DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Bill Gates: 'Our grandchildren will grow up in a world that is dramatically worse off' if we don't fix climate change
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Microsoft Corp co-founder Bill Gates delivers his speech at the National Assembly on August 16, 2022 in Seoul, South Korea. "Simply typing that phrase, 'I'll become a grandfather next year,' makes me emotional," Gates writes. How well the current generation of leaders respond to climate change will impact future generations, which is the first point Gates makes in the section of his letter where he addresses climate change. "I can sum up the solution to climate change in two sentences: We need to eliminate global emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050," Gates writes. "Extreme weather is already causing more suffering, and if we don't get to net-zero emissions, our grandchildren will grow up in a world that is dramatically worse off."

In 2019, Cambodia supplied 8,571 of the 33,818 research monkeys imported to the U.S., or 25%. In 2021, the number of monkeys from Cambodia more than doubled to 18,870, making up nearly 60% of the 31,844 research monkeys brought to America. Earlier this year, long-tailed macaques and pig-tailed macaques were listed as endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The decades long effort by animal rights groups to derail the monkey trade has made some impact. The incident shined a rare spotlight on the monkey trade, which largely goes on outside the view of the public.

☆ Egypt: How the Arab world's most populous country became addicted to debt
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Cnn Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

The loan, along with billions of dollars in cash inflows from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh, are Band-Aids, experts say, designed to keep the Arab world’s most populous country afloat. Without proper reforms, however, Egypt may never be able to shake off its chronic financial woes and break its growing debt addiction. Billions of dollars from Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have poured into the Egyptian economy in recent years. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) also launched the Saudi Egyptian Investment Company (SEIC) in August, a company dedicated to investments in several vital sectors of the Egyptian economy. Still, the Egyptian economy has struggled to shake off its economic woes.

☆ Qatar has got what it wanted from the World Cup: podcast
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Aimee Donnellan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON, Dec 15 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The Gulf state has taken more flak than it would have done had it not staged the soccer tournament, which ends on Sunday. Yet in this Viewsroom podcast, Breakingviews columnists discuss how Qatar’s largely successful event also aids a strategy to make itself globally visible. Listen to the podcastFollow @aimeedonnellan on TwitterEditing by Sharon LamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

☆ Some bloodstream infection bacteria grew resistant to last-resort drugs in 2020 - WHO
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Natalie Grover | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Increased drug resistance in bacteria causing bloodstream infections, including against last-resort antibiotics, was seen in the first year of the coronavirus pandemic, a World Health Organization report based on data from 87 countries in 2020 showed. High levels (above 50%) of resistance have been reported in bacteria that typically cause life-threatening bloodstream infections in hospitals such as Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter spp, report authors highlighted on Friday. These infections often require treatment with 'last-resort' antibiotics, drugs that are used when all other antibiotics fail. About 8% of bloodstream infections caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae grew resistant to a vital last-resort group of drugs called carbapenems, the report said. Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remain very high, but last-resort antibiotics are only just starting to lose potency, said Dr Carmem Pessoa-Silva, the lead for WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System, in a media conference.

☆ Luggage for Style-Conscious Travelers: 5 Expert Picks
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Laura Neilson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

WITH A DIZZYING number of luggage brands on the market, zeroing in on a new, well-constructed suitcase to fit your particular travel needs—not to mention your ski gear or that ambitious stack of beach reads—can seem like a herculean task. “[You need to] bring your things in. See how it feels when you pull a suitcase around the store,” said Ms. Paradise, whose family has been in the luggage business since 1977. Globe-trotting travel television host Samantha Brown concurs, and wisely suggested another strategy: Vigorously jiggling the case’s handle. With those must-haves in mind, and input from some inveterate jet-setters, we settled on five categorical winners likely to please travelers with an eye for both fashion and function.

