WHO Says Risk 'Low' From COVID Strain Deemed 'Variant of Interest'
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WHO Says Risk 'Low' From COVID Strain Deemed 'Variant of Interest'
WHO Says Risk 'Low' , From COVID Strain Deemed , 'Variant of Interest'.
'The Independent' reports that the JN.1 variant of COVID-19
has been classified as a "variant of interest" by officials
who added that it poses a minor threat to public health.
On December 19, the World Health Organization
(WHO) said that the risk from the JN.1 variant
remains "low," based on current evidence.
Previously, this variant was classified as
a variant of interest due to its lineage with
the Omicron variant, otherwise known as BA.2.86.
According to the WHO, current vaccines continue to
offer protection from severe disease and death from
JN.1 and other COVID variants currently in circulation.
According to the WHO, current vaccines continue to
offer protection from severe disease and death from
JN.1 and other COVID variants currently in circulation.
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention said that the JN.1 subvariant accounts
for an estimated 15% to 29% of current cases in the U.S.
In August, JN.1 was first detected in Luxembourg,
before later being detected in other countries
that included the U.S., U.K. and France.
Last week, seven cases of the JN.1
subvariant were detected in China.
According to the most recent data, COVID cases
are also on the rise in England, with 5,975 new
cases reported in the week ending December 9.
.
'The Independent' reports that JN.1 has been
deemed "of interest" by the UK Health Security
Agency (UKHSA) due to its mutation and , "increasing prevalence within
the UK and international data.".
According to the head of primary care and public health
at Imperial College London, Prof Azeem Majeed, JN.1 , âappears to be the fastest growing
variant in the UK at the moment.â
ISS Crew Forced to , Take Shelter , After Russian Satellite Breaks Apart.
'The Independent' reports that astronauts aboard the
International Space Station (ISS) took shelter due to
the danger of debris from a broken up Russian satellite.
Crews aboard the ISS were ordered to board
their respective spacecraft in case debris
struck and damaged the orbital laboratory.
According to experts, the ever-increasing number of
satellites in orbit around Earth has magnified the risk of
collision and other potential problems for space crews.
It remains unclear what caused
the RESURS-P1 Russian Earth
Observation satellite to break apart. .
According to NASA's Space Station office, the event
occurred near the space station, prompting astronauts
to take shelter in their spacecraft for about an hour. .
Mission Control continued to monitor the path of the debris, and after about an hour, the crew was cleared to exit their spacecraft and the station resumed normal operations, NASA statement, via X.
Space-tracking firm LeoLabs said that U.S. radar
detected the decommissioned satellite releasing a
cloud of debris in low-Earth orbit late on June 26. .
Shortly after 9 p.m. EDT, NASA
instructed crews aboard the space
station to shelter in their respective
spacecraft as a standard precautionary
measure after it was informed
of a satellite break-up at an
altitude near the station, NASA statement, via X.
According to U.S. Space Command, the Russian satellite created , "over 100 pieces of trackable debris.".
USSPACECOM has observed no
immediate threats and is continuing
to conduct routine conjunction
assessments to support the safety
and sustainability of the space domain, U.S. Space Command statement, via 'The Independent'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Taylor Swift Addresses Dave Grohlâs Claim , That She Doesnât Play Live.
Taylor Swift Addresses Dave Grohlâs Claim , That She Doesnât Play Live.
On June 22, Grohl referred to the
Foo Fighters' show in London as the
"Errors Tour," according to 'The Independent.'.
His comment stemmed from having a
"few more eras and more than a few f------ errors.â.
The 55-year-old frontman went
on to say, âwe actually play live.â.
Swifties took to social media
to slam Grohl's comments.
Oh Tayvoodoo is coming for him and he
deserves it. Canât handle that a woman
is more talented and successful, Taylor Swift fan, via X.
Wow Grohl so washed he has to
use Taylorâs name for free pr?
Embarrassing thought he was
better than that what a shame, Taylor Swift fan, via X.
On June 23, Swift seemed to address Grohl's comments on stage while performing at Wembley. .
She said that her band
deserves "so much" praise.
What you just did is an unforgettable moment
in not just my life, but every very single one of
our crew. The band thatâs going to be playing
live for you for three and a half hours tonight, Taylor Swift, via 'The Independent'.
