Big Pharma spent nearly $250 MILLION to sway lawmakers amid the pandemic: 

Firms making coronavirus drugs and vaccines like Biogen and Novartis accounted for 25% of all lobbying spending in the first quarter of 2020

Researchers found the health sector spent $250million lobbying lawmakers from January 1 to March 31 of 2020

This accounts of one-fourth of all lobbying funds, across all industries, for the first first quarter of the year 

About $100 million came from the top 30 health organizations, 16 of which are pharmaceutical companies 

Biogen Inc, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, increased its lobbyist spending by 344% from 2019

By MARY KEKATOS SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED:12 August 2020

The health sector spent nearly $250 million lobbying lawmakers amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that companies making drugs and vaccines for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, accounted for one-fourth of all lobbying funds in the first quarter of 2020.

What's more, the increase in medical lobbying spending was 10 times greater than the increase by non-health sector lobbyists.

This was especially apparent in the pharmaceutical industry, with some companies growing their lobbying spending by as much as 350 percent, according to the team from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Researchers found the health sector spent $250million lobbying lawmakers from January 1 to March 31 of 2020. Pictured: Seven CEOs of pharmaceutical companies testify before the Senate Finance Committee on February 26, 2019

So far, Congress has authorized about $3 trillion in spending to help address the economic crisis caused by COVID-19.

With more funds expected - pending Democrat and Republican negotiations - this has led to a surge in health sector lobbying activity, especially within the pharmaceutical industry.

'This is like sharks to blood, or bees to honey, if you prefer a milder metaphor,' said co-author Dr Bill Tayler, an accounting professor at the BYU Marriott School of Business.

'Congress is giving out a lot of money, so the lobbyists are swarming. Lobbying activity levels are typically fairly stable, so when you see jumps like this, it's a big deal.'

For the study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the team looked at lobbying expenditures in the fourth quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020.

Results showed that lobbying spending hit $248.4 million between January 1 and March 31, and 357 new lobbyist registrations were filed during this period.

This means health sector lobbying spending spiked by more than 10 percent in the first quarter, while non-health sector spending rose by only one percent.

The number of new lobbyists registered in the health sector grew by an astonishing 140 percent, but those in the non-health sector rose increased by just 63 percent.

Pharma companies awarded billions in search for COVID vaccine



Additionally, researchers found the biggest increases came from the pharmaceutical industry, making up 16 of the top 30 healthcare organizations in lobbyist spending.

Illinois-based AbbVie Inc's spending soared by 155 percent whole Novartis International AG, based in Switzerland, increased its lobbyist spending by 259 percent this year over last year.

Biogen Inc, headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, increased its lobbyist spending by 344 percent.

Novartis and AbbVie are both currently running clinical trials in an attempt to identify therapeutics to treat symptoms of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, Biogen has teamed up with pharmaceutical company Vir to help develop and manufacture monoclonal antibodies as a potential COVID-19 treatment.

Overall, the top 30 healthcare organizations spent $100 million on lobbying in quarter one of 2020, 55 percent more than they did in quarter four of 2019.

The researchers say the findings show the 'loud voice' so-called Big Pharma has as smaller businesses have struggled to get funds from Congress.

'It's important to follow the money,' said co-author Dr John Barrick, an accounting professor at BYU and expert on lobbying policy.

'Dollars spent on lobbying influence the allocation of funds and, right or wrong, I think that's what people need to know.' 

Pharma execs forecast aggressive vaccine timeline

More signs airborne coronavirus can infect you: Hospital discovers contagious virus particles floating 16 FEET away from patients

Aerosol transmission of coronavirus occurs when respiratory droplets break up into tiny particles that can be inhaled

Researchers took air samples from a hospital room with two coronavirus patients, one of whom had an active infection

Contagious virus particles were found between seven feet and 16 feet away from the patients 

The genome sequencing of the virus in the air samples was the same as that of the swab of the patient with the active infection

By MARY KEKATOS SENIOR HEALTH REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
12 August 2020


There is currently a great deal of controversy about how much of a role liquid droplets in the air - or aerosols - play in spreading the novel coronavirus.

But a new study from the University of Florida has confirmed that these droplets don't just contain bits of genetic material, but are actually infectious.

Air samples collected from a hospital room found contagious virus particles between seven feet and 16 feet away from patients lying in their beds.


The latter is much greater distance than the six feet guidelines recommended by public health experts to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.




In a new study from the University of Florida, researchers took air samples from a hospital room with two coronavirus patients, one of whom had an active infection (above)


Infectious coronavirus particles were found in air samples taken between seven feet and 16 feet away from the patients (above)

Up until recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed aerosol transmission of coronavirus was only possible in hospitals during medical procedures with nebulizers and suctioning.

Last month, the WHO formally recognized that SARS-CoV-2, the official name of the virus, can be carried by aerosols.

But there are still many experts, among agencies such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health England, who have downplayed the role of aerosols and focused on droplets spread via coughing and sneezing.

Aerosol spread occurs when respiratory droplets produce tiny particles, measuring less than five micrometers, which is smaller than a particle of pollen.

These aerosols can be inhaled, and if enough are, have the ability to cause infection.

This method is more dangerous in terms of transmission than respiratory droplets, but can be lessened by avoiding crowded indoor spaces.



For the study, published on the pre-print site medRxiv.org, the team collected air samples from the room of two coronavirus patients at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital.

One of the patients had an active infection and neither underwent medical procedures that the WHO claims are the primary drivers of aerosol transmission.

