It’s too early to say coronavirus peaking in China: WHO

GENEVA, Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization (WHO) said it was too early to say that China’s coronavirus outbreak was peaking, but noted that the country had recorded its first day of a drop in the number of new infections. The death toll from the virus in mainland…

Condition worsens for 2 coronavirus patients in Singapore: MOH

SINGAPORE, Feb 7 (NNN-CNA) — The condition of two coronavirus patients in Singapore has worsened, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said. “One is now in critical condition in the intensive care unit, and another requires additional oxygen support,” it said in a press release. Two new cases were also confirmed…

Italy agrees to resume some flights with China

BEIJING, Feb 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — Italy has agreed to temporarily resume some flights with China after it suspended direct air traffic between the two countries last month, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said Friday. According to a statement on the ministry’s website, Vice Foreign Minister Qin Gang had a meeting with…

US: 5 killed in commuter plane crash in Alaska

ANCHORAGE (Alaska, US), Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Five people were killed in a small commuter plane crash in southwest Alaska on Thursday, Alaska State Troopers said. The pilot and four passengers on a Yute Air flight were killed, Troopers spokesman Tim DeSpain said. Names have not been released, and troopers…

Palestinian gunman shot dead in Jerusalem: Israeli police

Israeli police officers secure the area following a suspected shooting attack in which an Israeli policeman was injured in Jerusalem’s Old City JERUSALEM, Feb 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — Israeli border police officers shot dead a Palestinian gunman after he shot and wounded an Israeli policeman in Jerusalem on Thursday, Israeli authorities…

Argentine Antarctica has hottest day on record

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Argentine Antarctica had its hottest day on record Thursday since readings began, the National Meteorological Service said. Temperatures climbed to 18.3 degrees Celsius (64.9 degrees Fahrenheit) atmidday at the research station Esperanza base, the highest temperature onrecord since 1961, according to the meteorological service.…

Update: US astronaut returns to Earth after longest mission by woman

ALMATY (Kazakhstan), Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — NASA’s Christina Koch returned to Earth safely after shattering the spaceflight record forfemale astronauts with a stay of almost 11 months aboard the InternationalSpace Station. Koch touched down at 0912 GMT Thursday on the Kazakh steppe after 328 days in space, along with Luca…

US Pres Trump tells Pres Xi he has ‘confidence’ in China battling coronavirus

WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US President Donald Trump expressed his “confidence” in China’s ability to tackle the novel coronavirus epidemic during talks with his Beijing counterpart Xi Jinping, the White House said. Trump “expressed confidence in China’s strength and resilience inconfronting the challenge of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak,”…

Update: Iraq protesters defiant as they bury 7 killed in overnight clash

NAJAF (Iraq), Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Young Iraqi protesters pushed on with anti-government rallies across the country on Thursday as they buried seven fellow activists killed overnight in violence blamed on supporters ofpowerful cleric Moqtada Sadr. Sadr — a militiaman-turned-politician with a cult-like following — hadbacked the rallies demanding the…

Update: Chinese doctor who was reported to have died of coronavirus is alive but in critical conditon

BEIJING, Feb 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Chinese media have changed a report that a doctor who blew the whistle on the coronavirus outbreak has died of the infection. The state-run Global Times said Li Wenliang had died in Wuhan but later reported he was instead critically ill. The People’s Daily had…