They deserve this so much and so does every
one of my fellow performers, and you just gave
that to us so generously. Weâll never forget it, Taylor Swift, via 'The Independent'
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Julian Assange , Reaches Plea Deal With , US Government.
'The Independent' reports that Wikileaks
founder Julian Assange has been released
from Belmarsh prison as part of a plea deal
with the United States Justice Department.
Assange will be flown out of the U.K. as part
of the deal before he makes a guilty plea deal
that could end the years-long legal battle.
On June 24, Assange boarded a flight at Stansted airport
ahead of a scheduled appearance later this week in the
Mariana Islands, a Western Pacific U.S. commonwealth.
The U.S. government has charged the
Wikileaks founder with conspiracy to obtain
and disclose national defense secrets.
The charges stem from one of the largest leaks of
classified information in U.S. history, disclosing tens of
thousands of reports regarding the war in Afghanistan.
The disclosure, which occurred between 2009 and
2011, included unfiltered diplomatic cables that
potentially endangered the safety of confidential sources. .
The leak also included significant
activity reports related to the war in Iraq
and information regarding Guantanamo Bay.
According to the latest DOJ filing, Assange is expected
to plead guilty and be sentenced to 62 months of time
already served, thus avoiding U.S. imprisonment. .
This is the result of a global campaign
that spanned grass-roots organizers,
press freedom campaigners,
legislators and leaders from
across the political spectrum,
all the way to the United Nations, Wikileaks statement, via X.
After more than five years in
a 2x3 metre cell, isolated 23 hours
a day, he will soon reunite with his
wife Stella Assange, and their children,
who have only known their
father from behind bars, Wikileaks statement, via X
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Important Things to Know , About Dangerous Ocean, Rip Currents.
'The Independent' reports that rip currents pose
the greatest danger to beachgoers,
accounting for the most beach rescues every year. .
Over a recent two-day period in Florida,
six people drowned in rip currents.
Every year, about 100 people drown
because of rip currents in the United States
according to the U.S. Lifesaving Association.
Over 80% of beach rescues
involve rip currents every year.
So far in 2024, the National
Weather Service has listed 16 deaths
from rip currents in U.S. waters. .
A rip current is a narrow column of water that
flows rapidly away from the beach, which are capable
of pulling swimmers a fair distance from the shore.
Rip currents normally form
at low spots along the beach
or along jetties and piers.
While sometimes associated
with stormy weather, they can
also occur on sunny, clear days.
Rip currents are also difficult to
detect as the surface water near
them often appears to be calm. .
'The Independent' reports that the best advice to escape a
rip current is to try and swim parallel to the shore and not
to tire yourself out before having to swim back to land. .
'The Independent' reports that the best advice to escape a
rip current is to try and swim parallel to the shore and not
to tire yourself out before having to swim back to land.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
FAA Investigating Southwest-Operated, Boeing 737 , That Flew Dangerously Low.
'The Independent' reports that a Southwest Airlines
passenger jet flew extremely low over a suburb of
Oklahoma City, triggering an altitude alert on June 19.
According to Flightradar24, the Boeing 737-800
descended to just 525 feet above the ground
on its way to Will Rogers World Airport.
Approximately nine miles from the airport,
the plane was passing over Yukon when it triggered
an automated warning around 12:05 a.m. local time. .
Altitude alerts are triggered when an aircraft
descends to within an unsafe distance
to terrain, obstructions or other aircraft. .
'The Independent' reports that the pilots quickly
regained altitude and circled around for a safe
landing on another runway shortly after midnight.
The incident, which sparked concern
in communities it passed over,
is now being investigated. .
On June 20, Southwest Airlines
confirmed that it was in contact
with the FAA regarding the situation.
Southwest is following
its robust Safety
Management System
and is in contact with the
Federal Aviation Administration.., Southwest spokesperson, via 'The Independent'.
... to understand and address any
irregularities with the aircraftâs
approach to the airport. , Southwest spokesperson, via 'The Independent'.
Nothing is more important
to Southwest than the safety
of our customers and employees, Southwest spokesperson, via 'The Independent'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
US Surgeon General , Declares Gun Violence in America , a âPublic Health Crisisâ.
