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BEIJING, China (AFP) — Two tornadoes that struck central and eastern China killed at least 10 people and injured more than 300, authorities said Saturday. Violent winds of more than 100 kilometres per hour (60 miles per hour) blasted the central city of Wuhan on Friday night. Six people died and more than 200 were injured, authorities said, adding that around 30 homes had collapsed. Vehicles were crushed by falling objects, trees uprooted, buildings […]
by Joe STENSON Agence France Presse DUBLIN, Ireland (AFP) — Ireland’s health authority said Friday it had shut down its computer systems after experiencing a “significant ransomware attack”, a week after the largest US fuel pipeline network was also targeted. The Irish attack was blamed on international criminals and was said to be targeting healthcare records, but officials said patient safety was not at risk. “We have taken the precaution of shutting down all […]
SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — Singapore announced a ban on dine-ins and cut group sizes to two people on Friday as it further toughened virus curbs to stem a rise in local transmissions. After a partial lockdown and a rigorous regime of testing and contact tracing, Covid-19 had almost disappeared in the city-state, with authorities reporting hardly any local transmission in recent months. But over the last few weeks cases have risen, with officials announcing several […]
by Marion DOUET and Hillary ORINDE NAIROBI, Kenya (AFP) — At the peak of Kenya’s third wave of Covid-19 in March, hospitals — buckling under the strain of the virus — saw their oxygen reserves fizzle out. Since then, they have been scrambling to increase capacity of the lifesaving element, fearing the nightmare scenario currently unfolding in India due to oxygen shortages. On the roof of the Metropolitan Hospital, a 150-bed private institution that targets […]
BANGKOK, Thailand (AFP) — Thailand reported its largest ever spike in coronavirus infections Thursday, with more than half coming from two Bangkok prisons where prominent democracy activists have been detained. The kingdom is battling a third wave of the virus that has forced the government to impose restrictions on movement, rules on mask-wearing and close public spaces. Alarm bells sounded this week when an activist at the forefront of Thailand’s democracy movement announced she had […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US State Department on Thursday urged citizens to “reconsider travel to Israel” due to the recent surge in violence between the Jewish state and Palestinians. The travel advisory level, which had been lowered in recent weeks due to improvement in the country’s Covid-19 situation, was stepped up to Level 3, out of a maximum of four. “Reconsider travel to Israel due to armed conflict and civil unrest,” the department […]
BEIRUT, Lebanon, (AFP) — Three rockets were fired from southern Lebanon towards Israel on Thursday, a Lebanese military source said. Israel’s army said the rockets landed in the sea. Lebanese military and security sources said the rockets were launched from near the Palestinian refugee camp of Rashidiyeh. A source close to Israel’s arch-enemy Hezbollah said the Lebanese Shiite group had no link to the incident. Israel’s army said in a statement: “A short while ago, […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The top US health agency on Thursday announced it was lifting mask-wearing requirements for people fully vaccinated against Covid-19, a watershed moment in the pandemic. “Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or physical distancing,” said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Rochelle Walensky. “If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things that you […]
by Ben Simon with Adel Zaanoun in Gaza City Agence France Presse TEL AVIV, Israel (AFP) — Israel faced an escalating conflict on two fronts Thursday, scrambling to quell riots between Arabs and Jews on its own streets after days of exchanging deadly fire with Palestinian militants in Gaza. Despite diplomatic efforts to ease the crisis, which US President Joe Biden said he hoped would end “sooner than later”, hundreds of rockets flew across […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Joe Biden said Wednesday that Israel has a right to defend itself but after speaking with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he hopes violent clashes with Palestinians will end quickly. “I had a conversation with Bibi Netanyahu not too long ago,” Biden told reporters. “My expectation and hope is that this will be closing down sooner than later, but Israel has a right to defend itself when you have […]
by Heather SCOTT and Virginie MONTET WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The major US pipeline network forced offline by a cyber attack began to reopen Wednesday, its operator said, after a five-day shutdown prompted motorists to frantically stock up on gasoline and some gas stations on the US east coast to close. But Colonial Pipeline warned that it will take “several days” before supplies return to normal. Faced with a growing shortage, a dozen states […]
KATHMANDU, Nepal (AFP) — Two climbers from the United States and Switzerland have died on Mount Everest, becoming the first fatalities of this year’s season, expedition organisers in Nepal said Thursday. “Two climbers passed away on Wednesday,” Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP. The Swiss climber died near the summit after reaching the top and was suffering from exhaustion, said Chhang Dawa Sherpa from the same organisation. “We sent two additional Sherpas with […]
