Category:

Non-Life

Harmonizing guidance to assess radioactivity in food and drinking water

The establishment of the new framework will also help in case there is radiological contamination of food and drinking water due to an accident.

“In the event of a nuclear or radiological accident anywhere in the world, the technical expertise to measure radionuclides in food will be essential for public reassurance and, in certain situations, the basis for imposing restrictions,” Colgan said.

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Decommissioning coal power plants older than 25 yrs can save Rs 37K cr: Study

The CEEW study also recommends considering 30 GW of India’s coal-based (power generation) capacity for accelerated decommissioning.In fact, it stated that relegating these inefficient plants would additionally result in a one-time saving of Rs 10,000 crore (USD 1.37 billion) on account of avoided pollution control retrofits.

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Checking Delta-Unvaccinated most at risk

“The biggest risk to the world at the moment is simply Delta,” said microbiologist Sharon Peacock, who runs Britain’s efforts to sequence the genomes of coronavirus variants, calling it the “fittest and fastest variant yet.”

Viruses constantly evolve through mutation, with new variants arising. Sometimes these are more dangerous than the original.

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Scientists update forecasts on extreme weather and climate change 

“It’s not so much that climate change itself is proceeding faster than expected — the warming is right in line with model predictions from decades ago,” said climate scientist Michael Mann of Pennsylvania State University. “Rather, it’s the fact that some of the impacts are greater than scientists predicted.”

That suggests that climate modeling may have been underestimating the “the potential for the dramatic rise in persistent weather extremes,” Mann said.

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Virus variant and disasters strike strain global supply chains

Events have conspired to drive global supply chains towards breaking point, threatening the fragile flow of raw materials, parts and consumer goods, according to companies, economists and shipping specialists.

The Delta variant of the coronavirus has devastated parts of Asia and prompted many nations to cut off land access for sailors. That’s left captains unable to rotate weary crews and about 100,000 seafarers stranded at sea beyond their stints in a flashback to 2020 and the height of lockdowns.

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Global insurance recovery will be faster, stronger than in 2008: Swiss Re

Writing new policies was more difficult in 2009 and 2010 when insurers were reeling from capital losses, slow economic growth and depleted incomes of companies and individuals.

In contrast, businesses and individuals now have more money from government stimulus and support programs, and are more conscious of the need to buy protection against risks, he added.

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Delta infecting even the fully vaccinated at a greater rate

Genomics expert Eric Topolnoted that Delta infections have a shorter incubation period and a far higher amount of viral particles. “That’s why the vaccines are going to be challenged. The people who are vaccinated have got to be especially careful. This is a tough one,” Topol said. reuters
“The biggest risk to the world at the moment is simply Delta,” said microbiologist Sharon Peacock. Until there is more data on its transmission, experts say masks, social distancing and other measures set aside in countries with broad vaccination campaigns may again be needed.

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