What's more, the room had been previously outfitted with safety measures such as six air changes per hour and ultraviolet lights.

Researchers used viable virus aerosol samplers, which enlarged aerosolized virus particles to capture them, and then tested them.

Tests showed that viable virus capable of infection was found in samples collected between seven and 16 feet (two to 4.8 meters) away from patients.

The genome sequence of the virus found in air samples was identical to that from a swab of the patient with the active infection.

The genome sequencing of the virus in the air samples was the same as that of the swab of the patient with the active infection. Pictured: A member of the medical staff treats a patient who is wearing helmet-based ventilator in the COVID-19 ICU at the United Memorial Medical Center in Houston, Texas, July 28

ACCORDING TO THIS THE ONLY STATE NOT TO HAVE ANY

COVID-19 CASES IS ALASKA (AK) LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER


Computer models how far coronavirus could spread during cough

Several experts say this is clear evidence of the danger of aerosol spread, including Dr Linsey Marr, an engineering professor at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

'If this isn't a smoking gun, then I don't know what is,' she tweeted last week.

The team says the public health implications of the findings are broad because the current best practices for limiting coronavirus spread are social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands.

However, measures such as standing six feet apart are not helpful in an indoor setting when it comes to aerosol transmission.

'With the current surges of cases, to help stem the COVID-19 pandemic, clear guidance on control measures against SARS-CoV-2 aerosols are needed, as recently voiced by other scientists,' the authors wrote.

In the US, there are currently more than 5.1 million confirmed cases of the virus and more than 164,000 deaths.

THE #TRUMPVIRUS


Read more:
Viable SARS-CoV-2 in the air of a hospital room with COVID-19 patients | medRxiv
twitter.com/lins...

WHO Director-General gives grim update as world nears 750k deaths

CLIMATE CHANGE KILLS CLIMATE SCIENTIST

US climate change expert died 'falling into Greenland crevasse'

Swiss-American climate change expert dies after 'falling into a crevasse when a snow bridge collapsed beneath him’ while working on a glacier in Greenland

Geologist Konrad Steffen, 68, was reported missing from his camp on Saturday

Police called of the search for Mr Steffen on Sunday, believing he had fallen

Mr Steffen was a 'leading scientists in his field' and his 'loss is very profound'

By JOE DAVIES FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 12 August 2020

A prominent Swiss-American climate change expert has died after falling into a crevasse 'when a snow bridge collapsed beneath him' in Greenland.

Geologist Konrad Steffen, director of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL), was reported missing on Saturday.

Mr Steffen, known as Koni, is believed to have fallen into a crevasse while examining a glacier near Ilulissat in southwest Greenland, his research institute said today.

Christoph Hegg, Deputy Director of WSL, said: 'His loss is very profound.

'He was very much involved in the IPCC chapters on ice and oceans. There he was one of the leading scientists in his field.'

Geologist Konrad Steffen, director of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) has died after reportedly falling through a crevasse in the ice in Greenland


The Swiss-American climate change expert was reported missing 100 metres from his camp in Ilulissat on the southwest of the country

After going missing on Saturday, police initiated a search operation and on Sunday found evidence that the 68-year-old researcher had suffered a fatal accident.

Police spokesman Brian Thomsen told local newspaper Sermitsiaq: 'We have found signs that the person fell through a crack in the glacier.

'An accident has probably occurred and it is highly probable that the person in question has passed away.'

The search near Ilulissat in southwest Greenland was then abandoned, without the body being found.


During his annual expeditions, Mr Steffen and his teams would examine the Arctic snowpack in particular


Mr Steffen was 'one of the leading scientists in his field' according to Christoph Hegg, Deputy Director of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL)

The accident occurred a mere 100 metres from the camp - dubbed the 'Swiss Camp' - where Steffen was staying, according to a Twitter post by fellow scientist Kathy Riklin, who said it seemed a snow bridge had collapsed under him.

In Greenland, Steffen, assisted by NASA and the US National Science Foundation, had been building a network of automatic weather stations since 1990.

At the time of the accident he was doing maintenance on these stations, according to Hegg.

During his annual expeditions, he and his teams would examine the Arctic snowpack in particular.


The search for Mr Steffen near Ilulissat in southwest Greenland (pictured) was abandoned on Sunday without the body being found

The Domain of the Swiss Federal Institutes of Technology (ETH) board president Michael Hengartner paid tribute to the scientist.

He said: 'With Koni Steffen's death, we have lost a uniquely kind and committed colleague. Everyone in the ETH Domain is greatly saddened by this loss.

'Our thoughts are with his family and friends, to whom we send our heartfelt condolences.'

Born in 1952, Konrad Steffen was a dual Swiss and American citizen. He had headed the WSL since 2012. Having studied natural sciences, he gained a doctorate from ETH Zurich in 1984. 

In 1990 he was appointed as Professor of Climatology at the University of Colorado in Boulder, USA, where he subsequently headed the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES).

Current CIRES Director Waleed Abdalati, who earned his Ph.D. under Konrad Steffen's mentorship, said Steffen's death is a huge loss for the polar science community, as it is for his family.

Abdalati said: 'I take some small comfort knowing he was where he wanted to be, doing what he wanted to be doing.'

