science and technology

Putin attends slimmed down Victory Day celebrations

Russia marked 75 years since the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two on Saturday, but the coronavirus outbreak forced it to scale back celebrations. Olivia Chan reports.




science and technology

A bubble looms over China's heartland

China's policymakers struggle to grapple with a property market, the world's largest, that is crucial for growth yet prone to bubbles springing up in unlikely places.




science and technology

Robocop-style helmets help Rome airport check passenger temperatures from a distance

Fiumicino is now the first in Europe to use ‘smart helmets’ to check the temperature of travellers - helmets equipped with portable thermoscanners that can screen people for symptoms of the new coronavirus at a safe distance of up to 7 metres.




science and technology

Drone images show northern French beach deserted in coronavirus lockdown

Beaches nationwide have been shut for weeks as the government put itself on lockdown in mid-March to curb the spread of the virus, which has to date killed nearly 26,000 nationwide.




science and technology

Buon appetito! Italy's pizzerias reopen

Pizzerias were finally able to open their doors again this week after almost two months in lockdown - and Italians were savouring every bite.




science and technology

No right to praise healthcare workers and then ignore them: Pelosi takes aim at Trump

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday made an indirect dig at President Donald Trump's Navy Blue Angels flyover this weekend, saying that political leaders have 'no right to praise them and then ignore their needs.'




science and technology

Calls to domestic violence hotlines soar amid lockdowns - WHO Europe

The stress and anxiety bred by weeks of restrictions on public life have made uncertainty, separation, and fear part of daily life for many, WHO Regional Director for Europe Hans Kluge said.




science and technology

Mum and newborn leave hospital after beating COVID-19

A mother who was given a 50 percent survival chance and her newborn baby were discharged from hospital on Monday (May 4) after both fighting COVID-19.




science and technology

Schumer: Reopening states without more tests is 'dangerous'

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Thursday said it was 'dangerous' for the Trump administration to pressure states and businesses to 'reopen without a plan for a dramatic increase in testing'.




science and technology

Trump 'very happy for' Flynn on news DOJ dropping charges

U.S. President Donald Trump described his former national security adviser Michael Flynn as an 'innocent man' after learning that the U.S. Justice Department on Thursday abruptly sought to drop the criminal charges against Flynn.




science and technology

Trump had 'little' contact with valet who tested positive

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday described a valet of his reportedly testing positive for the coronavirus as "one of those things" and said that he and Vice President Mike Pence have since been tested and they are both negative.




science and technology

'Full-flower supermoon' rises on world starting to emerge from lockdowns

The last "supermoon" of 2020 rose in the night sky on Thursday over a world beginning to re-emerge after weeks of coronavirus-related lockdowns.




science and technology

UK observes two-minute silence to commemorate VE Day 75th anniversary

Along with millions around the nation, Prince Charles held a two-minute silence outside his family's Balmoral estate, while military jets flew over the United Kingdom's four capitals, and 1940s-style tea parties plus singalongs were planned in homes.




science and technology

Austrian ski resort covers glacier after coronavirus cuts season short

With its season cut short by the coronavirus pandemic, one of Austria's most popular glacial ski resorts covered its glacier in protective fabric earlier than usual this year to help preserve it for a still uncertain reopening.




science and technology

Countries must return to public health surveillance in COVID-19 fight -WHO

Countries must return to "basic principles" of public health surveillance if they are to bring the coronavirus outbreak under control, the World Health Organization's (WHO) top emergency health expert Mike Ryan said on Friday (May 8).




science and technology

'Justice finally prevailed' in Michael Flynn case: WH

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Friday said it appears that the FBI 'manufactured' a crime in the case of President Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn, after the Department of Justice moved to drop the case on Thursday.




science and technology

We had to put a 'stop' to the economy to save lives: WH

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany on Friday was asked about the U.S. economy that lost a staggering 20.5 million jobs in April, the steepest plunge in payrolls since the Great Depression, and she responded saying it was 'decided' by the president to 'stop the economy' to save lives.




