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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.
Experts have said that the decline in Hong Kong’s Pisa scores is partly due to the post-Covid impact on study habits and learning motivation. Photo: Jelly Tse
Held every three years, Pisa is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development that tests 15-year-old students on reading, mathematics and science. Photo: Kit Lai
Education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong students drop in global rankings for maths, science and literacy

City’s students drop out of global top 10 in Pisa’s science section – the first time since Hong Kong joined international assessment.

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Icons and Influencers

How classical dancer Patricia Zhou stopped chasing perfection – interview

US-China relations

Fauci refuses to answer questions at US Senate hearing on Covid-19 origins

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United States

World Cup puts Ebola outbreak and pandemic lessons to the test

Experts say slow responses, aid cuts and misinformation expose gaps in global health defences despite Covid lessons.

More than 6 million fans are expected to attend World Cup matches, with hundreds of millions more watching from fan zones, pubs and other venues worldwide. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

2 infants in Hong Kong confirmed severely infected with Covid just days apart

One-year-old boy remains in critical condition, while 19-month-old boy was admitted to intensive care unit, with both unvaccinated.

Medicine

First AI-designed ‘universal vaccine’ tested in humans

The experimental jab is intended to target a wide range of viruses, including those behind deadly outbreaks like Sars, Mers and Covid-19.

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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.

Aimee Bock, centre, founder and executive director of the charity Feeding Our Future. Photo: Minnesota Public Radio via AP
US-China relations

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

The companies are accused of conspiring to restrict output and fix prices during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Asian cinema: Chinese films

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

Neighbouring hotel guests develop a relationship over the course of their 21-day quarantine in Hong Kong in Guan Hu’s pandemic-set drama.

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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.

The US Department of Justice has alleged operations were conducted at the behest of the Chinese government. Photo illustration: Shutterstock
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.

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.

Remo Ruffini, the chairman of Moncler. Photo: Handout
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.

Analysis of DNA sequences in a genetic laboratory. Photo: Shutterstock
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.

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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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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Linda Sun arrives at US District Court in New York earlier this month. A mistrial was declared on Monday in the case of the former senior New York official charged with acting as a Chinese agent. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
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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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.

Then UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a news conference about the ongoing situation with the coronavirus outbreak inside 10 Downing Street in London in 2020. Photo: AP
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.

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.

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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Illustration: Henry Wong
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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Linda Sun and her husband, Christopher Hu, leave Brooklyn Federal Court after their arraignment in September 2024. Photo: AP
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.

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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