Horses for courses: Early Britons ate every part of the horse – including its marrow, internal organs and stomach contents, 480,000-year-old bones reveal

Archaeologists excavated an ancient site in modern-day Sussex, near Boxgrove

Found remains of a mare which was ravaged for food around 480,000 years ago 

Believed the animal fed up to 40 individuals of species Homo heidelbergensis

Every part of the animal was devoured, including fat, organs, marrow and stomach contents

By XANTHA LEATHAM FOR THE DAILY MAIL and JOE PINKSTONE FOR MAILONLINE
11 August 2020

Ancient human ancestors living in Britain 480,000 years ago butchered and devoured an entire horse, scientists have discovered.

An archeological dig at a site in Boxgrove, Sussex, which is home to Britain's oldest human remains, revealed the mare's remains which had been picked clean.

Nothing of the wild equine went to waste, with the prehistoric humans eating fat, internal organs and even the horse's stomach contents.

The bones of the animal's skeleton were smashed open with stones to allow people to suck out the grease and marrow.

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Pictured, the excavation of the Horse Butchery Site, Boxgrove, under excavation in 1990. (Copyright UCL Institute of Archaeology)

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Pictured, a group of over 100 refitted flint shards left over from making a single tool which has been dubbed ‘The Football’ by archaeologists. The tool itself was not recovered, it was removed from the site by the Boxgrove people. The shape of the tool was determined by casting the void left within the reconstructed waste material

It is thought up to 40 individuals of the species Homo heidelbergensis would have been fed by the horse's carcass.

This primitive hominin first evolved in Africa and arrived in Europe about half a million years ago.

Modern humans, known as Homo sapiens, didn't live in Britain until around 40,000 years ago, it is believed.

Dr Matthew Pope, who led the project, said: 'This was an exceptionally rare opportunity to examine a site pretty much as it had been left behind by an extinct population, after they had gathered to totally process the carcass of a dead horse on the edge of a coastal marshland.

'We can see the bones of this large, female horse have been completely smashed up. We know the humans also got at other parts of the body like the brain and tongue.'

He adds that the primitive humans likely went through the stomach and ate the contents because it could have been a source of vegetables.

'Back then it was really difficult to get access to good plant resources, and salad leaves and edible vegetables weren't available all year round,' he adds.

'We know from accounts of people who live in environments which are intensely seasonal that you can get nutrients out of the partially digested stomach contents of animals.

'Where are early humans getting their greens from? We can't say for certain, but that's one way they could get it.

'We can't eat grass, but if it's been partially digested by a horse then maybe we can.'

Pictured, an artistic rendering of the Horse Butchery Site and the Boxgrove people. It shows how the site was situated in front of towering chalk cliffs on the edge of an intertidal lagoon. The cliffs to the north provided all the flint used in tool making at the site. It is thought up to 40 individuals would have been fed by the horse's remains. These are thought to belong to the early human species Homo heidelbergensis


Pictured, 3D scans of the stone flakes used as tools by the primitive human species almost 500,000 years ago

Pictured, a tool made from bone and one of the oldest organic tools in the world. The bone shows scraping marks used to prepare it as well as pitting left behind from its use in making flint tools, researchers say

The horse provided more than just food - detailed analysis of the bones found that several had been made into tools called retouchers.

Simon Parfitt, also from the UCL archaeology team, said: 'These are some of the earliest non-stone tools found in the archaeological record of human evolution.

'They would have been essential for manufacturing the finely made flint knives found in the wider Boxgrove landscape.'

Horsemeat used to be a very common sight on the British high street and only fell out of favour in the 1930s when the public began to identify the animals more as pets and companions.

However it is still popular in countries such as France, Mexico and Japan.

Dr Silvia Bello, from the Natural History Museum, says the discovery of the ravaged horse tells us more about some of Britain's earliest inhabitants,

She says: 'The finding provides evidence that early human cultures understood the properties of different organic materials and how tools could be made to improve the manufacture of other tools.

'Along with the careful butchery of the horse and the complex social interaction hinted at by the stone refitting patterns, it provides further evidence that early human population at Boxgrove were cognitively, social and culturally sophisticated.'

The project was funded by Historic England, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and details are published in a book, titled 'The Horse Butchery Site: a high resolution record of Lower Palaeolithic hominin behaviour at Boxgrove, UK'.

Pictured, a large collection of knapping tools as seen during initial excavation in 1989. The horse provided more than just food - detailed analysis of the bones found that several had been made into tools called retouchers

The Horse Butchery Site is one of many excavated in quarries near Boxgrove, Sussex, an internationally significant area – in the guardianship of English Heritage – that is home to Britain’s oldest human remains. The site was one of many excavated at Boxgrove in the 1980s and 90s by the UCL Institute of Archaeology

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HOMO HEIDELBERGENSIS?

Homo heidelbergensis lived in Europe, between 650,000 and 300,000 years ago, just before Neanderthal man.

Homo heidelbergensis, shares features with both modern humans and our homo erectus ancestors.

The early human species had a very large browridge, and a larger braincase and flatter face than older early human species.

Homo heidelbergensis lived in Europe, between 650,000 and 300,000 years ago, just before Neanderthal man

It was the first early human species to live in colder climates, and had a ­­­short, wide body adapted to conserve heat.

It lived at the time of the oldest definite control of fire and use of wooden spears, and it was the first early human species to routinely hunt large animals.

This early human also broke new ground; it was the first species to build shelters, creating simple dwellings out of wood and rock.

Males were on average 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) and weighed 136lb (62kg) while females averaged 5 ft 2 in (157 cm) and weighed in at 112 lbs (51 kg).

