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☆ Biden presents Medal of Freedom to key political allies, civil rights leaders, celebrities and politicians
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Michael Williams | Sam Fossum | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Washington CNN —President Joe Biden on Friday honored 19 Americans with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom - a diverse list that includes some high-profile Biden political allies, celebrities, civil rights leaders and even one of his former political rivals-turned-financial backer. The list included two of Biden’s core allies in the House of Representatives: former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn. President Joe Biden awards the Medal of Freedom to Democratic Rep. James Clyburn during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House on May 3, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Joe Biden presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky during a ceremony at the White House in Washington, DC, on May 3, 2024. They are the pinnacle of leadership in their fields,” the White House said in the statement.

Persons: Joe Biden, Biden, Nancy Pelosi, Jim Clyburn, Pelosi, Donald Trump, “, ” Biden, “ Nancy, Paul, ” Clyburn, coalescing, Clyburn, James Clyburn, Kevin Dietsch, Jim, ”, Michael Bloomberg, Michelle Yeoh –, Barack Obama, Sen, Elizabeth Dole, Bob Dole, Al Gore –, John Kerry, George W, Bush, Gore “, Donald Trump’s, Kerry, Opal Lee, Medgar Evers, Frank Lautenberg, Jim Thorpe, Clarence B, Jones, Martin Luther King’s, Juneteenth, Judy Shepard, Matthew, Jane Rigby, Ellen Ochoa, Katie Ledecky, Phil Donahue, Greg Boyle, United Farm Workers Teresa Romero, Evelyn Hockstein, Simone Biles, John McCain, Gabby Giffords Organizations: Washington CNN, South Carolina Rep, Democratic, Representatives, Democratic Rep, White, New York, Bloomberg, Republican, Getty, Jesuit Catholic, United Farm Workers, Reuters “ Locations: South Carolina, Washington , DC, Florida, United States, North Carolina, Massachusetts, American, Delaware, Washington ,

☆ Cameroon Launches Malaria Vaccination Programme in Global Milestone
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

(Reuters) - The global fight against malaria took a stride forward on Monday as Cameroon launched the world's first routine vaccine programme against the mosquito-borne disease that is projected to save tens of thousands of children's lives per year across Africa. After successful trials, including in Ghana and Kenya, Cameroon is the first country to administer doses through a routine immunisation programme that 19 other countries aim to roll out this year, according to global vaccine alliance Gavi. Around 6.6 million children in these countries are targeted for malaria vaccination through 2024-25. Rolling out the second vaccine "is expected to result in sufficient vaccine supply to meet the high demand and reach millions more children," the WHO's director of immunization, Kate O'Brien, said at the briefing. This R21 vaccine, developed by University of Oxford, could be launched in May or June, said Gavi's Chief Programme Officer Aurelia Nguyen.

Persons: Mohammed Abdulaziz of, Kate O'Brien, Aurelia Nguyen, Alessandra Prentice, Jennifer Rigby, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Reuters, World Health Organization, WHO, British, GSK, for Disease Control, Prevention, University of Oxford Locations: Cameroon, Africa, Ghana, Kenya

LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Leading scientists urged caution over fears of another pandemic on Thursday after the World Health Organization requested more information from China on a rise of respiratory illnesses and pneumonia clusters among children. It called for more information about "undiagnosed pneumonia - China (Beijing, Liaoning)". The standard wording of the alert echoed the first-ever notice about what would become COVID-19, sent on Dec. 30 2019: "Undiagnosed pneumonia - China (Hubei)." Both the WHO and China have faced questions over transparency during the early days of COVID. In China itself, there has been a lot of recent coverage of a rise in respiratory illnesses, including among children.

Persons: Marion Koopmans, COVID lockdowns, Brian McCloskey, Virologist Tom Peacock, Jennifer Rigby, Jo Mason, Christina Fincher Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, COVID, International Society for Infectious, FTV News, Reuters, Imperial College London, Thomson Locations: China, Dutch, Beijing, Liaoning, Hubei, Taiwan

