Mar 20 Olympic flame lands in Japan as doubts grow over Tokyo Games By Haruka Nuga, Koji Ueda, Associated Press It signified a small, symbolic victory for the IOC and local organizers, who maintain the Tokyo Olympics will open on July 24 amid a chorus of doubters who believe they should be postponed or canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading
Mar 19 Watch 2:20 News Wrap: Tulsi Gabbard suspends presidential campaign In our news wrap Thursday, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii suspended her longshot bid for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination. In a message to her supporters, Gabbard said that despite her political differences with former Vice President Joe Biden, he… Continue watching
Mar 19 Watch 7:39 'Roma' star Yalitza Aparicio on balancing acting and activism By Jeffrey Brown, Sam Lane, Susana Seijas, Monica Wise Robles The 2018 film “Roma,” set in Mexico, won myriad awards and acclaim. But it also sparked a national debate about racial and social inequities. Now, its star, Yalitza Aparicio, has carved out a new offscreen role as an advocate for… Continue watching
Mar 19 Israelis accuse Netanyahu of exploiting virus to keep power By Josef Federman, Associated Press Netanyahu and his surrogates have shut down the court system, begun using sophisticated phone-surveillance technology on the general public and suspended the activities of parliament. Continue reading
Mar 19 Africa sees rapid spread of pandemic, UN says By Cara Anna, Associated Press More African countries have closed their borders as the coronavirus' local spread threatens to turn the continent of 1.3 billion people into an alarming new front for the pandemic. Continue reading
Mar 19 Italian death toll overtakes China's as virus spreads By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press The death toll in Italy from the coronavirus overtook China’s on Thursday, and infections in the United States climbed past 10,000, in a stark illustration of how the crisis has pivoted toward the West. Continue reading
Mar 19 Places of worship try to keep the faith during the COVID-19 pandemic By Courtney Norris As churches, mosques and temples do their part in limiting human interaction, the faithful are trying to settle into new routines of observance and prayer, and places of worship are harnessing technology to connect. Continue reading
Mar 19 U.S. citizen accused of human rights violations freed in Lebanon By Kathy McCormack, Matthew Lee, Aamer Madhani, Associated Press A U.S. citizen who had faced decades-old murder and torture charges in Lebanon has been freed, a senator who had pushed for his release announced Thursday. Continue reading
Mar 19 Indonesia halts Islamic assembly, quarantining 9,000 people By Niniek Karmini, Eileen Ng, Associated Press The four-day gathering of nearly 9,000 Muslim pilgrims at a boarding school in south Sulawesi province wasn't approved by authorities and drew fears it could spread the virus widely in the world's fourth most populous nation. Continue reading
Mar 19 On COVID-19, Wuhan offers hope as Italy nears stark death toll By David Rising, Nick Perry, Ken Moritsugu, Associated Press The Chinese city of Wuhan reported no new homegrown infections, but Italy appeared set to surpass China's death toll from the virus. Continue reading