Headlines- The twin earthquakes that hit Venezuela last month claimed the lives of over 5,000 people, according to officials, who also stated that the country would need $346 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for reconstruction.
- According to the US Central Command, strikes against Iran were carried out for the seventh consecutive night.
- Iranian foeces targeted a Thai-flagged vessel that attempted to transit the Strait of Hormuz, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
- The US attacked an Iranian oil tanker docked at Karg Island, deputy governor of Bushehr, Iran said.
- After what it described as an Iranian strike involving ballistic missiles and drones, Kuwait's military claimed on Friday that several of its ground forces injured and that both military and civilian facilities damaged.
- Iran said it attacked an American military base in eastern Syria on Friday.
Year: 2020
Nigeria: Free Mental Health Care for...
Thousands of Nigerians are receiving free mental health care through a program to help people cope with stress and isolation from COVID-19. The program, Mentally Aware Nigeria, or MANI, was formed by psychologists and medical experts to create an environment where people can seek mental health care without fear of stigma or discrimination. Timothy Obiezu …
COVID-19 Effects Spanish Tourism Industry
With Europe’s economies ravaged by the coronavirus, the European Union is considering a 545-billion-dollar plan to help them recover. Among the worst hit is Spain, where leaders are torn between extending the lockdown or reopening quickly as demon-strations mount demanding an end to what some see as unnecessary damage to the economy, especially for those at the bottom of the rung
COVID-19: Allegation of Police Use of...
Uganda’s security officers stand accused of using excessive force and targeting political opponents while carrying out lockdown measures during the coronavirus pandemic. On April 19, police stormed the home of Ugandan legislator Francis Zaake and arrested him for allegedly disobeying presidential directives against distributing food aid. He was released a week later but with scars all over his body and left partially blind
COVID-19 Update from WHO
The resolution also “captures the comprehensive whole of government and whole of society approach we have been calling for since the beginning of the outbreak. If implemented, this would ensure a more coherent, coordinated and fairer response that saves both lives and livelihoods,” said Tedros.
Giving Thanks to Pandemic Frontline Workers
Brian Stokes Mitchell is a Broadway star, film actor and Chair of the Actors Fund, which helps those in need in the entertainment community. The fund has distributed millions of dollars since the outbreak of COVID-19. Mitchell is giving his personal thanks to the pandemic’s frontline workers
Twitter’s Hiring of China-Linked AI Expert...
Twitter currently uses an AI technique called deep learning to recommend tweets to its users and also uses AI to identify racist content and hate speech, or content from extremist groups.
COVID-19: Homemade Face Shields by Two...
After Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended contingency and crisis strategies for front line healthcare workers in late March, there was an immediate shortage of protective gears in hospitals. A family in Maryland is doing their part by making face shields at home and donating it to not only healthcare workers they know but also where it is much needed, hospitals in New York. VOA‘s Saqib Ul Islam has their story
Could Seoul be the Model for...
South Korea is one of very few countries to so far contain the coronavirus without resorting to mass lockdowns. Instead, it is taking a targeted approach: using cellphone data to locate and isolate those exposed to the virus. The digital tracing places public safety above personal privacy, but has been highly effective
Muslims Forgo Mosque-Coordinated Burials and Turn...
Losing a loved one is hard enough, but when you lose someone from COVID-19, you can’t even be at their deathbed, nor attend their funeral due to social distancing measures. For close-knit Muslim communities, including Indonesian Muslims in the US, this means making the most of technology and also praying for their loved ones from afar
Evicted During Pandemic, Kenyan Slum Dwellers...
Kenyan authorities forcibly evicted over 7,000 people from Nairobi slums this month, despite a court order, and in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a small riot. Authorities say they demolished the homes because they were built on public land. But some of those who were evicted claim to have bought the land. Critics note mass evictions during a pandemic are inhumane and could further spread the virus