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Message sent: Canada minister arranges virus airlift by text

Canada's foreign minister used his thumbs to arrange an emergency airlift of weary Canadians from Peru during the pandemic, reaching out to his counterpart by text message to secure landing rights, he said Thursday. It was part of what Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne described in an interview with AFP as "the largest repatriation of Canadian travelers abroad in Canada's history."

Cone-a-virus: ice cream van delivers for Belfast's vulnerable

Ice cream vans are normally a common sight on Britain's residential streets and in parks when warmer days arrive in the spring and summer months. In Belfast, however, at least one van is still operating -- bringing essential supplies to the elderly and vulnerable forced to stay at home. "When we had seen that the current situation was starting to arise, we knew that there would be problems for some families and elderly who cannot get access to food," said Steven Pollock, of Greater Shankill Action for Community Transformation group.

Spanish cops bust supermarket 'bar' for breaking virus ban

A Tenerife bar owner has been fined for violating Spain's coronavirus lockdown by serving shoppers at a supermarket next door, police said Wednesday. Like other bars, restaurants and non-essential shops across Spain, his watering hole in Icod de Vinos, in the Canary Islands, was closed on March 14 when Spain declared a state of emergency to fight the coronavirus epidemic. With Spaniards only allowed to go out to buy food or stop at the chemist, the bar was lucky to be next to a supermarket, and have a connecting door.

US man teaching dog how to drive arrested after high-speed chase

A resident of the western US state of Washington was arrested following a high-speed chase that left officers dumbfounded after they found the man's pit bull behind the wheel. The incident unfolded Sunday afternoon after police received calls about a driver hitting two vehicles in an area south of Seattle and then speeding away, state trooper Heather Axtman told AFP. Axtman said that as officers gave chase, they got close to the vehicle -- a 1996 Buick -- and were shocked to see a pit bull in the driver's seat and a man steering and pushing the gas pedal from the passenger side.

Rodgers uses private jet to flee Peru amid COVID-19 panic

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers used a private jet to escape Peru with just 15 minutes to spare before the airport was locked down due to the coronavirus pandemic. Rodgers on Friday described scenes of panic and fear as he recounted his hasty exit along with three others from the South American country. "When we rolled up to the airport at like seven in the morning, it was wall-to-wall people and you couldn't move," Rodgers said.

Customer leaves $10,000 tip, anonymously, in Florida restaurant

A customer left a $10,000 tip to be divided among the employees of a Florida restaurant, a day before it was forced to close because of the coronavirus outbreak, the owner said. Ross Edlund, the owner of Skillets in Naples, Florida, said on the restaurant's Facebook page on Thursday that the gesture shows there are still "truly fantastic people in the world." "We have an amazing Skillets family that extends to our guests as well," Edlund said.

Stuck circus 'overwhelmed' by generosity amid virus lockdown

A travelling Czech circus stuck abroad under the coronavirus lockdown has been overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers helping to feed its troupe of animals after cancelled shows left it penniless. Although Latvia bans using force to make animals perform tricks that are unnatural for a given species, it permits zoos so long as animals are treated humanely. "Our hired jugglers and magicians have returned home but our family must stay with our animals," Polachova added.

Wild puma captured in deserted Chile capital

A wild puma was captured after it was found wandering around the deserted center of Santiago in search of food, Chilean authorities said on Tuesday. Chile is under a nighttime curfew due to the coronavirus pandemic. The puma came down to the capital city from nearby surrounding hills.

Jaguars and underpants: when Olympic torch relays go wrong

From a jaguar on the loose to an elaborate hoax involving burning underwear, the Olympic torch relay has had its fair share of mishaps. As Japan postpones the 2020 relay after the Games were delayed over the new coronavirus, AFP looks back at some of the trials and tribulations of the event, first run ahead of the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Probably the most memorable stunt surrounding the torch relay came in 1956 when an Australian student named Barry Larkin fooled crowds with a homemade torch topped by burning underpants.

Saint Corona name vexes Austrian tourist village

The Austrian village of Sankt Corona am Wechsel may need to rethink its tourism campaign, its mayor said Monday after the new coronavirus pandemic has drawn some unwanted attention. "At first we smiled to see a virus named like the village appear, but jokes have stopped since the epidemic became so serious," said mayor Michael Gruber. Ecotourism is the main source of revenue for the village of some 400 people lying some 100 kilometres (60 miles) south of Vienna at the foot of the Alps.

