Foreign
UN closing New York HQ to public over virus
March 11, 2020, 3:01 pm
WASHINGTON – The United Nations (UN) announced on Tuesday it will be closing its New York City headquarters to the public "out of an abundance of caution" because of the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The international body earlier decided to reduce the number of staff… Read More
12 US states declare state of emergency over Covid-19
March 11, 2020, 1:18 pm
WASHINGTON – At least 12 US states have declared states of emergency so far over the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak as global cases exceed 110,000. On Feb. 29, the US reported the first death from the novel coronavirus in the country, in Washington state. On March 2, the governor… Read More
China’s Xi makes 1st visit to coronavirus epicenter
March 10, 2020, 7:21 pm
ANKARA – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in China’s central Wuhan city on Tuesday morning, his first visit since the city shot to global infamy last December as the epicenter of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) outbreak. According to China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, Xi will… Read More
70% of Covid-19 infections in China have recovered: WHO
March 10, 2020, 4:02 pm
GENEVA – Of the around 80,000 reported cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in China, more than 70 percent have recovered and been discharged, the chief of World Health Organization (WHO) said here Monday. Among the countries with the most cases, China is bringing its epidemic under… Read More
WHO chief: threat of Covid-19 pandemic very real
March 10, 2020, 10:16 am
BRUSSELS — The chief of the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday that the novel coronavirus has got a foothold in so many countries and the threat of a pandemic has become very real. His words came as Cyprus confirmed its first two Covid-19 cases, which means all EU members have… Read More
Success of public comms lies with all sectors, not just gov’t
March 6, 2020, 2:21 am
SHARJAH, UAE – The success of public communications is not the sole responsibility of the government but also lies with multiple stakeholders from across various sectors. Speaking during the opening session of the International Government Communication Forum (IGCF 2020) here on March 4, Ruler of… Read More
Over 290M students missing school due to coronavirus: UN
March 5, 2020, 8:15 pm
ANKARA – More than 290 million students have been affected by school closures across 13 countries amid efforts to curb the coronavirus outbreak, the UN said Thursday. “While temporary school closures as a result of health and other crises are not new unfortunately, the global scale and speed… Read More
Iranian official dies from Covid-19 as death toll rises to 66
March 2, 2020, 8:45 pm
TEHRAN – A member of Iran's Expediency Council died Monday from coronavirus disease 2019 (CoVid-19), according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA). Mohammad Mirmohammadi, 76, lost his life from the virus at a hospital in the capital Tehran, IRNA said. Mirmohammadi was a former… Read More
North Korea fires 'first projectiles' of 2020
March 2, 2020, 7:45 pm
ANKARA – North Korea has launched "projectiles" past its coast for the first time in 2020, media reports said Monday. According to a statement by South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), Pyongyang fired two unidentified short-range projectiles into the East Sea, Yonhap news reported. North… Read More
Hubei receives over $1.86-B donations amid epidemic
March 2, 2020, 2:12 pm
WUHAN – Central China's Hubei Province, where the novel coronavirus outbreak was most severe, has received over 13 billion yuan (around USD1.86 billion) in donations by Saturday, local authorities said Sunday.The donation includes 6.76 billion yuan directed to the provincial level and 4.63… Read More
First US coronavirus death confirmed in Washington state
March 1, 2020, 5:12 pm
SAN FRANCISCO – The Washington State Department of Health confirmed the first death in connection with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) Saturday as more cases of unknown origin were reported in western US states. One person has died from Covid-19 in King County, Washington, making his/her… Read More
UN, OIC welcome US-Taliban peace deal
March 1, 2020, 12:08 pm
WASHINGTON – United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed a peace deal signed between the US and Taliban on Saturday that seeks to achieve a lasting solution to the Afghan war. Two landmark conferences in Qatari capital of Doha and Kabul of Afghanistan saw historic decisions… Read More
US, Afghan Taliban ink historic peace deal
March 1, 2020, 11:52 am
KABUL, Afghanistan – Two landmark conferences in Doha and Kabul saw historic decisions made regarding the fate of war-ravaged Afghanistan. The US signed a landmark deal with the Taliban on Saturday, laying out a timetable for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. The agreement is expected to… Read More
1st coronavirus cases confirmed in 7 more countries
February 27, 2020, 9:31 pm
MOSCOW -- The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) continues to spread across the world. The first cases of the infection have been confirmed in Algeria, Denmark, Estonia, Georgia, Norway, Pakistan, and Romania. Over 82,180 people have so far been infected in China, where the virus originated. The… Read More
Asean launches digital archive of region's cultural heritage
February 27, 2020, 9:28 pm
JAKARTA -- The first digital archive of the valuable historical and cultural heritage of Asean member-states was launched Thursday, according to a written statement issued by the Asean Secretariat. The Asean Cultural Heritage Digital Archive (ACHDA) website showcases over 160 digitized heritage… Read More
Former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak dies at 91
February 26, 2020, 8:44 am
File photo taken on March 19, 2017 shows a supporter of Hosni Mubarak attending a gathering outside Maadi Military Hospital in Cairo, Egypt. Egyptian former President Hosni Mubarak has died at the age of 91 after suffering a long illness, state-run Nile TV reported on Tuesday. (Xinhua photo/Meng… Read More
Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir resigns
February 24, 2020, 8:52 pm
ANKARA -- Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has submitted his resignation to the king, his office said Monday. Speculations are rife over what led to the resignation with local media reporting two different scenarios. Malaysiakini, an online news portal, quoted an unnamed source saying… Read More
Italy takes steps to stop spread of coronavirus
February 23, 2020, 3:21 pm
ROME – The Italian government decided to limit entrance and exit points Sunday in a bid to control coronavirus after the number of confirmed cases here nears 80. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte gathered his Cabinet shortly after the increase of registered cases of coronavirus, or Covid-19, and… Read More
China may start clinical trials of coronavirus vaccine in April
February 23, 2020, 12:54 pm
BEIJING – Chinese scientists will be able to prepare the new vaccine against the coronavirus for clinical trials at the end of April at the earliest, China's Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Xu Nanping told a briefing on Friday. "When it comes to developing a vaccine, according to… Read More
UN records 10K Afghan civilian casualties in 2019
February 23, 2020, 11:51 am
KABUL, Afghanistan – Protracted violence caused 10,000 civilian casualties in Afghanistan last year, a new UN report said Saturday, as the United States gave Taliban a week to reduce violence prior to a peace deal. The annual UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan report that has been… Read More
