SEOUL—South Korea appears to have cracked the code for managing the coronavirus. Its solution is straightforward, flexible and relatively easy to replicate. The country has averaged about 77 new daily cases since early April and recently suppressed a spike in infections. Adjusting for population, that would be the equivalent of about 480 cases a day … Read more
TOKYO—No welcome ceremonies for arriving Olympic athletes. Smaller contingents of visiting officials. Fewer celebratory banners and shuttle buses. The organizers of the Tokyo Olympics, planning games delayed by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, presented on Friday around 50 modifications to next summer’s event to reduce costs and ward against the spread of the … Read more
ROME—An Italian cardinal whose former office has been embroiled in a financial scandal resigned suddenly Thursday from his Vatican post and renounced his rights as a cardinal, a surprise escalation of an affair that has overshadowed that Holy See for the last year. The extraordinary move was announced without explanation in a terse evening communique from … Read more
TEL AVIV—Israel ordered all nonessential businesses and synagogues to close starting Friday, tightening restrictions a week after imposing a second nationwide lockdown as the government struggles to contain a resurgent coronavirus outbreak. Under the new measures, which will last at least through Oct. 10, all private businesses except those considered vital—such as supermarkets and pharmacies—will … Read more
MOSCOW—Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko was sworn in for a sixth term in a surprise inauguration ceremony, catching his opponents off guard and depriving them of an opportunity to stage another mass protest against the handling of last month’s election. Several hundred people were invited to Wednesday’s ceremony in the capital, Minsk, including senior officials, members … Read more
BERLIN—Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been discharged from the hospital after being treated for what scientists said was exposure to the military grade nerve agent Novichok, Berlin’s Charité Hospital said Wednesday. He was discharged Tuesday night after 24 days in the intensive-care unit, the hospital said. He had been receiving treatment in the German … Read more
The World Economic Forum won’t be meeting in Davos at all in 2021 after initially postponing its annual session in January because of the coronavirus crisis, and it is now looking at other locations elsewhere in Switzerland for the gathering. The yearly event in the Swiss alpine town is a highlight of the international business … Read more
President Trump used a virtual speech at the United Nations General Assembly to assail China on Tuesday, blaming Beijing for the coronavirus pandemic that has stricken the world while weighing on the global economy. “The United Nations must hold China accountable for their actions,” Mr. Trump said. Mr. Trump, facing a re-election challenge while grappling … Read more
Political turmoil isn’t new in Thailand, which has been rocked by coups and periods of unrest for decades. But a new generation of Thais has taken to the streets in recent months against a system they see as dictatorial and out-of-place in the 21st century, with some questioning the very foundation of what it means … Read more
The World Trade Organization ruled Tuesday that some U.S. tariffs against China broke international trading rules, a conclusion that exacerbates U.S.-WTO tensions but likely will have no consequence for American tariff policy because the organization’s appellate system currently doesn’t function. The WTO sided with a complaint filed by China in 2018, which said the Trump … Read more