INSIDER
Why giant sequoias, redwoods are thriving in the United Kingdom
Read full article: Why giant sequoias, redwoods are thriving in the United KingdomThe sequoias and redwoods — which aren’t invasive — have still managed to grow and survive after being introduced and planted in the 1800s throughout the northern part of the region.
Revisiting TikTok’s potential ban, how it will impact influencers
Read full article: Revisiting TikTok’s potential ban, how it will impact influencers“TikTok isn’t just a place for silly dance challenges and, funny content," Dr. Trevor Boffone, an influencer who traveled to Washington D.C. to protest the potential ban said. "There’s actually really important education and world building happening here.”
TikTok influencer discusses impact behind potential ban, ‘not just a place for silly dance challenges’
Read full article: TikTok influencer discusses impact behind potential ban, ‘not just a place for silly dance challenges’“TikTok isn’t just a place for silly dance challenges and, funny content," Dr. Trevor Boffone, an influencer who traveled to Washington D.C. to protest the potential ban said. "There’s actually really important education and world building happening here.”
Photos of earthquake in Japan depict heavy damage
Read full article: Photos of earthquake in Japan depict heavy damageA 7.5 magnitude earthquake rocked the Noto Peninsula region on Monday, which as of Tuesday left a confirmed 48 people dead and rescuers searching for more people amidst crumbled buildings and rubble.
Israel-Hamas conflict: Ways to preserve mental health, provide support and avoid social media
Read full article: Israel-Hamas conflict: Ways to preserve mental health, provide support and avoid social mediaInstead of continuing to feel down and risk your mental health over the images on social media, there are ways you can show support without feeling overwhelmed mentally.
IN PHOTOS: World record set during volleyball match at football stadium
Read full article: IN PHOTOS: World record set during volleyball match at football stadiumThe crowd set a world record for largest to ever view a women’s sporting event, surpassing the 91,648 fans that saw Barcelona play Wolfsburg in a UEFA Women’s Champions League semifinal on April 22, 2022.
Pres. Biden to make case for NATO’s ‘vital’ role in Vilnius speech
Read full article: Pres. Biden to make case for NATO’s ‘vital’ role in Vilnius speechThe summit has been a test of Biden’s promise to repair America’s international relationships, which include the 31-country mutual defense pact forged in the aftermath of World War II.
Kindergarten teachers accused of drugging at least 8 children in Taiwan, investigation launched
Read full article: Kindergarten teachers accused of drugging at least 8 children in Taiwan, investigation launchedKindergarten teachers in Taiwan have been accused of drugging their students, raising alarm among parents on the island.
How children survived 40 days in the Amazon jungle after a plane crash
Read full article: How children survived 40 days in the Amazon jungle after a plane crashThe world is wondering how the children ages 13, 9 and 4, caring for their baby sibling, conquered terrain so notoriously imposing it strikes fear into the hearts of most adults.
US progress in HIV fight continues to trail many other rich nations
Read full article: US progress in HIV fight continues to trail many other rich nationsNew HIV infections continue to ebb only modestly in the United States, while many other wealthy Western nations have posted steep reductions, thanks to more successful efforts overseas to promptly diagnose and treat the virus and promote the HIV prevention pill, PrEP.
U.S. woman arrested in Australia after airport staff find golden gun in her luggage
Read full article: U.S. woman arrested in Australia after airport staff find golden gun in her luggageThe Australian Border Force said staff found the 24-carat gold-plated handgun in the luggage of the 28-year-old, who traveled on a flight from Los Angeles on Sydney.
2 men shot to death near beach in Mexican resort of Acapulco
Read full article: 2 men shot to death near beach in Mexican resort of AcapulcoTwo men, apparently Mexican tourists, were killed Friday and a woman was wounded in shooting not far from the beach in Mexico’s once-glamorous resort of Acapulco.
American college student reported missing during study abroad trip is alive in Spain, officials say
Read full article: American college student reported missing during study abroad trip is alive in Spain, officials sayAn American college student who was reported missing during a study abroad trip in France is alive in Spain, the prosecutor of the Justice Palace of Grenoble said Friday.
Wear like a champ: Here’s where to go to grab your Astros swag made by locals
Read full article: Wear like a champ: Here’s where to go to grab your Astros swag made by localsAs the Astros advance, there will be plenty of events happening around the city, which will require the perfect Astros gear to match.
