Mar132020 by DmediaNo Comments

COVID-19 Cases Grow to 24 in South Africa, Outside of False Positive

All, News
South Africa's health minister on Friday announced that the nation has seen eight new cases of novel coronavirus, bringing the nation's total caseload to at least 24.That number does not include a case reported Thursday, when South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases erroneously said the nation had seen its first locally transmitted case of novel coronavirus."We humbly apologize for the error in reporting the first case of local transmission of COVID-19 in our earlier report," the agency said on Twitter late Thursday. "On verification, the case was found to be negative."A robotic pulsating UV machine sterilizes a consulting room at the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg, March 11, 2020 as a precaution against the new coronavirus.The false positive could allay fears that the virus is spreading through South Africa. Authorities…


Mar122020 by DmediaNo Comments

Pray and Wash: Religion Joins With Science Amid Virus Crisis

All, News
The coronavirus pandemic has prompted multiple religious faiths to change or cancel services as houses of worship try to help contain the disease. But some church leaders are also tackling another task: communicating a message that elevates both faith and science.      That goal is particularly challenging in a time of sharp political polarization, as partisan scuffles over religion's influence on policymaking can caricature Christians as skeptical of science. For pastors across Christian denominations, however, rising public anxiety over coronavirus only reinforces the importance of believing in God while heeding the advice of public health experts.      “Science is a wonderful arena of truth and understanding truth. It is an amazing tool that can help human flourishing. We just believe it can't address all truth that exists,” said…


Mar122020 by DmediaNo Comments

Canada: Trudeau Stays at Home After Wife’s Flu-Like Symptoms

All, News
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is quarantining himself at home after his wife exhibited flu-like symptoms.      Trudeau's office said Thursday that Sophie Gregoire Trudeau returned from a speaking engagement in Britain and had mild flu-like symptoms, including a low fever late, Wednesday night.      She is being tested for the COVID-19 disease and is awaiting results. Her symptoms have since subsided.       “Out of an abundance of caution, the Prime Minister is opting to self-isolate and work from home until receiving Sophie's results,” the statement said.      His office said the doctor's advice to the prime minister is to continue daily activities while self-monitoring, given that he is exhibiting no symptoms himself. He is spending the day in briefings, phone calls, and virtual meetings from…


Mar122020 by DmediaNo Comments

What Happens if US Declares a Coronavirus National Emergency

All, News
With the World Health Organization classifying the global coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Wednesday a series of emergency measures, including an unprecedented 30-day suspension of all flights from Europe.But Trump, who spoke from the Oval Office, stopped short of resorting to an even more dramatic measure urged by some members of Congress: a national emergency proclamation under the 1976 National Emergencies Act.  The administration already has declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency, giving local health officials greater flexibility to respond to the crisis.  A national emergency declaration would put a vast reservoir of additional powers at the president's disposal by triggering sweeping authorities contained in more than 100 statutes, according to Elizabeth Goitein, director of the Brennan Center for Justice’s Liberty & National…


Mar122020 by DmediaNo Comments

Russian-European Mission to Mars Postponed Until 2022 Over Coronavirus

All, News
Russia's space agency Roscosmos and the European Space Agency have decided to postpone the launch of a joint research mission to Mars until the fall of 2022 because of the situation around coronavirus in Europe, Roscosmos said on Thursday."...The parties had to recognize that the final phase of ExoMars activities are compromised by the general aggravation of the epidemiological situation in European countries," the Russian agency said in a statement.  ...


Mar122020 by DmediaNo Comments

Locked out: Europeans Grapple With new US Travel ban

All, News
A Las Vegas wedding with an Elvis impersonator: Canceled. A 3,500-kilometer (2,200-mile) trans-America road trip, a voyage of a lifetime that took months to prepare: On ice, too.The new anti-virus travel ban announced by U.S. President Donald Trump threw Europeans’ best-laid plans — family reunions, birthday celebrations, vacations, trips for both business and pleasure — into utter disarray Thursday.For Europeans brought up on imports of American television, music, sports and fast food, the idea of suddenly being temporarily unwelcome on the other side of the Atlantic was a psychological shock, too, akin to being spurned by an old and familiar friend.“We were going to get married in Las Vegas, with Elvis. It was going to be epic,” said Sandrine Reynaert, a Parisian who was having to cancel the ceremony on…