☆ China says no unusual pathogens found after WHO queries respiratory outbreaks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The WHO had asked China for more information on Wednesday after groups including the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) reported clusters of undiagnosed pneumonia in children in north China. No unusual pathogens have been detected in the capital of Beijing and the northeastern province of Liaoning. The U.N. health agency had also asked China for further information about trends in the circulation of known pathogens and the burden on healthcare systems. WHO China said it was "routine" to request information on increases in respiratory illnesses and reported clusters of pneumonia in children from member states, such as China. The WHO said that while it was seeking additional information, it recommended that people in China follow measures to reduce the risk of respiratory illness.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, pneumoniae, Ben Cowling, Deena Beasley, Andrew Silver, Jennifer Rigby, Emma Farge, Urvi, Robert Birsel, Miyoung Kim, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, World Health Organization, WHO, International, National Health Commission, FTV News, Hong Kong University, Health Commission, Xinhua, Influenza, Thomson Locations: China, Beijing, Liaoning, Wuhan, WHO China, Taiwan, Los Angeles, Shanghai, London, Geneva, Bengaluru

CAIRO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - The United Nations is looking for ways to evacuate Al Shifa hospital in Gaza but options are limited by security and logistical constraints, a senior World Health Organization official said on Thursday. "We are looking at the case for full medical evacuation but there are a lot of security concerns, there are a lot of logistics constraints. Tents and shelters used by displaced Palestinians stand at the yard of Al Shifa hospital during the Israeli ground operation around the hospital, in Gaza City November 12, 2023. She said an ICRC medical convoy delivering supplies to a separate hospital in Gaza had come under fire last week. "It is difficult to answer how this would normally take place [medical evacuation in conflict], because this situation is anything but normal," she said.

Persons: Rick Brennan, Brennan, Ahmed El Mokhallalati, Mai ShamsElDin, Jennifer Rigby, Toby Chopra, Aidan Lewis, Christina Fincher Organizations: United Nations, World Health Organization, Palestinian, International Committee, WHO, Al, ICRC, Thomson Locations: CAIRO, Al Shifa, Gaza, Jerusalem, Egypt, Cairo, Gaza City, Shifa, Al Arish, Turkey

More than 10,000 Palestinians, including over 4,000 children, have been killed, according to health officials in Hamas-run Gaza. “I can’t forget his image.”The WHO is pushing for the most vulnerable among the chronically ill to be allowed out for treatment. Other countries have offered to take in patients, including Egypt, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. This is the first time there is such a comprehensive ban on movement and Gaza patients can’t make it out,” said Osama Qadoumi, the supervisor at Makassed Hospital. There are 350,000 patients with chronic conditions in Gaza, including cancer and diabetes, as well as 50,000 pregnant women, according to data from United Nations organizations.

Persons: Naser, Khan Younis, Mohammed Salem, Tahreer Azzam, Azzam, ”, “, Osama Qadoumi, Richard Peeperkorn, haven’t, Um Taha, Farrah, Hala, God ’, Henriette Chacar, Jennifer Rigby, Michele Gershberg, James Mackenzie, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Makassed, West Bank, World Health Organization, WHO, Hamas, Reuters, United, United Nations, Makassed Hospital, Thomson Locations: Khan, Gaza, Jerusalem, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Makassed, Hala

☆ Paul McCartney says ‘last’ Beatles song featuring John Lennon is ‘quite emotional’
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, the last two living Beatles, have “come together” to finish a song that the late John Lennon wrote and recorded in 1970 called “Now and Then.”For McCartney and Starr, hearing the “crystal clear” voice of Lennon on the completed track was a profound experience. Lennon wrote and recorded the song at his home in New York City in 1970. It was later worked on by McCartney, Starr and George Harrison – who died in 2001 – in the mid-90s, and finished by McCartney and Starr this year, over four decades later. The track – coined by McCartney as “the last Beatles song” – features the original vocals recorded by Lennon that were preserved using artificial intelligence. Backing vocals from Beatles songs “Here, There And Everywhere,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Because” were mixed into the final cut.

Persons: Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, ”, John Lennon, McCartney, Starr, Lennon, “, ” McCartney, John, ” Starr, George Harrison –, Peter Jackson, Harrison, ” “ Eleanor Rigby ” Locations: New York City, –

NEW YORK (AP) — Sixty years after the onset of Beatlemania and with two of the quartet now dead, artificial intelligence has enabled the release next week of what is promised to be the last “new” Beatles song. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison worked on “Now And Then” in the same sessions, but technological limitations stood in the way. Later in the month, expanded versions of the Beatles' compilations “1962-1966” and “1967-1970” will be released. “This is the last track, ever, that you’ll get the four Beatles on the track. John, Paul, George, and Ringo,” Starr said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

Persons: —, John Lennon, ”, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Peter Jackson, McCartney, Starr, Harrison, Giles Martin, George Martin, ” “ Eleanor Rigby ”, ” McCartney, “, Olivia, Paul, Ringo, it's, you’ll, John, George, ” Starr Organizations: Beatles, Associated Press Locations: England

☆ I'm an American teaching at a university in Tokyo. College life is much different in Japan, from admissions to housing.
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Darryl Wharton-Rigby | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

I've witnessed firsthand the nuances that set education in the United States and Japan apart, especially with colleges and universities. I've been fortunate to teach at Morgan State University, Art Center College of Design in Baltimore, and I'm now an assistant professor at Temple University Japan in Tokyo. It's a system designed to identify potential — whether one's destination is a public university or a prestigious private college. Students here are bound by a singular choice; they can only apply to one public university for admission. AdvertisementAdvertisementI've found there typically aren't dorms on college campuses in JapanIn the United States, dormitories foster a spirited campus community.

Persons: I'm, I've, —, It's Organizations: Service, Baltimore City Public School System, JET, Morgan State University, Art Center College of Design, Temple University Japan, NCAA, American, College Locations: American, Tokyo, Japan, United States, Baltimore, It's

☆ First Pill for Dengue Shows Promise in Human Challenge Trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Jennifer Rigby(Reuters) - A pill for dengue fever developed by Johnson & Johnson appeared to protect against a form of the virus in a handful of patients in a small human challenge trial in the United States, according to data presented by the company on Friday. In human challenge trials, researchers intentionally expose healthy volunteers to a pathogen to test a vaccine or treatment, or better understand the disease they cause. Dengue fever, while often asymptomatic, is also known as “break bone fever” for the severity of the joint pain and spasms that some patients experience. In the trial done with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 10 volunteers were given a high dose of the J&J pill five days before being injected with a type of dengue. The five people in a placebo group, who were also injected with dengue, all showed detectable virus when tested.

Persons: Jennifer Rigby, Johnson, Van Loock, J’s Janssen, Jeremy Farrar, Johns, J, “, ”, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Reuters, Johnson, American Society of Tropical Medicine, Hygiene, J, Health Organization’s, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, WHO Locations: United States, Chicago, Asia, Latin America

[1/2] Mosquitoes are seen on stagnant water on the roadside during countrywide dengue infection, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, August 24, 2023. REUTERS/Mohammad Ponir Hossain/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd FollowLONDON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - Dengue fever will become a major threat in the southern United States, southern Europe and new parts of Africa this decade, the WHO's chief scientist said, as warmer temperatures create the conditions for the mosquitoes carrying the infection to spread. Many cases go unrecorded, but in 2022 4.2 million cases were reported worldwide and public health officials have warned that near-record levels of transmission are expected this year. Qdenga is also approved by the EU regulator, but Takeda withdrew its application in the United States earlier this year, citing data collection issues. Dengue is spread by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which behave differently to the malaria-carrying kind.

Persons: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, ” Jeremy Farrar, ” Farrar, Farrar, ”, “, Takeda, Jennifer Rigby, Michele Gershberg, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Takeda Pharmaceutical, World Health Organization, Reuters, Wellcome, WHO, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Dhaka, Bangladesh, United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Vietnam, Saharan Africa, EU

☆ Dengue Will 'Take Off' in Southern Europe, US, Africa This Decade, WHO Scientist Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Jennifer RigbyLONDON (Reuters) - Dengue fever will become a major threat in the southern United States, southern Europe and new parts of Africa this decade, the WHO's chief scientist said, as warmer temperatures create the conditions for the mosquitoes carrying the infection to spread. Many cases go unrecorded, but in 2022 4.2 million cases were reported worldwide and public health officials have warned that near-record levels of transmission are expected this year. Earlier this week, the WHO recommended Takeda Pharmaceuticals' Qdenga vaccine for children aged 6 to 16 in areas where the infection is a significant public health problem. Qdenga is also approved by the EU regulator, but Takeda withdrew its application in the United States earlier this year, citing data collection issues. Dengue is spread by infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which behave differently to the malaria-carrying kind.