Source: Smithsonian

Dinosaur bones found on the Isle of Wight belong to a close relative of Tyrannosaurus rex that walked the Earth 115 million years ago

Four bones from the same species of dinosaur were found in the Isle of Wight

Bones were found in Shanklin and are of the neck, back and tail of the creature

The dinosaur was named Vectaerovenator inopinatus and is a type of Theropod

By RYAN MORRISON FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED:  12 August 2020

A number of bones found on the Isle of Wight belong to a new species of theropod dinosaur that was a cousin of the Tyrannosaurus rex, according to researchers.

Palaeontologists from the University of Southampton have been studying four bones from the new dinosaur that was up to 13ft long and related to modern birds.

The team say the long-extinct creature would have lived in the Cretaceous period about 115 million years ago and has been named Vectaerovenator inopinatus.


The name refers to the large air spaces in some of the bones, one of the traits that helped the scientists identify its theropod origins - also seen in modern birds.


Artist’s impression of the dinosaur's final moments. Given that it was found in an area that would have been covered by a shallow sea, it's believed the dinosaur was swept into the water


Silhouette of a theropod indicating where the bones are from. Palaeontologists from the University of Southampton have been studying four bones from the new dinosaur that was up to 13ft long and related to modern birds

Southampton researchers say the air sacs likely helped fuel an efficient breathing system while also making the skeleton lighter and letting it grow larger.

The bones, discovered on the foreshore at Shanklin last year, are from the neck, back and tail of the extinct creature and were found over a period of weeks.

They were spotted in three discoveries - two by individuals and one by a family group, who all handed in their finds to the nearby Dinosaur Isle Museum at Sandown.

Scientific study has confirmed the fossils are very likely to be from the same individual dinosaur, according to researchers.

Robin Ward, a regular fossil hunter from Stratford-upon-Avon, was with his family visiting the Isle of Wight when they made their discovery.

'The joy of finding the bones we discovered was absolutely fantastic. I thought they were special and so took them when we visited Dinosaur Isle Museum,' he said.

'They immediately knew these were something rare and asked if we could donate them to the museum to be fully researched.'

James Lockyer, from Spalding, Lincolnshire was also visiting the island when he found another of the bones likely belonging to the same ancient beast.

'It looked different from marine reptile vertebrae I have come across in the past,' he said, adding that he was told he was unlikely to find very much in Shanklin.

'However, I always make sure I search the areas others do not, and on this occasion it paid off,' Lockyer explained.

After studying the four vertebrae, palaeontologists from the University of Southampton confirmed that the bones are likely to belong to a genus of dinosaur previously unknown to science.


Still images of the vertebrae. The team say the long-extinct creature would have lived in the Cretaceous period about 115 million years ago and has been named Vectaerovenator inopinatus

Still images of the vertebrae. Southampton researchers say the air sacs likely helped fuel an efficient breathing system while also making the skeleton lighter and letting it grow larger


Still images of the vertebrae. After studying the four vertebrae, palaeontologists from the University of Southampton confirmed that the bones are likely to belong to a genus of dinosaur previously unknown to science

Chris Barker, a PhD student at the university who led the study, said they were struck by just how hollow this animal was, adding that it was riddled with air spaces

'Parts of its skeleton must have been rather delicate,' he explained.

'The record of theropod dinosaurs from the 'mid' Cretaceous period in Europe isn't that great, so it's been really exciting to be able to increase our understanding of the diversity of dinosaur species from this time.'

It is unusual to find dinosaurs in the deposits at Shanklin as they were laid down in a marine habitat - so you usually find fossil oysters or driftwood.

Scientists say that it is likely the Vectaerovenator lived in an area just north of where its remains were found, with the carcass having washed out into the shallow sea.
Animation shows how a dinosaur track is made relating to feet moving

Notable fossilised finds found on the Isle of Wight in recent years

210-pound ammonite


Pictured, an ammonite which has been described as a 'behemoth' and as 'truly titanic'

An enormous fossil weighing almost 210 pounds and measuring around two feet in diameter was found on the Isle of Wight in 2020.

The ammonite was spotted and pried loose of surrounding rock by university students Jack Wonfor, 19, and Theo Vickers, 21.

Ammonites are extinct sea creatures and part of the mollusc family, like sea snails, with Mr Wonfor and Mr Vickers calling their specimen an 'amazing example'.

The 210-pound (96kg) fossil is thought to be around 115 million years old, living during the Cretaceous period.

Iguanodon tail


The fossilised remains of the the dinosaur — believed to be an iguanodon — were found embedded at the base a cliff-face near Brighstone

A fossilised tail from a dinosaur that roamed the world 125million years ago was discovered at the bottom of a crumbling cliff on the Isle of Wight in 2019.

The remains of the the dinosaur — believed to be an iguanodon — were found embedded at the base a cliff-face near Brighstone.

But excavations and attempts to salvage the tail for detailed analysis are currently being thwarted, due to safety risks posed by the crumbling cliff.

It is thought around six vertebrae have been uncovered, and local media reported that the dinosaur died and was exposed to the elements for several months before being buried by a large flash flood.

Footprint uncovered of a 130 million-year-old therapod


A dinosaur footprint, pictured, uncovered on a beach on the Isle of Wight by Storm Ciara belongs to a 130-million-year-old therapod, fossil hunters claim

A dinosaur footprint uncovered on a beach on the Isle of Wight by Storm Ciara belongs to a 130-million-year-old therapod, fossil hunters claim.

