Asian kudzu vines smothering the southern United States. Pacific lionfish devouring Caribbean sealife. South American cane toads killing their way across Australia. As bad as invasive species are today, a study says they will get worse. Researchers predict that non-native—or alien—species introductions will increase globally by around 36 percent during the first … continue reading -> “Spread of Alien Plant, Animal Species Predicted to Rise Globally by 2050”
Spain’s government declared a state of emergency in Madrid Friday, taking control of efforts to fight the spread of COVID-19 from local authorities after a regional court struck down restrictions as the region faces one of the most significant outbreaks in Europe. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s government took the step at a special cabinet … continue reading -> “Spain Declares COVID-19 State of Emergency in Madrid”
Pakistan has blocked online short-video sharing platform TikTok on the grounds of “immoral/indecent” content for viewing in the majority-Muslim nation.The state regulator said Friday that it had repeatedly instructed the platform to tighten its content monitoring to block access to the “unlawful” material.”However, the application failed to fully comply with the instructions, therefore, directions were … continue reading -> “Pakistan Blocks TikTok, Citing ‘Immoral’ Content”
China said Friday it is joining a World Health Organization international initiative to distribute COVID-19 vaccines to the developing world. China, Russia and the U.S. had said they were not joining the alliance to help two-thirds of world’s population receive the vaccines by 2022.China’s reversal makes it the largest country to participate in what is known as the COVAX deal. “We are taking this concrete step … continue reading -> “China Joins WHO Initiative to Distribute COVID Vaccine to Developing Countries”
Young people have suffered less under the COVID-19 virus than older people medically, but experts say the gap has narrowed, and so-called superspreading among the young is a factor.“The FILE – A general view of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Sept. 30, 2014.A woman wearing face mask walks … continue reading -> “Neurological, Cardiac Issues Linger in COVID-19 Youth”
The National Football League reported Thursday yet another Tennessee Titans football player has tested positive for COVID-19, raising questions about their game scheduled for Sunday in Nashville.The latest positive test brings the total to 23 positive COVID-19 tests among players and staff for the Tennessee franchise, and 21 of those positive cases have come since Sept. … continue reading -> “ Another Tennessee Titans Player Tests Positive”
The European Union on Thursday concluded a deal with an American drugmaker to supply up to 400 million doses of its potential COVID-19 vaccine, bringing its total vaccine supply to 1.1 billion doses for the bloc’s 450 million people.To secure the vaccines, the EU made an undisclosed down payment to Johnson & Johnson, which confirmed … continue reading -> “EU Contracts with Johnson & Johnson on Possible COVID-19 Vaccine”
Germany’s health officials said Thursday new COVID-19 cases are spreading at the fastest rate since April.Health Minister Jens Spahn joined Robert Kock Institute for Disease Control President Lothar Wieler at a news conference in Berlin, where they said the number of new cases of the coronavirus has been rising steadily in Germany since early September. … continue reading -> “Germany Sees ‘Worrying’ Jump in COVID-19 Cases “
The world now has more than 36 million cases of the coronavirus. According to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University’s coronavirus tracking program, 36,166,574 people across the globe have been diagnosed with COVID-19, including more than 1 million deaths. The United States leads in both categories with 7.5 million cases and nearly 212,000 deaths. India is a … continue reading -> “36 Million People Worldwide Infected with Coronavirus”
An Iranian dissident has contracted the coronavirus at a prison in northern Iran, according to a knowledgeable source, highlighting what U.S. and U.N. officials say is a worsening pandemic threat facing Iran’s prisoners of conscience.In a message sent Tuesday to VOA Persian, an Iran-based source close to the family of dissident Farhad Meysami said Meysami … continue reading -> “Source: Iranian Dissident Contracts Coronavirus in Prison”
Zimbabwe, like other African countries, is trying a phased re-opening of schools after closing in March due to COVID-19.But many teachers like 33-year-old Munyaradzi Masiyiwa are refusing to return to class, pointing to low pay and unsafe conditions.Masiyiwa said he makes more money selling brooms than teaching at Cranborne Boys Government High School in Harare.Sorry, but your browser … continue reading -> “Zimbabwe Teachers Refuse to Return to Schools Over Pay, Sanitation”
Wisconsin health officials opened a field hospital Wednesday at the state fairgrounds near Milwaukee to cater to the swelling number of COVID-19 cases threatening to overwhelm hospitals.The 530-bed field clinic was built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in April at the request of Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ administration. Local leaders had warned about … continue reading -> “Wisconsin Opens COVID-19 Field Hospital Amid Surging Cases “
Tech giants Google and Oracle are clashing at the Supreme Court in a copyright dispute that’s worth billions and important to the future of software development. The case before the justices Wednesday has to do with Google’s creation of the Android operating system now used on the vast majority of smartphones worldwide. Google says that … continue reading -> “Google, Oracle Meet in Copyright Clash at Supreme Court”
