World
Rory McIlroy to play first three PGA Tour events when season resumes
World number one Rory McIlroy says he is planning to play in the PGA Tour’s first three tournaments when the season resumes next month after the COVID-19 disruption. The golf calendar has been severely impacted by the novel coronavirus outbreak, which has killed over 291,000 people around the world, with three of the sport’s four majors rescheduled and the British Open cancelled. The Tour’s schedule restarts with the Charles Schwab Challenge (June 11-14 in Fort Worth, Texas) followed by the RBC Heritage (June 18-21 in Hilton Head, South Carolina) and the Travelers Championship (June 25-28 in Cromwell, Connecticut). “Right now, I’m planning to play the first three events,” McIlroy, who is also set to play in a $3 million charity skins match on May 17, told reporters. “I miss the competition...
WHO warns virus may be here to stay as toll nears 300,000
The coronavirus may never go away and populations will have to learn to live with it just as they have HIV, the World Health Organization has warned, as the global death toll from the disease nears 300,000. There were also gloomy forecasts from the US Federal Reserve, which said prolonged shutdowns to stem the spread of the virus could cause lasting economic damage in America. Washington ratcheted up tensions over the pandemic by accusing China of trying to steal research into a vaccine, while US President Donald Trump upped the rhetoric with a colourful phrase that could anger Beijing. “We just made a great Trade Deal, the ink was barely dry, and the World was hit by the Plague from China. 100 Trade Deals wouldn’t make up the difference — and all those innocent lives lost!” Trump tweeted....
WHO: Coronavirus may never go away
The new coronavirus may never go away and populations around the world will have to learn to live with it, the World Health Organization warned Wednesday. As some countries around the world begin gradually easing lockdown restrictions imposed in a bid to stop the novel coronavirus from spreading, the WHO said it may never be wiped out entirely. The virus first emerged in Wuhan in China late last year and has since infected more than 4.2 million people and killed nearly 300,000 worldwide. “We have a new virus entering the human population for the first time and therefore it is very hard to predict when we will prevail over it,” said Michael Ryan, the WHO’s emergencies director. “This virus may become just another endemic virus in our communities and this virus may never go away,” he told a ...
Gunmen attack Afghan hospital, kill two babies, 11 others
Thirteen people, including two babies, were killed on Tuesday when gunmen stormed a maternity hospital in the Afghan capital Kabul, an interior ministry spokesman said. “The fatalities also include mothers and nurses,” spokesman Tareq Arian said. Three gunmen held siege the Barchi National Hospital in Kabul for hours after the early-morning attack before security forces killed them in a clearance operation, the interior ministry said. Heavily armed security forces were seen carrying infants away from the scene — at least one wrapped in a blood-soaked blanket. “The fatalities also include mothers and nurses,” interior ministry spokesman Tareq Arian said. Some 15 people were wounded and more than 100 — including three foreign nationals — were rescued, he said. The hospital is located in the ...
New Zealand further relaxes coronavirus lockdown measures
New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern has announced a gradual easing of the country’s lockdown measures. However, the government said the country’s border will remain closed. At a news conference on Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the easing will begin starting on Thursday, meaning most businesses and public spaces could reopen. “But everyone would need to play it safe. We must continue to behave as if the virus is still amongst us,’’ Ardern cautioned. According to her, schools will re-open from May 18, while bars will be able to re-open on May 21. “We may have won a few battles, but we have not won the war,’’ the prime minister said. She said that gatherings at home for weddings, funerals and tangihanga (Maori funeral rites) would be capped at 10 people, while all other social events, ...
Australian anti-lockdown protesters receive backlash
Australia Medical community representatives on Monday, accused protesters who broke the law of social distancing restrictions, of jeopardising an early relaxing of restrictions. Hundreds of demonstrators hit the streets in the state of Victoria on Sunday, calling for an end to the lockdown. However, Head of the Australian Medical Association, Dr Tony Bartone, told ‘The Today Show’ that the protesters, in fact, risked prolonging social distancing laws by potentially spreading the disease, describing it as an “incredibly disappointing”, and “bizarre” incident. “By that grouping of those protests over the weekend, we just need one person to be positive and spread the virus, and then we’re on the backward step already,’’ Bartone said. “If we have to isolate again and (implement) those measures...
