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Macron’s center-right prime minister, Michel Barnier, is facing a no-confidence vote tabled by far-right leader Marine Le Pen and her National Rally party. Marine Le Pen's National Rally party tabled a vote of no confidence in Barnier. A divided legislatureAfter Macron stunned Europe by calling snap parliamentary elections in June, Le Pen was only blocked from power by Macron’s centrists and their left-wing opponents working together tactically. But Le Pen says the budget cuts and tax rises are “red lines” she will not cross. Macron cannot run again due to term limits, leaving Le Pen as the current bookmakers’ favorite.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Antoine Armand, “, —, Donald Trump, Michel Barnier, Marine Le, Barnier, Macron, Stephane De Sakutin, ”, Rainbow Murray, Le Pen, Macron’s centrists, it’s, Murray, Nathan Laine, centrists, Olivier Chassignole, he’s, Douglas Webber, ” Webber, ’, ” Murray, Queen Mary said Organizations: Notre, Dame, ”, National Rally, Popular Front, National Assembly, Getty, Queen Mary University of London, European Union, Bloomberg, ” Taxi, Franco, Union Locations: Paris, France, Europe, American, Barnier, AFP, European, Greece, Lyon, technocrats, Europe’s, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Finland

☆ Paleontologist rates "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World" dinosaurs
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Ian Phillips | Korey Isbell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Paleontologist Dave Hone rates the realism of every "Jurassic Park" movie. He talks about how the T. rex hunted down its prey, how the Gallimimus outran predators, and what Velociraptors actually looked like in "Jurassic Park," starring Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern. He debunks myths about the Stegosaurus' spikes and the T. rex's vision in "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," starring Julianne Moore and Vince Vaughn. He explains why some dinosaurs with sharp claws couldn't outclimb humans and how others could deliver devastating headbutts in "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom." Finally, he does a deep dive into the many feathered dinosaurs featured in "Jurassic World Dominion."

Persons: Dave Hone, Velociraptors, Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, Pteranodons, William H, Macy, Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard Organizations: Queen Mary University of London

☆ UK leader Keir Starmer is marking 100 days in office. It has been a rocky ride
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-13 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer gives a media interview while attending the 79th United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S. September 25, 2024. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer marks 100 days in office Saturday with little cause for celebration. Starmer has traveled to Washington, the United Nations and European capitals as he seeks to show that " Britain is back " after years of inward-looking wrangling over Brexit. Reeves has ruled out increasing income tax, sales tax or corporation tax, but also says there will be no "return to austerity" — a hard circle to square. "I don't think people have that much of a sense of what Keir Starmer or indeed Labour is about.

Persons: Keir Starmer, freebies, Tim Bale, Starmer, Taylor Swift, Sue Gray, Morgan McSweeney, Gray, —, McSweeney, Anand Menon, Rachel Reeves, Reeves, Downing, It's, Bale, it's Organizations: Britain's, 79th United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Headquarters, British, Labour Party, Labour, Conservative Party, Queen Mary University of London, Conservative, Health Service, United Nations, Conservatives, Government, Downing, Downing St, BBC Locations: New York, U.S, Rwanda, Washington, United Kingdom, Ukraine, England, Northern Ireland

☆ The Olympics brought rare unity to France. Now back to the political games.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-12 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alexander Smith | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

PARIS — It’s 1:00 a.m. on the banks of the Canal de Saint-Denis and the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony finished an hour ago. But the political and social turmoil France faced before a ghostly metal horse galloped down the Seine has not gone away. French President Emmanuel Macron at the Paris Olympic Games. The French president could easily have been giving his view on France’s immediate political future when discussing the rain-drenched opening ceremony with NBC News. Optimism aside, analysts believe the country faces years of deadlock that could end with a far-right president in 2027.