The print is thought to have been left by a Neovenator — a carnivore that could reach 25 feet (7.6 m) in length and weigh up to 4,400 pounds (2,000 kg).

The footprint was discovered by the Wight Coast Fossils group at Sandown Bay, on the island's southeastern coast, on February 12, 2020.

Chinese pterodactyl

The fossil of a pterosaur that is commonly found in China and Brazil was found on the Isle of Wight.

The petrified remains of the flying reptile's jawbone was spotted by a dog walker in Sandown Bay, on the island's south-east coast.

The jaw of the specimen — which has been dubbed 'Wightia declivirostris' — lacked teeth and is related to a group of pterosaurs known as the 'tapejarids'.

125million-year-old superpterosaur with 20ft wingspan

With a 20-foot wingspan and weighing a colossal 650lbs, the giant pterosaur cast an imposing figure swooping through the skies of the Jurassic Age.

And 125million years later, the beast's massive size continues to marvel scientists who have discovered the remains of one of the beasts wedged deep into the cliffs of the Isle of Wight.

The Hatzegopteryx fossil has shed new light on this magnificent species which some believe was the biggest flying creature of the period.

Tiny crocodile that roamed Earth 126 million years ago


Pictured, the remains of a 126million-year-old crocodile

A news species of crocodile that lived 126million years ago was discovered after a pair of skull fragments were found three months apart back in 2014.

Two fragments of crocodile fossils were found by two different collectors and led to the discovery of the ancient button-toothed crocodile.

It might have only measured two feet long, but the diminutive crocodile walked with Dinosaurs and had sharp teeth.

Based upon the two fragments, which were pieced together on the Isle of Wight and together measure around 11cm long, the animal is thought to have been around 2ft long from nose to tail.

A piece from the back half of the crocodile’s skull was found on a beach near Sandown on the island by collector Diane Trevarthen.

Crow-sized flying dinosaur that lived 115 million years ago


Pictured, the fossil found by Daisy Morris which belongs to a previously unknown type of pterosaur

A young girl, then just five years old, called Daisy Morris, spotted a fossil on the Isle of Wight in 2008.

Palaeontologists later studied the remains and found it was a previously unknown type of pterosaur.

It was named Vectidraco Daisymorrisae after Daisy was roughly the size of a crow and was a previously unknown type of pterosaur.

The flying reptile is from 115 million years ago in the Lower Cretaceous period.

With a pelvis length of 40 mm, the new animal would have had a total length of 350 mm, and a wingspan of 750 mm, the researchers say.

The pterosaur has now been donated to the Natural History Museum.

Air pollution is cutting life expectancy by two years, despite global efforts to improve air quality during the coronavirus pandemic, study reveals

Air pollution lowered global life expectancy by nearly two years, according to a new report 

While some countries have improved, pollution has actually worsened in others 

The World Health Organization estimates 4.2 million die yearly due to air pollution

COVID-19 lockdowns have had minimal impact on the most harmful pollutants

By DAN AVERY FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 12 August 2020

Air pollution continues to cut global life expectancy, despite efforts worldwide to improve air quality.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 4.2 million people die every year due to outdoor air pollution, making it a bigger threat to human health than cigarette smoking, AIDS and tuberculosis.

Particulate matter is a mixture of solid and liquid particles in the air created by traffic, construction sites, burning fossil fuels, and other sources.


For at least two decades, the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) has found that particulate matter pollution has reduced life expectancy worldwide by almost two years, compared to what it would be if air quality met WHO's standards.



The Bangkok skyline on January 30, 2019. A new report indicates that despite efforts worldwide to improve air quality, pollution is responsible for shortening the global life expectancy by nearly two years

The problem is that progress made by concerned governments has been counterbalanced by worsening air pollution in other nations, according to economist Michael Greenstone, creator of the AQLI and director of the University of Chicago's Energy Policy Institute.

Since 2013, China has reduced particulate pollution by nearly 40 percent.

If it's efforts continue, Greenstone said, citizens could expect to live about two years longer.

But in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan - which, combined, are home to a quarter of the world's population - pollution levels have risen 44 percent in the past 20 years.


Efforts made by some countries are being offset by worsening conditions in other places. While air pollution has declined in China 40 percent since 2013, it's increased 44 percent in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan over the past two decades (Pictured: Factories near Tokyo)

Greenstone predicts residents of those countries could see their life expectancy decline by an average of five years.

Acknowledging the grave threat posed by COVID-19, he added that 'embracing the seriousness of air pollution with a similar vigor would allow billions of people around the world to lead longer and healthier lives.'

Instead global efforts to improve air quality are falling far short of the mark: More than half the world is being exposed to increasing amounts of air pollution, according to a recent report from the University of Exeter.

Researchers measured air quality trends worldwide between 2010 and 2016 and combined it with satellite imagery to provide annual air quality profiles for individual countries and regions.

In all, 55.3 percent of the world's population was exposed to increasing levels of air pollution over the six-year window.

Some regions are now five times above safety levels for particulate matter.

Coronavirus lockdowns have led to some improvements in air quality, but the impact on particulate matter and ozone, the two pollutants most harmful to humans, has been minimal.

And people living in areas with poor air quality may be at higher risk of contracting the coronavirus.

According to a report in Science of The Total Environment, particulate matter can 'carry' COVID-19 through the air.

It may also make lung cells more susceptible to the virus, increasing the chances of more severe symptoms.

Viruses absorbed by particulate matter can remain 'airborne for hours or days,' according to the study's authors.

