Pope wears mask for first time at public event
ROME — Pope Francis wore a mask for the first time at a public function on Tuesday when he and other religious leaders attended...
Thailand welcomes backs tourists after April virus ban as political protests heat up
BANGKOK — Thailand received a group of tourists from China on Tuesday, its first such arrivals since a ban on commercial flights was imposed...
Sinovac vaccine is safe, says Brazil
BEIJING/SAO PAULO — An experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech appeared to be safe in a late-stage clinical trial in Brazil, preliminary results showed on Monday.
Indonesia rejected US request to host spy planes — officials
JAKARTA — Indonesia rejected this year a proposal by the United States to allow its P-8 Poseidon maritime surveillance planes to land and refuel there, according to four senior Indonesian officials familiar with the matter.
Final Trump-Biden debate will feature ‘mute’ button
WASHINGTON — The final debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic rival Joe Biden will feature a mute button to allow each candidate to speak uninterrupted, organizers said on Monday, looking to avoid the disruptions that marred the first matchup.
‘Bad math’: Airlines’ COVID safety analysis challenged by expert
PARIS — A campaign by coronavirus-stricken aviation giants to persuade the world it’s safe to fly has been questioned by one of the scientists whose research it draws upon.
Wait, what? Dutch justice minister explains lockdown rules for weed
AMSTERDAM — The Dutch government told parliament on Monday it could sit back and relax as there are no extra rules needed to prevent people having or smoking cannabis in public places during the coronavirus pandemic.
Peruvian archaeologists unveil giant cat carved into Nazca hillside
LIMA — Peruvian archaeologists have uncovered a 37-meter-long cat etching in a little-explored area of the country’s celebrated Nazca Lines UNESCO heritage site which is home to hundreds of gigantic geoglyphs dating back more than 2,000 years.
Millennials get little satisfaction from democracy — Cambridge study
LONDON — Young people are less satisfied with democracy and more disillusioned than at any other time in the past century, especially in Europe,...
Japan, Vietnam reach broad agreement on transfer of defense gear
HANOI — Japan and Vietnam agreed on Monday to strengthen security and economic ties, including an agreement in principle for Japan to export military gear and technology to the Southeast Asian nation, amid concerns about China’s regional assertiveness.
Billionaire Dyson sells Singapore’s priciest penthouse
SINGAPORE — British billionaire James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, and his wife are selling their three-storey Singapore penthouse about a year after buying it for a reported S$74 million ($54 million).
Healthcare workers, high-risk people will get priority for COVID-19 vaccine in New York —...
NEW YORK — New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Sunday that healthcare workers and high-risk populations, including some long-term care residents, would get priority in his state to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when one is approved and available.