Persons: Denis, Sara Zinger, Mary Mathurin, France's Leon Marchand, Dar Yasin, Emmanuel Macron, Pascal Le Segretain, Macron, Macron’s, Rainbow Murray, they’ve, Murray, Le Pen, Lady Gaga —, Le, Maxime Jourdan, Marine Le Pen, Charles Platiau, who’s, it’s, Rene Nijhuis, Paris Mayor Anne, Marie Hidalgo, France’s Le, Alain Jocard, Hector Gore Organizations: PARIS, Stade de France, Marine, Paris Olympic, NBC, Queen Mary University of London, Rally, Olympics, Olympic, BSR Agency, Getty, Eiffel, Concorde, triathletes, Paris Mayor, France’s Le Figaro, Metro, Paris Games, French, Square, Games Locations: Saint, Parisian, hipsters, France, Paris, Europe, Seine, Montmartre, AFP

☆ Barcelona is banning Airbnbs. Other European cities have cracked down already — with some success.
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( Eliza Relman | Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Many experts say short-term rentals, including Airbnbs, are part of the problem, restricting local housing supply and driving up prices. We took a look at three European hubs — Lisbon, Florence, and Amsterdam — that have imposed relatively strict regulations on short-term rentals. Cities have been worried about the impact of short-term rentals on housing costs for years. Instead of a blanket ban, Amsterdam caps the number of nights hosts can rent out their homes at 30 a year. In an increasingly tight housing market, the dominance of short-term rentals acts as an "amplifier," he said.

Persons: —, Airbnb, Lisbon's, João Pereira dos Santos, Pereira dos Santos, Gregory W, Fuller, Florence, Florence's, Dario Nardella, Antonello Romano, Romano Organizations: Service, Business, New York, School of Economics, Finance, Queen Mary University of London, University of Groningen, Wall Street, University of Pisa Locations: Barcelona, Barcelona's, Spanish, New York, Tokyo, Vancouver, London, Paris, — Lisbon, Florence, Amsterdam, Lisbon, New York City, EU, Portugal, Netherlands, Venice

☆ Finally, an answer to a mystery surrounding these 1,000-year-old trees
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-24 | by ( Tom Page | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

A team of international academics successfully sequenced the genomes of each of the eight baobab species, examining their relationship with one another and concluded that they originated in Madagascar. "Avenue of the Baobabs" in Western Madagascar is one of the most spectacular collections of the unusual trees. Gavinevans/Creative CommonsOnly one baobab species is not included in the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species: A. digitata, which populates mainland Africa. The likelihood of finding fossil evidence to rubberstamp the conclusions of the genetic data is slim, Dr. Wan conceded. So perhaps these majestic trees may retain some of their mystery after all.

Persons: ”, Wan Jun, Nan, Wan, Seheno, Andriantsaralaza, “, Dr, Organizations: CNN, Biologists, Gardens, Royal Botanic Gardens, University of Antananarivo, Queen Mary University of London, IUCN, USAID Locations: Madagascar, Africa, Australia, Wuhan, Hubei, China, baobabs, Queen, Western Madagascar, “

☆ UN’s top court orders Israel to ‘immediately’ halt its operation in Rafah
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-24 | by ( Abbas Al Lawati | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The United Nations’ top court has ordered Israel to immediately halt its controversial military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, further increasing international pressure on Israel over its war against Hamas. Israel began a limited ground offensive in Rafah on May 7, defying calls from the international community, including the United States, not to proceed. More than a million Palestinians were taking shelter there before Israel started its operation, but the court noted that around 800,000 have since been displaced. Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to the Netherlands, Vusimuzi Madonsela, waits for judges to enter the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands on Friday. The development comes as Israel faces mounting international and domestic pressure to end the war in Gaza.

Persons: “, Nawaf Salam, ”, Israel, Vusimuzi, Peter Dejong, International Law Gilad Noam, Benjamin Netanyahu, Yoav Gallant, Netanyahu, Biden, Joe Biden, ” Israel, Israel’s, Israel ‘, ” Yossi Mekelberg, Eliav, Neve Gordon, Gali, Amit Aisman, Gordon Organizations: CNN, United Nations ’, Hamas, International Court of Justice, Israel, Court of Justice, International Law, Criminal Court, ICC, Israel Defense Forces, ICJ, Health Ministry, North Africa, Chatham House, Tel Aviv University, Queen Mary University of London, Times Locations: Israel, Gaza, Rafah, “ Israel, United States, Egypt, South Africa, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa, Netherlands, The Hague, Washington, Palestinian, East, London, Gali Baharav

☆ Golden visas attracted wealthy Americans to Southern Europe. Then their housing crisis followed.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Eliza Relman | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This is in part the doing of so-called "golden visas," hugely popular residency visas for foreign investors. And they purchased more Portuguese golden visas than any other nationality in 2022. Related storiesBut as Portugal has experienced a worsening housing affordability crisis, Portuguese public opinion on golden visas has soured. Last year, the country changed the terms of its golden visa program to exclude real estate investment. Other southern European countries are following suit, similarly pointing to skyrocketing real estate prices.