Persons: Jennifer Rigby LONDON, ” Jeremy Farrar, ” Farrar, Farrar, ”, “, Takeda, Jennifer Rigby, Michele Gershberg, Sharon Singleton Organizations: World Health Organization, Reuters, Wellcome, WHO, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, U.S . Food, Drug Administration Locations: United States, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Saharan Africa, EU

Poli Devi, whose 11-month-old daughter Janvi was among the children who died due to kidney injury after consuming contaminated cough syrup, holds a photo of her at their house in Ramnagar on the outskirts of Jammu, India, March 28, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Oct 4 (Reuters) - India's drug regulator has found that a cough syrup and an anti-allergy syrup made by Norris Medicines (NORI.BO) are toxic, according to a government report, months after Indian-made cough syrups were linked to 141 children's deaths worldwide. Koshia said Norris used to export the cough syrup, but did not say where. "We are aware of the CDSCO report and have communicated with that agency to ascertain where the products... have been exported," said a WHO spokeswoman. The CDSCO also found three batches of COLD OUT syrup made by Fourrts (India) Laboratories contaminated with DEG and EG.

Persons: Poli Devi, Janvi, Anushree, Koshia, Norris's, Norris, Vimal Shah, S.V, Veeramani, Adani Wilmar, Krishna N, Jennifer Rigby, Andrew Heavens, Nick Macfie, William Maclean Organizations: REUTERS, Norris Medicines, Central Drugs Standard Control, EG, Drug Control Administration, Reuters, World Health Organization, WHO, Laboratories, World Health Organisation, Fourrts, Pharmaceuticals Export, of India, Thomson Locations: Ramnagar, Jammu, India, DELHI, Gambia, Uzbekistan, Cameroon, Gujarat, Fourrts, Iraq, pharmexcil

☆ Aid agency urges Johnson & Johnson to improve access to tuberculosis drug
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

FILE PHOTO:The logo of Johnson & Johnson is seen on a Brussels' office of the company in Diegem, Belgium September 21, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsGENEVA, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Global health aid agency Unitaid has written to Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ.N) CEO, Joaquin Duato, urging "immediate action" to expand access to the company's tuberculosis drug bedaquiline, which is protected by patents hindering generic alternatives. The agency is urging J&J to remove all secondary patents and ensure that lower prices are available to all countries with high TB cases. TB, a bacterial disease that mostly affects the lungs, is preventable and treatable, but 10 million people catch it annually. Around 1.6 million people died from TB in 2021, almost entirely in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Persons: Johnson, Yves Herman, Unitaid, Joaquin Duato, Philippe Duneton, J, Emma Farge, Jennifer Rigby, Devika Nair, Susan Fenton, Elaine Hardcastle, Leslie Adler Organizations: Johnson, REUTERS, Rights, UN, Assembly, World Health Organization, WHO, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Diegem, Belgium, South Africa, Belarus, Ukraine

LONDON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Climate change and conflict are hitting efforts to tackle three of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, the head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has warned. International initiatives to fight the diseases have largely recovered after being badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Fund’s 2023 results report released on Monday. But the increasing challenges of climate change and conflict mean the world is likely to miss the target of putting an end to AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030 without “extraordinary steps”, said Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund. The Fund also helped put 24.5 million people on antiretroviral therapy for HIV, and distributed 220 million mosquito nets. For example, malaria is spreading to highland parts of Africa that were previously too cold for the mosquito carrying the disease-causing parasite.

Persons: Peter Sands, Sands, Jennifer Rigby, Jane Merriman Organizations: Global Fund, AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Fund, UN, Assembly, Thomson Locations: Africa, Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar

REUTERS/Magali Druscovich/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 18 (Reuters) - Climate change and conflict are hitting efforts to tackle three of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, the head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has warned. But the increasing challenges of climate change and conflict mean the world is likely to miss the target of putting an end to AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030 without “extraordinary steps”, said Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund. For example, malaria is spreading to highland parts of Africa that were previously too cold for the mosquito carrying the disease-causing parasite. For example, in 2022, 6.7 million people were treated for TB in the countries where the Global Fund invests, 1.4 million more people than in the previous year. For example, he said, many countries with the highest burden of TB are middle-income countries that have more capacity to fund health services domestically.

Persons: Magali, Peter Sands, Sands, Jennifer Rigby, Jane Merriman, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Global Fund, AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, UN, Assembly, Global, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, Africa, Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar

☆ Climate Change Hitting Fight Against AIDS, TB and Malaria
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-17 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Jennifer RigbyLONDON (Reuters) - Climate change and conflict are hitting efforts to tackle three of the world's deadliest infectious diseases, the head of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria has warned. International initiatives to fight the diseases have largely recovered after being badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Fund’s 2023 results report released on Monday. But the increasing challenges of climate change and conflict mean the world is likely to miss the target of putting an end to AIDS, TB and malaria by 2030 without “extraordinary steps”, said Peter Sands, executive director of the Global Fund. The Fund also helped put 24.5 million people on antiretroviral therapy for HIV, and distributed 220 million mosquito nets. For example, malaria is spreading to highland parts of Africa that were previously too cold for the mosquito carrying the disease-causing parasite.

