Headlines- A shooting that took place early on Sunday on a pedestrian promenade near to the University of Iowa campus in downtown Iowa City injured at least three students.
- After issuing warnings, Iranian forces turned back two tankers that were trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, citing the ongoing US maritime blockade as the reason.
- Iran claimed that since the war with the US and Israel started on February 28, over 3,400 people had died.
- On Saturday night, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran threatened to strike any ship that approached the Strait of Hormuz.
- India's Ministry of External Affairs called the Iranian ambassador to India to discuss the "serious incident" involving two Indian-flagged ships that were fired upon on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran said that it is examining fresh U.S. proposals that were communicated through Pakistan's mediators, but it has not yet responded.
- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem vowed on Saturday that his fighters would retaliate against Israeli attacks on Lebanon and stated that the current 10-day ceasefire with Israel cannot be one-sided.
Tag: Coronavirus Lockdown
University of Oxford Study Set to...
While laboratory evidence demonstrates hope for the drug, the results are inconclusive, prompting the creation of the international, double-blind study.
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
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