Arts, Culture & Books

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck southern Puerto Rico late Thursday at a shallow depth in the same region that has not stopped shaking since late December. The quake hit near the southern town of Guayanilla at a depth of 7 miles (12 kilometers), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremor initially was reported with […]

With scant supplies and underpaid staff, one of India’s poorest states is scrambling to prevent a “blast” in coronavirus cases that medics say could cripple its precarious health system. The pandemic has already overwhelmed the medical network in the eastern state of Bihar, which has recorded more than 62,000 infections and nearly 350 deaths. But […]

When the coronavirus epidemic began to intensify in Mexico at the end of March, Doctor Jose Garcia said his bosses at a public trauma hospital in Mexico City denied his request for masks, gloves and disinfectant. They argued such protective equipment was only necessary for those working directly with coronavirus patients, Garcia said. Unconvinced, he […]

Cambodian women have rallied on social media to condemn a proposed law governing the way people dress in public, including by posting images of themselves in swimwear and skimpy outfits, with a petition also set up to block the move. Billed as necessary to preserve Cambodian tradition, the law would prohibit women from wearing anything […]

A recent spate of suicides and attempted suicides involving migrants in Singapore has heightened concerns over the mental health of thousands of low-paid workers who have been confined to their dormitories because of COVID-19. In April, Singapore sealed off sprawling housing blocks where its vast population of mainly South Asian labourers live in crowded bunk […]

Valerie Rochon is eager to read her email every Monday morning, even when it makes her cry. In addition to the endless Zoom meeting invitations, each week brings a new poem tucked into otherwise matter-of-fact messages about the coronavirus pandemic from the Portsmouth city manager. Tammi Truax, the city´s poet laureate, has been contributing to […]

Brussels will require people to wear masks in public spaces and in private spaces accessible to the public if the uptick in coronavirus cases continues, the regional government said on Thursday. The order will kick in when the daily average of cases per 100,000 inhabitants reaches 50 over seven days, Rudi Vervoort, the minister-president of […]