German toilet paper calculator takes aim at virus panic-buying

A German online calculator is here to help. Just type in how many rolls you have and your individual "usage behaviour" and the calculator will tell you for how many days you'll be covered. The website also offers some suggested alternatives to toilet paper should the supermarket shelves be bare.

'Embrace your passion': Confinement tips from French barrel sailor

Frenchman Jean-Jacques Savin, 73, made a splash last year by crossing the Atlantic alone in a custom-built barrel, a 127-day trip that was followed by thousands via his regular Facebook posts. In an interview with AFP, the former paratrooper revealed his tactics for fending off cabin fever after France issued strict stay-at-home orders this week to fight the coronavirus outbreak. Savin spent four months in a barrel with just six square metres (65 square feet) of cramped living space.

Self-isolate in style: Scots chef offers fine-dining takeaways

Campbell Mickel slices a kiwi fruit in the Merienda restaurant in the plush Edinburgh suburb of Stockbridge when his concentration is broken by a vibrating cellphone. "Delivering a meal in a foil container is not something I would normally consider but these are unusual times," Mickel says of the slump in business caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Later in the day, the First Minister of the devolved government in Edinburgh, Nicola Sturgeon, announced there were 227 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Scotland, with three deaths.

Cannabis lobby warns against smoking due to coronavirus

To avoid spreading the novel coronavirus, marijuana smokers should avoid sharing joints and should favor edible products, US cannabis industry figures said Wednesday. "As long as cultures have consumed cannabis, the practice of sharing a joint amongst friends has been a common social practice," said Erik Altieri, executive director of NORML, a major US pro-cannabis lobby. "Further, because COVID-19 is a respiratory illness, some may wish to limit or avoid their exposure to combustive smoke -- as this can put undue stress and strain on the lungs," the statement said.

Puzzles, dancing and donkeys: celebs do social distancing

They're used to full social calendars, the gaze of adoring fans and being surrounded by crowds -- but in these days of corona lockdown, celebrities are shut indoors just like the rest of us. Bundesliga footballer Jerome Boateng has started a trend by doing kick-ups with a toilet roll -- an item that has become a symbol of the coronavirus crisis in many countries thanks to shortages caused by stockpiling. Elsewhere, England footballer James Milner shared a tongue-in-cheek film of himself rationing tea bags, setting them out into neat piles on his kitchen table, and preparing to cut his lawn by measuring the grass with a ruler.

Scammers use coronavirus to trick fearful South Africans

South Africa's central bank has warned citizens against scammers visiting homes to "recall" banknotes and coins they said were contaminated with the novel coronavirus. To date South Africa has recorded 62 cases, the second-highest number of coronavirus infections in Africa after Egypt. President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the closing of schools and banned public gatherings after numbers more than tripled over the weekend.

Cheerful masks help battle coronavirus in Bulgaria

Cheerful face masks are helping to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus in Bulgaria thanks to a small company in the capital Sofia. "The idea came to us spontaneously as we got calls from friends asking us to sew them masks," co-owner Desislava Yankova told AFP. "We stopped our usual production of baby sleeping bags for a week and we hope to be able to make about 3,000 masks to send to hospitals and police stations around the country," she added.

Belarusian leader proposes 'tractor' therapy for virus

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday encouraged citizens to work in the countryside and drive tractors as a way to overcome the coronavirus epidemic. "It's nice watching television: people are working in tractors, no one is talking about the virus," Lukashenko said. Belarus is famed in the former Soviet Union for its tractor production, with the Minsk tractor plant remaining a regional leader.

Aussies chide Tom Hanks over his quarantine Vegemite diet

Quarantined US actor Tom Hanks has prompted a wave of gentle ribbing from his Australian hosts concerned about his fervid use of their beloved Vegemite spread. Hanks has been in hospital isolation with his wife Rita Wilson since they tested positive for coronavirus last week. On Sunday he posted a photo showing two pieces of toast smothered in Vegemite, a salty and pungent paste made from yeast extract.

TV gigs and salty slips: a week on the US campaign trail

A candidate who came fourth in a three-way race, a new career in talk shows and a technical slip made while insulting a voter to his face: this was the latest week on the US campaign trail. With former vice president Joe Biden in pole position ahead of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, the Hawaii congresswoman was pipped to a podium finish by candidates who had already dropped out. Third place on "Super Tuesday II" went to former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Elizabeth Warren, both of whom had already dropped out.