Blink-182 reunites with Tom DeLonge for massive 2023 world tour | See the 3 Texas stops here 🎸
Read full article: Blink-182 reunites with Tom DeLonge for massive 2023 world tour | See the 3 Texas stops here 🎸Iconic pop-punk group Blink-182 announced via their website and on social media that they would be embarking on a massive world tour beginning in March 2023.
21 dead in South African nightclub; cause not yet known
Read full article: 21 dead in South African nightclub; cause not yet knownSouth African police are investigating the deaths of at least 21 people at a nightclub in the coastal town of East London Sunday and authorities say most of the victims were minors as young as 13-year-old.
At least 1,000 dead after earthquake flattens homes in rural Afghanistan, reports say
Read full article: At least 1,000 dead after earthquake flattens homes in rural Afghanistan, reports sayAt least 1,000 people were killed after a strong earthquake struck eastern Afghanistan early Wednesday, a government spokesperson said.
Stock tied to Trump social firm drops on report of turmoil
Read full article: Stock tied to Trump social firm drops on report of turmoilShares in a company planning to buy former President Donald Trump’s new social media business have plunged 10% on a news report that two key executives have departed.
RodeoHouston Friday night: Special event held for kids, adults while the Championship BBQ contest gets underway
Read full article: RodeoHouston Friday night: Special event held for kids, adults while the Championship BBQ contest gets underwayMore than 250 BBQ teams have been waiting for two years to compete in the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que contest. Many of them said they’re excited to be back at NRG Park.
NHL officially announces withdrawal from Beijing Olympics, citing COVID surge
Read full article: NHL officially announces withdrawal from Beijing Olympics, citing COVID surgeThe recent world spike in Covid-19 prompted the NHL on Wednesday to back out the Beijing Olympics, removing the world’s best hockey players from the one of the Games’ showcase sports.
Attraction called ‘World’s Largest Bounce House’ to inflate in Houston. Here’s what you need to know
Read full article: Attraction called ‘World’s Largest Bounce House’ to inflate in Houston. Here’s what you need to knowThe Guinness-certified ‘World’s Largest Bounce House’ will inflate in Houston for several days in October at AVEVA Stadium.
Royals join cast of new Bond film for glitzy London premiere
Read full article: Royals join cast of new Bond film for glitzy London premiereBritain’s royals have joined Daniel Craig, Lea Seydoux and the cast of No Time to Die” on the red carpet for the new Bond film’s world premiere, a glittering event that marked the movie’s release after multiple delays caused by the pandemic.
20-year-old Marine from Texas killed in Kabul airport attack; Gov. Abbott orders flags lowered to honor fallen service members
Read full article: 20-year-old Marine from Texas killed in Kabul airport attack; Gov. Abbott orders flags lowered to honor fallen service membersA U.S. Marine from Texas was among the service members killed in Thursday’s Afghanistan airport attack, officials said.
Death tolls rises to 724 after powerful quake struck Haiti Saturday
Read full article: Death tolls rises to 724 after powerful quake struck Haiti SaturdayHaiti’s civil protection agency says at least 304 people have been killed and 1,800 injured fromr a 7.2 magnitude earthquake striking the poor island nation.
Man accused of killing Thai wife prosecuted for abuse in US
Read full article: Man accused of killing Thai wife prosecuted for abuse in USA U.S. citizen charged with killing his pregnant Thai wife in Thailand was accused of attempting to kill what appears to be the same woman while living in Colorado in 2019.
VIDEO: Watch as UK military takes futuristic jet suits on stunning test flight
Read full article: VIDEO: Watch as UK military takes futuristic jet suits on stunning test flightThe United Kingdom’s Royal Marines are testing a new piece of equipment that it will possibly use to board ships, according to Business Insider.
Go forth and spend: Call for action closes US climate summit
Read full article: Go forth and spend: Call for action closes US climate summitIn closing President Joe Biden's global climate summit, world leaders shared stories of their own nations' drives to break away from climate-wrecking fossil fuels.
Mrs. World removes crown from Mrs. Sri Lanka after falsely claiming her ineligibility as a divorcee
Read full article: Mrs. World removes crown from Mrs. Sri Lanka after falsely claiming her ineligibility as a divorceeThings took a dramatic turn for Pushpika De Silva, the winner of the Mrs. Sri Lanka beauty pageant, after the former titleholder and Mrs. World 2020, Caroline Jurie, snatched the crown off her head.