Mar122020 by TechmanNo Comments

US Senators Seek to Ban Federal Employees From Using TikTok on Their Phones

All, Business, News, Technology
Two Republican senators on Thursday introduced a bill aimed at banning federal employees from using Chinese social media app TikTok on their government-issued phones, amid growing national security concerns around the collection and sharing of data on U.S. users with China's government.The bill by Senators Josh Hawley and Rick Scott comes as several U.S. agencies that deal with national security and intelligence issues including the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have banned employees from using the app.It is also the latest attempt to rein in technology companies by Hawley, who has repeatedly clashed with big tech companies and has a notably nuanced and aggressive approach when questioning tech executives in congressional hearings."TikTok is owned by a Chinese company that includes Chinese Communist Party members on its board,…


Mar112020 by DmediaNo Comments

Coral Reef Resilient to Climate Change Threatened by Tourists

All, News
Scientists are calling on UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) to declare a unique coral reef system off the Egyptian coast a Marine World Heritage Site.  So far, the location has resisted the effects of climate change bleaching coral reefs around the world.  But as VOA’s Arash Arabasadi reports, experts say visitors are now threatening the reef’s existence. ...


Mar112020 by DmediaNo Comments

Reporter’s Notebook: World Travel in the Time of Coronavirus

All, News
The U.S. immigration officer shifted uneasily on his feet, and self-consciously told a handful of travelers exiting the fast-track Global Entry gate: "Oh, wait I have to ask you something. Has anyone traveled from China or…?"He trailed off, seemingly scrambling to recall what else he was supposed to ask. "Oh, yes, and Iran?" We all said we had not. When he appeared to think he had forgotten something, I volunteered. "or Italy?" "Oh, yes, Italy," he concurred.I responded I had, but that I had not been in the most affected parts of the country in the north. "Okay," he replied. And that was the end of my exhaustive screening at Washington's Dulles International Airport. There was no mention by the officer of the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control…


Mar112020 by DmediaNo Comments

Tests Show New Coronavirus Lives on Some Surfaces for Up to 3 Days

All, News
The new coronavirus can live in the air for several hours and on some surfaces for as long as two to three days, tests by U.S. government and other scientists have found.Their work, published Wednesday, suggests that the virus can spread through the air as well as from touching things that were contaminated by others who have it, in addition to direct person-to-person contact.Since emerging in China late last year, the new virus has infected more than 120,000 people worldwide and caused more than 4,300 deaths -- far more than the 2003 SARS outbreak caused by a genetically similar virus.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can download this video to view it offline. Embed" />CopyFor this study, researchers used a nebulizer device to put…


Mar112020 by TechmanNo Comments

US Needs Top Cyber Coordinator, Better Hacker ‘Deterrence’: Panel

All, Business, News, Technology
The US needs a top-level cybersecurity coordinator and a better strategy of "deterrence" to protect against hackers and other cyber threats, a congressionally mandated commission said Wednesday.Defense in cyberspace requires a series of government reforms and policies to strike back at attackers, according to the report by the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.The bipartisan panel which included lawmakers and private sector experts made more than 80 recommendations ranging from reforms in the executive and legislative branches to better cooperation with allies to secure cyberspace."The reality is that we are dangerously insecure," said a statement from Senator Angus King and Representative Mike Gallagher, co-chairs of the panel which took its name from an Eisenhower-era foreign policy project."Your entire life -- your paycheck, your health care, your electricity -- increasingly relies on networks of…


Mar112020 by DmediaNo Comments

News Agency: Iran VP, 2 Cabinet Members Have New Virus

All, News
Iran's senior vice president and two other Cabinet members have contracted the new coronavirus, a semiofficial news agency reported Wednesday as the death toll in the Islamic Republic from the outbreak rose by 62 to 354.      The report by the Fars news agency, believed to be close to Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, comes as President Hassan Rouhani took control of the country's much-criticized response to the virus and the COVID-19 illness it causes. Authorities announced that there were some 9,000 confirmed cases of the virus across Iran.      The Fars story also comes amid days of speculation about the health of Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri. Jahangiri has not been seen in pictures of recent top-level meetings, raising concerns about him.      Fars says the others sick…