Persons: —, They're, they're, João Pereira dos Santos, Pereira dos Santos, Nuno Fazenda, Holger Schmieding, Schmieding, David Zorrakino Organizations: Service, Business, The New York Times, School of Economics, Finance, Queen Mary University of London, State, Tourism, Trade, Services, Bloomberg, Berenberg Bank, Getty, European Central Bank, Paris Locations: Greece, Portugal, Tourism, Lisbon, Athens, Spain, Southern Europe, Portuguese, London, Ramblas, Barcelona, Catalonia, Europe, Germany, Netherlands, France

☆ Microplastics have been linked to a higher risk of heart attacks and stroke for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Kim Schewitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

People with microplastics in their plaque were more likely to have a heart attack or stroke. This is the first time microplastics have been linked to health problems in humans. AdvertisementPeople who had microplastics in their blood vessels in a study were more likely to have a heart attack, stroke, or die earlier than those who didn't. Younger men were more likely to have microplastics in their plaqueIt's important to note that the findings don't prove that microplastics cause heart attacks and strokes but rather suggest a link between the two. This might suggest that microplastics in the bloodstream exacerbate inflammation, which increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke, study author Francesco Prattichizzo told New Scientist.

Persons: Microplastics, —, Raffaele Marfella, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Marfella, Francesco Prattichizzo, Vahitha Abdul Salam, Abdul Salam Organizations: microplastics, Service, New England, of Medicine, University of Campania, New, Queen Mary University of London Locations: microplastics, Mount Everest, Naples, Italy

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronomers have found the best evidence yet of a vast, young ocean beneath the icy exterior of Saturn’s Death Star lookalike mini moon. Barely 250 miles (400 kilometers) in diameter, the heavily cratered moon lacks the fractures and geysers — typical signs of subsurface activity — of Saturn’s Enceladus and Jupiter’s Europa. Photos You Should See View All 45 ImagesThe ocean is believed to fill half of Mimas’ volume, according to Lainey. But at the seafloor, he said the water temperature could be much warmer. Co-author Nick Cooper of Queen Mary University of London said the existence of a “remarkably young” ocean of liquid water makes Mimas a prime candidate for studying the origin of life.

Persons: Cassini, “ Mimas, ”, Valery Lainey, Alyssa Rose Rhoden, Nick Cooper, William Herschel, Mimas Organizations: —, Paris Observatory, Star, “ Star, Research, Queen Mary University of London, Associated Press Health, Science Department, Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science, Educational Media Group, AP Locations: CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla

☆ Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon is hiding an internal ocean, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Astronomers have uncovered additional evidence that one of Saturn’s smallest moons, Mimas, is hiding a global ocean beneath its icy surface. Discovered in 1789 by English astronomer William Herschel as a tiny dot near Saturn, Mimas was first imaged from space by the Voyager probes in 1980. Craters cover the surface of Mimas, but the largest one is 80 miles (about 130 kilometers) across and causes the moon to resemble the Death Star from the “Star Wars” films. But Saturn’s Enceladus appears younger because active geysers have contributed to resurfacing, or depositing of new, fresh material on that moon’s surface. “Mimas certainly demonstrates that moons with old surfaces can be hiding young oceans, which is pretty exciting,” Rhoden said.

