Crumbd

None Of The 35 Lakh Made-In-China Antibody Kits Ordered By UK Are Fit For Widespread Use, Admits Testing Head

As per the report, the kits were unable to pass the evaluation stage and could only identify immunity in patients who contracted a severe form of Covid-19. “They are not good enough to be worth rolling out in very large scale”, Professor Newton has been quoted as saying. Health Secretary Matt Hancock too has admitted that “some of the kits have not performed well” but expresses hope that the situation would improve in the future. This antibody testing was earlier called a gamechanger by Prime Minister Boris Johnson and are key to the country performing mass testing and eventua........

'The world could look more like 1900 again'

The former head of the World Bank has warned the world could look like it did in 1900 if countries don’t work together to tackle the current crisis. Robert Zoellick pointed to the rift between the US and China as a serious threat to the global economic recovery. Mr Zoellick, one of America’s most senior public officials, has advised six US presidents during his career. He told the BBC co-operation was “the only way the global economy will emerge from the recession”.........

China passes controversial Hong Kong security law

China has passed a controversial security law giving it new powers over Hong Kong, deepening fears for the city's freedoms, the BBC has learned. Last month China stunned the city when it said it would criminalise any act of secession, subversion, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces. The move came after angry protests last year - sparked by another law - which became a pro-democracy movement. Critics say this new law poses an even greater threat to Hong Kong's identity. They warn it will undermine Hong Kong's judicial independence and destroy the city's ........

India, Japan Hold Naval Exercise to 'Promote Understanding' Amid Border Row with China

As Indian and Chinese troops continue to be engaged in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation in the Galwan Valley, Indian and Japnese warships conducted exercises in the Indian Ocean on Saturday. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Force said that the exercises were conducted to “promote mutual understanding” and comprised of four warships, two from each India and Japan. The Indian navy's training vessels INS Rana and INS Kulish conducted a drill with Japan's JS Kashima and JS Shimayuki. Just before this, the two Japane........

"Chinese Virus," Says Trump Amid US-China Blame Game Over Pandemic

The United States and China on Monday each demanded that the other stop smearing its reputation over the novel coronavirus as US President Donald Trump referred to the pathogen as the "Chinese Virus." "The United States will be powerfully supporting those industries, like Airlines and others, that are particularly affected by the Chinese Virus," the US president tweeted Monday night. Trump's allies had previously referred to the pandemic as the "Chinese coronavirus," but the tweet marks the first time the president said it himself.........

India, Australia and Japan’s Supply Chain Pact to End China’s Trade Dominance Explained

September 1, saw an important move by Japan bear fruit with India and Australia – the three are fast-tracking supply chain cooperation and have given their bureaucrats just a few months to work out the details. While Japan led the deal, in recent times India has had growing concerns about supply chain dependence on China combined with Chinese border stoush, while Australia is being hit by Chinese trade restrictions. All three countries are very “China trade dependent”. They also have a direct interest in a stable Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. T........

What is antifa?

As long as there has been fascism — a political movement that stokes nationalism and racism, and uses violence to bolster authoritarian rule — there have been antifascists that resist such regimes. This relationship dates to the emergence of fascism in Europe in the 1920s, and then continued in Mussolini's Italy, in Nazi Germany, and elsewhere in the decades that followed, through to the present. By the 1980s, people who opposed fascism in Europe's punk-rock communities were referring to themselves using the shortened term "antifa." But the term is often poorly und........

Relief for Indian Workers as US Gives Relaxations to H-1B Visa Holders and Green Card Applicants

The US government has given a grace period of 60 days to H-1B visa holders and Green Card applicants, who have been served notices for submission of various documents, in view of the novel coronavirus outbreak. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Friday said the 60-day grace period for responding to its requests will include requests for evidence; continuations to request evidence (N-14); notices of intent to deny; notices of intent to revoke; notices of intent to rescind and notices of intent t........

In Biggest Crackdown In Years, China Expels Several US Journalists; Warns Of More Retaliatory Measures

China on Wednesday expelled American journalists at the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal in the Communist government's most severe move against foreign media in recent memory. The foreign ministry said in a statement the measure was in retaliation for Washington's decision to cut the number of Chinese nationals allowed to work for Chinese state-run media on American soil. The announcement comes as the two countries are feuding over the deadly coronavirus pandemic, w........

Qatar Bans Entry of Passengers From India and 13 Other Countries Over Coronavirus Fears

Apart from India, the ban applies to Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria and Thailand. “The step comes in line with the State of Qatar’s efforts to take all necessary preventive measures to limit the spread of the virus,” the Qatar government said in an advisory. According to the Qatari government, travel restrictions will cover all individuals entering from these countries, including those with residence or work permits, temporary visas, and visas upon arrival.........

