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Child illiteracy booms in Brazil with Covid-19
The number of Brazilian children aged six and seven who do not know how to read or write has risen by 66 percent during the coronavirus pandemic, a report found Tuesday.
Amazon expands health care push in United States
Amazon on Tuesday announced its telemedicine service has expanded nationwide in the United States, a new extension of the firm's empire that has steadily gone far beyond e-commerce.
Canada province lifts all Covid restrictions amid protests
Canada's Saskatchewan province announced Tuesday the lifting of all Covid restrictions including wearing of masks and proof of vaccination for indoor dining -- as truckers continued occupying Ottawa with similar demands.
Johnson & Johnson temporarily halts Covid-19 vaccine output: report
Johnson & Johnson has temporarily suspended production at a key plant manufacturing the Covid-19 vaccine, the New York Times reported Tuesday.
Trudeau vows to end spreading trucker protest
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed to bring an end to a trucker protest still paralyzing the Canadian capital Tuesday -- in a movement against Covid restrictions fast becoming a rallying cry for far-right and anti-vaccine groups.
Africa's 'most reliable partner' is Europe, says EU chief
As China and Russia court impoverished and fragile African states with offers of security or loans, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says Europe offers the continent the "most reliable" partnership.
Democratic-led US states roll back mask mandates
Several Democratic-run US states have announced plans to lift mask mandates in indoor places and schools as coronavirus infections decline in America.
Hong Kong imposes its strictest Covid curbs to date as cases soar
Hong Kong on Tuesday imposed its strictest social distancing measures yet as it struggles to maintain a "zero-Covid" policy amid an Omicron-fuelled spike in cases.
Taiwan eases nuclear-accident food import ban from Japan
Taiwan said on Tuesday it would relax a food imports ban from areas in Japan around the site of the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, as it pushes for support from Tokyo in its bid to join a major trans-Pacific trade pact.
Chinese scientists say new highly accurate virus test gives results within minutes
Chinese scientists say they have developed a new coronavirus test that is accurate as a PCR lab test but gives results within four minutes.
Trudeau says Canada trucker protest 'has to stop'
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau demanded an end Monday to a protest by hundreds of truckers against Covid-19 restrictions that has paralyzed the capital, as Ottawa's mayor called on federal authorities for support.
Hong Kongers picnic to avoid Covid-tracing app
When Hong Kong made a Covid check-in app mandatory at restaurants, friends Birdy and Bu -- wary of government tracking -- decided to avoid eateries entirely and go for picnics instead.
New Zealand Covid protest convoy jams streets near parliament
A convoy of trucks and campervans blocked streets near New Zealand's parliament in Wellington Tuesday to protest against Covid restrictions and vaccinations, inspired by a similar demonstration in Canada.
Anger rises over Canada truckers' 'siege'
Overwhelmed by hundreds of trucks laying siege to Canada's capital, Ottawa's mayor called Monday on federal authorities to help end the show of force against Covid restrictions which has paralyzed the city for days and threatens to snowball into a full-blown political crisis for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Spinal cord implant helps paralysed patients walk again
In 2017, Michel Roccati was in a motorbike accident that left his lower body completely paralysed. In 2020, he walked again, thanks to a breakthrough new spinal cord implant.
Impasse at Canada truckers' protest as mayor seeks mediator
Canadian authorities struggled Monday to tackle a truckers' protest against Covid restrictions which has paralyzed the national capital for days and threatens to snowball into a full-blown political crisis for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
France centre Danty out of Ireland game
France centre Jonathan Danty will miss this weekend's Six Nations match with Ireland due to an ankle injury, the French Rugby Federation announced on Monday.
US ski stars 'heartbroken' after team-mate's nasty Olympic crash
US skiing rallied around team-mate Nina O'Brien after she was badly injured in a nasty fall in Monday's Beijing Olympics giant slalom.
Morocco reopens airspace after 2-month virus shutdown
Morocco reopened its airspace on Monday in a bid to breathe life into its crisis-hit tourism sector, two months after it cancelled commercial flights over coronavirus fears.