☆ DOJ undermines Google in Supreme Court case over who's responsible for social media posts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Lauren Feiner | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Section 230 allows for online platforms to engage in good faith content moderation while shielding them from being held responsible for their users' posts. Both the district and appeals courts agreed that Section 230 protected Google from liability for hosting the content. Though it did not take a position on whether Google should ultimately be found liable, the Department recommended the appeals court ruling be vacated and returned to the lower court for further review. But, it added, the claims about "YouTube's use of algorithms and related features to recommend ISIS content require a different analysis." The DOJ said the appeals court did not adequately consider whether the plaintiffs' claims could merit liability under that theory and as a result, the Supreme Court should return the case to the appeals court so they can do so.

☆ Home delivery of medications can help improve access, especially when time is tight
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

As the supply of Paxlovid has grown, efforts have been made to improve timely, equitable access to the treatment. Transportation is one significant barrier to health care access for many people, experts say, but creating equitable outcomes will involve a much more comprehensive approach. The initiative is meant to increase access to Covid-19 treatment, particularly for those in socially vulnerable or medically underserved communities. “It’s a combination of things that prevent access to care,” said Werner, whose research has focused on health equity. And those may be the ones that I think would be ripe for this kind of home-based delivery system,” Werner said.

☆ U.S. lawmakers ease planned curbs on Chinese chips amid corporate pushback
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Alexandra Alper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The final version no longer forbids contractors from "using" the targeted chips and pushes the compliance deadline back to five years from the immediate or two-year implementation deadlines included in the first version. Chips made by SMIC are commissioned by companies all over the world and can be found in products as diverse as cell phones and cars. They are difficult to identify because chips are not typically labeled with the names of the companies that manufacture them. Lawmakers released a final version of the NDAA Tuesday night. Schumer's office, SMIC, YMTC, CXMT and the Chamber of Commerce did not respond to requests for comment.

Amid the hubbub of a busy hospital, Mel wasn’t sleeping at night. For two days, Mel was housed in the emergency department; the hospital had no regular rooms available. As far as we knew, Mel’s stroke was tended to promptly, but the lack of clear communication left us with lingering doubts. Six days after his stroke, Mel was discharged to the nursing home where he’d been living for four months following a previous hospitalization. Over the next few days, Mel’s six grandchildren and three sons and their wives traveled to be at his side.

☆ U.S. lawmakers ease proposed curbs on Chinese chips amid corporate pushback
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Alexandra Alper | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Chips made by SMIC are commissioned by companies all over the world and can be found in products as diverse as cell phones and cars. They are difficult to identify because chips are not typically labeled with the names of the companies that manufacture them. Lawmakers are expected to announce final language for the final package later this week, which may include the revised measure. SMIC, YMTC and CXMT, the Chinese Embassy in Washington and the Chamber of Commerce did not immediately respond to requests for comment. SMIC was blacklisted by the Trump administration over concerns the company aids the Chinese military.

☆ What to watch for as J&J gets ready to split into two separate companies next year
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Paulina Likos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +11 min

During Monday's "Morning Meeting" for members, Jim Cramer said that J & J has the "best balance sheet in America." According to projections from J & J and rival Medtronic (MDT), the robotics market captures a low 2% to 3% of global procedures. In an economic slowdown, J & J is a solid name to own that can outperform the broader market. We also like that J & J has consistently raised its dividend. We rate J & J a 1 for the Club , meaning we would buy the stock at current levels given it aligns with our strategy.

Organizations: & $

☆ Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant feted at Kennedy Center Honors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

WASHINGTON — A heartfelt Patti LaBelle praised her lifelong friend Gladys Knight. Matt Damon playfully teased his friend George Clooney — a lot — while Sheryl Crow gave thanks and a heartfelt rendition of “Baby Baby” to her fellow singer Amy Grant during Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors. Every year the Kennedy Center honors a select group of people for their artistic influences on American culture. 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, join, back row from left, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn’t expecting “anything spectacular” when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her.