Suicide bomb hits Palm Sunday Mass in Indonesia, 20 wounded
Read full article: Suicide bomb hits Palm Sunday Mass in Indonesia, 20 woundedPolice officers inspect the area near a church where an explosion went off in Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday, March 28, 2021. A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a packed Roman Catholic cathedral on Indonesia's Sulawesi island during a Palm Sunday Mass, wounding a number of people, police said. Police later said both attackers were killed instantly and evidence collected at the scene indicated one of the two was a woman. Indonesia has been battling militants since bombings on the resort island of Bali in 2002 killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists. Indonesia has been on high alert since police in December arrested Jemaah Islamiyah leader Aris Sumarsono, also known as Zulkarnaen.
Mexico complains of mask-less tourists, closes ruin site
Read full article: Mexico complains of mask-less tourists, closes ruin siteFILE - This Jan. 5, 2021 file photo shows tourists, some wearing masks and others not, at the Mayan ruins of Tulum in Quintana Roo state, Mexico, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with some wearing masks while others are not. Authorities in Mexico's Yucatan peninsula complained Friday, March 26, 2021, about tourists not wearing face masks, as Mexico braces for a surge of Easter Week visitors. (AP Photo/Emilio Espejel, File)MEXICO CITY – Authorities in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula complained Friday about tourists not wearing face masks, as Mexico braces for a surge of Easter Week visitors. "It was truly frustrating to see hundreds of people walking around without face masks,” noting that tourists were the worst offenders. Federal authorities have decided to close the Chichén Itzá Maya ruin site in neighboring Yucatan state from April 1-4 to avoid the possible spread of coronavirus.
EXPLAINER: Tokyo Olympics march on without fans from abroad
Read full article: EXPLAINER: Tokyo Olympics march on without fans from abroadTokyo Olympics creative director Hiroshi Sasaki is resigning after making demeaning comments about Naomi Watanabe, a well-known female celebrity. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)TOKYO (AP) – The Tokyo Olympics and the International Olympic Committee have banned fans from abroad with the games opening in four months. But barring fans from abroad has created collateral damage and lots of questions. AdLOOKING FOR REFUNDSTicket sales for fans from abroad is handled by so-called “Authorized Ticket Resellers” scattered across the globe. Fans along the route are being asked to wear masks, social distance, and to cheer quietly, if at all.
Fans from abroad barred from Tokyo Olympics
Read full article: Fans from abroad barred from Tokyo OlympicsInternational Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach, on a screen, delivers an opening speech while Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee President Seiko Hashimoto listens at a five-party meeting of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games with International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike and Japanese Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa in Tokyo Saturday, March 20, 2021. (Yoshikazu Tsuno/Pool Photo via AP)TOKYO – Spectators from abroad will be barred from the Tokyo Olympics this summer. The decision was announced after a meeting of the International Olympic Committee, the Japanese government, the Tokyo government, the International Paralympic Committee and local organizers. The ban on fans from abroad comes just days before the Olympic torch relay starts Thursday from Fukushima prefecture in northeastern Japan.
Happiness Report: World shows resilience in face of COVID-19
Read full article: Happiness Report: World shows resilience in face of COVID-19STOCKHOLM (AP) – The coronavirus brought a year of fear and anxiety, loneliness and lockdown, and illness and death, but an annual report on happiness around the world released Friday suggests the pandemic has not crushed people’s spirits. The editors of the 2021 World Happiness Report found that while emotions changed as the pandemic set in, longer-term satisfaction with life was less affected. AdDue to the pandemic, the surveys were done in slightly fewer than 100 countries for this year’s World Happiness Report, the ninth one compiled since the project started. The top 10 countries are Finland, Denmark, Switzerland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Austria. “We don’t really have to be more.”____Seth Borenstein in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.
Scientists discover three new shark species that glow in the dark
Read full article: Scientists discover three new shark species that glow in the darkIn January 2020, three new shark species that glow in the dark were discovered off the east coast of New Zealand. According to NBC News, a study published in the Frontiers in Marine Science journal on Feb. 26 identifies the glowing species as the kitefin shark, the blackbelly lanternshark, and the southern lanternshark. NBC News reports the discovery is the first time scientists have been able to find proof of bioluminescence in sharks. AdAccording to the study, the newly discovered species live in the ocean’s “twilight zone,” up to 3,200 feet below sea level, beyond which solar light does not penetrate and is too weak to initiate photosynthesis, NBC News reports. According to the report, researchers speculate the sharks glow as a way to illuminate the ocean floor while hunting for food and camouflage themselves in order to fend off potential predators and capture prey.
Palace: Prince Philip has infection, will stay in hospital
Read full article: Palace: Prince Philip has infection, will stay in hospitalA man walks by with a dog as police officers stand outside King Edward VII's hospital in London, Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021. Britain's Prince Philip was admitted to the private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London on Tuesday, Feb. 16, after falling ill. Buckingham Palace said the husband of Queen Elizabeth II was expected to remain in the hospital into this week for a period of “observation and rest.” (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)LONDON (AP) — Prince Philip is “comfortable” in a London hospital where he is being treated for an infection, Buckingham Palace said Tuesday. The palace said Philip, the 99-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth II, is “comfortable and responding to treatment but is not expected to leave hospital for several days.”He was admitted to the private King Edward VII’s Hospital a week ago after feeling ill. Royal officials called it a precautionary measure. During England’s current coronavirus lockdown, Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, has been staying at Windsor Castle, west of London, with the queen. Philip married Elizabeth in 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London, five years before she became queen, and is the longest-serving royal consort in British history.
COVID-19 variant may be more deadly,’ British Prime Minister says
Read full article: COVID-19 variant may be more deadly,’ British Prime Minister saysHOUSTON – All across the United States, the COVID-19 death toll is soaring. And in Great Britain, officials released more bad news about the new variant of COVID-19. “In addition to spreading more quickly, it also now appears there is some evidence that the new variant may be associated with a higher degree of mortality,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The new variant said to be 30% more contagious than the original virus. The Centers For Disease Control predicting the new variant will become the more dominant virus in the United States by March.
RANKINGS: VYPE Houston Girl's Basketball Top 10 (1/21)
Read full article: RANKINGS: VYPE Houston Girl's Basketball Top 10 (1/21)Rori Harmon andKyndall Hunter are the most dynamic duo we've seen in girls' basketball in years. Here is VYPE Top 10 Public School Girls Hoop Rankings. Biggest wins are against Heights, Shadow Creek and PearlandNo. 6 Kingwood Park -- Undefeated but slate is a little soft. 7 Shadow Creek -- Tough losses to Cy Creek, Langham, Village and Dulles.
Indonesian divers find parts of plane wreckage in Java Sea
Read full article: Indonesian divers find parts of plane wreckage in Java SeaAn investigator of Indonesian National Transportation Safety Committee inspects parts of Sriwijaya Air Flight 182 that crashed in the waters off Java Island, at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021. Indonesian rescuers pulled out body parts, pieces of clothing and scraps of metal from the Java Sea early Sunday morning, a day after the Boeing 737-500 with dozens of people onboard crashed shortly after takeoff from Jakarta, officials said. Earlier Sunday, search and rescue operations resulted in parts of the plane being found in the sea at a depth of 23 meters (75 feet), leading rescuers to continue searching the area. “We are sure that is the point where the plane crashed.”He said the objects found included broken pieces of fuselage with aircraft registration parts. In December 2014, an AirAsia flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore plunged into the sea, killing 162 people.
US sanctions Venezuelan judge for conviction of oil managers
Read full article: US sanctions Venezuelan judge for conviction of oil managers(Posted on Twitter by Jorge Arreaza/Venezuela's Foreign Ministry via AP File)The Trump administration has imposed sanctions on the Venezuelan judge and prosecutor behind the conviction on corruption charges of six American oil executives. The six employees of Houston-based Citgo were lured to Caracas just before Thanksgiving in 2017 on the pretense of attending a business meeting. “The United States remains committed to protecting its citizens and targeting those who contribute to the illegitimate Maduro regime’s usurpation of power in Venezuela.”The six men are Tomeu Vadell, José Luis Zambrano, Alirio Zambrano, Jorge Toledo, Gustavo Cardenas and José Pereira. “We just spent a fourth Christmas without our loved one, Tomeu,” the Vadell family said in a statement. “It’s sad to see more suffering come of all this, but these sanctions are in direct consequence of the judge and prosecutor condemning innocent men and prolonging their hostage-taking.”
Locals helping Hurricane Eta victims in Honduras
Read full article: Locals helping Hurricane Eta victims in HondurasCardona said she’s thankful for the community who’s already donated and plans to mail everything off on Monday. Hundred of boxes of donations collected by the group Houston for Honduras at the Honduras Maya International, a restaurant in the 5900 block of Bellaire. The items will later be distributed to hurricane victims left devastated after Eta ripped through the country. “Helping our compatriots over there in Honduras because it’s a grave situation over there right now,” said Victor Medina, one of the organizers of the group Houston for Honduras. Although over 11,000 miles away, many here in Houston say they will do whatever they can to support those impacted by the hurricane.
Airline invites travelers to ‘flight to nowhere’
Read full article: Airline invites travelers to ‘flight to nowhere’According to a statement obtained by CNN, passengers will fly over 31 of Thailand’s 77 provinces before returning to Bangkok. Like many other places in the world, Thailand has experienced a decrease in tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other countries such as Australia and Hong Kong have promoted their own “flight to nowhere” packages. Australia’s seven-hour flight over the country’s most iconic landmark had sold in less than 10 minutes, CNN reported. Economy class tickets start from 5,999 baht (equivalent to $193) and premium class tickets are $9,999 baht ($321).
Actor Sean Connery, the ‘original’ James Bond, dies at 90
Read full article: Actor Sean Connery, the ‘original’ James Bond, dies at 90LONDON (AP) — Scottish actor Sean Connery, the first actor to play James Bond on film and for many fans the best, has died. Bond producers EON Productions confirmed his death, first reported by the BBC. Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said they were “devastated by the news.”“He was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words — ‘The name’s Bond... James Bond,’” they said in a statement. The Scottish actor rose to international superstardom as the suave and fearless secret agent, first playing Bond in “Dr No” in 1962. Thomas Sean Connery was born Aug. 25, 1930, in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first of two sons of a long-distance truck driver and a domestic worker.
Quake strikes Turkish coast and Greek island, killing 19
Read full article: Quake strikes Turkish coast and Greek island, killing 19Members of rescue services search in the debris of a collapsed building for survivors in Izmir, Turkey, early Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020. A strong earthquake struck Friday in the Aegean Sea between the Turkish coast and the Greek island of Samos, killing several people and injuring hundreds amid collapsed buildings and flooding. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel)ISTANBUL – A strong earthquake struck Friday in the Aegean Sea between the Turkish coast and the Greek island of Samos, killing at least 19 people and injuring over 700 amid collapsed buildings and flooding, officials said. At least 17 people were killed in Izmir, Turkey’s third-largest city, including one who drowned, and 709 were injured, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD. Clouds of dust or smoke rose from several spots as buildings collapsed in the quake.
Houston’s Nigerian community hosts protest in support of the End SARS movement
Read full article: Houston’s Nigerian community hosts protest in support of the End SARS movementHOUSTON – Momentum is growing on an outcry for justice in Nigeria, where more than 50 civilians have been killed during peaceful protests. In Houston, Congressman Al Green joined the Coalition Against Human Rights Abuse and the Houston Nigerian community to protest the killings on Saturday. “It is time for us to let Nigeria know we will not allow human rights to be ignored.”“People who look like me are dying everyday,” said a Houston resident. The End SARS movement calls for an end to violence and police brutality being done by the special anti-robbery squad in the west African country. The movement has been viral on social media for days.
Nigeria’s police order massive mobilization after unrest
Read full article: Nigeria’s police order massive mobilization after unrestNigeria's president says 51 civilians have been killed in unrest following days of peaceful protests over police abuses, and he blames "hooliganism" for the violence while asserting that security forces have used "extreme restraint. The police order could further heighten tensions in Africa’s most populous country after its worst turmoil in years. Adamu, ordered colleagues to “dominate the public space” while announcing that enough is enough, a statement said. By not taking action against security forces, some Nigerians have warned, the president could inspire further abuses. We are part of the system, we are part of this governance.”___Bashir Adigun in Abuja, Nigeria contributed.
Nigerian president leaves protest shootings out of speech
Read full article: Nigerian president leaves protest shootings out of speech“For you to do otherwise will amount to undermining national security and law and order," he said. “President Buhari during his speech refused to acknowledge those dead as a result of military attacked on Lekki protesters #EndSARS,” tweeted Usman Okai Austin. As looting gangs stormed through parts of Nigeria's largest city, spreading violence for a second day in Lagos. But on Tuesday night security forces fired without warning into crowds of thousands of protesters singing Nigeria's national anthem, killing 12, Amnesty said. "We welcome an immediate investigation into any use of excessive force by members of the security forces.
Large Chinese mitten crab crawls into German woman’s home
Read full article: Large Chinese mitten crab crawls into German woman’s home(AP) – Police in southern Germany say a woman got a shock while airing out her home when a 25-centimeter (10-inch) Chinese mitten crab scurried in from the terrace through the open door. Freiburg police said Thursday that they received a call reporting the unwanted home invader in the nearby town of Unterlauchringen, near the Swiss border, the previous morning. Before they arrived, police say, the woman captured the crustacean by putting an upside-down garbage can on top of it. Officers were able to put the crab into a container and then take it to a local veterinary clinic. The invasive species, native to Asia, is now found in many rivers in Germany, and the woman’s residence was not far from the Rhine, though the Chinese mitten crab has never been reported in the area before.
