India eases COVID restrictions as infections hit 2-month low
CBSN
New Delhi — The roads of India's sprawling capital city were choked with traffic on Monday for the first time in weeks. The lowest daily coronavirus infection numbers in two months have led the government to ease restrictions implemented in several areas as the nation grappled with a deadly second wave of the virus.
Major cities including Delhi and Mumbai allowed many businesses to reopen and police checkpoints were removed, bringing the usual throngs of traffic back onto the roads. India reported 100,636 new COVID-19 cases and 2,427 deaths on Monday — a significant decrease from the record 414,188 cases registered on May 7. The country's total caseload has crossed 28.9 million, with 349,186 deaths, according to official government data, but many experts believe the actual numbers could be five to ten times higher.Noumea — France's president held a flurry of meetings with local representatives in the restive Pacific territory of New Caledonia on Thursday, urging calm after deadly rioting, and vowing thousands of military reinforcements will stay in place to quell what he called an "unprecedented insurrection."
Kathmandu — Nepali climber Phunjo Lama on Thursday reached Mount Everest's summit in 14 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the record for the world's fastest ascent of the mountain by a woman. Climbers usually take days to reach the top of the 29,032-foot mountain, spending nights on its different camps to rest and acclimatize.
New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.
Zurich — A woman jogger was killed by a naked man who was screaming and attacking people in a lakeside park in Switzerland, police said Wednesday. The attack happened Tuesday evening in Mannedorf on Lake Zurich, around 12 miles southeast of Switzerland's biggest city, the Zurich cantonal police said.
Norway, Ireland and Spain said Wednesday they are recognizing a Palestinian state in a historic move that drew condemnation from Israel and jubilation from the Palestinians. Israel immediately ordered back its ambassadors from Norway and Ireland and appeared ready to do the same with its ambassador to Spain.