Some top scientists in Britain are calling on Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ruling Conservative government to shift strategy on the coronavirus pandemic and adopt a “herd immunity” approach, allowing people who are less likely to become seriously ill from the virus to return to normal life. “The most compassionate approach that balances the risks and benefits … continue reading -> “COVID-19 Makes Science Harder as Britain Battles Over Best Strategy”
Two scientists have won this year’s Nobel Prize in chemistry for developing a method of gene editing. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences jointly awarded the $1.1 million prize to Emmanuelle Charpentier of France and Jennifer Doudna of the United States. The academy recognized their work on a tool called the CRISP/Cas9 genetic scissors, which allows scientists … continue reading -> “Scientists Win Chemistry Nobel Prize for Gene Editing Development “
As the COVID-19 pandemic marches on, new, rapid tests offer hope for pumping the brakes on the virus’ spread. The United States is falling far short in its testing efforts. More than 4 million tests per day would be needed to control the spread of the coronavirus, according to an analysis by Brown University and A healthcare professional adds … continue reading -> “Rapid COVID-19 Tests Offer New Tools To Slow Pandemic”
Experts from a global chemical weapons watchdog confirmed Tuesday that the substance used to poison Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny was from the banned Soviet-style Novichok family of potent nerve agents. The Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, his wife, Yulia, and son, Zahar, pose for a picture in Berlin, in this undated image obtained from social … continue reading -> “Chemical Weapons Watchdog Confirms Nerve Agent Used in Navalny Poisoning”
The Food and Drug Administration laid out updated safety standards Tuesday for makers of COVID-19 vaccines after the White House blocked their formal release, the latest political tug-of-war between the Trump administration and the government’s public health scientists.In briefing documents posted on its website, the FDA said vaccine makers should follow trial participants for at … continue reading -> “FDA Discloses Vaccine Guidelines Blocked by White House”
Facebook said it will ban groups that “represent” QAnon, the baseless conspiracy theory that paints President Donald Trump as a secret warrior against a supposed child-trafficking ring run by celebrities and “deep state” government officials. The company said Tuesday that it will remove Facebook pages, groups and Instagram accounts for “representing QAnon,” even if they don’t … continue reading -> “Facebook Says It Will Ban Groups for ‘Representing’ QAnon”
A U.S. House of Representatives panel looking into abuses of market power by four of the biggest technology companies found they used “killer acquisitions” to smite rivals, charge exorbitant fees and force small businesses into “oppressive” contracts in the name of profit. The panel, an antitrust subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee, recommended that Alphabet Inc.’s Google, … continue reading -> “US Congressional Panel Finds Big Tech Abuses Power, Recommends Changes”
For nearly a year, Benjamin Billal was chained to a rock.“I was taken to a faith healing center by my grandmother and my mother,” Billal told journalists by video link from Monrovia, Liberia on Tuesday. “There, I was shackled. I was chained to a rock, where I stayed for about 11 months. There, there was … continue reading -> “Sick and Chained: Plight of Countless Africans With Mental Health Conditions”
Even though businesses are reopening around the world, the pandemic is still a reality. Many commercial spaces and offices are taking people’s temperatures before allowing them inside. In some industries, handheld thermometers may not be efficient enough. Thermal imaging systems allow temperatures to be taken without anyone needing to be physically close to the person … continue reading -> “COVID-19 Stokes Demand for Temperature Check Technologies”
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Tuesday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida carrying 60 Starlink satellites for the company’s internet satellite constellation system.The launch marks the 13th Starlink mission. The company says the goal of Starlink is to create a network that will help provide reliable and affordable internet across the globe, … continue reading -> “SpaceX Launches 60 Satellites From Kennedy Space Center”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is now acknowledging that COVID-19 can spread through small particles in the air over an extended distance and for hours at a time. The CDC has long insisted that the coronavirus is transmitted mainly between people standing within two meters of each other, through droplets produced by … continue reading -> “US Health Agency Updates Guidelines on COVID-19 Transmission ”
Even though businesses are reopening around the world, the pandemic is still a reality. Many commercial spaces and offices are taking people’s temperatures before allowing them inside. In some industries, handheld thermometers may not be efficient enough. Thermal imaging systems allow temperatures to be taken without anyone needing to be physically close to the person … continue reading -> “COVID-19 Sends Demand Skyrocketing for Temperature Check Technologies”