China says North Korea is suffering `negatively’ from virus
UNITED NATIONS — China’s U.N. ambassador said Monday that North Korea is suffering “negatively” from the coronavirus and called for greater flexibility from the United States and other countries on lifting sanctions against the country.
From Russia, with fruit: Arctic mission gets record resupply
BERLIN — A Russian icebreaker has made a successful supply run to exchange crew and deliver goods to an international expedition that’s been adrift in the high Arctic for months trying to improve scientific understanding of climate change.
Vatican sends top 2 sex crimes investigators to Mexico
VATICAN CITY — The Vatican is sending its top two sex crimes investigators to Mexico on a fact-finding and assistance mission as the Catholic hierarchy in the world’s second-largest Catholic country begins to reckon with decades of clergy sex abuse and cover-up.
Exit polls: Netanyahu short of majority in Israel vote
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an edge over his main rival in Israel’s third election in under a year, exit polls indicated Monday night, but it was unclear whether he could clinch the parliamentary majority needed to claim victory.
Colombia court upholds law restricting access to abortion
BOGOTA, Colombia — Colombia’s Constitutional Court voted Monday in favor of upholding the nation’s restrictive abortion law in a ruling that had been closely watched around Latin America.
Dominican Republic, France report Caribbean virus cases
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — Health officials in the Dominican Republic and France on Sunday reported the first confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in the tourist-rich Caribbean, while British cruise ship passengers who had been trapped at sea due to virus fears were finally set to come home.
Virus spreads to over 60 countries; France closes the Louvre
PARIS — Coronavirus cases surged in Italy, and France closed the world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday as the deadly outbreak that began in China sent fear rising across Western Europe, threatening its tourism industry.
Weary and divided, Israel goes back to the polls
JERUSALEM — For the third time in under a year, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking re-election, and once again the Israeli leader is on the ropes.
Turkey, Syria fighting escalates; refugees mass at EU border
KASTANIES, Greece — Thousands of migrants and refugees massed at Turkey’s western frontier Sunday, trying to enter Greece by land and sea after Turkey said its borders were open to those hoping to head to Europe. In Syria, Turkish troops shot down two Syrian warplanes after the Syrian military downed a Turkish drone, a major escalation in the direct conflict between Syrian and Turkish forces.
Britain’s health service not for sale in US free-trade talks
LONDON — Any free-trade deal with the United States must protect Britain’s cherished National Health Service, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government declared Sunday as it published an outline of its negotiating objectives for the transatlantic deal.
Virus’ effect on world economy grows more alarming
TOKYO — Concerns about the coronavirus outbreak’s threat to the world economy grew Saturday, even after President Donald Trump denounced criticism of his response to the threat as a “hoax” cooked up by his political enemies.
Ecuador reports 1st new virus case; Mexico confirms 2 more
QUITO, Ecuador — Officials in Ecuador on Saturday confirmed the first case of the new coronavirus in the South American nation and Mexico reported two more to raise the country’s total to four.
France bans gatherings, frowns on kissing, to fight virus
PARIS — France is banning all indoor public gatherings of more than 5,000 people to slow its snowballing spread of coronavirus cases and recommending that people no longer greet each other with kisses.
Italy reports virus cases top 1,100, deaths reach 29
MILAN — Italian authorities say the country now has more than 1,000 coronavirus cases and 29 people infected with the virus have died.
Turkey opens gates into Europe as migrants gather on border
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country’s borders with Europe were open Saturday, making good on a longstanding threat to let refugees into the continent as thousands of migrants gathered at the frontier with Greece.
Dominican Republic turns back cruise ship amid virus fears
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — The Dominican Republic turned back a cruise ship carrying 1,500 people on Thursday because eight of those aboard showed potential symptoms of the Covid-19 virus, officials announced.
New coronavirus reaches Latin America, first case in Brazil
RIO DE JANEIRO — Latin America saw its first confirmed case of the new coronavirus spreading worldwide when Brazil’s government announced that a 61-year-old man who traveled to Italy this month had the virus.
Amid virus, Saudis close Islam’s holiest sites to foreigners
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Saudi Arabia on Thursday closed off the holiest sites in Islam to foreign pilgrims over the coronavirus, disrupting travel for thousands of Muslims already headed to the kingdom and potentially affecting plans later this year for millions more ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan and the annual hajj pilgrimage.
Britain opens EU trade talks with a threat to walk away
LONDON — Britain laid out its opening demands for upcomingtrade talks with the European Union on Thursday,including a blunt threat to walk away from the negotiating table if there is no progress within four months.
Syrian opposition fighters retake key town, cut highway
BEIRUT — Turkey-backed Syrian opposition fighters retook a strategic northwestern town from government forces on Thursday, opposition activists said, cutting a key highway just days after the government reopened it for the first time since 2012.