2 million stillbirths every year, pandemic might worsen toll
Read full article: 2 million stillbirths every year, pandemic might worsen toll(AP) – The World Health Organization, UNICEF and partners said there are about 2 million stillbirths every year, mostly in the developing world, according to the first-ever global estimates published Thursday. The U.N. health agency said that last year three of every four stillbirths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa or Southern Asia. The report warned that the coronavirus pandemic could worsen the global toll, estimating that a 50% reduction in health services during the pandemic could result in an additional 200,000 stillbirths in the next year in 117 developing countries. About half of stillbirths in sub-Saharan Africa and central Asia occur during labour, versus about 6% in Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. For example, in Canada, the report found that Inuit women suffer stillbirth rates nearly three times higher than the rest of Canada.
Worldwide death toll from coronavirus eclipses 1 million
Read full article: Worldwide death toll from coronavirus eclipses 1 millionThe worldwide death toll from the coronavirus eclipsed 1 million, nine months into a crisis that has devastated the global economy, tested world leaders' resolve, pitted science against politics and forced multitudes to change the way they live, learn and work. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo, File)NEW DELHI – The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus has eclipsed 1 million, nine months into a crisis that has devastated the global economy, tested world leaders’ resolve, pitted science against politics and forced multitudes to change the way they live, learn and work. After the virus killed the 27-year-old Chaudhary in late July, his mother wept inconsolably. The virus’s toll is approaching the 1.5 million global deaths each year from tuberculosis, which regularly kills more people than any other infectious disease. For all its lethality, the virus has claimed far fewer lives than the so-called Spanish flu, which killed an estimated 40 million to 50 million worldwide in two years, just over a century ago.
Mexico homicide rate remains high at 29 per 100,000
Read full article: Mexico homicide rate remains high at 29 per 100,000MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s homicide rate remained at historically high levels of 29 killings per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the National Statistics Institute. By comparison, there were about 5 murders per 100,000 people in the United States in 2018, the latest year for which comparable data is available. Mexico saw 36,476 homicides in 2019, only a tiny decline from the 36,685 registered in 2018. The numbers released by the statistics institute are generally higher than monthly figures given by prosecutors, in part because the institute reviews death certificates and other sources of information nationwide. In the first eight months of the year, there have been 24,116 homicides in Mexico, an increase of about 1.5% over the 23,760 in the same period of 2019.
Police in Vietnam seize 345,000 used condoms that were cleaned and sold as new
Read full article: Police in Vietnam seize 345,000 used condoms that were cleaned and sold as new(AP) – Vietnamese police said they will investigate a factory that was found recycling about 320,000 used condoms for resale, local media reported Thursday. Following a tip from a local resident, Binh Duong provincial market inspectors over the weekend raided a factory near Ho Chi Minh City where they found used condoms being repacked for sale at the market, the state-owned Tuoi Tre newspaper reported. A market inspector said the owner of the factory, a 34-year-old woman, confessed that they bought the used condoms from a man in the province. The condoms were washed, reshaped and packed into plastic packages, the newspaper said. The newspaper quoted a health official as saying the recycled condoms posed an extreme health risk to users.
LIST: These are all the air carriers that have resumed international flights out of Houston airports
Read full article: LIST: These are all the air carriers that have resumed international flights out of Houston airportsHOUSTON – More than a dozen air carriers have restarted service of international flights from Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport, according to a release from Houston Airports. “The latest air carrier service restorations from Air France, Qatar Airways, and United Airlines on Sept. 2 mark Houston’s significant rebound in connectivity to European, Middle Eastern and Latin American destinations,” officials wrote in a press release. “Nearly two-thirds of the airlines providing international service at George Bush Intercontinental airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby airport (HOU) have now been restored following a sharp decline of air service due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”The following carriers have restarted their international services to and from Houston:“We are an international city with an economy that thrives on global connectivity,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in the release. “These significant steps in restoring air service will help Houston begin to recover from the economic challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. I can assure you that this meaningful and significant restoration of international air-service is being matched with a strong emphasis on safety.”These are the destinations Houstonians can fly to due to the resumption of service:
Lebanon begins partial lockdown amid spike in virus cases
Read full article: Lebanon begins partial lockdown amid spike in virus casesBEIRUT – Lebanon on Friday began a two-week partial lockdown and nighttime curfew after coronavirus cases increased sharply following an explosion in Beirut that killed and injured thousands of people. Confirmed cases of the virus have increased from 5,417 a day after the massive blast on Aug. 4 to more than 11,000 on Friday, leading officials to announce the lockdown. Virus cases had already been on the rise since the beginning of July, when an earlier lockdown was lifted and Lebanon’s only international airport was reopened. The blast overwhelmed the city’s hospitals and also badly damaged two that had a key role in handling virus cases. On Wednesday and Thursday, the UAE discovered over 400 confirmed cases of the virus, its highest numbers in about a month amid an aggressive testing campaign.