Pakistan Will Remain on 'Grey' List Of Terror Watchdog Till February 2021

Pakistan will remain in the "grey list" of a global money laundering and terror financing watchdog till Februrary 2021, officials said on Friday. The virtual plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), held in the last three days, concluded that Pakistan will continue in its 'grey' list as it has failed to fulfill six key obligations that include failure to take action against two of India's most wanted terrorists — Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed, officials said on Friday. The decision has been ........

What’s ‘verifiable’? Extension of US-Russia nuclear New START treaty hinges on word

New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is scheduled to expire in February 2021. While Russia has offered a “clean” renewal of the existing treaty, without preconditions, the Trump administration has first sought to expand it to include China, then demanded a limit on total nuclear warheads as a condition for agreeing to an extension. The Russian Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that Russia is ready to accept the warhead cap, but “strictly on the understanding that the freezing of the warheads will........

Despite Trade War and Virus Jibes, Why Beijing May Want to Keep Trump in the White House

Donald Trump has frustrated and enraged China during a tumultuous first term, but Beijing may welcome his re-election as it scans the horizon for the decline of its superpower rival. Relations are as icy as at any time since formal ties were established four decades ago, with China warning it does not want to be drawn into a new "Cold War" with the United States. Under his 'America First' banner, Trump has portrayed China as the greatest threat to the United States and global democracy. He has launched a massive trade war that has cost China billions of dollars, harangued Chinese tech ........

Queues in China for experimental Covid-19 vaccine

A city in eastern China has started offering a coronavirus vaccine to the general public - although it has not yet completed clinical trials. Hundreds of people have been queuing outside a hospital in Yiwu, where nurses are administering the injections for a fee of around $60 (£45). ........

New Zealand election: Jacinda Ardern's Labour Party scores landslide win

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has won a landslide victory in the country's general election. With most ballots tallied, Ms Ardern's Labour Party has won 49% of the vote and she is projected to win a rare outright parliamentary majority. The opposition centre-right National Party, currently on 27%, has admitted defeat in Saturday's poll. The vote was originally due to be in September, but was postponed by a month after a renewed Covid-19 outbreak. 00 local time (20:00 GMT Friday) and closed at 19:00. More than a million people had already ........

Ending world hunger by 2030 would cost $330bn, study finds

Research suggests that by targeting enhanced aid money more effectively and with greater innovation, a solution is possible Research suggests that by targeting enhanced aid money more effectively and with greater innovation, a solution is possible Ending hunger by 2030 would come with a price tag of $330bn (£253bn), according to a study backed by the German government. Research groups compiled data from 23 countries and found international donors a year to their spending on food security and nu........

Thousands protest in Bangkok, defy Thai government's emergency decree

The protesters have decided to return as student leader Jutatip Sirikhan called everyone at 5 pm on Friday. Thousands of protesters turned up on the streets in to denounce the government's move to invoke the emergency decree even as police made several arrests on Thursday. The demonstrators targeted both King Maha Vajiralongkorn as well as Prime Minister to demand political reforms. participating in these protests could impact you in the future."........

Next pandemic? Amazon deforestation may spark new diseases

Changes in the Amazon are driving displaced species of animals, from bats to monkeys to mosquitoes, into new areas. pandemic diseases. Changes in the Amazon are driving displaced species of animals, from bats to monkeys to mosquitoes, into new areas, while opening the region to arrivals of more savanna-adapted species, including rodents. Those shifts, combined with greater human interactions with animals as people move deeper into the forest, are increasing the chances of a virulent virus, bacteria or fungus jumping between species, said Adalberto Luis Val a researcher at the Nationa........

How China Is Suppressing Tibetan Buddhist Nuns, ‘Erasing’ Identity

Under Xi Jinping, the Chinese State is systematically suppressing voices of Tibetan Buddhist nuns & ‘sinicising’. With the increasing indoctrination and surveillance of Tibetan Buddhists, women practitioners / nuns have been suffering under the ‘sinicisation’ agenda of the Chinese State. The voices of Tibetan women practitioners are increasingly being suppressed under ‘ ’ In contrast to the propagandistic and skewed projection – by State media – of Tibeta........

Why Indian Americans—the wealthiest and most educated of US immigrants—form a key voter base

These are the core obsessions that drive our newsroom—defining topics of seismic importance to the global economy. These are some of our most ambitious editorial projects. Enjoy! Our emails are made to shine in your inbox, with something fresh every morning, afternoon, and weekend. Senator Kamala Harris has put a spotlight on the Indian American community in the US. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist ........