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Here are today’s picks from our editors.
Italian death toll overtakes China’s as virus spreads
The death toll in Italy from the coronavirus overtook China’s on Thursday.
Italy, with a population of 60 million, recorded at least 3,405 deaths, or roughly 150 more than in China — a country with a population over 20 times larger.
The cumulative number of those who tested positive reached 41,035 in locked-down Italy, according to new data released by the Civil Protection Department. (AP-Xinhua)
Wuhan police apologize for questioning doctor who sounded early alarm on COVID-19
The Wuhan Police Department on Thursday issued an official apology to the family of deceased doctor Li Wenliang, who raised an early alarm over the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in late December, citing "inappropriate handling on the matter."
Officials will also revoke the reprimand letter for Dr. Li, in which he was accused of "spreading rumors" which were later found to be legitimate.
Additionally, compensation for his family members has been "allocated," according to the official statement.
Dr. Li passed away after contracting the virus in early February while treating patients in Wuhan. (CGTN)
Trump says antimalarial drug soon available to treat COVID-19 in US
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that an antimalarial drug will soon be made available with a prescription to treat the novel coronavirus.
It is a common drug and will be available for "prescribed use" for COVID-19, Trump said at a daily briefing at the White House, calling it a "game-changer."
On Thursday, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the US topped 10,000, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. (Xinhua)
UK pulls troops from Iraq training mission over virus: defense minister
Britain is withdrawing some of its troops from a global training mission in Iraq because of the coronavirus outbreak, the defense ministry said on Thursday.
Britain has been working alongside coalition partners in Iraq since 2014 to train Iraqi security forces but the program has "paused" for 60 days as a precaution due to COVID-19.
Key UK military personnel will remain in Iraq supporting the government in Baghdad, the coalition, and UK interests, the ministry said. (AFP)
US imposes fresh Iran-related sanctions
The US on Thursday imposed fresh Iran-related sanctions to pressure Tehran.
The US Department of Treasury designated five United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based companies that facilitate Iran's petroleum and petrochemical sales, according to a statement issued by the department.
US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin accused Tehran of using "revenues from petroleum and petrochemical sales to fund its terrorist proxies, like the IRGC-QF, instead of the health and well-being of the Iranian people." (Xinhua)
Greece hands over Olympic flame to Tokyo 2020
The flame for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games was passed to Japan in a handover ceremony in Athens, Greece on Thursday.
Tokyo Games representative and Japanese Olympic swimmer Naoko Imoto received the lit torch from Greece's Olympic Committee chief Spyros Capralos during a brief ceremony closed to spectators at Athen's Panathenaic stadium.
The flame was placed into a small receptacle and will travel to Japan aboard the "Tokyo 2020 Go" aircraft. (CGTN)
SpaceX plans first manned flight to space station in May
Elon Musk's SpaceX will send astronauts to the International Space Station for the first time in May, NASA said, announcing the first crewed launch from the US to the platform since 2011.
The tech entrepreneur's company will launch a Falcon 9 rocket to transport NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station.
"NASA and SpaceX are currently targeting no earlier than mid-to-late May for launch," the US space agency said in a statement Wednesday. (AFP)
Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.
And now for the Question of the Day:
How long does it take for glass to decompose?
(Answer: Over a million years.)
Today’s quote is from Roman poet Horace (65 BC - 8 BC).
"Poets wish to profit or to please."
(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Lance Crayon, and Elaine Yue Lin. Music by Eugene Loner.)