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Coronavirus pandemic: All stories

Coronavirus pandemic: All stories
An outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan, China. It has since spread across the world and the World Health Organisation has declared a global pandemic. Seeking to distinguish the virus from the disease it causes, the virus has been named SARS-CoV-2 and the disease Covid-19.
Aimee Bock, centre, founder and executive director of the charity Feeding Our Future. Photo: Minnesota Public Radio via AP
United States

Woman jailed for nearly 42 years over US$250 million Minnesota fraud case

Aimee Bock sentenced for orchestrating the largest known theft of federal Covid-19 relief funds.

US-China relations

US charges 7 Chinese executives and 4 shipping firms linked to container cartel

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

Review | A Man and a Woman: Hong Kong-set quarantine drama is a tough watch

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World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO says cruise ship hantavirus outbreak ‘not the start of a pandemic’

The rare disease that hit the MV Hondius is usually spread from infected rodents, typically through urine, droppings and saliva.

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The cruise ship MV Hondius leaves the port of Praia, the capital of Cape Verde, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
Crime

Italy extradites Chinese national wanted by US for alleged hacking

Xu Zewei was arrested in Milan in 2025 at ⁠the request of US authorities.

Science

Scientists test universal vaccine for cold, flu, Covid and allergies

The nasal spray works to protect the lungs of mice, and could eventually replace multiple jabs if shown to be effective and safe for humans.

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Fashion

Q&A | Thailand’s Gentlewoman: viral totes and Covid resilience

Discover how 3 Thai accountancy and finance graduates steered the fashion brand’s rapid rise using smart data-driven design and being nimble enough to adapt.

Gentlewoman’s viral tote bag. Photo: Handout
Fashion

How Moncler’s Remo Ruffini transformed the brand into a luxury powerhouse

Known for its A-list collaborations, the brand has worked with everyone from A$AP Rocky and Pharrell Williams, to Jonathan Anderson and Rick Owens.

Wellness

How mono or ‘the kissing disease’ may increase your risk for lupus, arthritis

The Epstein-Barr virus behind mono, which spreads through saliva, sits silently in the body but can reactivate.

Britain

Former British finance minister defects to Reform UK, backing Farage for PM

Nadhim Zahawi declares the Conservative Party a ‘defunct brand’ as he joins a growing exodus of Tories joining Nigel Farage’s party.

UK Reform leader Nigel Farage and Nadhim Zahawi. Photo: dpa
US-China relations

Trump-Xi diplomacy put to test thanks to contentious tit-for-tat Covid lawsuits

Unpaid billions of dollars in judgments against China sucks US State Department into escalating legal dispute, but Beijing remains defiant.

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Illustration: Brian Wang
US-China relations

Mistrial in case of ex-top aide to New York governor charged as China agent

Linda Sun, ex-deputy chief of staff to Kathy Hochul, walked free after jury was deadlocked on all 19 counts and could not reach a verdict.

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Banking & finance

China to hide bad debt records for pandemic-hit borrowers who repay small loans

New policy by the People’s Bank of China applies to one-off debts up to 10,000 yuan incurred since 2020, aiming to help people rebuild credit.

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Diplomacy

Outside In | Six years on, are we better prepared for the next pandemic?

Preparedness plans remain a work in progress while health budgets have been sliced by urgent demands and US withdrawal weakens global coordination.

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A woman walks past the National Covid Memorial Wall in London, Britain, on November 20. Photo: EPA
US-China relations

Chinese city sues Missouri for US$50 billion in tit-for-tat Covid-19 litigation

Wuhan’s government is one of three parties accusing the US state of using the virus to stigmatise China.

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Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has described the Chinese lawsuit as “a stalling tactic”. Photo: AP
Britain

UK ex-PM Johnson hits back at ‘incoherent’ Covid inquiry report

Boris Johnson defends his Covid-19 pandemic response, saying he regrets errors but insists his government acted to save lives.

Coronavirus UK

‘Too little, too late’: former UK government slammed for initial Covid response

Inquiry concludes the failure to implement restrictions a week earlier led to one of Europe’s deadliest outbreaks.

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Wellness

He lost over 40kg in 7 months after pandemic food binge led to panic attack

Meir Ben Tovim used food as a coping mechanism during the pandemic and topped the scales at 126kg. Here’s how he’s now at peak fitness.

Meir Ben Tovim at 126kg (left) in 2020 and 85kg in June 2021. He describes how he lost 41kg in seven months and now does strength training, running and Hyrox. Photos: Instagram/run_with_me_ir
Open Questions series

Open Questions | China’s weak consumption and how economist Lu Feng would fix it

With 15th five-year plan promoting consumption, Peking University expert spells out imbalances and contradictions in Chinese economy and ways to resolve them.

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US-China relations

Ex-New York governors’ aide Linda Sun on trial for acting as Chinese agent

Sun and her husband, Chris Hu, are accused of making millions from their illicit conduct and reaping other rewards, like Nanjing-style ducks.

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Apple

Apple’s new iPhone 17 outsells previous generation by 14% in US, China

Counterpoint Research analysts attribute the boost to an improved display, more storage and Apple’s upgraded A19 chip.

A man shows boxes with newly bought iPhone 17 handsets inside the Apple Store in Beijing’s Sanlitun area. Photo: Reuters
Science

Top biomedical scientist Hu Ye quits US to take up founding role in China

Hu has been appointed founding dean at the new school of biomedical engineering at his alma mater, Tsinghua University.

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Biomedical scientist Hu Ye has returned to China to become the founding dean of a new school of biomedical engineering at Tsinghua University. Photo: Handout
Open Questions series

Open Questions | Yan Lianke, Chinese novelist and Nobel Prize contender, on a writer’s role

Author of multiple books, some of them banned, considers Chinese literature’s place in the world and China’s soft power projection.

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US-China relations

Opinion | Why US-China health and drugs cooperation must top Trump-Xi agenda

The years-long impasse harms both nations and the world, and the stakes in global health security could not be higher.

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Wellness

Rare cancer then divorce: entrepreneur’s amazing recovery from rock bottom

A rare bone cancer and his marriage’s end left Douglas Bray in despair. Now, he competes in some of Hong Kong’s toughest fitness events.

Douglas Bray (centre) competes in the Hyrox challenge in Hong Kong in July 2025. Completing the gruelling race left the cancer survivor feeling “fully recovered” three years after his life-changing surgery. Photo: Douglas Bray
United States

RFK Jnr’s family members say he’s a threat to Americans’ health

Trump’s health secretary is facing scrutiny over his firing of CDC officials and efforts to pull back Covid-19 vaccine recommendations.

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jnr testifies during a Senate hearing on Thursday. Photo: EPA
United States

RFK Jnr defends CDC shake-up, as Democrats call for his resignation

The firing of director Sue Monarez, several high-level resignations and hundreds of earlier lay-offs plunged the health agency into turmoil.

Medicine

Trump plans hefty tax on imported drugs, risking higher US prices and shortages

US move is part of a wider effort to secure critical medical supply chains and reduce reliance on countries like China and India.

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