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Over 100 countries back Plastic Treaty caps as talks reach fierce finish
As of Sunday, countries remained far apart on the basic scope of...
UK expands sanctions against Russian oil fleet and its insurers
The measures ban any cooperation with Moscow-based insurers...
IFC invests USD 16.5 mn in MedGenome to increase COVID-19 testing in India
The partnership, apart from increasing the access to COVID-19 testing, will also support research to better help understand the virus, its variants and manage future outbreaks, IFC and MedGenome said in a statement on Thursday.
IFC’s USD 16.5 million equity investment will support the expansion of MedGenome’s diagnostic services as well as boost genomic data from South Asian populations, which can help provide valuable insights into complex diseases and help develop effective medical solutions for diverse populations, it added.
Amazon HealthLake service now generally available
Using the HealthLake APIs, healthcare organizations can easily copy health data, such as medical reports or patient notes, from on-premises systems to a secure data lake in the cloud, and analyze it at a petabyte scale. HealthLake uses machine learning (ML) models to automatically understand and extract meaningful medical information from the raw data, such as medications, procedures, and diagnoses.
FACTBOX-How Big Tech is faring against U.S. lawsuits and probes
The U.S. Justice Department sued Google in October, accusing the $1 trillion company of illegally using its market muscle to hobble rivals. A trial date was set for Sept. 12, 2023. A lawsuit by 38 U.S. states and territories accuses Google of abusing its market power to try to make its search engine as dominant inside cars, TVs and speakers as it is in phones. This was consolidated with the federal lawsuit for purposes of discovery.
Will COVID-19 vaccines work if I have a weak immune system?
COVID-19 shots weren’t studied in large numbers of people with weak immune systems. But limited data and experience with flu and pneumonia vaccines suggest they won’t work as well as they do in others. That means people with weakened immune systems should keep taking precautions like wearing masks and avoiding large crowds.
“It’s prudent to use all the precautions you were using before you were vaccinated,” said Dr. Ajit Limaye, a transplant expert at University of Washington Medicine in Seattle.
Coronavirus outbreaks at the Tokyo Olympics
A number of cases have emerged involving athletes and other people involved with the Games.Postponed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Games have little public support in Japan amid fears about the spread of the virus.
Tokyo entered its fourth state of emergency earlier this week amid a rebound in COVID-19 cases that pushed Games organisers to ban spectators from nearly all venues.
Union Cabinet approves inclusion of Ayurveda in mandate of NEIFM, changes nomenclature
An official release said that there was a proposal to change the nomenclature and mandate of North Eastern Institute of Folk Medicine (NEIFM) to North Eastern Institute of Ayurveda & Folk Medicine Research (NEIARMR) for imparting quality Education and Research in Ayurveda and Folk Medicine at Pasighat, Arunachal Pradesh.
The institute will also provide opportunities for students of Ayurveda and Folk medicine not only in India but also the neighboring countries such as Tibet, Bhutan, Mongolia, Nepal, China and other Central Asian countries.
IAEA breaks ground for new facility to help countries tackle nuclear terrorism
The Centre will provide more than 2000 square meters of specialized technical infrastructure and equipment. Hands-on training will be conducted on demonstration systems and virtual reality environments. These platforms will emulate security systems used at nuclear power plants, research reactors and border crossings.
Participants will practice procedures on access and alarm controls, inspect physical protection systems, better understand computer security risks, and learn how to sweep an area for radioactive material during major public events, among other activities. Exercises at the training centre will also strengthen capabilities in radiological crime scene management and nuclear forensics.
First US-based artificial heart implant for French firm
This “first US-based clinical study will be decisive for our development in the world’s biggest market for medical devices”, Stephane Piat, Carmat’s director general, said in a statement.The procedure took place at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, Carmat said.
Three other centres for the study in the United States have been set up and are in the process of selecting trial candidates.
Strong rise in political risk globally:Coface Political Risk Index
Inflationary risks have been in the news in recent months. In this context, the annual update of the Coface Political Risk Index shows a strong rise in political risk across the world, and particularly in the emerging countries. Indeed, figures show a deterioration in living standards and purchasing power, as well as a rise in inequalities observed following the COVID-19 crisis. At this stage, these conditions are not necessarily leading to popular uprisings, which remain limited by people’s capacity to mobilise.
EU urged to consider impact of new climate mechanism on developing countries
The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) comes into force in 2023 as part of new measures to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, including taxes on imports such as oil, coal and gas.
“Climate and environmental considerations are at the forefront of policy concerns, and trade cannot be the exception. CBAM is one of these options, but its impact on developing countries also needs to be considered,” said Isabelle Durant, the UNCTAD Acting Secretary-General.