19 dead as Iran warship hit by ‘friendly fire’ in tense Gulf
An Iranian warship was hit by a friendly fire missile during naval exercises, killing 19 sailors, state media and the army said Monday, amid tensions with the US in Gulf waters. The incident involving the Konarak vessel occurred on Sunday afternoon near Bandar-e Jask, off the southern coast of the Islamic republic, state television said on its website. “The vessel was hit after moving a practice target to its destination and not creating enough distance between itself and the target,” said the channel. The armed forces said in a statement that 19 crewmen were killed and 15 injured. It said the Konarak had been involved in an “accident” during the exercises, without elaborating. The vessel had been towed ashore for “technical investigations”, it added, calling on people to “avoid speculatio...
China’s Wuhan reports first coronavirus infection in over a month
China on Sunday reported the first case of coronavirus in over a month in Wuhan, the city where the outbreak first started in December last year. China’s National Health Commission also reported the first double-digit increase in countrywide cases in nearly 10 days, saying 14 new infections had been confirmed. Two of the cases were imported into the country from overseas, the commission said. The coronavirus first emerged in China’s Wuhan, a major industrial and transport city in central China, in December. It has since infected nearly four million people worldwide — claiming more than 270,000 lives — and crippled the global economy. The total number infected in China is 82,901, with an official death toll of 4,633. No new deaths have been reported for nearly a month. China’s ruling Commun...
Turkey will target Khalifa Haftar’s forces if attacks on its interests in Libya – ministry
Turkey’s foreign ministry warned on Sunday that it would deem the forces of Libyan General Khalifa Haftar legitimate targets if their attacks on its interests and diplomatic missions in Libya continued. Turkey backs Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and views Haftar’s forces as “putschists”. In a statement, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said that “if our missions and our interests in Libya are targeted, we will deem Haftar’s forces legitimate targets.” It also said the attacks on Tripoli’s Mitiga airport early on Saturday, part of an intensified barrage of artillery fire on the capital, were war crimes. On Thursday, Turkey and Italy said the area around their embassies in Tripoli was shelled. Get more stories like this on Twitter
VIDEO: Samzy – Red Dots ft. Rema
Samzy joins forces with Rema to serve new single, “Red Dots“ “Red Dots” features Mavin/Jonzing World’s wonder boy, Rema. It is the first track off his forthcoming debut EP, “Trendsetter” which would be out before the end of the year. “Red Dots” is a banging trap record produced by America’s fast rising music producer, Eem Triplin, mixed and mastered by Grammy-winning sound engineer, DJ Swivel. DOWNLOAD AUDIO/MP3 HERE The video was shot in Dallas, Texas and Los Angeles, California, directed by the highly creative Patrick Ellis. Recommended For You:
Mike Pence spokeswoman tests positive for spokesperson
The US vice president’s spokeswoman became the second White House staff this week to test positive for the coronavirus, officials said Friday, even as President Donald Trump continued to go mask-free at a World War II commemoration with veterans in their 90s. News that staffer Katie Miller had fallen ill boosted fears that the White House is at risk of becoming a viral hot spot just when Trump is leading efforts to wind down nationwide quarantine measures that have devastated the world’s biggest economy. Miller is spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence, giving her frequent access to high-level meetings. She is also married to top Trump aide Stephen Miller, the speech writer behind the administration’s hardline immigration measures. A senior administration official initially said only th...
China admits coronavirus exposed ‘shortcomings’ in healthcare system
The coronavirus outbreak exposed “shortcomings” in China’s public healthcare system, a top health official admitted Saturday, saying that reforms are underway to improve the country’s disease prevention and control mechanisms. China has faced criticism both at home and abroad for downplaying the virus and concealing information about the outbreak when it first emerged in the central city of Wuhan in December. The virus has since infected nearly four million people worldwide — claiming more than 270,000 lives — and crippled the global economy. Beijing has insisted it has always shared information with the World Health Organization and other countries in a timely manner. But on Saturday Li Bin, deputy director of China’s National Health Commission, made a rare admission when he said the heal...
