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Biden Projected to Win Illinois Democratic Primary

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Former U.S. Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden is projected to win the Democratic primary held in Illinois on Tuesday, Fox News reported.

NBC News reported Biden winning 58 per cent to Sanders’ 34.4 per cent with 3 per cent of precincts reporting.

Biden has also secured victory over Sanders in Florida, where he was winning every county, several TV networks reported earlier.

Three states held Democratic primaries today – Florida, Illinois, and Arizona, with 219, 155 and 67 pledged delegates, respectively.

There is no data on Arizona, the third state holding primaries on Tuesday, yet.

A fourth primary was scheduled to take place in Ohio (136 delegates at stake), but the state government postponed its primary due to health concerns, as the new coronavirus outbreak continues in the United States.

To win the party nomination on the first ballot 1,190 delegates are needed. Biden so far has won 898 delegates to Sanders’ 745 after more than 25 primary contests, according to AP official delegate count.

Despite the early wins of Sanders, Biden made a “comeback” in South Carolina and then won Super Tuesday, taking 10 out of 14 states in which primaries were held that day. Biden also one in most of states on 10 March. (Sputnik/NAN)

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Australian Researchers Launch Open-source, Affordable DNA Measurement Device

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Australian researchers have created an affordable, open-source device to measure DNA levels using parts made with a standard 3D printer.

The Do-It-Yourself Nucleic Acid Fluorometer (DIYNAFLUOR) offers an affordable alternative to expensive commercial DNA fluorometers, often out of reach for many researchers.

This is according to a statement released on Wednesday by Australia’s University of Queensland (UQ), which led the research.

Fluorometers, vital for DNA sequencing, which itself is essential for disease detection, therapeutic innovation, and species identification, can now be easily built at home.

Thanks to the simple, accessible device developed by UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), the statement said.

The device can be built in under a day for around 60 Australian dollars (about 39 dollars) using off-the-shelf electronics and 3D-printed parts.

It’s with free instructions online and no need for advanced skills or specialised tools, said the designer of the device, Will Anderson, at the AIBN.

Once built, the device quantifies DNA by using a light beam to produce a fluorescent response from the dyed DNA present in the sample.

It would then report the DNA concentration to a connected computer, Anderson said.

“This is crucial information that can tell you whether you can proceed with more expensive tests and sequencing,” he added.

Laboratory tests confirmed the device matches the accuracy and sensitivity of costly commercial models, offering an affordable, open-source solution for researchers in resource-limited, remote, or educational settings, said the study.

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Trump Imposes 25% Tariff on Indian Goods, Criticizes Ties with Russia

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U.S. President Donald Trump said he is imposing a 25 per cent tariff on goods from India starting on Friday.

Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump sharply criticises New Delhi for its military and energy ties with Russia.

He described India as a “friend” but accused the country of maintaining unfair trade practices that disadvantage U.

S.
businesses.

India has “strenuous and obnoxious” trade barriers that keep its markets closed to companies, he wrote, adding that its tariffs are “far too high.

Trump also took aim at India’s relationship with Russia, saying: “They have always bought a vast majority of their military equipment from Russia, and are Russia’s largest buyer of ENERGY, along with China.

In addition to the new tariff, Trump said India would face a financial “penalty” for its purchases from Russia, though he did not provide further details.

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Zelensky Announces New Draft Law on Anti-corruption Bodies after Protests

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has approved the text of a draft law guaranteeing the freedom of two anti-corruption bodies in Ukraine – days after nationwide protests broke out over changes curbing their independence.

Kyiv’s Western partners had also expressed serious concerns over the legislation.

On Thursday, Zelensky seemed to backtrack, saying the new bill was intended to safeguard the independence of Ukraine’s National Anti-Corruption Bureau (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (Sap), and to protect them from Russian influence.

He said the text of the bill was “balanced”, but did not provide any details.

The law passed earlier this week brought Nabu and Sap under the control of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president.

At the time Zelensky justified his decision to curtail the bodies’ powers by citing Russian influence. The day before, Ukraine’s security services had carried out searches and arrests targeting alleged Russian spies at the agency.

The passing of the legislation instantly sparked the largest protests since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 in several cities across Ukraine, with many worrying the law would severely undermine the Nabu and Sap’s authority and effectiveness.

Thousands of people gathered in streets and squares across Ukraine, holding placards calling for the legislation to be vetoed.

Several commentators accused Zelensky of democratic backsliding. Their concerns were further exacerbated when Ukraine’s Western partners signalled their displeasure with the bill.

Ukraine has official EU candidate status and a spokesman for European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen previously warned Kyiv that the rule of law and the fight against corruption were “core elements” of membership to the bloc.

On Thursday, the Commission said it “welcomed” the Ukrainian government’s decision to take action against the bill.

“We are working [with the Ukrainian government] to make sure that our concerns… are indeed taken into account,” the spokesman said.

Nabu and Sap were created in 2014-15 as one of the requirements set by the European Commission and International Monetary Fund to move towards a relaxation of visa restrictions between Ukraine and the EU.

Writing on Facebook, opposition MP Oleksiy Goncharenko noted Zelensky said that “the independence of anti-corruption institutions must be guaranteed.”

“First we take it away, and then we say that it must be guaranteed. So why was all this necessary?”

In his message on social media on Thursday, Zelensky did not acknowledge the protests or the backlash but said it was “important that we respect the position of all Ukrainians and are grateful to everyone who stands with Ukraine.”

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