Persons: Jennifer Rigby LONDON, Peter Sands, Sands, Jennifer Rigby, Jane Merriman Organizations: Global Fund, AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria, Fund, UN, Assembly Locations: Africa, Sudan, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Myanmar

The nationwide online poll, which concluded on Thursday, showed that almost 30% of respondents were very interested in getting the vaccine and another 24% were somewhat interested. U.S. public health officials earlier this week recommended updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer (PFE.N)/BioNTech (22UAy.DE) and Moderna (MRNA.O) that target a recently circulating Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Almost 42% said they were mainly interested in getting the vaccine to reduce their risk of severe illness. During the last revaccination campaign, when most Americas had either already had the COVID virus or been previously vaccinated, only around 56.5 million people got the updated booster shots, CDC data shows. The Reuters/Ipsos poll was conducted online and nationwide between Sept. 8 and Sept. 14, gathering responses from 4,413 U.S. adults.

Persons: Adam Berman, Michelle Chester, Ron DeSantis, Jesse Goodman, Ahmed Aboulenein, Jason Lange, Michael Erman, Jennifer Rigby, Scott Malone, Leslie Adler Organizations: Jewish Medical Center, Northwell Health, Reuters, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Pfizer, Moderna, Republicans, Republican, Wednesday, Georgetown University, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Thomson Locations: Long, New Hyde Park , New York, WASHINGTON, United States, ., U.S, Americas, Washington, New York, London

LONDON, Sept 13 (Reuters) - France's radiation watchdog has banned sales of Apple's (AAPL.O) iPhone 12 after tests that it said showed the smartphone breached European radiation exposure limits. Apple disputes the watchdog's conclusions, saying the iPhone 12 was certified by multiple international bodies as compliant with global radiation standards. The ANFR said it recently carried out random tests on 141 phones, including iPhone 12, bought from shops. Smartphone radiation tests have so far led to 42 imposed sale stops in the country, it said. The ANFR said the iPhone 12 had failed to meet European Union standards, raising questions over whether more sales bans could be coming elsewhere.

Persons: Jean, Noel Barrot, Le, ANFR, Rodney Croft, Apple, Martin Coulter, Jennifer Rigby, Elizabeth Pineau, Mark Potter, Josie Kao Organizations: Agence Nationale des, Apple, Digital Minister, Reuters, International Commission, EU, WHO, International Agency for Research, Cancer, APPLE, Union, Germany's Federal, for Radiation, Thomson Locations: France

REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON/CHICAGO, Aug 24 (Reuters) - A highly mutated COVID variant called BA.2.86 has now been detected in Switzerland and South Africa in addition to Israel, Denmark, the U.S. and the U.K., according to a leading World Health Organization official. It has since been detected in other symptomatic patients, in routine airport screening, and in wastewater samples in a handful of countries. That the known cases are not linked suggests it is already circulating more widely, particularly given reduced surveillance worldwide, she said. There have been nine such cases detected as of Aug. 23 and the variant was also found in wastewater in Switzerland. Jha and others, including the European public health agency and COVAX, the global program for getting vaccines to the world's poorest, said COVID surveillance and defenses could be reactivated in the event of a major infection wave.

Persons: Shannon Stapleton, Maria Van Kerkhove, Kerkhove, ”, Marion Koopmans, Nirav Shah, Van Kerkhove, Tyra Grove Krause, Ashish Jha, Jha, Jennifer Rigby, Julie Steenhuysen, Pratik Jain, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Health Organization, Omicron, WHO, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Pharmacy, Walgreens, Rite, Reuters, Statens Serum, White, Thomson Locations: Harlem, New York City, U.S, CHICAGO, Switzerland, South Africa, Israel, Denmark, COVID, Dutch, Danish, Bengaluru

REUTERS/Remo CasilliLONDON, July 18 (Reuters) - The world is baking under extreme heat - with Asia, Europe and the United States all dealing with scorching temperatures. LESS OBVIOUS RISKSAir pollution also poses a health risk, with serious potential effects from wildfire smoke including inflammation and tissue damage. Dr Vikki Thompson, Climate Scientist, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, said extreme heat often contributes to poorer mental health, as well as a rise in car crashes and drownings. Location matters, too; people are at higher risk in places where they are not used to such heat, including parts of Europe. It is also important to check on the vulnerable, including older and isolated people, they said.

