BenArmani

A Chinese doctor who was punished after raising the alarm about China’s new coronavirus died from the pathogen, sparking an outpouring of grief and anger over a worsening crisis that has now killed more than 630 people. At least 31,000 people have now been infected by a virus that ophthalmologist Li Wenliang brought to light in late December before becoming...

Demand for masks, gowns, gloves and other protective gear has risen up to 100-fold and prices have soared due to the China coronavirus, producing a "severe" disruption in global supply, the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief said Friday. The situation has been made worse by people who are not medical workers buying the protective gear for their own use, Tedros...

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for European nations to play a more direct role in halting a new nuclear arms race, saying that they “cannot remain spectators” against a threat to the continent’s collective security. “In the absence of a legal framework, they could rapidly face a new race for conventional weapons, even nuclear weapons, on their own soil,”...

Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar has reported that the progress has been achieved in talks with key estranged ally Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan (MQM-P) of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s ruling Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI). The PTI is making efforts to persuade disgruntled the MQM-P to rejoin the federal cabinet. The party had in January announced to quit the cabinet over...

The number of patients under investigation (PUI) for the 2019 novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (2019-nCoV ARD) in the country jumped to 215 yesterday from 178 a day earlier. Two PUI have died so far, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said yesterday. He added that 184 PUI had been admitted to hospitals, 17 had been discharged and nine refused admission. “We are...

Top dogs The latest edition of our flagship magazine – Banking Technology – is out now, packed with news, analysis and insights, case studies, research and expert commentary. A note from our editor, Sharon Kimathi: A new year ushers in new ideas, resolutions and opportunities for celebrating our successes of yesteryear, while ruminating on the challenges to better ourselves. With that in mind, I’d...

Lebanon's government on Thursday approved a rescue plan designed to pull the country out of its worst economic and financial crisis in decades. Now it must win a vote of confidence in parliament. A draft policy statement seen by Reuters news agency on Sunday outlined broad plans, including reducing interest rates, recapitalising banks, restructuring the public sector and seeking support...

The US and Iran have stepped back from the edge of war. But in Iran, normal life feels like war. Iran is facing more than 1,000 US sanctions - more than Libya, Cuba, North Korea and Venezuela, combined. Since the US withdrew from the landmark Iran nuclear deal in 2018, increased sanctions have cut off Iran from many of the world...

Female genital mutilation (FGM) will not be eradicated unless women are economically empowered to make their own decisions, an activist stressed today, as the United Nations released data warning that the ancient practice may take centuries to eliminate. Despite world leaders promising to eradicate the practice by 2030, FGM remains as common today as it was 30 years ago in Somalia, Mali, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Chad and Senegal. "Some countries...

Oscar awards favourite Joaquin Phoenix stars as a medic battling to save a dying planet Earth in a film launched on Thursday, the first in a series of short Hollywood productions aimed at spurring action on climate change. The star of the 2019 film Joker teamed up with environmental activist group Extinction Rebellion and Amazon Watch, a United States-based organisation campaigning...

Federal authorities are investigating the shooting of a man in New York City that involved a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, a case that is inflaming passions around the city's sanctuary policies. The shooting happened around 8:15am (13:15 GMT) on Thursday in the Bensonhurst neighbourhood of Brooklyn. Federal authorities were trying to arrest Gasper Avendano-Hernandez, a Mexican man accused of being...

Ames, Iowa - Seventy-two hours have passed since the Iowa caucuses, and the state's Democrats still have not released the final results. With 97 percent of precincts counted, South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Senator Bernie Sanders were virtually tied in the delegate count race. Senator Elizabeth Warren, former Vice President Joe Biden and Senator Amy Klobuchar trailed behind. But on...

A deadly coronavirus outbreak in China's Wuhan is proving to be one of the biggest tests of President Xi Jinping's eight-year leadership. The rapid spread of the disease, which was first detected in late December, prompted Chinese authorities to place the central city and its surrounding areas under an unprecedented lockdown, confining millions to their homes. More: Coronavirus: All you need to know about the...

Beijing, China - Li Wenliang, a medical doctor and one of the first eight people to warn the public about the novel coronavirus, has died late last night due to the infection, sparking a level of collective anger and grief unseen on Chinese social media. Hailed as a national hero, Li was apprehended by Wuhan police for spreading "rumours" earlier last month. He...