Sharp rise in virus cases in Lebanon after deadly port blast
Read full article: Sharp rise in virus cases in Lebanon after deadly port blastVirus numbers were expected to rise following the Aug. 4, explosion of nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. The blast overwhelmed the city's hospitals and also badly damaged two that had a key role in handling virus cases. On Monday, the Health Ministry registered 456 new cases and two deaths, a new daily record after Sunday's 439 virus cases and six fatalities. The new infections bring to 9,337 the total number of cases in the small country of just over 5 million. The U.N. force deployed in southern Lebanon along the border with Israel reported 22 of its peacekeepers have tested positive.
Lebanon Parliament meets after blast, government resignation
Read full article: Lebanon Parliament meets after blast, government resignationThe session opened with a moment of silence for the more than 170 people killed in the blast. The explosion has fueled outrage and protests against top political leaders and led to the resignation of the government Monday. Parliament is due to discuss whether to extend the state of emergency in Beirut declared Aug. 5 by the government before it resigned. Since the resignation, there has been a flurry of closed-door meetings and political haggling to form a government that meets the approval of domestic and international powers. Under Secretary for Political Affairs David Hale was due to arrive in Lebanon for a two-day visit.
How social media reacted to President Trumps Executive Order against TikToks parent company
Read full article: How social media reacted to President Trumps Executive Order against TikToks parent companyHOUSTON President Donald Trump issued executive orders against TikTok and WeChat Thursday night, prompting reactions from social media users on Twitter. The Executive Order came after the U.S. accused Chinese tech firms ByteWave and Tencent of automatically capturing vast swaths of information from its users, such as location data and browsing information. The executive order is set to go in effect for 45 days. Stephanie Jill Roberts (@Stepherpsu) August 7, 2020Hopefully this supposed Tiktok ban wakes people up to how their data is mined and packaged for sale. Adolwulf MUFC (@Adolwulf) August 7, 2020Ban Facebook instead of Tiktok cheese connoisseur (@Isabellecreager) August 7, 2020instagram: *sees tiktok is getting ban*instagram: this is our chanceinstagram: NOW INTRODUCING REELS dacia (@Dacia_k_) August 7, 2020alright trump can you NOT ban tiktok please.
Virus resistant: World's Longest Yard Sale still lines roads
Read full article: Virus resistant: World's Longest Yard Sale still lines roadsA crowd looks through items at the World's Longest Yard Sale, which stretches from Alabama to Michigan, at its southernmost point in Gadsden, Ala., on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020. And though the coronavirus pandemic has canceled events around the globe, the six-state yard sale is happening this weekend for the 34th straight year. "Its a big problem.The yard sale began in 1987 as a way to lure visitors off interstate highways to a small town in Tennessee. Also known as the 127 Yard Sale, the event follows U.S. 127 from near Addison, Michigan, to Chattanooga, Tennessee, through Ohio and Kentucky. But realistically, she said, the yard sale is just too big to cancel.
President Trump signs executive order against TikTok parent, effective in 45 days
Read full article: President Trump signs executive order against TikTok parent, effective in 45 daysHOUSTON In the latest move against China, President Donald Trump signed an executive order against the parent company of popular video app, TikTok, that will go into effect in 45 days, according to a report from the Washington Post. Trump previously said the app was a threat to national security as tensions between China and the U.S. have escalated. Per the order, all U.S. companies and people in the country will be prohibited from transacting with ByteDance, TikToks parent company. pic.twitter.com/1zR4HgCPVj Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) August 7, 2020The order further states that TikTok reportedly censors content that the Chinese Communist Party deeps politically sensitive.Trump reportedly also signed a similar order against China-based app, WeChat. MORE: @realDonaldTrump has also signed a similar order banning transactions with WeChat.
Fireworks, ammonium nitrate likely fueled Beirut explosion
Read full article: Fireworks, ammonium nitrate likely fueled Beirut explosion(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest. That likely came from a fire that engulfed what initially appeared to be fireworks that were stored at the port. Online videos of the disaster's initial moments show sparks and lights inside the smoke rising from the blaze, just prior to the massive blast. He based his figure on the amount of ammonium nitrate that were reported, but said “we need to be careful with specific statements” due to still incomplete information available. The devastation surrounding the port resembled other ammonium nitrate explosions, such as the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and a 1947 ship explosion that struck Texas City, Texas.