Italians take to singing at windows to beat virus blues

Italians are beating the social isolation imposed by the country's coronavirus lockdown by taking to their windows and singing in unison, with videos of the phenomenon racking up thousands of views online. Since Monday a series of decrees from the Italian government have drastically limited citizens' movements, with vast swathes of the economy shut down and people instructed to leave the house only when strictly necessary. Another attempt to boost morale has now come in the form of impromptu music at people's windows.

Coronavirus lockdown helps Italian police nab 'leading' mobster

A top 'Ndrangheta clan member was arrested in Italy after police, helped by the anti-coronavirus lockdown, spotted the fugitive smoking inside a seemingly deserted safe house, authorities said Friday. Cesare Cordi, described by police as a "leading figure of the 'Ndrangheta of Locri" in southern Calabria, had been on the run since August, when a judge issued a warrant for the 42-year-old's arrest. Thanks to the empty streets and stay-at-home orders imposed throughout the country due to the coronavirus risk, the police, who had been tracking Cordi for days, found him at a house in the town of Bruzzano Zeffirio, at the tip of Italy's boot, late on Thursday.

Art lovers rush to Uffizi's Facebook page during virus shutdown

Florence's world-famous Uffizi Gallery said Wednesday that art lovers had rushed to its new Facebook page as the museum -- like others across Italy -- stays shut to fight the country's coronavirus outbreak. The museum is one of Italy's most visited attractions and houses a priceless art collection, notably of masterpieces of the Italian Renaissance. One of the videos to have received thousands of views is a virtual welcome to the collection from the museum's director Eike Schmidt, while another shows off a room dedicated to works by Michelangelo and Raphael.

Dutch PM breaks own coronavirus handshake rule

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte was caught shaking hands on television just moments after telling the country to avoid the traditional greeting to halt the spread of coronavirus. "We'll do it again," added Rutte, before trying out the elbow-tap recommended to avoid transmission of the virus -- and then putting his arm around Dissel's shoulder to lead him offstage. Rutte had earlier set out to the nation the new steps that public health authorities recommended to curb its spread.

Flouting the fever: Love in the Time of Coronavirus

Some in Paris, seen by its fans as the capital of romance, seem happy to flout the advice against physical contact and put their quest for love first. On Camille's second date with Olivier, who she met via dating app Tinder, he offered her a sip from his drink at a Paris movie theatre. The World Health Organization (WHO), which has warned of a real threat of the coronavirus outbreak becoming a pandemic -- meaning it has truly spread worldwide -- has no specific advice for people pursuing amorous agendas.

French mayor defends Smurf rally after outcry over virus

The mayor of a small French town on Tuesday defended hosting a record-breaking gathering of 3,500 people dressed as Smurfs at the weekend, after accusations that the event increased the risks of spreading the coronavirus. "We must not stop living... it was the chance to say that we are alive," mayor Patrick Leclerc of Landerneau in western France told AFP. The gathering came a day before France banned all gatherings of more than 1,000 in a bid to contain the spread of the virus, which has infected 1,412 people and killed 25 in the country.

'Military training' as China's footballers ordered to stay trim, beat virus

Chinese football clubs and national teams must undertake "spring military training" to defeat the coronavirus and help fulfil President Xi Jinping's dream of making the country a force in the sport, officials said. Matches in China are indefinitely suspended over the outbreak but the football association has issued detailed orders, telling clubs how long players must train each week, what exercises they must do and even how slim they must be. The strict instructions, the latest in a series handed down by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) in recent years, are likely to be met with surprise by coaches such as Rafael Benitez and Fabio Cannavaro with a background in European football.

Armed gang steals $15 million in Chile airport heist

Heavily armed thieves stole around $15 million from an armored security truck at Chile's Santiago airport on Monday, one of the biggest heists in the country's history. The gang arrived in the airport's cargo area aboard two vehicles, police colonel Oscar Figueroa told reporters. Police prefect Jorge Sanchez said the booty consisted of $14 million and one million euros.

I put a spell on you: Hong Kongers vent political anger with ritual

Hong Kongers are seizing on an ancient ritual to relieve their frustration after months of political upheaval, turning to 'villain hitting' to curse troublesome people. Although a year-round tradition, villain hitting, also known as a petty person beating, is considered more effective on Jing Zhe –- the year's first thunder according to the lunar calendar, which fell this week.

Trump says coronavirus leaves him out of touch -- with his face

Washington (AFP) - President Donald Trump complained Wednesday that anti-coronavirus measures are leaving him out of touch -- with his own face.

