Firefighter who tried to help George Floyd to resume testimony
(REUTERS)– A Minneapolis firefighter who said she was prevented from offering medical aid to George Floyd during his deadly arrest returns to the witness stand on Wednesday. Genevieve Hansen, who was off duty at the time, is one of the key witnesses in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the... Read more
Lab origin of COVID-19 is ‘extremely unlikely,’ WHO report says
(REUTERS) – A report released by the World Health Organization on Tuesday says it is considered “extremely unlikely” that the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a laboratory. The report, from 17 Chinese and 17 foreign experts, did research on tracing the origin of COVID-19 in Wuhan City from Jan 14... Read more
Top-seed Ashleigh Barty set for semis at Miami Open
(REUTERS) – The top-seeded 24-year-old Australian player Ashleigh Barty beat seventh-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3. The match on Tuesday marked the first time Barty has played a top-10-ranked opponent in over a year. Barty is set to face the fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in... Read more
Indian Domestic Helpers Considered “Dirty”: 70 years after untouchability was banned
By Saloni Bhugra At five in the morning, Sandhya Karwal, 16, woke up to get ready and cook breakfast for her husband. She wore pink trousers with a yellow and green kurta — a long shirt. She then walked 20 minutes to the house that she worked at as... Read more
Brazilian Amazon under threat during COVID

The weakening of Brazilian environmental legislation affecting the Amazon has long-lasting and permanent consequences not only to the rainforest’s biodiversity and the world but to the homes and lives of a million Indigenous people living in the area.

Read more
Sweden has lower COVID mortality rate despite avoidance of strict lockdowns
(Reuters) – Sweden has avoided the strict lockdowns that negatively affected most countries, but has managed to emerge from 2020 with a smaller rise in its mortality rate than most European countries, an analysis of official data sources showed. Infectious disease experts alert the results should not be perceived... Read more
Taiwan to help allies buy vaccines but not from China
Taiwan is willing to help its few remaining diplomatic allies to buy COVID-19 vaccines but on the condition that Taiwanese money is not spent on Chinese vaccines, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu said on Wednesday. China claimed Taiwan has official ties with only 15 countries. According to China these are... Read more
Biden calls to tighten gun control measures after Colorado shooting
(Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden issue called on Tuesday to ban assault weapons and urged to tighten the gun control measures as he stepped into the role of grief counsellor for a traumatized nation after a mass shooting left 10 people dead in Boulder, Colo, The mass shooting... Read more
U.S. won’t make allies choose a side in dispute with China, Blinken tells NATO
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to tell NATO allies on Wednesday that China poses a threat to the West, however, the U.S. will not force anyone to choose sides between Washington and Beijing. France and Germany are willing to try and find a balance in relations... Read more
International students remain in Canada due to Travel Restrictions
On January 29, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that major airlines in Canada have suspended their service to sun destinations in the Caribbean and Mexico. This left thousands of international students stuck in Canada and away from their families. Skedline’s Emma Harris has the full story. Featured photo by... Read more