'Fortress Australia' reopens borders to tourists on February 21
Australia will reopen its borders to tourists from February 21, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Monday, ending some of the world's strictest and longest-running pandemic travel restrictions.
China locks down city of 3.5 million near Vietnam border
A Chinese city of 3.5 million near the border with Vietnam was on lockdown Monday after more than 70 coronavirus cases were discovered there over the past three days.
'Global Dream' turns into nightmare for German port town
The unfinished "Global Dream" rests quietly in a dock as the Covid-19 pandemic has turned the cruise ship into a nightmare for the shipyard in Wismar along Germany's windswept Baltic coast.
Canada protests against Covid measures gain steam
An occupation of Canada's capital by truckers opposed to vaccine mandates gained steam as it entered its second week on Saturday, with more demonstrators piling onto the clogged streets of Ottawa, while protests kicked off in several other cities.
More protesters against Covid measures enter Canada capital
Protesters again poured into Canada's capital early Saturday to join a convoy of truckers whose occupation of Ottawa to denounce Covid vaccine mandates is now in its second week.
Tuchel tests positive for coronavirus, doubt for Club World Cup trip
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel could miss his side's trip to Abu Dhabi for the Club World Cup after testing positive for Covid-19.
New Covid infections in Hong Kong reach record high
Hong Kong's "zero-Covid" policy was on the ropes Saturday as authorities announced a record number of new infections, sending officials scrambling to ramp up testing capacity and warning that a tightening of virus-control measures could be needed.
Canada protests against Covid measures set to ramp up
A week-long occupation of Canada's capital by truckers opposed to vaccine mandates was set to ramp up Saturday with thousands of demonstrators expected to pile into Ottawa while other cities also braced for protests.
US death toll from Covid-19 surpasses 900,000: tracker
The US death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic surpassed 900,000 on Friday, according to the Johns Hopkins University coronavirus tracker.
India's coronavirus death toll crosses 500,000
India's official death toll from Covid-19 passed 500,000 on Friday, although many experts believe the real figure is likely much higher.
Cyprus tourist arrivals rebound to half pre-Covid level
Tourist arrivals to the Mediterranean island of Cyprus rebounded last year but were still down roughly 50 percent from a pre-pandemic record, official data showed on Thursday.
End of pandemic in sight for Europe: WHO
Two years after the outbreak of Covid-19, Europe could soon enter a "long period of tranquility" due to high vaccination rates, the milder Omicron variant and the end of winter, the WHO said Thursday.
World's first malaria vaccine making inroads in western Kenya
Lucy Akinyi's three children were infected with malaria so often she would be at their local health clinic in western Kenya every other week getting them treated.
Belgian Olympian 'safe' after tearful plea from Covid isolation
Skeleton racer Kim Meylemans said Thursday she was "safe" and back in the Beijing Olympic Village having been released from a Covid isolation facility following a tearful post on Instagram.
New Zealand to start easing tough Covid border controls
New Zealand will start easing some of the world's toughest pandemic border restrictions this month but will not fully reopen until October, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Thursday.
US intelligence says directed energy could explain Havana syndrome
Intense directed energy from an external source could have caused some cases of the debilitating so-called "Havana syndrome" among US diplomats, US intelligence said Wednesday, supporting the possibility of deliberate attacks.
Biden relaunches cancer 'moonshot' to halve death rate
President Joe Biden announced a relaunch of the government's cancer "moonshot" effort in a White House ceremony Wednesday, setting a goal of cutting the US death rate from the disease by half.
Australia says warship did not bring Covid to eruption-hit Tonga
Australian defence chiefs on Wednesday said a warship delivering aid to Tonga was not the source of an outbreak that has plunged the previously coronavirus-free Pacific kingdom into lockdown.
Eruption-hit Tonga enters lockdown as Covid detected
Tonga will go into Covid-19 lockdown Wednesday after the virus was detected in a fresh blow to the Pacific kingdom as it struggles to recover from last month's devastating volcanic eruption, officials said.
Canadian province scraps tax on Covid unvaccinated
Canada's Quebec province announced Tuesday it was scrapping plans for a health tax on those who are not vaccinated against Covid-19, following a public backlash over the proposal.