Thelasko shares a report from the BBC: Early results from trials of a Covid vaccine developed in Russia suggest it could be 92% effective. The data is based on 20 cases of Covid-19 from 16,000 volunteers given the Sputnik V vaccine or a dummy injection. While some scientists welcomed the news, others said the data had been rushed out too early….
Tag: bbc
Kim Dotcom Can Be Extradited To US But Can Also Appeal
The Supreme Court in New Zealand ruled that file-sharing site mogul Kim Dotcom can be returned to the U.S. to face copyright charges — but has also overturned another lower court’s decision granting him the right to appeal. The BBC reports: The court ruled that Kim Dotcom and his three co-accused were liable for extradition on 12 of the 13 counts…
Baby Shark Becomes YouTube’s Most-Watched Video of All Time
Baby Shark, the infuriatingly catchy children’s rhyme recorded by South Korean company Pinkfong, has become the most-watched video ever on YouTube. The BBC reports: The song has now been played 7.04 billion times, overtaking the previous record holder Despacito, the Latin pop smash by singer Luis Fonsi. Played back-to-back, that would mean Baby Shark has been streamed continuously for 30,187 years….
Australia Records Zero New COVID-19 Infections
The continent of Australia, where nearly 25 million people live, “has recorded its first day of no local cases of Covid-19 in almost five months,” reports the BBC: Zero cases were reported in the 24 hours between 20:00 on Friday and 20:00 on Saturday – the first time this has happened since 9 June. The state of Victoria – epicentre of…
In World First, Slovokia Plans To Test the Entire Country For COVID-19
The BBC reports: Slovakia has begun an ambitious project to test everyone over the age of 10 for Covid-19, but the president has said she thinks the idea is “unfeasible”. The operation to test four million people is to last over two weekends. Infections have soared in Slovakia and officials argue the only alternative would be a total lockdown. President Zuzana…
Therapy Patients Blackmailed For Cash After Clinic Data Breach
“Many patients of a large psychotherapy clinic in Finland have been contacted individually by a blackmailer, after their data was stolen,” reports the BBC: The data appears to have included personal identification records and notes about what was discussed in therapy sessions. Vastaamo is a nationwide practice with about 20 branches and thousands of patients. The clinic has advised those affected…
Facebook Targeted In UK Legal Action Over Cambridge Analytica Scandal
An anonymous reader shares a report from the BBC: Facebook is being sued for failing to protect users’ personal data in the Cambridge Analytica breach. The scandal involved harvested Facebook data of 87 million people being used for advertising during elections. Mass legal action is being launched against Facebook for misuse of information from almost one million users in England and…
Scientists Discover Coral Reef Taller Than the Empire State Building
An anonymous reader quotes a report from the BBC: An enormous coral reef has been found at the northern tip of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the first such discovery in 120 years, scientists say. At 500m (1,640ft) high, the reef is taller than New York’s Empire State Building and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Scientists on a 12-month…
‘Iranian YouTube’ CEO Sentenced To 10 Years Over Video Uploaded By User
The founder and manager of Iran’s main video-sharing platform, referred to by some as Iran’s YouTube, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after being convicted of “encouraging corruption” over a video posted by a user. Radio Free Europe reports: In the video posted on Aparat.com last year, children were asked whether they know how they were born, Iranian media…
The Forklift Truck Drivers Who Never Leave Their Desks
Forklift operators are using remote-control technology that allows them to work off-site, controlling their machines from afar. The BBC reports: [A]s Covid-19 spreads easily, the warehouses dotted along the world’s supply chains have become potential hubs of disease transmission, says Elliot Katz, co-founder of Phantom Auto. Phantom Auto’s technology is now installed in around a dozen warehouses in the US and…