HONG KONG, Dec 5 (Reuters) - China may announce 10 new COVID-19 easing measures as early as Wednesday, two sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, supplementing 20 unveiled in November that set off a wave of COVID easing steps nationwide. Management of the disease may be downgraded as soon as January, to the less strict Category B from the current top-level Category A of infectious disease, the sources said on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity. China will allow home quarantine for some of those testing positive, among the supplementary measures set to be announced, two sources told Reuters last week. COVID-19 could be downgraded to Category B management or even Category C, the expert told Yicai. read moreWriting by Ryan Woo; Editing by Alison Williams and Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Conditions for China to downgrade its management of COVID-19 maturing - state media
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Conditions for China to downgrade its management of COVID-19 as a serious contagious disease improving as the coronavirus weakens, state media outlet Yicai reported, among the first to float the idea. Category A diseases in China include bubonic plague and cholera, while SARS, AIDS and anthrax fall under Category B. Infectious diseases such as COVID-19 that have strong pathogenicity, a high fatality rate and strong infectivity are classified as Class A or Class B but managed as Class A. COVID-19 could be downgraded to Category B management or even Category C, the expert told Yicai. Any adjustment to the management of infectious diseases by the National Health Commission, China's top health authority, requires the approval of the State Council, or cabinet.

☆ Hearing aids may lower your risk for cognitive decline and dementia, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Hearing aids might be an important tool in the effort to prevent cognitive decline and dementia, according to a new study. The new study published Monday in JAMA Neurology offers evidence that managing hearing loss may potentially help reduce or delay cognitive decline, Loh said. The use of hearing aids was associated with a 19% reduction in long-term cognitive decline, the study found. “Get screened for hearing loss, and if you do have hearing loss, speak with your audiologist or physician ENT to ensure appropriate and optimal correction to help stave off the potential dementia risk and cognitive decline,” Holland said. But in the meantime, people with hearing loss should talk with their doctor about whether it is appropriate to use hearing aids, Tan said.

☆ George Clooney, Gladys Knight among Kennedy Center honorees
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from left, and his wife, Evan Ryan, left, join 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, and Kennedy Center President Deborah Rutter, back row from left, Kennedy Center Chairman David Rubenstein, along with fellow 2022 Honorees Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. Sometimes the Kennedy Center honors not just individuals but groups; "Sesame Street" once got the nod. Composer and conductor León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn't expecting "anything spectacular" when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her. After all, she's worked with the Kennedy Center numerous times over the years going back to 1980, when she was commissioned to compose music for a play. León left Cuba as a refugee in 1967 and eventually settled in New York City.

☆ Remembering Gary Strieker, who helped establish CNN's presence in Africa
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Tricia Escobedo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Gary Strieker had every reason to be a pessimist. Gary Strieker, who passed away in July 2022, helped establish CNN's presence in Africa. Courtesy Strieker family Born in the tiny Illinois farm town of Breese in 1944, Gary Gerard Strieker moved to San Diego, California at a young age. Courtesy Strieker family Strieker is remembered by his family and colleagues as a quiet, humble man who never lost his optimistic spirit or tireless energy for making the world a better place. Courtesy Strieker family Strieker was the network's only correspondent on the African continent for some time, covering the AIDs epidemic in the 1980s and other major moments in history, including the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

☆ Biden administration plans to let mpox emergency declaration end in January
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Katherine Dillinger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The US Department of Health and Human Services said Friday that it does not plan to renew the public health emergency declaration for mpox. “Given the low number of cases today, HHS does not expect that it needs to renew the emergency declaration when it ends on January 31, 2023,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement Friday. President Joe Biden named Bob Fenton, a regional Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, director of the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the CDC, as coordinators of the White House’s mpox response in August. Get CNN Health's weekly newsletter Sign up here to get The Results Are In with Dr. Sanjay Gupta every Tuesday from the CNN Health team. Fenton’s and Daskalakis’ appointments are not tied to the emergency declaration and will continue for now, as will data collection and some other flexibilities provided by the emergency declaration.