In Italy, the areas hardest hit by COVID-19 also have significant air pollution. Lombardi and Emilia Romagna in northern Italy have heavy vehicle traffic, a lot of factories, and are surrounded by mountains that block adequate air flow.

Both regions also have higher mortality rates from COVID-19 than other parts of Italy, though scientists haven't ruled out other factors at play.

WHAT CAN POLLUTION DO TO CHILDREN'S HEALTH?

CAUSE CHILDREN TO HAVE A LOW IQ: Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, found in May 2019 that children born to mothers who live in polluted areas have an IQ that is up to seven points lower than those living in places with cleaner air.

CAUSE CHILDREN TO HAVE POORER MEMORY: Researchers at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health found boys exposed to greater levels of PM2.5 in the womb performed worse on memory tests by the time they are 10.

DELAY THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN: Youngsters who live less than one-third of a mile away from busy roads are twice as likely to score lower on tests of communication skills in infancy, found researchers at Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health in April. They were also more likely to have poorer hand-eye coordination.

MAKE CHILDREN MORE ANXIOUS: University of Cincinnati scientists claimed pollution may alter the structure of children's brains to make them more anxious. Their study of 14 youngsters found rates of anxiety was higher among those exposed to greater levels of pollution.

CUT YOUR CHILD'S LIFE SHORT: Children born today will lose nearly two years of their lives because of air pollution, according to a report by the US-based Health Effects Institute and the University of British Columbia in April 2019. UNICEF called for action on the back of the study.

RAISE A CHILD'S RISK OF AUTISM: Researchers at Monash University in Australia discovered youngsters living in highly polluted parts of Shanghai have a 86 per cent greater chance of developing ASD. Lead author Dr Yuming Guo said: 'The developing brains of young children are more vulnerable to toxic exposures in the environment.'

CAUSE ASTHMA IN CHILDREN: Four million children around the world develop asthma each year because of road traffic pollution, a major study by academics at George Washington University estimated. Experts are divided as to what causes asthma - but exposure to pollution in childhood increases the risk by damaging the lungs.

MAKE CHILDREN FAT: University of Southern California experts found last November that 10 year olds who lived in polluted areas when they were babies are, on average, 2.2lbs (1kg), heavier than those who grew up around cleaner air. Nitrogen dioxide pollution could disrupt how well children burn fat, the scientists said.

Before-and-after shows how lockdown has cleaned the Bangkok skyline

CAPITAL STRIKE THREATENED
Uber and Lyft say they will have to SHUT DOWN for several months in California if a court upholds ruling requiring them to classify their drivers as full-time employees

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi warned on Wednesday that his company may have to shut down service if a California court's ruling is upheld 

Lyft President John Zimmer issued the same warning soon after 

A San Francisco Superior Court judge on Monday ordered Uber and Lyft to reclassify their drivers as employees instead of independent contractors 

Both companies are now in the process of filing appeals to overturn the ruling

'If the court doesn't reconsider, then in California, it's hard to believe we'll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly,' Khosrowshahi said

He said switching will result in 'much smaller service [and] much higher prices'

By MEGAN SHEETS FOR DAILYMAIL.COM and WIRES

PUBLISHED: 16:49 EDT, 12 August 2020 | UPDATED: 17:09 EDT, 12 August 2020

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says the ride-sharing company could be forced to shut down service in California for several months if a state court does not overturn a ruling requiring it to classify its drivers as full-time employees.

'If the court doesn't reconsider, then in California, it's hard to believe we'll be able to switch our model to full-time employment quickly,' Khosrowshahi told MSNBC on Wednesday.

'We will have to shut down until November.'

Uber's rival Lyft issued the same warning about a probable shutdown soon after.

'We may appeal this ruling and request a further stay. If efforts here are not successful, we would be forced to suspend our operations in California,' Lyft co-founder and president John Zimmer said.

Both companies are now in the process of filing appeals to overturn a Monday ruling from San Francisco Superior Court Judge Ethan Schulman, who determined there is an 'overwhelmingly likelihood' that the firms violated a state law by classifying their drivers as contractors instead of as employees.

Schulman gave Uber and Lyft 10 days to reclassify the drivers, which would require the companies to provide benefits and unemployment insurance to all of them.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is pictured in an MSNBC interview on Wednesday, where he warned that the ride-sharing company could be forced to shut down service in California for several months if a state court does not overturn a ruling requiring it to classify its drivers as full-time employees


Khosrowshahi warned that restructuring its operations in California would result in 'much smaller service [and] much higher prices', hurting both drivers and customers.

'That's a reality, so it's not a game of chicken one way or another,' he said. 'It's really up to the courts and we're going to comply with the law, and we will look to get going again.'

He said that service would have to pause for a few months, and when it resumed it would be much more limited and concentrated in cities rather than suburbs.

Khosrowshahi penned an op-ed in the New York Times over the weekend calling for states to require all gig economy companies to establish benefit funds for their workers instead of forcing them to classify workers as employees.

Schulman's ruling came down the following day, marking a crushing defeat for Uber and Lyft as they fight a May 5 lawsuit from state Attorney General Xavier Becerra and the cities of Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco - where they are both based.

The suit accused Uber and Lyft of violating Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), which requires companies to classify workers as employees if they controlled how workers did their jobs, or the work was part of their normal business.

Uber and Lyft say their drivers prefer the flexibility of working as freelancers, while labor unions and elected officials argue that the designation deprives drivers of benefits like health insurance, sick leave and overtime.

A judge on Monday ordered Uber and Lyft to classify their drivers as employees instead of contractors after California sued the ride-sharing giants for violating state law (file photo)

In a 34-page decision faulting the money-losing companies' 'prolonged and brazen refusal' to comply with state law, Schulman said the plaintiffs showed an 'overwhelming likelihood' they could prove Uber and Lyft classified drivers illegally.

Labor advocates praised the ruling as a milestone in their fight to apply traditional worker protections to a fast-growing segment of the labor force.

'This is a resounding victory for thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers who are working hard - and, in this pandemic, incurring risk every day - to provide for their families,' Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said in a statement.

But the companies - whose largest market is in California - criticized the decision, saying it threatens to shut them down during a pandemic-induced economic downturn where many people who have lost their jobs turn to the ride-hailing companies to make money.

'Our elected leaders should be focused on creating work, not trying to shut down an entire industry during an economic depression,' Uber spokesperson Davis White said.

Both Uber and Lyft have pledged to spend more than a hundred million dollars to support a November ballot measure, Proposition 22, that would exempt them from AB5.

'Drivers do not want to be employees,' Lyft said in a statement. 'Ultimately, we believe this issue will be decided by California voters and that they will side with drivers.'
Judge blocks Uber and Lyft from classifying drivers as contractors



Both Uber and Lyft have pledged to spend more than a hundred million dollars to support a November ballot measure, Proposition 22, that would exempt them from AB5. Pictured: Drivers protest the proposition on August 6 in Los Angeles

Several hundred thousand 'gig' workers, including many at ride-hailing companies and app-based food delivery services, are affected by AB5, which took effect on January 1 and had broad support from organized labor.

Lawyers for Uber and Lyft said they are not violating the law because drivers are not fundamental to the business, arguing the companies are 'multi-sided platforms' whose activities encompass much more than transportation.

But Schulman rejected that argument, writing that it 'flies in the face of economic reality and common sense'.

'To state the obvious, drivers are central, not tangential, to Uber and Lyft's entire ride-hailing business,' Schulman wrote.

He also said the public could face substantial harm if drivers were denied employee benefits such as minimum wage, paid sick and family leave, unemployment insurance and workers' compensation insurance.

'These harms are not mere abstractions; they represent real harms to real working people,' Schulman wrote.

The judge said Uber and Lyft had themselves to blame if their resisting state laws contributed to any 'far-reaching' effects an injunction might have.

'Defendants may not evade legislative mandates merely because their businesses are so large that they affect the lives of many thousands of people,' he wrote.

State officials have argued Uber and Lyft's behavior hurts more than just drivers, noting the companies don't pay into the state's unemployment insurance fund that covers benefits for people when they lose their jobs.

The state's fund was quickly depleted following huge job losses because of the pandemic, resulting in the state borrowing billions of dollars from the federal government.

'Our state and workers shouldn't have to foot the bill when big businesses try to skip out on their responsibilities,' Becerra, California's Democratic attorney general, said.

'We're going to keep working to make sure Uber and Lyft play by the rules.'

But ride-hailing companies have been hurt by the pandemic, too. Uber announced last week it lost $1.78billion in the past three months as millions of people stayed home during the pandemic.

Shares in both companies tumbled in early trading on Tuesday following the ruling.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra (right) and Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer (left) are leading the state's lawsuit against Uber and Lyft. After their injunction was granted on Monday, Feuer said: 'This is a resounding victory for thousands of Uber and Lyft drivers who are working hard - and, in this pandemic, incurring risk every day - to provide for their families'

Hours before the ruling was handed down, Uber outlined proposals for a new type of relationship with gig workers, including its own drivers, that would allow them to keep their independence as freelancers while also receiving benefits.

The ride-hailing giant described 'a new model for independent platform work' in an 18-page document it hopes can be used as blueprint for Uber and similar firms relying on independent workers.

The company seeks 'to deliver certainty for millions of independent contractors who will increasingly rely on independent work to help them face the economic challenges that lie ahead,' Uber said in its document.

'The current health and economic crisis has brought into sharp focus the need for everyone, regardless of their employment status, to be able to find good quality, rewarding work; be able to work in the way they choose; and have access to adequate social protections and benefits.'

Uber proposed that gig economy companies be required to establish 'benefits funds', allowing gig workers to accrue and use the money for benefits or paid leave.

In his Times op-ed, Uber CEO Khosrowshahi said that the current employment system 'is outdated and unfair' and 'forces every worker to choose between being an employee with more benefits but less flexibility, or an independent contractor with more flexibility but almost no safety net'.

'Uber is ready, right now, to pay more to give drivers new benefits and protections,' Khosrowshahi wrote.

'But America needs to change the status quo to protect all workers, not just one type of work.'

Khosrowshahi (pictured) penned an op-ed in the New York Times on Monday calling for all gig economy companies to establish benefit funds for their workers

Khosrowshahi echoed the arguments Uber made in response to the California lawsuit, saying that the requirement to classify drivers as employees would leave fewer jobs and dramatically increase costs.

'Uber would not be as widely available to riders, and drivers would lose the flexibility they have today if they became employees,' Khosrowshahi wrote.

'The vast majority of drivers have said they don't want to be employees because of how much they value flexibility.'

He called the argument over flexibility and benefits a 'false choice', adding: 'As a start, all gig economy companies need to pay for benefits, should be more honest about the reality of the work and must strengthen the rights and voice of workers.'

