Deontay Wilder to a stunning seventh-round stoppage in their World Boxing Council title rematch. Fourteen months after their dramatic split-decision draw, Britain’s Fury dominated the American champion — who had blood dripping from …
Read More »Sanders wins big in Nevada, stretching lead in Democratic race
Las Vegas, United States | AFP | Progressive firebrand Bernie Sanders earned a decisive victory Saturday in the Nevada caucuses, solidifying his frontrunner status in the race to choose the Democratic nominee who faces President Donald Trump in November’s election. His win is a substantial accomplishment in a state seen as …
Read More »