☆ Caught in 'the green beam': How US Air Force gunship crews let a target know they have it in their sights
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Air Force's AC-130 gunship has a reputation for delivering firepower to the battlefield. The green beamAn AC-130J crew identifies a target with green light during an exercise in Florida in May. Ridge ShanWhile discussing the performance of Air Force special-operations crews during the Kabul evacuation, Slife referred to a targeting technology that Air Commandos use and affectionally call "the green beam." AC-130 crews use the green beam — which Slife called a "giant green laser pointer" — both to point things out to friendly forces and to deter adversaries by letting them know that they're in the gunship's sights. Hitting something is not as simple as seeing it, since gravity, elevation, speed, and atmospheric conditions affect the trajectory of the AC-130's artillery and cannon fire, but having those aids is still invaluable for gunship crews.

☆ 4 Navy sailors assigned to same facility die by apparent suicide within weeks, amid growing concerns of mental health crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms | Melissa Chan | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

At least four U.S. Navy sailors assigned to the same facility in Virginia died by suicide in the last few weeks, including one as recently as Saturday, military officials and family members said. It is the latest cluster of Navy suicides this year to spark concerns of a fleetwide mental health crisis. The 22-year-old U.S. Navy sailor died by suicide on Nov. 5. Caserta’s parents, Arestivo and military mental health experts said both are critical reforms needed to reduce suicides in the services. Nearly 17 out of every 100,000 Navy sailors died by suicide in 2021, compared to members of the Army, who had the highest rate, at about 36 per 100,000, Pentagon statistics show.

☆ An early-stage HIV vaccine is showing positive results. If it works, it would be first successful HIV vaccine after almost 40 years of research.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Sarah Braner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

An early trial for an experimental HIV vaccine candidate has shown promising results. 97% of recipients in a phase 1 study showed immune system activity in response to the vaccine. Researchers have been trying to create an HIV vaccine for nearly 40 yearsHIV is notoriously difficult to vaccinate against. By evolving and changing quickly, it can avoid the immune system by making itself harder to recognize. "That's sort of a whole new way of thinking about how to make a vaccine," Schief said.

☆ On World AIDS Day, Biden administration releases new global strategy to end HIV/AIDS by 2030
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jamie Gumbrecht | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —On World AIDS Day, the Biden administration renewed its focus on ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030, releasing a new five-year strategy for the United States’ global response. HIV remains a serious threat to global health security and economic development,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrote in the new strategy. Globally, progress toward ending HIV and AIDS has been uneven. In the United States, there are wide disparities in access to treatment, and Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV. More than 1.1 million people in the United States had HIV at the end of 2019, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

☆ Poor sleep can make you prickly. Here’s what to do
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Develop a sleep debt from those worries, and you’ll pay a price in your ability to think, plan and manage your emotions. “Sleep debt, also called a sleep deficit, is the difference between the amount of sleep someone needs and the amount they actually get,” said sleep specialist Dr. Raj Dasgupta, an associate professor of clinical medicine at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. Research has found many people have little idea how much poor sleep has affected their mood and coping skills, said Dr. Bhanu Prakash Kolla, a sleep medicine specialist in the Center for Sleep Medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Loss of sleep can directly affect your ability to control emotions and manage expectations, said Dr. Bhanu Prakash Kolla of the Mayo Clinic. “Sleep medications are seldom the solution for chronically poor sleep and impaired daytime functioning,” he said.

☆ HIV vaccine candidate induces immune response in early clinical trial
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Jacqueline Howard | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —An experimental HIV vaccine has been found to induce broadly neutralizing antibodies among a small group of volunteers in a Phase 1 study. “We know that broadly neutralizing antibodies are a potentially effective strategy to prevent HIV,” del Rio said. “However, the incorporation of many different shots into an HIV vaccine regimen is unappealing. More than 20 HIV vaccine clinical trials are ongoing around the world, according to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. But having an HIV vaccine available would make protection against the virus more accessible, he said.

Search resuls for: "Aids"

25 mentions found