News Minimalist

20 Oct 2023 18:15

[7.2] China to require export permits for graphite products, citing national security. — Reuters

China has announced that it will require export permits for certain graphite products in order to protect national security and control supplies of critical minerals. China is the world's top graphite producer and exporter, refining over 90% of the world's graphite used in EV battery anodes. The move comes as foreign governments increase pressure on Chinese companies over their industrial practices, with the EU considering tariffs on Chinese-made EVs and the US widening curbs on Chinese companies' access to semiconductors.

News Minimalist

19 Oct 2023 16:45

[7.7] WinRAR vulnerability exploited by government-backed hackers. — The Verge

Multiple government-backed hacking groups have been exploiting a serious security vulnerability in WinRAR since early 2023, according to Google's Threat Analysis Group. The vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code when a Windows user opens a file within a ZIP archive. WinRAR versions 6.24 and 6.23 include a fix for the vulnerability, but the app does not have an auto-update feature, so users must manually download and install the patch.

News Minimalist

18 Oct 2023 16:51

[7.0] Norway reports bird flu outbreak. — Reuters

Norway has reported an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, among 19 domestic birds in the northern part of the country. The World Organisation for Animal Health confirmed the outbreak.

News Minimalist

18 Oct 2023 16:51

[7.2] Five Eyes security chiefs address China's technology theft threat. — The Globe and Mail

The security chiefs of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, including the FBI Director Christopher Wray, held their first joint public meeting to address China's theft of cutting-edge technologies from democratic countries. Wray stated that the Chinese government is the biggest threat to innovation and that the FBI has seen a 1,300% increase in investigations related to Chinese attempts to steal intellectual property. The security directors also discussed China's use of students, joint ventures, start-ups, and employees placed inside Western companies to acquire crucial information on leading technologies.

News Minimalist

18 Oct 2023 16:51

[7.6] Country Garden misses $15 million payment, raising default concerns in China's real estate sector. — Reuters

Country Garden, China's largest private property developer, missed a $15 million coupon payment, raising concerns of a default on its offshore debt amidst China's ongoing real estate challenges. The company holds nearly $11 billion in offshore bonds, and a default could lead to one of China's most significant corporate debt restructurings.

News Minimalist

17 Oct 2023 17:19

[7.4] Record opioid deaths in North America; crisis surpasses HIV/AIDS epidemic. — The Conversation

Opioid-related deaths in North America reached a record level in 2022, with over 109,000 fatalities in the United States and over 7,400 deaths in Canada. The opioid overdose crisis has been ongoing for over two decades and has surpassed the worst years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Strategies to address the crisis include 1) treating substance use disorders as a public health problem, 2) finding better treatments through research, and 3) stopping the international spread of the epidemic through greater regulation and oversight.

News Minimalist

16 Oct 2023 16:56

[7.2] SpaceX dominates satellites, Bezos aims to catch up, concerns arise. — The Guardian

Elon Musk's SpaceX has a dominant presence in near-Earth orbit with more than 4,500 Starlink satellites, accounting for over 50% of all active satellites. This allows Musk unprecedented control over global communications and even the ability to influence military actions, as seen in Ukraine. Jeff Bezos aims to challenge this dominance with Amazon's Project Kuiper, which recently launched its first satellites. However, Kuiper has a long way to go; it plans to deploy 3,236 satellites by 2029 compared to SpaceX's plan for 42,000.

Both companies are part of a larger trend that has experts concerned about the saturation and sustainability of orbital space. Risks include potential collisions, space debris, and political tensions arising from the "occupational behavior" of dominating these orbital "highways."

News Minimalist

15 Oct 2023 15:02

[7.1] California bans Red Dye No. 3 due to cancer concerns. — The New York Times [$]

California has become the first state to ban Red Dye No. 3, a chemical linked to cancer, in food. The ban includes Halloween treats and other foods sold at national chains like Walmart and Target. The move puts pressure on the FDA to examine similar questions about artificial colors and ingredients, but the agency is currently undergoing reorganization after a scandal involving infant formula raised concerns about food oversight.

