As U.S. pandemic intensifies, North Dakota becomes 35th state to require masks

File Photo. Drive-thru testing site in Bismarck as coronavirus (COVID-19) surges in North Dakota. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

(Reuters): North Dakota has become the 35th U.S. state to require face coverings be worn in public, as governors across the country grapple with a surge in coronavirus infections that threatens to swamp their healthcare systems. North Dakota joined 38 other states this month in reporting record daily jumps in new cases, 17 others with… Continue reading As U.S. pandemic intensifies, North Dakota becomes 35th state to require masks

China finds coronavirus on frozen meat, packaging from Latin America, New Zealand

FILE PHOTO: A worker cuts up joints of beef at the Marfrig Group slaughterhouse in Promissao, 500 km northwest of Sao Paulo October 7, 2011. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

BEIJING (Reuters): The Chinese city of Jinan said over the weekend it had found coronavirus on beef and tripe and their packaging from Brazil, Bolivia and New Zealand, while two other provincial capitals detected it on packaging on pork from Argentina. China is ramping up testing on frozen foods after repeatedly detecting the virus on… Continue reading China finds coronavirus on frozen meat, packaging from Latin America, New Zealand

UAE widens 10-year residency ‘golden’ visa eligibility

FILE PHOTO: The skyline is seen with the Burj Khalifa as ships dock at Port Rashid, in Dubai May 26, 2013. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

DUBAI (Reuters): The United Arab Emirates will extend its “golden” visa system – which grants 10-year residency in the Gulf state – to certain professionals, specialised degree-holders and others, the UAE’s vice president said on Sunday. Foreigners in the UAE usually have renewable visas valid for only a few years tied to employment. Reuters has… Continue reading UAE widens 10-year residency ‘golden’ visa eligibility

Govt collecting data of unemployed youth returning from abroad

Photo Courtesy: Rastriya Samachar Samiti

Kathmandu: The government is collecting data on the number of unemployed youths returning from abroad. The cabinet meeting on November 8 had decided to collect the data of the youths who have been forced to return home due to the corona virus infection even though they have gone abroad for foreign employment and study. The… Continue reading Govt collecting data of unemployed youth returning from abroad

Tourism Minister asures to upgrade Lukla airport as boutique airport

Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai addressing inauguration ceremony of Tourist Information Center in Solukhumbu on November15, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

Kathmandu: Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yogesh Bhattarai has said that Lukla Airport in Solukhumbu will be upgraded as a boutique airport. Speaking at the inauguration and handover ceremony of the Tourism Information Center building constructed by the Department of Tourism at Khumbu Pasanglhamu Village Municipality in Solukhumbu on Sunday, Minister Bhattarai said… Continue reading Tourism Minister asures to upgrade Lukla airport as boutique airport

Microsoft: Russian, North Korean hackers target vaccine work

Photo Courtesy: AP

BOSTON (AP): Microsoft said it has detected attempts by state-backed Russian and North Korean hackers to steal valuable data from leading pharmaceutical companies and vaccine researchers. It said in a blog post Friday that most of the attacks in recent months were unsuccessful, but provided no information on how many succeeded or how serious those… Continue reading Microsoft: Russian, North Korean hackers target vaccine work

Biden faces tough choice of whether to back virus lockdowns

File Photo. Photo Courtesy: AP

WASHINGTON (AP): Joe Biden faces a decision unlike any other incoming president: whether to back a short-term national lockdown to finally arrest a raging pandemic. For now, it’s a question the president-elect would prefer to avoid. In the week since he defeated President Donald Trump, Biden has devoted most of his public remarks to encouraging… Continue reading Biden faces tough choice of whether to back virus lockdowns

Trump putting democracy to the test after his loss to Biden

File Photo Photo Courtesy: AP

WASHINGTON (AP): Winston Churchill was not known for leaving his thoughts unspoken. One of them was this: “It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those other forms that have been tried.” President Donald Trump, who has professed admiration for, if not deep knowledge of, the British prime… Continue reading Trump putting democracy to the test after his loss to Biden

Ford CEO says carmaker now eyes making own EV batteries

FILE PHOTO Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley walks to speak at a news conference at the Rouge Complex in Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. September 17, 2020. Photo Courtesy: Reuters

(Reuters): Ford Motor Co F.N has reversed course and is now considering making its own battery cells as sales volumes of electric vehicles rise around the world, the automaker’s top executive said on Friday. “We are discussing (battery) cell manufacturing,” Ford’s Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley said Friday at the Reuters Automotive Summit teleconference. “I… Continue reading Ford CEO says carmaker now eyes making own EV batteries