Comedian spoofs Brazil's Bolsonaro with banana joke

Brasília (AFP) - Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro is known for making an obscene arm gesture at journalists that is known in Portuguese as the "banana." With Bolsonaro's apparent blessing, comic Marvio Lucio arrived at the presidential palace in Brasilia in an official-looking black car, just as the president does each day. Then, dressed in a suit and presidential sash, he offered the bananas to journalists waiting to question the man known as the "Tropical Trump."

Barbie launches dolls to honour women sports stars

British sprint world champion Dina Asher-Smith said she was "proud" to have her own Barbie as the toy brand announced a line-up of dolls to honour female sporting role models ahead of International Women's Day. Asher-Smith, who won the 200 metres gold at last year's world championships in Doha, was one of several sports stars to be recognised as role models. French women's football captain Amandine Henry and Ukraine's fencing world champion Olga Kharlan also have dolls.

Zoo's baby hippo gets name, romps with mother

The San Diego Zoo has named a new river hippo calf, Ahmale, which means "beautiful one" in Zulu. The baby was born on February 8 and now weighs an estimated 100 pounds and is active and healthy. (Feb. 28)

Cuba buys fuel shipment, vessel and all, due to US sanctions

Cuba purchased a shipment of oil -- and the vessel holding it -- as its owner refused to dock at the island nation over fears of violating US sanctions, the government said Wednesday. Authorities in Cuba -- which is facing a fuel shortage -- did not specify where the fuel or ship came from, nor when the purchase took place. "We have reached the point where we had to buy a ship near our shore -- buy the ship -- because the owner refused to dock with the fuel on board," Transport Minister Eduardo Rodriguez said.

Mother files complaint against formula producer after baby vomits worm

A French woman has filed a complaint against a baby formula manufacturer after her infant daughter allegedly vomited a parasitic worm the length of an adult index finger, police said Wednesday. The incident came after another family allegedly found a living larva in a container of the same milk powder brand, Gallia, manufactured by French firm Danone. Police in the northern region of Brittany told AFP the mother of a three-month-old child came in on Tuesday to file a complaint.

Sea lion resists help back home from rural road

Sheriff's deputies and Washington state wildlife officials had a standoff with a rather grumpy sea lion that was found wandering a rural road. Crews were able to coax her into a crate to carry her back to water. (Feb. 25)

Scottish farmer fined for punching sheep

A Scottish wool farmer has pleaded guilty to animal abuse after he was caught on video punching two sheep in the face, an animal welfare charity said Tuesday. William Brown, 59, was fined £550 ($715, 660 euros) under Section 19 of Scotland's Animal Health and Welfare Act 2006, after he admitted to causing unnecessary suffering to two rams on his farm in Penicuik, south of Edinburgh, in 2018. The investigation was conducted by the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which is authorised to report cases of suspected cruelty to state prosecutors.

Burglars loot wine cellar of Michelin-starred Danish restaurant

Burglars stole dozens of bottles of vintage wine worth some 200,000 euros from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Copenhagen overnight, the owners said Monday. A gaping hole in the wall in the wine cellar of the Formel B restaurant -- which has one star in the prestigious Michelin restaurant guide -- greeted the owners on Monday morning. Rune Jochumsen and Kristian Arpe-Moller said in a Facebook post that they noticed between 50 and 60 bottles were missing, but were still going over their inventory.

'Trump cheats at golf': Bloomberg mocks president with billboard

Democratic White House hopeful Michael Bloomberg mocked Donald Trump with a giant billboard on the Las Vegas Strip on Friday, fueling their feud as the US president visits the city for a rally. The giant digital billboard is just two miles (three kilometers) down the Strip from Trump's own hotel, where the president is staying while in Las Vegas. Bloomberg is vying for the Democratic nomination to take on Trump at November's election, and has focused his fire on the president rather than candidates from his own party.

Swiss president celebrates 60th with anyone born on same day

Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga is turning 60 on May 14 and is planning a party with a difference by inviting along all Swiss citizens who share her birthday. There were 94,372 births in Switzerland in 1960 -- the year Sommaruga was born -- meaning that the average maximum number of invitees would be around 258. Sommaruga is not taking any chances with potential gatecrashers and is asking prospective celebrants to submit a copy of their passport through the presidency website.