Mar112020 by DmediaNo Comments

Turkey Confirms First Coronavirus Case, Wins WHO Praise for Vigilance

All, News
Turkey confirmed its first case of the coronavirus on Wednesday, becoming the last major economy to report an outbreak after taking what the World Health Organization (WHO) described as "vigilant, cautious" measures to delay the disease.Turkey's tourism sector, which accounts for about 13% of its economy, stepped up calls on the government for financial help to deal with the expected negative impact of the outbreak.Health Minister Fahrettin Koca confirmed early on Wednesday that a Turkish man with a high fever and cough had been diagnosed as having the virus and had been isolated."This is the first case confirmed in our country. The findings show the diagnosis of coronavirus was made early and if the virus has spread it is limited," he told a news conference. "Our country is prepared for…


Mar112020 by DmediaNo Comments

Why Coronavirus Threat Means Lifestyle Changes

All, News
One of the United States' top disease experts says Americans and Europeans should be prepared not to do the things they could do just a few months ago before the coronavirus outbreak."It doesn't matter if you’re in a state that has no cases or one case. You've got to start taking seriously what you can do now that if and when the infections will come," National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases chief Anthony Fauci said Tuesday. "And they will come, sorry to say, sad to say.”Fauci used hockey great Wayne Grtetzky as a metaphor for how to deal with an infectious disease -- Gretzky doesn't go where the puck is going, he goes where the puck is going to be."We want to be where the infection is going to…


Mar102020 by DmediaNo Comments

Virus Spread Puts UK’s Stiff Upper Lip Under Growing Strain

All, News
Faced with the spread of COVID-19, the U.K. is advising its citizens to keep calm and carry on.      For some Britons, the stiff upper lip is starting to wobble. As Italy goes into lockdown and other European countries shut schools and ban large gatherings, U.K. authorities continue to advise most people to keep working, traveling and socializing as usual.      But with officials saying an epidemic of the new coronavirus in the U.K. is all but certain, critics argue that the Conservative government's low-key approach is inadequate.      “Schools should be shut now,” said Rory Stewart, a former government minister who is running to become mayor of London. “All medium and large gatherings should be canceled. All passengers coming from hot spots should be tested and…


Mar102020 by DmediaNo Comments

Health Experts Concerned About Spread of Coronavirus Around Clusters of Elderly

All, News
Coronavirus is most dangerous to the elderly and those with weakened immune systems. Since the first fatalities in the US originated from a nursing facility in the state of Washington, there is deep concern among health experts, patients and their families that eldercare facilities are especially vulnerable.  VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can download this video to view it offline. Embed" />Copy ...


Mar102020 by DmediaNo Comments

South Korea Feels Economic Impact of ‘Social Distancing’

All, News
As the coronavirus rattles global markets, some analysts are now warning of a possible global recession. The damage is already starting to show in some countries hit hardest by the outbreak.Lee Jae-hoon is standing in the Korean barbecue restaurant he owns in this normally busy office district of Seoul. There are almost no customers.He says at this time on Thursdays, the restaurant is always filled with customers. But as you can see, there is no one.This is what many restaurants in South Korea look like now, amid a voluntary “social distancing” campaign meant to contain the coronavirus.Lee says it’s the first time in his 59 years of life he’s ever seen sales drop this sharply - for any reason.At this Seoul flower shop, sales are also taking a big hit.Owner…


Mar102020 by DmediaNo Comments

Holi Festival Subdued in India Over Coronavirus Concerns

All, News
Hindus threw colored powder and sprayed water in massive celebrations of the festival of Holi in India on Tuesday, but the enthusiasm was subdued compared to previous years because of fears of the new virus.      Brightly colored powder filled the air in most parts of North India. But in the capital, New Delhi, many events were canceled as the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country rose to 47.      Holi, which marks the advent of spring, is widely celebrated in India, Nepal and other South Asian countries.      Most years, millions of people from toddlers to the elderly throw powder at each other and play with water balloons and squirt guns.      But this year Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he…


Mar92020 by TechmanNo Comments

SpaceX’s 20th Station Shipment Arrives With Candy, Science

All, Business, News, Technology
A SpaceX cargo ship arrived at the International Space Station on Monday, delivering the company's 20th batch of gear and treats.The Dragon capsule reached the orbiting lab after launching late Friday night. NASA astronauts Andrew Morgan and Jessica Meir used the station's robot arm to capture the spacecraft.The 4,300-pound (1,950-kilogram) shipment contains science experiments and equipment, as well as special goodies for the three-person crew aloft for months: grapefruit, tomatoes, Skittles, Reese's Pieces and Hot Tamales.This is the last of SpaceX's original-style Dragons. All future ones are designed to carry either cargo or crew, and will dock automatically rather than require robot-arm assistance. SpaceX has been sending up station cargo since 2012 and plans to start launching NASA astronauts this spring.From 260 miles (418 kilometers) up, Meir congratulated SpaceX on…