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy
made the declaration in a new advisory released on June 25, CNN reports.
It is the first time that a surgeon general
has focused on gun violence's "profound consequences" in a national publication. .
Over the last decade or two,
this problem has been worsening and we
have now reached the point where gun violence is the leading cause of death among kids and teens â the leading cause of death. , Dr. Vivek Murthy, to CNN's John Berman.
That is something that we should
never take as the new normal.
Thereâs nothing normal about that, Dr. Vivek Murthy, to CNN's John Berman.
According to Murthy, the advisory is intended to take the polarizing issue of firearms "out of the realm of politics and put it into the realm of public health, which is where it belongs.".
According to Murthy, the advisory is intended to take the polarizing issue of firearms "out of the realm of politics and put it into the realm of public health, which is where it belongs.".
The advisory highlights measures that Murthy believes can have an impact on gun violence.
just as steps to address vehicle crashes and tobacco-related illnesses have in the past. .
just as steps to address vehicle crashes and tobacco-related illnesses have in the past. .
Historically, we have seen how the
release of Surgeon General reports on
public health issues such as the dangers
of smoking ignited a wave of policy,
legal, and public health initiatives.., Dr. Joseph V. Sakran, Brady board chair
and chief medical officer, via CNN.
... that saved countless American
lives and in this case led to
deprogramming our nation from
the tobacco industryâs lies. , Dr. Joseph V. Sakran, Brady board chair
and chief medical officer, via CNN.
We hope this report will have
the same resounding impact on
the gun violence epidemic, Dr. Joseph V. Sakran, Brady board chair
and chief medical officer, via CNN.
In 2022, over 48,000 people in America died from gun-related injuries, according to CDC data.
In the new advisory, Dr. Murthy said, "It is up to
us to take on this generational challenge with
the urgency and clarity the moment demands.".
The safety and well-being
of our children and future generations are at stake, Dr. Vivek Murthy, via advisory
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
FDA Reverses Ban , on Juul E-Cigarettes.
On June 6, the Food and Drug Administration
announced that it has reversed its ban on Juul
e-cigarettes while the agency reviews new information.
On June 6, the Food and Drug Administration
announced that it has reversed its ban on Juul
e-cigarettes while the agency reviews new information.
NBC reports that the FDA first ordered Juul to take its
product off the market in 2022, however the e-cigarettes
have remained on shelves pending the company's appeal.
NBC reports that the FDA first ordered Juul to take its
product off the market in 2022, however the e-cigarettes
have remained on shelves pending the company's appeal.
In that time, Juul has maintained
its position as the second-most
popular e-cigarette in the U.S.
The FDA noted that reversing the ban
temporarily was not an indication that the
company's product would be ultimately cleared. .
The FDA noted that reversing the ban
temporarily was not an indication that the
company's product would be ultimately cleared. .
Sales of alternative nicotine
products, like e-cigarettes, have
continued to grow in the past decade. .
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention reported that e-cigarette use had
grown by almost 50% between 2020 and 2022. .
In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention reported that e-cigarette use had
grown by almost 50% between 2020 and 2022. .
Juul released a statement
following the FDA reversal, .
... saying the company looks forward to "re-engaging
with the agency on a science- and evidence-based
process to pursue a marketing authorization.".
We remain confident in the quality
and substance of our applications
and believe that a full review of
the science and evidence will
demonstrate that our products
meet the statutory standard
of being appropriate for
the protection of public health, Juul statement, via NBC.
We remain confident in the quality
and substance of our applications
and believe that a full review of
the science and evidence will
demonstrate that our products
meet the statutory standard
of being appropriate for
the protection of public health, Juul statement, via NBC.
'The Wall Street Journal' reports that Juul has argued
that the 2022 ban significantly disrupted the company's
finances, resulting in an investor bailout.
Currently, the FDA has only granted approval for 23
e-cigarette products, manufactured by only three
companies, to be marketed and sold to consumers
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
After months of setbacks and difficult negotiations between the EU Council and the European Parliament, environment ministers voted today in Luxembourg to pass the Nature Restoration Law.
Credit: euronews (in English) Duration: 02:17Published
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