Diplomacy / Foreign Policy
Trump halts World Health Organization funding amid coronavirus pandemic
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he would halt funding to the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic while his administration reviews its response to the global crisis. Trump told a White House news conference the WHO had “failed in its basic duty and it must be held …
Spain, Austria ease coronavirus curbs, U.S. debates risks
MADRID/LONDON (Reuters) – Spain and Austria allowed partial returns to work on Tuesday but Britain, France and India extended lockdowns to rein in the new coronavirus while the United States, where the death toll exceeded 25,000, debated how to reopen its economy. The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that infections had “certainly” not yet peaked. …
UK must stop China’s bid to remove Imagination Technologies’ tech, British lawmaker says
FILE PHOTO: The headquarters of technology company Imagination Technologies is seen on the outskirts of London, Britain, June 22, 2017. REUTERS/Hannah McKay LONDON (Reuters) – The British government should seek every mechanism to prevent the removal of Imagination Technologies’ technology base to China, including seeking a Western purchaser for the company, British lawmaker David Davis …
UK coronavirus deaths rise above 11,000, government grapples with economic toll
LONDON (Reuters) – The death toll from COVID-19 in British hospitals rose to 11,329 on Monday as the government – without its recuperating leader Boris Johnson – faced questions over its handling of the outbreak and the impact on the economy. Finance minister Rishi Sunak has told colleagues Gross Domestic Product could shrink by up …
EU nears deal on coronavirus package as Germany puts its foot down
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Prospects for a European Union deal on a package to support its coronavirus-battered economies brightened on Thursday as Germany put its foot down to end opposition from the Netherlands and to reassure Italy that the EU would show it solidarity. FILE PHOTO: Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte addresses the Senate, the upper …
Australia closes internal borders to capitalise on fall in new coronavirus cases
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian officials closed internal borders on Friday and warned people to stay home over the upcoming Easter holiday as the country seeks to capitalise on a further fall in the rate of new coronavirus cases. FILE PHOTO: A man walks in a corridor near a sign with instructions about the coronavirus and …
Brazil, U.S. sign agreement to develop defense technology
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Commander of the U.S. Southern Command Admiral Craig S. Faller shake hands during an agreement signing ceremony, in Miami, Florida, U.S., March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Bello MIAMI (Reuters) – Brazilian and U.S. governments signed on Sunday an agreement for development of defense projects that may give the South American country …
Coronavirus cases rise in UAE, Kuwait and Qatar: ministries
FILE PHOTO: A man wears a protective face mask, following the outbreak of the new coronavirus, as he walks at the Grand Souq in old Dubai, United Arab Emirates March 2, 2020. REUTERS/Christopher Pike DUBAI (Reuters) – The number of coronavirus cases in the United Arab Emirates has risen to 45 from 30, the Health …
‘Unprecedented’ mental health issues seen in Hong Kong amid virus fears
HONG KONG (Reuters) – As Hong Kong tries to contain the coronavirus outbreak, medical experts say many in the Asian financial hub are reeling from increased anxiety and an unprecedented level of mental health issues. FILE PHOTO: Derek Au, a 46-year-old manager at a non-profit organization, plays a board game with his wife and children …
U.S., allied firms testing alternatives to Chinese 5G technology: Esper
U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks at the annual Munich Security Conference in Germany February 15, 2020. REUTERS/Andreas Gebert MUNICH (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said on Saturday that Washington was working with technology companies in the United States and allied nations to develop alternatives to Chinese 5G vendors and was already …