Mar92020 by DmediaNo Comments

Healthy Snack Bars Are Replacing Unhealthy Habits

All, News
Comparatively speaking, Americans are heavier than the rest of the world. The World Factbook of the Central Intelligence Agency reports the obesity rate in the United States to be 36 percent.  But 25-year-old Zobaida Falah is hoping that her homemade snack bar can play a small role in changing unhealthy habits. VOA’s Jafar Haand has more.  ...


Mar92020 by DmediaNo Comments

Southern Indian State Moves To Contain Bird Flu Outbreak

All, News
A southern Indian state has begun a three-day bird culling process to contain an outbreak of avian influenza, also known as bird flu.Kerala state began the precautionary measure Sunday.The World Health Organization says, "Avian influenza viruses normally spread between birds. However, some viruses have been found to infect humans.  When avian influenza infects humans, symptoms may range from mild upper respiratory infection (fever and cough) to severe pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (difficulty breathing), shock and even death.""The state government has decided to destroy the disease at the source," Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University Assistant Professor Abdul Muneer told Reuters.Thousands of birds, mainly chickens, will be killed in the process.  ...


Mar82020 by DmediaNo Comments

China Scrambles to Boost Its Image on Coronavirus

All, News
Weeks after Beijing was criticized by people inside China and around the world for a sluggish response to the outbreak of a new coronavirus, China’s government is trying to recast itself as a global health leader.China’s early response to the outbreak remains shrouded in mystery, with an unclear timetable about what officials knew and when they knew it.At the beginning of the year, as the coronavirus spread in the city of Wuhan, authorities downplayed the risk and provided little information. Lunar New Year festivities initially went forward, before Beijing dramatically reversed course as the outbreak grew. Now, Beijing is accusing others of the same thing.A nurse in a protective suit feeds a novel coronavirus patient inside an isolated ward at Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, during the Lantern Festival, in…


Mar72020 by TechmanNo Comments

Tangled Web of Russia’s Cyber Underground Further Exposed in US Hacker Trial

All, Business, News, Technology
In March 2012, a 25-year-old Russian computer whiz named Yevgeny Nikulin sat with several others in a conference room in a hotel in eastern Moscow. A video taken by a Ukrainian named Oleksandr Ieremenko showed them discussing plans for an Internet cafe business and other matters.In an earlier part of the video, Ieremenko, 19, drives to the hotel to meet the group, which he calls a "summit of bad [expletives]."That same month, according to U.S. prosecutors, Nikulin broke into a social media company engineer's computer a half a world away, in California — and allegedly stole the usernames and passwords used by tens of millions of people to access their LinkedIn accounts. Some of that data was put up for sale on a notorious Russian hacker forum that June.These details…


Mar62020 by DmediaNo Comments

Coronavirus Time Bomb: America’s Uninsured and Brutal Work Culture

All, News
Like many Americans, bartender Danjale Williams is worried about the growing threat of the novel coronavirus. What makes the 22-year-old in Washington even more frightened: The thought of medical bills she just can't afford, as one of almost 27.5 million people in the United States who don't have health insurance."I definitely would second guess before going to the doctor, because the doctor's bill is crazy," she said. "If it did come down to that, I don't have enough savings to keep me healthy."As the virus began spreading in the west of the country, where the nation's first death was reported on February 29, public health experts warned the US has several characteristics unique among wealthy nations that make it vulnerable.These include a large and growing population without medical insurance, the…


Mar62020 by DmediaNo Comments

At Sea: Passengers Off California Await Virus Test Results

All, News
Passengers aboard a cruise ship off the California coast were instructed to stay in their cabins as they awaited test results Friday that could show whether the coronavirus is circulating among the more than 3,500 people aboard.      A military helicopter crew lowered test kits onto the 951-foot (290-meter) Grand Princess by rope and later retrieved them for analysis at a lab as the vessel lay at sea off San Francisco, under orders to keep its distance from shore. Princess Cruises said 45 people were selected for testing.      Authorities undertook the testing after a passenger on a previous voyage of the ship died of the coronavirus and at least four others became infected.      “The ship will not come on shore until we appropriately assess the…