India is struggling with a catastrophic second wave
A MERE THREE months ago India was starting to feel good about itself. The wave of covid-19 that crested in the autumn seemed to be ebbing away. True, the virus had stolen lives and battered livelihoods, but now schools were reopening, friends were getting together and a looming season of state elections promised a return…
Mongolia’s president tries to ban its ruling party
Apr 24th 2021WITH THE yak-tail banners, or tug, of state authority behind him, Khaltmaagiin Battulga read out his presidential decree outlawing the Mongolian People’s Party (MPP). Banning political parties is the stuff of tin-pot dictatorships. Yet Mongolia, which broke from the Soviet Union’s orbit in a peaceful revolution in 1990, had until now been notably…
Africa’s covid-19 vaccination drive is off to a slow start
Apr 24th 2021FREETOWN, JOHANNESBURG, KINSHASA AND LILONGWEAS A NURSE in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, Linda Banda is at the front of her country’s queue for a covid-19 vaccine. But she is wary. “I’m not sure it’s a safe move,” says the 26-year-old.Listen to this storyYour browser does not support the element.Enjoy more audio and…
Why Egypt’s trains keep crashing
THE IMAGES are so familiar as to be almost mundane: a carriage flipped on its side like a child’s toy; passengers scrambling to help survivors. On April 18th a train derailed near the Egyptian city of Toukh, north of Cairo, killing 11 people and injuring almost 100. It was the third serious accident in less…
4 or More Places Where Mask Mandates Are No More
Published on Apr 21, 2021 by AnneAs more of the world’s population receive their first and second doses of the vaccine, many populations see easement in mask mandates and COVID-19 restrictions. One of these easements is the cancellation of strict face mask-wearing protocols. There are some places in the world, albeit very few so far,…
‘No one was driving’ in car crash that killed two men
According to local police, two men died on Saturday night in a car crash in Spring, Texas, and it seemed no person was behind the wheel.According to the reports, a 2019 Tesla Model S collided with a tree and surged into flames. One person was discovered in the rear passenger seat and another in the…