Persons: Remo Casilli, Liz Stephens, Dr Vikki Thompson, Modi Mwatsama, Heatstroke, Jennifer Rigby, Kate Turton, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Remo Casilli LONDON, WHO, heatwaves, Britain's University of Reading, Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, Wellcome, Public, Thomson Locations: Italy, Rome, Asia, Europe, United States, London

Reuters reported last month that the cancer research arm of the World Health Organization (WHO), known as the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), was set to make that declaration on July 14, according to two sources with knowledge of the process. The designation as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" will provide an incentive to fund more rigorous research into the safety question, toxicology and cancer experts say. "We have been pushing for an IARC review for many years now." But no action was taken until 2022, after aspartame was again nominated for review by CSPI and Melnick in 2019. The research body has said "new evidence" prompted its aspartame review, without giving any details.

Persons: Andy Smith, Smith, Coke, Peter Lurie, Lurie, James Huff, Ron Melnick, CSPI, There's, Samuel Cohen, Erik Millstone, Millstone, Jennifer Rigby, Michele Gershberg, Catherine Evans Organizations: Reuters, World Health Organization, WHO, International Agency for Research, Cancer, MRC, Unit, University of Cambridge, Cola's, Regulators, for Science, Joint Food and Agriculture Organization, U.S . National Institutes of Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, University of Paris, Britain's University of Sussex, Thomson Locations: United States, U.S, France

Aspartame is one of the world's most popular sweeteners, used in products from Coca-Cola diet sodas to Mars' Extra chewing gum. In its first declaration on the additive, announced early on Friday, the Lyon-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) said aspartame was a "possible carcinogen". Several scientists not associated with the reviews said the evidence linking aspartame to cancer is weak. There was also some limited evidence that aspartame has some chemical properties that are linked to cancer, the IARC said. Scientists with no links to the WHO reviews said the evidence that aspartame caused cancer was weak.

Persons: Francesco Branca, " Branca, JECFA, Branca, Mary Schubauer, Paul Pharaoh, Pharaoh, Kate Loatman, Frances Hunt, Wood, Richa Naidu, Caroline Humer, Catherine Evans Organizations: World Health Organization, WHO, Agency for Research, Cancer, Food, Agriculture Organization, FAO, Reuters, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, International Council of Beverage Associations, International, Thomson Locations: Lyon, Geneva, United States, Europe, Cedars, Los Angeles

☆ Webb telescope’s first anniversary image reveals the birth of sunlike stars
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning new image of the closest star-forming region to Earth, located 390 light-years away. The release of the image marks the first anniversary since the space observatory began observing the universe. “Webb’s image of Rho Ophiuchi allows us to witness a very brief period in the stellar lifecycle with new clarity. The most powerful telescope ever sent to space, Webb launched on December 25, 2021, and NASA shared its first set of scintillating images on July 12, 2022. Both have served as the targets of other telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope in the past.

Persons: James Webb, another’s, ”, Klaus Pontoppidan, Webb, “, Bill Nelson, “ Webb, Nicola Fox, Eric Smith, “ Webb’s, Jane Rigby, NASA’s, “ We’ve, we’ve, — Organizations: CNN, Telescope, Telescope Science, NASA, Astrophysics Division, NASA Headquarters, Hubble, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Locations: Baltimore , Maryland, Greenbelt , Maryland

☆ A Year of Cosmic Wonder With the James Webb Space Telescope
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-12 | by ( Katrina Miller | More About Katrina Miller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The awe the image inspires is comparable to how researchers feel about the Webb’s first year of science. She finds it fitting that the customary gift for one-year anniversaries is paper, because that’s exactly what researchers using the telescope have been churning out for the past year: scientific papers. When it was ready, the Webb embarked on its journey to peer into the depths of the universe. For Dr. Rigby, one of the most gratifying accomplishments of this past year is the way the mission has delivered on its promise to reveal the earliest moments of cosmic time. Before JWST, astronomers knew of only a small handful of candidate galaxies that existed in the first billion years after the Big Bang.

Persons: ”, Jane Rigby, Webb, Rigby, JWST Organizations: Goddard Space Flight

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