News Minimalist

14 Oct 2023 16:28

[7.0] Pfizer's new drug Velsipity gains U.S. approval for ulcerative colitis treatment. — Reuters

Pfizer has received U.S. approval for a new drug called Velsipity to treat ulcerative colitis, a painful gut condition that affects over a million people in the U.S. The drug has shown promise in reducing symptoms and is priced at $6,164 for a month's supply, which is in line with other treatments. Unlike some other medications for this condition, Velsipity doesn't require an initial lab test, making it potentially easier for patients to start treatment.

News Minimalist

13 Oct 2023 17:16

[7.2] Israel orders Gaza population to move south; UN warns of consequences. — The Washington Post

Israel has issued an order for the entire population of the northern Gaza Strip, approximately 1.1 million people, to move south within 24 hours. The United Nations has warned that this would have devastating humanitarian consequences. Hamas has dismissed the order as psychological warfare, and the Israeli military has urged residents of Gaza City to move south for their safety as Israeli strikes continue. The situation in Gaza is already dire, with water and power shortages, hospitals running out of supplies, and over 420,000 people displaced before the warning. Israel is preparing for a potential ground incursion following a deadly attack by Hamas militants.

News Minimalist

12 Oct 2023 15:59

[7.0] EU, Gates Foundation, and EIB pledge €1 billion to end polio. — Reuters

The European Union, along with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the European Investment Bank, has announced a financing package of over 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion) to eradicate polio. While cases of polio have declined by 99% since the 1990s, the disease has proven challenging to completely eradicate, with the wild form now only endemic in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the vaccine-derived strain more widespread. The funding will be used to support vaccination campaigns and efforts to eliminate both forms of the disease.

News Minimalist

12 Oct 2023 15:59

[7.2] Google, Amazon, Cloudflare defend against largest DDoS attack, urge updates. — Reuters

Google, Amazon, and Cloudflare have reported that they successfully defended against the largest-known denial of service (DDoS) attack on the internet. The attack, which began in late August, was three times larger than any previous attack observed and targeted servers using a new technique that exploits a weakness in the HTTP/2 network protocol. The companies are urging others to update their web servers to prevent vulnerability to such attacks.

News Minimalist

11 Oct 2023 16:43

[7.2] Obesity before pregnancy signals future heart risks, outweighing the impact of pregnancy complications like high blood pressure. — National Institutes of Health

A study funded by the National Institutes of Health found that being overweight or obese before and during early pregnancy can be a warning sign for future heart problems. Not only does obesity raise the chances of pregnancy issues like high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, but it also indicates higher risks for cardiovascular disease later in life. Interestingly, the study discovered that while pregnancy complications did increase heart disease risks, they only accounted for a small percentage when it came to long-term risks for people who were obese. This suggests that the root problem is more about obesity than the pregnancy complications themselves. On the flip side, the study found that obesity didn't raise the risk of having a preterm birth or a baby with low birth weight.

News Minimalist

11 Oct 2023 16:43

[7.3] Misinformation spreads during Israel-Hamas conflict; false claims debunked. — The Associated Press

In the midst of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, misinformation has been spreading on social media, making it difficult to discern fact from fiction. False claims include the capture of a top Israeli general by Hamas, a fabricated memo from President Joe Biden announcing $8 billion in military aid to Israel, and misleading videos of Russian President Vladimir Putin warning the US to stay away from the Gaza war. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed that the claim of the general's capture is untrue, the White House confirmed that the memo is fake, and the videos of Putin are mislabeled and unrelated to the conflict.