science and technology

Brazil refuge welcomes eagle hatchling

Brazil's Bela Vista Biological Refuge Veterinarian Pedro Enrrique Ferreira says the Harpy Eagle hatchling born on April 26 only weighs 150 grams now but could one day grow to weigh some 20 pounds.




science and technology

Singapore robot enforces safe distancing among park-goers

Singapore unveiled a four-legged canine-like robot on Friday (May 8) to remind park goers to maintain social distancing.




science and technology

'Never give up': Queen praises Britons on Victory in Europe Day

Britain's Queen Elizabeth honored those who died in World War Two on Friday, the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, and used the occasion to say she was proud of how people had responded to the coronavirus pandemic.




science and technology

Slovenian cyclists stage anti-government coronavirus protest

Thousands of cyclists took over streets in the center of the Slovenian capital Ljubljana on Friday evening to protest against the government of Prime Minister Janez Jansa and the restrictions it has imposed to fight the coronavirus.




science and technology

Rescuers capture king cobra in urban Singapore

A king kobra is spotted near a train station in Singapore, animal rescuers were alerted to catch it.




science and technology

Sensex, Nifty rise on Reliance boost, but end week sharply lower

Gains in Reliance Industries boosted Indian shares on Friday, but they ended the week sharply lower as coronavirus cases continued to spiral and markets awaited an economic stimulus.




science and technology

Train kills 16 workers laid-off in coronavirus lockdown

A train killed 16 migrant workers who had fallen asleep on the track on Friday while they were heading back to their home village after losing their jobs in a coronavirus lockdown, police said.




science and technology

Indian court seeks government reply over challenge to mandatory Aarogya Setu app

A court asked the Indian government on Friday to respond to a challenge against its order for compulsory use of a contact tracing app by public and private sector employees returning to work amid the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown.




science and technology

Police file homicide complaint against LG Chem after deadly leak

Indian police have filed a culpable homicide complaint against an LG Chem subsidiary over a toxic gas leak at its chemical plant in the south of the country that killed 11 people and forced 800 into hospital for treatment from poisoning.




science and technology

India equity mutual fund inflows halve in April as coronavirus keep investors away

Inflows into India's equity mutual funds nearly halved in April, industry data showed, as many investors rattled by stock market volatility due to the new coronavirus and the impact of a lockdown on the economy chose to stay away.




science and technology

India government sharply increases borrowing, markets watch RBI

The Indian government plans to borrow 12 trillion rupees ($160 billion) in the fiscal year to March 2021, up from the previously budgeted 7.8 trillion rupees to cushion the blow from the new coronavirus pandemic, it said on Friday.




science and technology

India mounts huge airlift to return stranded citizens home

Doctors in hazmat suits ran temperature checks on passengers at Delhi airport and bags were disinfected as the first group of Indians returned home on special flights from Singapore and the Gulf on Friday since a sweeping lockdown was imposed in March.




science and technology

Police clash with crowds in Ahmedabad after stricter lockdown

Some residents frustrated over a strict coronavirus lockdown in Ahmedabad, the largest city in Gujarat, hurled stones and were met with teargas in clashes with paramilitary forces on Friday.




science and technology

No warning, no escape as deadly gas swept through Andhra Pradesh village

When gas began leaking from a nearby chemical factory and drifting towards his house in southern India, there were no warnings and no alarms, welder Elamanchili Venkatesh said.




science and technology

Cricket: India ready for quarantine in Australia to help tour proceed - official

India captain Virat Kohli and his team mates would be ready to spend two weeks in quarantine in Australia if that helped the tour go ahead as planned later this year, a top official of the Indian board has said.




science and technology

Amid ruins of a Syrian town, Ramadan meal reunites a community

Amid mounds of rubble and the ruins of buildings destroyed during nearly a decade of war, a Ramadan iftar meal has reunited a community in northwestern Syria.




science and technology

Working women, and especially single moms, are hit hard by coronavirus downturn

Before she was laid off from her bartending job in Charleston, South Carolina, Shana Swain used to spend her nights serving food and mixing Manhattans and Cosmopolitans.




