Month: May 2020

Biden pressed to choose a black woman as his running mate

DETROIT — After a devastating start to the Democratic primary, Joe Biden’s campaign was revived when black voters in South Carolina and throughout the South overwhelmingly sided with him. Now that he’s the presumptive Democratic nominee, black voters and leaders are pressing for him to pick a black […]

Police clash with crowds as India eases coronavirus curbs

AHMEDABAD/NEW DELHI – Indian police fired tear gas at a crowd of protesting migrant workers in Gujarat and launched baton charges against hundreds of people queuing at liquor stores in New Delhi, even as the first steps were being taken to relax a coronavirus lockdown. The world’s largest […]

Israel isolates coronavirus antibody in 'significant breakthrough' – minister

JERUSALEM – Israel has isolated a key coronavirus antibody at its main biological research laboratory, the Israeli defence minister said on Monday, calling the step a “significant breakthrough” toward a possible treatment for the COVID-19 pandemic. The “monoclonal neutralising antibody” developed at the Israel Institute for Biological Research […]

Venezuelan authorities detain U.S. citizens allegedly involved in incursion

CARACAS – Venezuelan authorities have detained two U.S. citizens working with a U.S. military veteran who has claimed responsibility for a failed armed incursion into the oil producing country, President Nicolas Maduro said on Monday. In a state television address, Maduro said authorities arrested 13 “terrorists” on Monday […]

Petrol price in Delhi hiked by Rs 1.67 per litre, diesel by Rs 7.10

New Delhi, May 5: Petrol price in the national capital was hiked by Rs 1.67 a litre on Tuesday and diesel by a steep Rs 7.10 per litre after the Delhi government raised local sales tax or value-added tax (VAT) on the two fuels. Petrol in Delhi now costs […]

India should put in large enough stimulus package to revive demand: Abhijit Banerjee

New Delhi, May 5: India should come out with a large enough stimulus package to revive demand, Nobel laureate Abhijit Banerjee said on Tuesday, asserting that putting cash in the hands of people would be the best way to boost the economy post lockdown. Banerjee, while talking to Congress […]

AP PHOTOS: Kashmir athletes struggle during virus lockdown

SRINAGAR, India — The coronavirus pandemic has restricted athlete Afreen Hyder to a small space in Indian-controlled Kashmir where she finds it difficult to do the martial arts routines she needs to keep fit. The 20-year-old shares a two-bedroom apartment with her parents in the disputed region’s main […]

Here come COVID-19 tracing apps — and privacy trade-offs

As governments around the world consider how to monitor new coronavirus outbreaks while reopening their societies, many are starting to bet on smartphone apps to help stanch the pandemic. But their decisions on which technologies to use — and how far those allow authorities to peer into private […]

Trump’s anti-China rhetoric aimed at boosting US leverage

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is making ever louder pronouncements casting blame on China for the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to sidestep domestic criticism of the president’s own response, tarnish China’s global reputation and give the U.S. leverage on trade and other aspects of U.S.-China competition. President Donald Trump has vowed […]

Virus-afflicted 2020 looks like 1918 despite science’s march

WASHINGTON — Despite a century’s progress in science, 2020 is looking a lot like 1918. In the years between two lethal pandemics, one the misnamed Spanish flu, the other COVID-19, the world learned about viruses, cured various diseases, made effective vaccines, developed instant communications and created elaborate public-health […]

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