US support for Covid vaccines patent waivers kicks off fierce resistance
In a historic move, the US government has announced that it supports waiving patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines, a measure aimed at boosting supplies so that people around the world can get the shots. “The extraordinary circumstances of the Covid-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures,” US trade representative Katherine Tai...
First genetically modified mosquitoes released into open air in Florida, US
After a decade of fighting for regulatory approval and public acceptance, a biotechnology firm has released genetically engineered mosquitoes into the open air in the United States for the first time. The experiment, launched this week in the Florida Keys – over the objections of some local critics – tests...
Hard Covid lessons lead to historic funding boom for US National Science Foundation
US officials are discussing whether the National Science Foundation (NSF), which funds about 25 per cent of all basic academic research in the country, should get a historic budget boost, potentially changing the US science landscape. During congressional hearings last week, legislators evaluated proposals that would increase the agency’s funding...
US secretary of state to hold meetings with leaders of Nigeria and Kenya
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to make his first visit to Africa, virtually, during which he will meet with the presidents of Nigeria and Kenya. Tuesday’s tour will include a meeting with African youth from across the continent. Blinken’s visit coincided with difficulties the continent has...
Despite justice being served for George Floyd, US police reforms are urgent
A Minnesota jury has properly convicted former officer Derek Chauvin of second-degree murder for the killing of George Floyd on May 26, 2020. Millions of people across the country watched the video of Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck until long after he lost consciousness and stopped begging for mercy. And...
US Congress in historic vote for slavery reparations bill after 32 years of trying
The US Congress made a historic step towards reparations of Black people when on April 14, 2021 a congressional committee voted on a slavery reparations bill, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says in its April report. The bill was approved, according to online newspaper Politico, which reports, “Wednesday night, the House...
Gender and race still determine salaries at American universities – women association
Women account for just 24 per cent of all top income earners at US universities, according to a study from the Eos Foundation. The study, conducted in association with the Washington DC-based American Association of University Women, found that highly compensated women are especially scarce at the tenured and tenure-track...
Covid: Fraud in US sky high as glitchy computer systems cave in to criminals
Throughout the Covid crisis, unemployment programmes have served as a lifeline, channelling more than $650 billion over the past year to millions of struggling households. But the state-run agencies that distribute the funds have been overwhelmed, making their harried staff as well as their glitchy computer systems easy prey for...
Lockdown: Fewer cars on roads, but number of fatal accidents spikes
Although there are fewer cars on America’s roads since the pandemic began, the number of fatal car crashes has increased. Early nationwide data support this counterintuitive finding: Even as daily trips from households fell significantly, preliminary data show that 28,190 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes during the first...
Holy weed: Colorado cannabis farms puff out more gases than coal mines
Legal cannabis production in Colorado emits more greenhouse gases than the state’s coal mining industry, researchers analysing the sector’s energy use have found. The production and use of cannabis for medical or recreational reasons is now legal in several US states, which has led to a booming industry. Hailey Summers...