science and technology

Magic of playing in packed stadiums will be missed, says Virat Kohli

The magical atmosphere will be missing if the cricket season currently stalled by the COVID-19 pandemic resumes in empty stadiums, India captain Virat Kohli has said.




science and technology

Kuwait imposes 20-day 'total curfew' from May 10 to curb coronavirus

Kuwait will enact a "total curfew" from 4pm (1300 GMT) on Sunday through to May 30 to help to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, its cabinet said in a statement on Friday.




science and technology

New York governor says 5-year old died from rare COVID-related complications

A 5-year old boy has died in New York from a rare inflammatory syndrome believed to be linked to the novel coronavirus, highlighting a potential new risk for children in the pandemic, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Friday.




science and technology

Coronavirus inflicts huge U.S. job losses as pandemic breaches White House walls

The U.S. government reported more catastrophic economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis on Friday as the pandemic pierced the very walls of the White House and California gave the green light for its factories to restart after a seven-week lockdown.




science and technology

Pence spokeswoman, married to top Trump adviser, diagnosed with coronavirus

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary, the wife of one of President Donald Trump's senior advisers, has tested positive for the coronavirus, raising alarm about the virus' potential spread within the White House's inner most circle.




science and technology

Protesters demand closure of LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh after toxic gas leak

Villagers placed the bodies of three victims of a deadly gas leak from an LG Polymers plant in Andhra Pradesh at the gates of the site on Saturday, and demanded the factory be shut down immediately and its top management arrested.




science and technology

Migrant workers throw stones at police in Gujarat in protest against lockdown

Hundreds of migrant workers in Gujarat have clashed for a second day with authorities, hurling stones at police trying to enforce a lockdown to stem the spread of coronavirus.




science and technology

More than 1,000 queue for food in rich Geneva amid virus shutdown

More than 1,000 people queued up on Saturday to get free food parcels in Geneva, underscoring the impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the working poor and undocumented immigrants even in wealthy Switzerland.




science and technology

Sony to make, donate face shields to Japan hospitals

Sony Corp said on Friday it will manufacture and donate medical face shields to hospitals in Japan, amid worries about the availability of protective equipment for healthcare workers dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.




science and technology

Russian hackers accessed emails from Merkel's constituency office - Der Spiegel

Russia's GRU military intelligence service appears to have got hold of many emails from Chancellor Angela Merkel's constituency office in a 2015 hack attack on Germany's parliament, Der Spiegel magazine reported on Friday, without citing its sources.




science and technology

Facebook to allow employees to work remotely until year end

Facebook Inc said on Friday it would allow its workers who are able to work remotely to do so until the end of the year as the coronavirus pandemic forces governments to extend stay-at-home orders to curb the spread of the disease.




science and technology

Indian court seeks government reply over challenge to mandatory Aarogya Setu app

A court asked the Indian government on Friday to respond to a challenge against its order for compulsory use of a contact tracing app by public and private sector employees returning to work amid the world's biggest coronavirus lockdown.




science and technology

Dutch watchdog to investigate TikTok's use of children's data

The Dutch privacy watchdog said on Friday it would investigate how Chinese-owned social media app TikTok, which has become hugely popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, handles the data of millions of young users.




science and technology

Microsoft to invest $1.5 billion in Italian cloud business

Microsoft Corp. said on Friday it would create its first datacentre region in Italy under a $1.5 billion investment plan as the U.S. company expands its cloud computing services to more locations across the world.




science and technology

Exclusive: U.S. drafts rule to allow Huawei and U.S. firms to work together on 5G standards - sources

The U.S. Department of Commerce is close to signing off on a new rule that would allow U.S. companies to work with China's Huawei Technologies on setting standards for next generation 5G networks, people familiar with the matter said.




science and technology

EU looks for evidence to rein in U.S. tech giants

U.S. tech giants such as Facebook and Amazon could face tougher rules as European Union regulators seek evidence to curb their role as gatekeepers to the internet and access to people, information and services, according to an EU tender seen by Reuters.