Persons: Mimas, Cassini, William Herschel, Observatoire, Dr, Valéry Lainey, Lainey, ”, Nick Cooper, Saturn, ” Lainey, “, Triton, Frédéric, ” Cooper, “ Lainey, Matija Ćuk, Alyssa Rose Rhoden, Rhoden Organizations: CNN —, Saturn, Voyager, “, Physical, Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, NASA, Clipper, SETI Institute, Southwest Research Locations: Paris, California, Colorado

☆ Bone bite marks reveal dinosaur predator-prey dynamics
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

But in general, predators probably steered well clear of them," Hone added. But they were dwarfed by adult sauropods reaching perhaps 50 tons. Bites were detected on sauropod bones belonging to Camarasaurus, Galeamopus and Suuwassea as well as bones probably but not definitively belonging to Diplodocus, Apatosaurus and Brachiosaurus. The fact that theropods appear to have avoided hunting adult sauropods does not mean sauropods were not on the menu. The researchers noticed high levels of wear on fossilized teeth of theropods that did not correspond to the rarity of bites on adult sauropod bones.

Persons: Charles Platiau, David Hone of, Hone, Mathew Wedel, wouldn't, Wedel, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, David Hone of Queen Mary University of London, Western University of Health Sciences, Thomson Locations: Wyoming, Paris, France, North America, California, United States, Camarasaurus, Diplodocus, Morrison

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s dramatic shake-up of his cabinet on Monday was a bold gamble that tacking to the center will give him a lift in the polls that his lurch to the populist right this summer failed to accomplish. But as Britain’s political establishment digested the news — the return of a more centrist former prime minister, David Cameron, and the ouster of a hard edged home secretary, Suella Braverman, who lashed out at Mr. Sunak on Tuesday — analysts said the prime minister’s pivot smacked of a politician casting about for an identity. Far from a winning electoral formula, some predict that the reshuffle could fracture the coalition that delivered a landslide victory for the Conservative Party in 2019. By trying to shore up the party’s traditional heartland in the south of England, they said, Mr. Sunak risked alienating the working-class voters in the “red wall,” who once flocked to the Tory slogan, “Get Brexit done.”“It doesn’t make any more sense than most of Sunak’s moves since the summer,” said Timothy Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. “And it’s unlikely to make a blind bit of difference to his chances of turning things around before the general election.”

Persons: Rishi, David Cameron, Suella Braverman, Sunak, ”, “, Timothy Bale Organizations: Conservative Party, Queen Mary University of London Locations: England

☆ 'Long colds' could be as common as 'long Covid': Study
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Hannah Ward-Glenton | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Adenovirus (highly contagious virus causing lymphadenopathy symptomatizing swelling of the glands in the neck, accompanied by a cold, or pharyngitis, or bronchitis, sometimes also conjunctivitis, keratitis, or a combination of the two (keratoconjunctivitis). LONDON — A U.K. study showed that symptoms of a cold can linger well beyond the main period of illness, suggesting that rather like "long Covid," "long colds" can also exist. The study, published Friday in scientific journal The Lancet, showed that non-Covid infections can be associated with a range of illnesses more than four weeks after the initial infection. After studying 10,171 participants, scientists at the Queen Mary University of London concluded that there may be long-lasting health impacts from other respiratory infections, such as the common cold, that are unrecognized. They were unable to say whether the symptoms of "long colds" would last as long as those of "long Covid."

Organizations: Queen Mary University of London

☆ There is more to worry about than long Covid, study shows. You could get a long cold, too
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Researchers also inquired whether they had had a Covid-19 infection, another respiratory infection or neither. The study took into account other health problems that may have influenced these symptoms, Vivaldi said. Long history but little researchResearchers still can’t say how long a “long cold” could last in comparison with long Covid, but hopefully the new findings will motivate further work into the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of syndromes after an infection, the study said. “It took a strong patient voice to bring long COVID to the attention of the public and the medical community,” Vivaldi said in an email. It is important not to “belittle the very significant disability that some with Long COVID suffer,” Openshaw said in a statement.

Persons: ”, Giulia Vivaldi, Vivaldi, “, David Strain, Strain, Myalgic, ” Strain, wasn’t, ” Vivaldi, Peter Openshaw, Openshaw, Long COVID, ” Openshaw Organizations: CNN, Queen Mary University of London, University of Exeter Medical School, “, Imperial College London Locations: United Kingdom

☆ The UK once vowed to be a global climate leader. Now Rishi Sunak is stoking a culture war on green policies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Since becoming prime minister, critics say he has diminished the UK's standing as a leader on the climate. A Just Stop Oil protester disrupts a match at July's Wimbledon Championships. Foreign Office minister Zac Goldsmith resigned in June, lambasting Sunak’s climate policies. A North Sea oil rig off the coast of Scotland. Sunak's decision to expand drilling in the North Sea was criticized by climate experts.