News Minimalist

10 Oct 2023 16:55

[7.2] Extreme solar storm 14,300 years ago could devastate civilization today. — The Independent

Scientists have discovered evidence of an extreme solar storm that occurred 14,300 years ago, which would have devastating effects on human civilization if it were to happen today. The solar storm, the largest ever found by scientists, caused a dramatic spike in radiocarbon levels. If a similar event were to occur in the present day, it could knock the power grid offline for months, destroy communication infrastructure, and pose severe radiation risks to astronauts.

News Minimalist

19 Oct 2023 16:45

[7.1] American families saw record wealth growth, increased income, and improved finances. — The New York Times [$]

According to Federal Reserve data, American families experienced the largest increase in wealth on record between 2019 and 2022. Median net worth rose by 37% after adjusting for inflation, the biggest jump since 1989. Median family income also increased by 3% between 2018 and 2021, and Americans made financial progress across the board, with increased savings, reduced credit card balances, and larger retirement accounts.

News Minimalist

18 Oct 2023 16:51

[7.0] Russia's parliament moves to revoke nuclear test ban treaty ratification. — Reuters

Russia's parliament, the Duma, has taken the first step towards revoking ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in a unanimous vote. The move is seen as a response to the United States, which has signed but never ratified the treaty, and aims to restore parity between the two countries. While Russia says it will not resume testing unless the US does, arms control experts are concerned that this could lead to a new era of big power nuclear testing and escalate tensions amid the Ukraine war.

News Minimalist

18 Oct 2023 16:51

[7.2] Microsoft completes $69B acquisition of Activision Blizzard. — CNBC

Microsoft has completed its $69 billion acquisition of video game publisher Activision Blizzard, signaling that gaming is central to the company's future. The deal faced regulatory pushback and took nearly 21 months to close.

News Minimalist

18 Oct 2023 16:51

[7.3] World needs 49.7 million miles of transmission lines by 2040. — CNBC

A new report by the International Energy Agency states that the world needs to add or replace 49.7 million miles of transmission lines by 2040 in order to meet climate goals and achieve energy security. This is roughly equivalent to the current total number of miles of electric grid worldwide. The construction of these transmission lines will require an annual investment of over $600 billion by 2030, double the current global investment levels, and changes in how electric grids are operated and regulated.

News Minimalist

17 Oct 2023 17:19

[7.1] Clean Air Act loophole hides pollution from wildfires. — The Guardian US

A legal loophole in the Clean Air Act has allowed the US Environmental Protection Agency to exclude pollution caused by natural events, such as wildfires, from clean air tallies in over 70 counties. This has enabled local regulators to claim that the air is cleaner than it actually is for more than 21 million Americans.

News Minimalist

17 Oct 2023 17:19

[7.7] UN forum reports 15% of Sustainable Development Goals on track for 2030. — UN News

The weeklong forum by the UN Conference on Trade and Development spotlighted the widening $4 trillion investment gap in achieving Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, emphasizing that currently only 15% of these goals are on track to be met. The forum also hosted discussions led by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, which called for an annual investment of $680 billion until 2030 to overhaul agrifood systems in low and middle-income countries. While international investment in renewable energy has almost tripled since the 2015 Paris Agreement, the forum underscored that only 5% of sustainable funds are allocated to developing nations.

News Minimalist

15 Oct 2023 15:02

[7.0] High youth unemployment in China pushes graduates to rural areas. — The Independent

Millions of young university graduates in China are struggling to find work, with more than one in five people between the ages of 16 and 24 out of work, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. The jobless rate for people aged 16 to 24 in China for June 2023 was 21.3%, while the unemployment rate for those between the ages of 25 and 59 was just 4.1%. The high unemployment rate and low salaries are pushing many young people to leave urban areas and pursue opportunities in rural areas, following President Xi Jinping's call to "revitalise the rural economy."

News Minimalist

14 Oct 2023 16:28

[7.0] Minors suing Facebook for social media addiction win important ruling. — Bloomberg ($)

A California state judge has allowed minors and parents to advance their lawsuits against Meta Inc.'s Facebook and other tech companies, focusing on the claim that these firms were negligent in designing their platforms in a way that could harm minors. The ruling bypasses Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which usually shields internet companies from liability, stating that it doesn't prevent the negligence claim from proceeding as the design features of the platforms — rather than the specific content — are causing the harms.

