Friday , February 28 2025

WORLD

World News

Russian women stuck in lockdown hell as abuse surges

Moscow, Russia | AFP |  Ineta Akhtyamova’s husband flew into a rage in late April, about a month into Moscow’s coronavirus lockdown. She was preparing a meal in the small apartment she shares with her partner when he exploded, calling her names, hitting her and shouting at her to get out. …

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The trader who called the 2020 oil crisis

London, United Kingdom | AFP |  French oil trader Pierre Andurand was catapulted into the spotlight this year after correctly betting that the deadly novel coronavirus would spark a sub-zero oil market collapse. Andurand, the 43-year-old founder of London-based Andurand Capital who runs two multi-million-dollar funds, bet in February that the …

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Silicon Valley perks up its ears for buzzy audio chat startup

San Francisco, United States | AFP |  It’s a secret, almost. But Silicon Valley is buzzing over a new audio-chat social network which is struggling to keep people out even as it hits an eye-popping value. The invitation-only platform called Clubhouse lets people drop in on conversations ranging from weighty topics …

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Spain to reopen to tourists as South America named virus hot

Madrid, Spain | AFP |  Spain said on Saturday it would let in foreign tourists and restart top league football in the coming weeks, accelerating Europe’s exit from strict coronavirus lockdowns, even as the disease continued its deadly surge in parts of South America. Brazil saw its death toll passing 22,000 …

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SpaceX ready to launch astronauts into space for the first time

Washington, United States | AFP |  In the beginning, everyone was skeptical. But Elon Musk’s SpaceX defied expectations — and on Wednesday hopes to make history by ferrying two NASA astronauts into space, the first crewed flight from US soil in nine long years. US President Donald Trump will be among …

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Anti-viral drug effective against coronavirus, study finds

Washington, United States | AFP | Anti-viral drug remdesivir cuts recovery times in coronavirus patients, according to the full results of a trial published Friday night, three weeks after America’s top infectious diseases expert said the study showed the medication has “clear-cut” benefits. Complete results from the research, which was carried out by US government …

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UK set to scale back Huawei role in 5G network: report

London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain will reduce Chinese tech giant Huawei’s controversial involvement in its 5G network in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the Daily Telegraph reported Saturday. Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave the green light to Huawei’s participation in January, despite widespread domestic opposition and pressure from the United States. But …

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Germans opt for staycations as virus fears linger

Ostseebad Binz, Germany | AFP |  Germans usually love their sun-soaked summer holidays abroad. But fears of a second wave of coronavirus infections have prompted a new holiday destination of choice: their home country. On a recent public holiday, it was only 17 degrees Celsius (62 degrees Fahrenheit) in the seaside resort …

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