OTTAWA (AFP) -- The wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has tested positive for the new coronavirus, his office said late Thursday. "Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau was tested for COVID-19 today. The test came back positive," the Prime Minister's office said in a statement. "Following medical advice, she will remain in isolation for the time being. She is feeling well, is taking all the recommended precautions and her symptoms remain mild," it said. "The Prime M

World News March 13, 2020

TOKYO (AFP) -- Japanese government officials insisted Friday they have no plans to alter the Olympics, including holding it without spectators, after US President Donald Trump proposed a delay over the coronavirus. The fate of the 2020 Games, scheduled to open in Tokyo on July 24, has been thrown into doubt by the outbreak of the virus, now dubbed a pandemic. But organisers, Japanese government officials and the International Olympic Committee have insisted preparation for the Games is on tra

Olympic Games March 13, 2020

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Disney will close its giant theme parks in Florida, California and Paris and pull the releases of major blockbusters including "Mulan" over the coronavirus, it announced Thursday. The resorts are among the largest theme parks in the world, each drawing tens of thousands of visitors each day. They will remain shut at least until the end of March. "In an abundance of caution and in the best interest of our guests and employees, we are proceeding with the

World News March 13, 2020

TOKYO (AFP) -- Asian markets opened in freefall on Friday, extending a global rout that saw bourses experience their worst day in decades on fears of a recession caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei index nosedived more than seven percent shortly after the open, with markets around the region plummeting after a historically bad trading day in the US and Europe. The Nikkei 225 index dropped 7.12 percent or 1,322.15 points to 17,237.48 in early trade, while the broader T

Market March 13, 2020

NEW YORK (AFP) -- Global equity markets plunged again Thursday, with some suffering their worst losses in decades, as emergency measures by central banks failed to douse fears over the mounting economic toll from the coronavirus. The Dow lost 10 percent, dropping around 2,350 points, to 21,200.62 in its worst session since 1987. London recorded its worst day since the 1987 crash and Frankfurt its blackest day since 1989, the year the Berlin Wall fell. Paris suffered its worst one-day l

World News March 13, 2020

LONDON (AFP) -- Manchester City have revealed one of their players is self-isolating after a family member had tests for the coronavirus. The unnamed City star was reported to be France defender Benjamin Mendy by the British media, but the Premier League club have yet to confirm that. The player is taking the self-isolating precaution after the relative fell ill with symptoms of a respiratory illness at his Cheshire home. The family member is being treated in hospital and has undergone tests

World News March 13, 2020

LONDON (AFP) -- Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the Premier League to announce they will hold an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss future fixtures. Arsenal have closed their training ground as a result of Arteta's positive test, with Gunners players and club staff who had recent contact with the Spaniard now forced to self-isolate. "This is really disappointing but I took the test after feeling poorly," Arteta said in a statement

World News March 13, 2020

WARSAW -- Poland has recorded its first death from the novel coronavirus outbreak in the western city of Poznan, its deputy mayor said Thursday. The 57-year-old female teacher, who had recently been hospitalised in critical condition with pneumonia, was put into an artificial coma and on a ventilator but "unfortunately she died not long ago," Poznan deputy mayor Jedrzej Solarski told reporters. Poland currently has 46 other confirmed cases of coronavirus, according to the health min

World News March 12, 2020

GOLD COAST (AFP) -- Hollywood megastar Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the new coronavirus while in Australia for a film project, the Oscar-winning US actor revealed Thursday. Hanks and Wilson, both 63, are in isolation at the Gold Coast University Hospital after being confirmed with the disease, Queensland state health officials said. Hanks is the first major Hollywood star to publicly state that he has the virus, which has sickened more than 125,000 people worldw

World News March 12, 2020

TOKYO (AFP) -- Cancelling the 2020 Olympics is "unthinkable" although the classification of the coronavirus as a pandemic will likely have some impact on the Games, the Tokyo city governor said on Thursday. "It can't be said that the announcement of a pandemic would have no impact... But I think cancellation is unthinkable," Yuriko Koike told reporters. Doubts are increasingly being raised over whether the Olympics can be held as scheduled from July 24 to August 9. Organ

Olympic Games March 12, 2020

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- The NBA will suspend play starting on Thursday after a Utah Jazz player preliminarily tested positive for COVID-19, the league said Wednesday. The test result was reported shortly before Utah's game against the Thunder in Oklahoma City was to begin, and that game was abruptly postponed. The league said the affected player was not at the arena. (AFP)

World News March 12, 2020

LOS ANGELES (AFP) -- Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have both tested positive for coronavirus, the US actor said Wednesday. Hanks, 63, said he and Wilson came down with a fever while in Australia, where he is set to film a new movie about the life of Elvis Presley. "To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive," he wrote in a statement posted to Instagram. Hanks is the first major Hollywood star to

World News March 12, 2020

MILAN (AFP) -- Juventus and Italy defender Daniele Rugani on Wednesday became the first Serie A footballer to test positive for coronavirus, the Italian champions confirmed. The 25-year-old "is currently asymptomatic," the Turin giants said, but the club is "currently activating all the isolation procedures required by law, including those who have had contact with him." Rugani is the first top-flight footballer to fall victim to the virus which has killed 827 in Italy and

World News March 12, 2020

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- President Donald Trump will make a primetime address Wednesday on the coronavirus crisis, his latest attempt to counter criticism of his response to the growing health and economic fallout from the pandemic. "I'll be making a statement later on tonight as to what I have decided to do," Trump told reporters at the White House. It was scheduled from the Oval Office for 9:00 pm (0100 GMT). Trump said he would explain his plan for tackling both the health crisis, as

World News March 12, 2020

BAGHDAD (AFP) -- An American soldier, a British soldier and one US contractor were killed Wednesday, a US official said, in the deadliest rocket attack in years on an Iraqi military base hosting foreign troops. The attack threatens a dangerous escalation, with suspected US-led coalition air strikes promptly targeting Iran-aligned Iraqi fighters in neighbouring Syria, a war monitor said. At least 18 fighters were reported killed. On Wednesday evening, a volley of 18 rockets hit the Taji

World News March 12, 2020