News Minimalist

14 Oct 2023 16:28

[7.1] Reducing calorie intake improves muscle health and activates important pathways. — National Institutes of Health (.gov)

A study conducted by the National Institutes of Health suggests that reducing overall calorie intake can rejuvenate muscles and activate biological pathways important for good health. The study analyzed data from participants in the Comprehensive Assessment of Long-Term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) study and found that even a modest reduction of 12% in daily caloric intake was enough to activate most of the biological pathways associated with healthy aging. The researchers also found that calorie restriction upregulated genes responsible for energy generation and metabolism while downregulating inflammatory genes, leading to lower inflammation.

News Minimalist

13 Oct 2023 17:16

[7.4] UK Covid hospitalizations and positive cases rise, new variant spreads globally. — The Independent

Covid-19 hospitalizations in the UK have increased by 24% in one week, while the number of people testing positive for the virus has risen by over 29.4% despite reduced testing infrastructure, according to data from the UK Health Security Agency. The highly mutated new Covid variant Pirola, which has 34 more mutations and could potentially evade vaccines, has reached over 100 cases in the UK and has been detected in 15 countries worldwide.

News Minimalist

12 Oct 2023 15:59

[7.0] OpenAI plans cost-cutting updates and vision capabilities for developers. — Reuters

OpenAI is set to introduce significant updates next month aimed at making it more cost-effective and efficient for developers to build applications using its AI models. The new offerings include memory storage features that could cut costs for developers by up to 20x and vision capabilities that allow for image analysis, broadening its applicability in sectors ranging from entertainment to medicine. These updates will be announced at OpenAI's first-ever developer conference on November 6, as part of the company's strategic objective to become indispensable to businesses developing AI-powered applications.

News Minimalist

12 Oct 2023 15:59

[7.5] AI tool EVEscape predicts viral variants before they emerge. — Harvard Gazette

Researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of Oxford have developed an artificial intelligence tool called EVEscape that can predict new viral variants before they emerge. The tool combines a model of evolutionary sequences with detailed biological and structural information about the virus to make predictions about the most likely variants to occur as the virus evolves. In a study published in Nature, the researchers demonstrated that EVEscape accurately predicted the most frequent mutations and identified concerning variants for SARS-CoV-2, as well as making accurate predictions for other viruses such as HIV and influenza.

News Minimalist

11 Oct 2023 16:43

[7.2] Researchers urge education on xylazine in US opioid supply. — The Guardian US

Medical researchers are calling for increased education about the presence of the animal tranquilliser xylazine in the illicit opioid supply in the US. Xylazine, which is often mixed with heroin and fentanyl, has been associated with increased deaths and severe ulcers and wounds requiring amputation. The combination of xylazine and fentanyl, known as "tranq dope," has been found in 48 states, with an estimated one-quarter of the fentanyl powder supply containing the tranquilliser.

News Minimalist

10 Oct 2023 16:55

[7.0] Stroke deaths to increase by 50% globally, costing $2 trillion. — STAT

The number of stroke deaths worldwide is projected to increase by 50% to nearly 10 million by 2050, with most cases occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to a report from the World Stroke Organization. The report also estimates that disability-adjusted life-years due to stroke will grow by 30% to reach 190 million by 2050, and the economic costs of strokes will more than double to $2 trillion per year.

News Minimalist

10 Oct 2023 16:55

[7.3] California passes law requiring large companies to disclose carbon emissions. — The Guardian US

California has passed a groundbreaking law that will require large companies, including major global corporations, to disclose their carbon emissions. The law, the first of its kind in the US, will apply to companies with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion and will require them to publicly disclose their emissions by 2026, including emissions generated by their supply chains and customers. The move comes as federal regulators have been slow to implement similar rules at the national level.