Superfan prays to Trump idol ahead of US President's India visit

Die-hard Donald Trump fan Bussa Krishna is celebrating the visit of his hero to India next week the only way he knows how -- offering prayers to a life-sized idol of the US President in his home. The 33-year-old has built the statue -- where he performs the Hindu prayer ritual "pooja" usually meant for deities -- in the backyard of his house in Jangaon district in India's southern state of Telangana. "Trump sir, you are my god," the devotee told AFP after performing the pooja.

'Owner' makes claim to ghost ship grounded off Ireland

The purported owner of a "ghost ship" grounded off Ireland's south coast after drifting crewless for more than a year has made contact with authorities, a government agency said on Wednesday. The 77-metre (250-feet) cargo ship MV Alta ran aground on rocks outside the village of Ballycotton near the southern city of Cork, during high seas caused by Storm Dennis last weekend. Under Irish legislation, the Revenue service acts as the "Receiver of Wreck" and has administrative responsibility for dealing with wrecked vessels.

'Ghost ship' washes ashore in Ireland after Storm Dennis

A "ghost ship" drifting without a crew for more than a year washed ashore on Ireland's south coast in high seas caused by Storm Dennis, the Republic's coast guard said. The abandoned 77-metre (250-feet) cargo ship MV Alta ran aground on rocks outside the village of Ballycotton near Cork, Ireland's second city, bringing an end to her months-long voyage. The Alta's odyssey began in September 2018 when she became disabled in the mid-Atlantic en route from Greece to Haiti.

Armed gang steals toilet rolls in panic-buying Hong Kong

A gang of knife-wielding men jumped a delivery driver in Hong Kong and stole hundreds of toilet rolls, police said Monday, in a city wracked by shortages caused by coronavirus panic-buying. Toilet rolls have become hot property in the densely packed business hub, despite government assurances that supplies remain unaffected by the virus outbreak. "A delivery man was threatened by three knife-wielding men who took toilet paper worth more than HK$1,000 ($130)," a police spokesman told AFP.

India's 'Usain Bolt' buffalo runner turns down sprint trial

A buffalo jockey in India has refused to take part in a track and field trial after his record-setting performance in a traditional footrace drew comparisons with Olympic sprint legend Usain Bolt. Srinivas Gowda and his buffaloes ran 142.5 metres in 13.62 seconds, setting a record in the annual race known as Kambala in the southern state of Karnataka.

Mexico's giant pandas are Chinese in name only

Xin Xin and Shuan Shuan are the main attractions at the Chapultepec zoo in Mexico City but what makes them truly unique, zoo officials say, is that they're the only giant pandas in the world not owned by China. Many young pandas born abroad in captivity are later repatriated to China, where the species originates.

Russian soldier rolls out tanks for romantic manoeuvre

A Russian soldier has pulled out all the stops to propose to his girlfriend, with his fellow officers manoeuvring 16 tanks to surround the couple in a heart shape. The high-octane romantic stunt was filmed in a video published by the defence ministry on Friday, Valentine's Day. Lieutenant Denis Kazantsev led his long-term partner Alexandra Kopytova into the centre as she held her hands over her eyes, the defence ministry's TV channel Zvezda reported.

Virus-hit Hong Kong says it with face masks, not flowers

Hong Kong's flower markets are lamenting dismal Valentine's Day sales as the city battles the deadly coronavirus outbreak, with admirers joking that a box of face masks is a better way to say "I love you" than a bouquet. Aman Fong, an art director at a flower shop in the district of Mong Kok, says the usually bumper week leading up to Valentine's Day has been horrendous for business.

Jellyfish hurl venom 'grenades' to snare prey

A species of jellyfish hunts its prey by hurling venom grenades to create "stinging water", researchers said Thursday, solving a long-standing mystery as to how they gather food without tentacles. The Cassiopea xamachana jellyfish, found in shallow waters around Florida, the Caribbean and Micronesia, is a frequent nuisance to snorkelers and surfers who appear to get stung without touching the creatures. It was thought that the stings came from detached tentacles or younger specimens.

Oxford Dictionary updates 'Yid' definition to include Tottenham fans

The Oxford English Dictionary has updated its definition of the word "Yid" to include "a supporter of or player for Tottenham Hotspur Football Club", publishers announced Wednesday. The word has often been deployed as a term of abuse against Jews but a section of Spurs' support has taken to using it in terrace chants. North London club Tottenham have traditionally drawn a significant number of fans from the area's local Jewish community and this has led to anti-Semitic abuse from rival teams.