Persons: Boris Johnson, Queen Elizabeth II, Rishi Sunak’s, Sunak, DANIEL LEAL, ” Luke Murphy, they’ve, Murphy, ”, “, We’ve, ” Murphy, Steve Tuckwell, Tuckwell, Hannah Mckay, Grant Shapps, Keir Starmer, ” Tim Bale, “ Uxbridge, ” Bale, Sadiq Khan, Khan nodded, Rishi Sunak, Zac Goldsmith, Chris Skidmore, ” Skidmore, – Organizations: London CNN, Telegraph, Getty, CNN, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour Party, July's Wimbledon, Reuters, Energy, Queen Mary University in, “, Office, National Statistics, London’s, Foreign, Conservative, Uxbridge Locations: Britain, Glasgow, North, Sunak, Uxbridge, London, Queen Mary University in London, Europe, lambasting, Scotland

REUTERS/Kim... Read moreLONDON/WASHINGTON, July 10 (Reuters) - When it comes to taking stock of global emissions, there's an elephant in the room: the world's armed forces. NATO, the 31-country Western security alliance, for example, told Reuters it has created a methodology for its members to report their military emissions. And Washington sent U.S. Army and Navy representatives to the COP27 climate summit in Egypt last year, the first time a Pentagon delegation has attended the global climate summit. Ukraine's environment ministry spokesperson said it supports the efforts and would seek backing from governments at COP28 for more transparent military emissions reporting. In the meantime, global military emissions will remain poorly understood, said Stuart Parkinson, executive director of the group Scientists for Global Responsibility.

Persons: Kim, Queen Mary, Axel Michaelowa, Meredith Berger, Neta Crawford, Deborah Burton, Lennard, Klerk, James Appathurai, Markus Ruelke, Stuart Parkinson, Sarah McFarlane, Valerie Volcovici, Sabine Siebold, Richard Valdmanis, David Clarke Organizations: REUTERS, Observatory, United Arab Emirates, UNFCCC, COP28, NATO, Reuters, Washington, U.S . Army, Pentagon, U.S . Navy, The, U.S . Defence Logistics Agency, U.S . Department of Defense, Oxford University, Oxford, Queen Mary University of London, Scientists, Global, Thomson Locations: South Korea, U.S, Pocheon, WASHINGTON, Kyoto, Paris, Lancaster, Oxford, Dubai, UAE, Zealand, Britain, Germany, Egypt, The U.S, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, Singapore, Switzerland, Syria, COP28, Berlin

NEW YORK/LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - A bill backed by debt justice campaigners and civil society groups advocating on behalf of economically distressed countries could alter past and future sovereign debt restructurings covered by New York state law - and Wall Street is watching. Senate Bill S4747, the NY Taxpayer and International Debt Crises Protection Act, "relates to New York state's support of international debt relief initiatives for certain developing countries." The initiative has so far failed to accelerate debt relief talks, while private creditors are not even formally included in this initiative. It would "bring badly needed improvements to the framework for resolving unsustainable sovereign debt burdens," according to Nobel Prize-winning U.S. economist Joseph Stiglitz. If this bill passes, "I would recommend issuers not go through New York law, (but) through London or any other jurisdiction," said Rodrigo Olivares-Caminal, professor of banking and finance law at Queen Mary University of London.

Persons: Bill S4747, Alexander Flood, Patricia Fahy, Kathy Hochul, Joseph Stiglitz, Rishikesh Ram Bhandary, THE BILL, Rodrigo Olivares, Caminal, Rodrigo Campos, Jorgelina, Karin Strohecker, Aurora Ellis Organizations: NY Taxpayer, Senate, Institute of International Finance, Paris Club, China, WHO, Economic, Initiative, Boston, Global, Policy, THE, Queen Mary University of London, Thomson Locations: New York, United States, Ukraine, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Rishikesh, London, Paris, Brazil, Argentina, Rosario

☆ ‘A Trump tribute act’: Meet Suella Braverman, the commander-in-chief of Britain’s culture wars
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