UN: World could hit 1.5-degree warming threshold by 2024
Read full article: UN: World could hit 1.5-degree warming threshold by 2024GENEVA – The world could see annual global temperatures pass a key threshold for the first time in the coming five years, the U.N. weather agency said Thursday. The 1.5 C mark is the level countries agreed to cap global warming at in the 2015 Paris accord. Scientists say average temperatures around the world are already at least 1 C higher now than from 1850-1900 because of man-made greenhouse emissions. The five-year period is expected to see annual average temperatures that are 0.91 C to 1.59 C higher than pre-industrial averages, it said. The forecast is contained in an annual climate outlook based on several long-term computer models compiled under the leadership of the United Kingdom’s Met Office.
Remembering the G7 summit that took place at Rice University 30 years ago
Read full article: Remembering the G7 summit that took place at Rice University 30 years agoHOUSTON On July 9, 1990, seven world leaders stood in front of Lovett Hall at Rice University, for the 16th G7 Economic Summit. Known as the Group of Seven, G7 consisted of seven industrialized nations including France, West Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada and the President of the European Commission. G7 members walk through the Sallyport of Lovett Hall at Rice University (Rice University)The 16th G7 Summit, which began in 1975 was held on the campus of Rice University from July 9th through July 11th, its purpose was to provide a venue for the non-communist powers to come together and address economic concerns. G7 members walking on the inner loop at Rice University (Rice University)According to the Houstorian Calendar, its believed barbecue and not-so-great stereotypes of Texas were featured on the opening day of the summit. There is a memorial of the G7 Summit on the grounds of Rice University near Herring Hall.
A fisherman accidentally catches an endangered dolphin, then carries it back to safety
Read full article: A fisherman accidentally catches an endangered dolphin, then carries it back to safetyPURNIA, India – A man from northeastern India made the best choice to save an endangered dolphin after accidentally catching it with his fishing net, FOX News and India’s Southwest News Service reported. The incident occurred on July 3 at the Ganges River. The dolphin, later identified as a Ganges river dolphin, was listed as Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and protected by the Indian Wildlife Act. When it became entangled by the fishing net, a massive crowd gathered at the area to get a glimpse of the mammal. Once the fisherman saw the dolphin, he carried the mammal safely and released it back into the water.
Scarce medical oxygen worldwide leaves many gasping for life
Read full article: Scarce medical oxygen worldwide leaves many gasping for life___In Guinea, oxygen is a costly challenge for government-funded medical facilities such as the Donka public hospital in the capital, Conakry. Courts have sentenced about a dozen people for selling and stockpiling unauthorized oxygen cylinders, often at exorbitant prices. “The amount of oxygen being brought here isn’t enough.”In Sierra Leone, neighboring Guinea, just three medical oxygen plants serve 17 million people. Everyone is counting on the hospital’s oxygen plant to start up, but no one knows when. Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh; Christine Armario in Bogota, Colombia; and Youssouf Bah in Conakry, Guinea, contributed to this report.
Solar eclipse 2020: See June’s annular eclipse on Sunday
Read full article: Solar eclipse 2020: See June’s annular eclipse on Sunday(CNN) -- Lucky stargazers in the Eastern Hemisphere will see an annular solar eclipse on the heels of the summer solstice on Sunday. Solar eclipses occur about two weeks before or after a lunar eclipse, Young said. How to watchAlthough this isn't a total solar eclipse, you still need to watch the eclipse using safety measures. Whether you use the cardboard eclipse glasses or a handheld card with a single rectangular view, the most important feature is the filter. But do not wear eclipse glasses while looking through any of these.
Honduras president hospitalized with pneumonia, COVID-19
Read full article: Honduras president hospitalized with pneumonia, COVID-19TEGUCIGALPA Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernndez was hospitalized Wednesday with pneumonia, hours after announcing that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19. Francis Contreras, spokesman for the National System of Risk Management, said in a news conference that after reviewing Hernndez's lab work and x-rays, doctors determined the president had pneumonia and recommended he be hospitalized. He said Hernndez was in good condition, but he was receiving medicine intraveneously that had to be administered in the Military Hospital. Hernndez had announced late Tuesday night in a televized message that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19. Hernndez said that over the weekend he began feeling some discomfort and on Tuesday received the test results.