The Nobel Foundation, which manages the Nobel Prizes, on Tuesday, cancelled its traditional December banquet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, though the award ceremonies will still be held in “new forms”. This is the first time since 1956 that the banquet has been cancelled, according to the foundation. “The Nobel …
Read More »Cinnamon linked to blood sugar control in prediabetes, study finds
Cinnamon may improve blood sugar control in people with a condition known as prediabetes and may slow the progression to type 2 diabetes, according to a new pilot study of 51 people with elevated blood sugars. “We are looking for safe, durable and cost-effective approaches to reduce the progression from …
Read More »Russia Coronavirus Vaccine Is Ready and Safe, Ministry of Defense Says
Russia’s novel coronavirus vaccine trials were successfully completed on Monday and the results indicated long-term immunity could be established, Russia’s ministry of defense said. “The Russian Defence Ministry together with the Gamaleya [Gamalei] Scientific Research Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology has successfully completed clinical trials of the vaccine against COVID-19 …
Read More »Oil prices up at levels last seen in March on vaccine hopes, EU deal
Oil prices rose on Tuesday, helped by positive news about vaccine trials and a European Union stimulus deal reaching levels last seen when an oil price war erupted in early March between Russia and Saudi Arabia. Benchmark Brent crude was up $1.17 cents at $44.45 by 0904 GMT, on track …
Read More »South Korea launches first military satellite
Private operator Space X has launched South Korea’s first military communications satellite into space as Seoul looks to build up its defence capabilities against its nuclear-armed neighbour, North Korea. South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), in a statement on Tuesday, said the ANASIS-II satellite lifted off from the Cape …
Read More »France Football announce the Ballon d’Or will not be awarded in 2020
France Football, the magazine behind the annual Ballon d’Or award, have announced that the prize will not be handed out this year. The decision comes due to the complications caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which put a halt or cancelled the major football leagues. It’s the first time since 1956 …
Read More »Astrophysicists reveal the Universe in 3D in the largest map ever published
Astrophysicists on Monday published the largest-ever 3D map of the Universe, the result of an analysis of more than four million galaxies and ultra-bright, energy-packed quasars. The efforts of hundreds of scientists from around 30 institutions worldwide have yielded a “complete story of the expansion of the universe”, said Will …
Read More »Oil falls on worries over fuel demand setback as infections rise
Oil prices dropped on Monday, amid concerns that a recovery in fuel demand could be derailed by a rise in the pace of coronavirus infections around the world. Brent crude LCOc1 was down 36 cents, or 0.8%, at $42.78 a barrel by 0653 GMT, after dropping slightly last week. U.S. …
Read More »Ebola cases rise in new DR Congo outbreak
The Ebola outbreak in the DR Congo’s northwest is growing, according to health officials, sounding the alarm weeks after the country officially declared an end to a separate Ebola epidemic which claimed over 2,000 lives. There have been 54 confirmed cases since June 1 in Mbandaka, a transport hub in …
Read More »UK asks Japan for Huawei alternatives in 5G networks – Nikkei
The British government asked Japan to help build its 5G wireless networks without Huawei Technologies, the Nikkei said on Sunday, a further step in a global technology and security war between the United States and China. Britain named NEC Corp (6701.T) and Fujitsu Ltd (6702.T) as potential alternative suppliers to …
Read More »Virus deaths top 600,000 as cases rise in India, SAfrica
Countries from the U.S. to South Africa to India were struggling to hold down rising rates of the coronavirus, as global deaths from COVID-19 surged past 600,000 in a sign of how far off the world remains from a return to normalcy. While the U.S. leads global infections, South Africa …
Read More »Coronavirus: EU leaders start third day of recovery talks
EU leaders have gathered for a third day of discussions over a massive post-coronavirus economic recovery plan. Some member states believe the proposed €750bn ($857bn; £680bn) package is too large and should come as loans, rather than grants. The unplanned third day of talks comes after a record one-day rise …
Read More »Aubameyang scores twice against Man City to send Arsenal through to the FA Cup final
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired Arsenal into the FA Cup final with two well-taken goals against Man City at an empty Wembley. The Gunners were under pressure for large spells of the game but their star forward was clinical with his chances when it mattered. City dominated the opening stages with Arsenal’s …
Read More »The six types of COVID-19 identified by scientists in ‘major’ breakthrough for treatment
Scientists have identified six distinct types of COVID-19 – each with a specific collection of symptoms – in a breakthrough that could help doctors predict which patients are most at risk. The different forms of the disease are believed to determine its severity among those infected – and whether they …
Read More »Amazon soya and beef exports ‘linked to deforestation’
Up to one-fifth of Brazil’s soya exports to the European Union may be “contaminated” by illegal deforestation, a study has found. Researchers used freely available maps and data to identify the specific farms and ranches clearing forests to produce soya and beef destined for Europe. They found 2% of properties …
Read More »At G20, Germany pledges 3 billion euros for poor countries
Germany pledged 3 billion euros ($3.4 billion) at a meeting of G20 finance ministers to help the world’s poorest countries, the finance ministry said on Saturday. The funds will be made available as long-term loans for the International Monetary Fund’s Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT). In April, IMF officials …
Read More »U.S. sees more than 70,000 new coronavirus cases for the second day in a row
The United States saw more than 70,000 new coronavirus cases for a second straight day on Friday, with 71,600 new cases reported across the country. Thursday saw an all-time daily high of 77,300 new confirmed cases, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. The U.S. total confirmed case count …
Read More »EU leaders resume ‘grumpy’ summit on budget, virus fund
European Union leaders were hunting for compromises Saturday as a summit to reach a deal on an unprecedented 1.85 trillion euro ($2.1 trillion) EU budget and coronavirus recovery fund entered its second day with tensions running high. A full day and night of discussions by the 27 leaders on Friday …
Read More »Twitter says attackers downloaded data from up to eight non-verified accounts
Twitter Inc said on Saturday that hackers were able to download account information for up to eight accounts involved in the hack of its systems this week, but said none of them were verified accounts. The company said the attackers targeted 130 accounts, and were able to reset passwords and …
Read More »New studies clarify what drugs help, hurt for COVID-19
Fresh studies give more information about what treatments do or don’t work for COVID-19, with high-quality methods that give reliable results. British researchers on Friday published their research on the only drug shown to improve survival — a cheap steroid called dexamethasone. Two other studies found that malaria drug hydroxychloroquine …
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