London CNN —Late last year, after a breakneck ascent of British politics put her in charge of the country’s migration, crime and national security agenda, Suella Braverman revealed her political fantasy. Leon Neal/Getty ImagesAnd she is an equally furious culture warrior, borrowing rhetoric from the American right when lambasting “woke” culture, transgender rights and climate protesters. Sameer Al-Doumy/AFP/Getty ImagesIt is a stance that has drawn sharp criticism – including from within the traditional wing of Braverman’s Conservative Party. Should Braverman succeed at her next bid for the party leadership, her critics fear another rightwards shift in British politics. “She’s recognized that in the current political climate, her way of creating an impact… (is) positioning herself as a Trump tribute act.

☆ From one of Britain's most popular toys to the target of police raids: how a children's doll became a symbol of racism
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

A police raid on a bar just outside of London renewed a debate over racist dolls. But despite the long history of the racist trope, the debate over the doll's place in British culture continues. Revellers take part in the Children's Parade at Notting Hill Carnival in London, Britain, August 28, 2022. But it does appear that there is some gradual shift in public opinion happening with the dolls. Nevertheless, the enduring popularity of the blackface doll creates the impression "that we live in a post-racial society," Scott said.

The contracted use of hotels was envisioned as a temporary measure, but adds strain to the asylum accommodation system. The cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels has increased over the past year, now exceeding £6 million ($7.4 million) a day, the Home Office told CNN in a statement. On Tuesday, the UK Home Office also said Afghans who have been living in temporary UK accommodation for 18 months will be given three months’ notice to move out of so-called bridging hotels. There are currently around 8,000 Afghans living in 59 bridging hotels in the UK, according to the Home Office. But campaigners also warned that the plan could exacerbate the trauma experienced by people displaced by political strife and conflict in Afghanistan.

☆ WHO fires director in Asia accused of racist misconduct
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Tedros did not refer to Kasai by name, referencing only his title as regional director in the Western Pacific. It is the first time in WHO's history that a regional director has been dismissed. He said that the process of naming a new regional director for the Western Pacific would begin next month, with the election to be held in October. In January, the AP reported that a WHO doctor hoping to replace Kasai as regional director in the Western Pacific had previously faced sexual misconduct accusations. With support of some WHO colleagues and his home country, Waqanivalu was preparing to run for the regional director job.

☆ Sex, art theft, and privacy: Lensa exploded overnight — and now the avatar app is dealing with public backlash. Here's what you should know.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Bethany Biron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Lensa is facing criticism since the AI app exploded in popularity at the end of 2022. The Lensa app is behind those avatars. LensaAllegations of stealing from artistsJust as quickly as Lensa avatars became ubiquitous online, allegations of theft and warnings from artists also emerged. The law community "would welcome additional guidance from policymakers and courts when it comes to protecting consumers in connection with AI," Torres said. "The flood of Lensa avatars feel cheap and overwhelming," Pilat said in a statement shared with Insider.

☆ A new species of penguin-like diving dinosaur has been discovered
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A new study found evidence at least one species of dinosaur may have been an adept swimmer, diving into the water like a duck to hunt its prey. The study, published in Communications Biology on December 1, describes a newly-discovered species, Natovenator polydontus. Scientists from Seoul National University, the University of Alberta, and the Mongolian Academy of Sciences collaborated on the paper. The Natovenator specimen is very similar to Halszkaraptor, another dinosaur discovered in Mongolia, which scientists believe was likely semiaquatic. “There is a real question of, OK, you’ve got a swimming dinosaur in the desert, what’s it swimming in?” he said.

☆ Analysis: Ghana overhaul a test for $1 billion World Bank-backed debt
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Jorgelina Do Rosario | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] A girl walks past a flag of Ghana outside the Cape Coast Castle, in Ghana, July 28, 2019. "If Ghana decides to use the guarantee, it has to pay back immediately to the World Bank," Mitu Gulati, a law professor at the University of Virginia and debt restructuring expert, said. "This is a highly protected instrument that was issued with the logic that Ghana would never default on the World Bank," Gulati said. Ghana 2030 bondIN OR OUT? Ghana has not yet said whether the 2030 issue will be part of its debt restructuring.

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