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Here are today’s picks from our editors.
World trade to fall by up to 32 pct in 2020: WTO
World trade is expected to fall by between 13 and 32 percent in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts normal economic activity and life around the world, the World Trade Organization (WTO) said Wednesday in its latest report.
According to the report, estimates of the expected recovery in 2021 are equally uncertain, with outcomes depending largely on the duration of the outbreak and the effectiveness of policy responses. (Xinhua)
Sanders drops 2020 bid, leaving Biden as likely nominee
US Sen. Bernie Sanders ended his presidential bid on Wednesday, making Joe Biden the presumptive Democratic nominee to challenge President Donald Trump in a general election campaign.
“The path toward victory is virtually impossible,” Sanders told supporters Wednesday. “If I believed we had a feasible path to the nomination I would certainly continue the campaign, but it’s just not there.”
Sanders, 78, would be the oldest person ever to assume the US presidency if elected. (AP)
UK’s Johnson in ICU with coronavirus, condition improving
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson remains in intensive care with the coronavirus but is improving, a senior government official said Wednesday.
“The latest from the hospital is the prime minister remains in intensive care where his condition is improving,” the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak said at a news conference. “I can also tell you that he has been sitting up in bed and engaging positively with the clinical team.”
Johnson, the first world leader diagnosed with the disease, has spent two nights in the ICU at St. Thomas’ Hospital in London. (AP)
Mayor says virus has hit black, Hispanic New Yorkers hard
New York City’s death toll from the coronavirus has been disproportionately high in black and Hispanic communities, and the city is starting an outreach campaign for those residents, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.
Preliminary data indicates that black people account for 28 percent of the city’s COVID-19 death toll, even though they are just 22 percent of the city’s population. Hispanic people account for 34 percent of the city’s virus death toll and 29 percent of its population.
Dr Oxiris Barbot, the city’s health commissioner, noted that the communities that have been hit the hardest by the virus “have had higher rates of underlying chronic illness” than other New Yorkers. (AP)
EU to prolong inbound travel restrictions until mid-May
While some European countries are planning to loosen their restriction rules in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union (EU) on Wednesday proposed prolonging travel restrictions at its external borders.
The European Commission said in a statement that it invited Schengen member states and Schengen associated states to prolong the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU until May 15.
The experience of the countries exposed to the pandemic "shows the measures applied to fight the spread of the virus require more than 30 days to be effective," the statement noted. (Xinhua)
French aircraft carrier heading home due to suspected COVID-19 cases
French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle had to interrupt its mission in the North Sea and head home after the discovery of around 40 suspected COVID-19 cases on board, the French Ministry of Armed Forces said on Wednesday.
The nuclear-powered carrier is heading home and will return earlier than expected to Toulon in southern France, it added.
A team of epidemiologists from the military health service has been dispatched on board to check the spread of COVID-19 among the 1,760 crew members. (Xinhua)
China's top mobile operators to launch 5G messaging services
China's three major mobile operators on Wednesday unveiled plans to upgrade traditional text messaging services with the help of 5G technology.
China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom jointly released a white paper on 5G messaging services, vowing to improve their text messaging system to give users access to enhanced features including the sharing of high-resolution photos, files, locations and coupons.
The new features will also allow companies to better interact with users and customize their services through multimedia content, according to the operators. (Xinhua)
Thanks for listening and be sure to catch us tomorrow.
And now for the Question of the Day:
Which boxer did Mike Tyson beat to win his first world title in 1986?
(Answer: Trevor Berbick.)
Today’s quote is from English writer Charles Caleb Colton (1780 - 1832).
"The present time has one advantage over every other - it is our own."
(Produced by Nancy Yan Xu, Ryan Yaoran Yu, Brian Lowe, and Elaine Yue Lin. Music by Eugene Loner.)