Khosrowshahi said that if all 50 states required gig economy companies to establish benefits funds, Uber would have paid $655million into theirs last year.

'During this moment of crisis, I fundamentally believe platforms like Uber can fuel an economic recovery by quickly giving people flexible work to get back on their feet,' he wrote.

'But this opportunity will be lost if we ignore the obvious lessons of the pandemic and fail to ensure independent workers have a stronger safety net.

'This is the time for Uber to come together with government to raise the standard of work for all.'

Majority of Scots support independence from UK - YouGov pol

LONDON (Reuters) - A majority of Scots support independence from the United Kingdom, a YouGov poll found on Wednesday, with support for nationalists bolstered by a much more positive view of how they have responded to COVID-19 compared with London.

FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators carry Scottish flags at a march in support of Scottish independence, in Glasgow, Scotland, Britain June 3, 2017. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne

The poll for the Times newspaper found that 53% of people would vote for Scottish independence in a referendum, up 2 percentage points from January and the highest level of support for independence recorded by YouGov.

It is the latest poll to suggest rising support for Scottish independence and could strengthen calls for another vote on the matter, after Scots rejected it in a 2014 referendum by 55%-45%.

The Scottish National Party, who run the devolved administration in the nation, insist they have the right to call another vote. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the 2014 referendum was decisive and should be respected.

The poll also suggested the SNP were on course for an unprecedented majority in the Scottish Parliament in elections next year, setting up a possible constitutional clash with Westminster.

Much of the increase in support appeared to be linked to diverging views of the leadership in Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. Some 72% of respondents agreed Scottish First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon was doing very or fairly well, while only 20% said that for Johnson.

The YouGov Poll found 52% of voters believed Scotland was going in the right direction, up 20 percentage points from when the question was last asked a year ago.

Sturgeon’s Scottish Government has responsibility for health policy, and she has been more cautious than Johnson in easing lockdown.

Scotland, which holds about 10% of the UK’s population, has had no deaths from COVID-19 since mid-July. The UK, which uses a broader methodology to count deaths that is being reviewed, as a whole has recorded 1,362 deaths in that time.

YouGov polled 1,142 adults between August 6-10.


Reporting by Alistair Smout; editing by Kate Holton

What are you gonna do? Give me detention? Illinois schools ban pyjamas in online classes

While remote-working adults adhere to 'business in the front, party in the back'

Tue 11 Aug 2020 //  

Richard Currie

As the mercury hits tropical levels in the UK, Vulture Central continues to deliver enterprise tech news in various states of undress.
But spare a thought for kids in the Illinois state capital of Springfield who have been told they cannot wear pyjamas or sit in bed while enrolled in online classes.
The school district's student and family handbook [PDF] has been updated for 2020-21 with various policies addressing the coronavirus issue, and under the "school culture" section are some guidelines for remote learning.
It's specified that students will be "sitting up out of bed preferably at a desk or table" – so there go the dreams of thousands of teens who had hoped to spend the entire day there – and that they "will be dressed according to the dress code."
This, unfortunately, rules out any comfortable clothing like "pajama pants" and "slippers", along with all the usual prohibited items.
Jason Wind, director of school support, was quoted by Fox 5 Atlanta as telling school board members: "The expectation is that the dress code is upheld. We don't need students in pajamas and all those other things while on their Zoom conferences."
The question is how it'll be enforced. The grown-up world of work seems to go by the maxim "business in the front, party in the back", which is to say as long as you don't look too awful on camera, whatever's off camera is fair game.
Or maybe that was mullets.

Parents slapped with dress code after turning school grounds into a fashion crime scene https://www.theregister.com/2019/04/25/texas_high_school_dress_code_for_parents/

READ MORE

Still, as you'll no doubt remember, kids are little shits. Many teachers can be totally ineffectual when physically standing in front of a class of them, and it only takes one remote-learning smartass flouting the dress code to say something like: "What are you going to do? Give me detention? I've been in quarantine for four months!"
Not all parents are on board either. One was quoted as saying: "I made the decision for my kids to be at home and I don't really see how any district can come in and say what my kid can't wear in my house. I don't think they have any right to say what happens in my house. I think they have enough to worry about as opposed to what the kids are wearing. They need to make sure they're getting educated."
Indeed. Even at uni no one cares this much about how the students are dressed. At the turn of the century, Ugg boots – that horrendous crime against fashion – lounge pants, and hoodies were all the rage among academics, who looked like their scheduled lecture had rudely interrupted their morning nap.
On the other hand, at least the US kids don't have to wear uniforms. British pupils look like they will be returning to school in September wearing scratchy shirts, suffocating ties, and irritating Teflon come what may.
I'll spare you what I'm wearing. This is a family tech news site. And it's nearly lunchtime. ®

Firefox maker Mozilla axes a quarter of its workforce, blames coronavirus, vows to 'develop new revenue streams'

250 'true Mozillians' laid off, Taiwan office completely shuttered

Tue 11 Aug 2020  

Katyanna Quach 

Firefox maker Mozilla has axed 250 employees, or a quarter of its workforce, claiming the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is to blame after hitting it in the wallet. The organization will also "ship new products faster and develop new revenue streams."
“Economic conditions resulting from the global pandemic have significantly impacted our revenue,” Mozilla Corp CEO Mitchell Baker said in a public statement today. “As a result, our pre-COVID plan was no longer workable.”
Mozilla gets the vast, vast majority of its funding from Google, Yandex, and Baidu, who pay to be the default search engine in Firefox in their regions. In 2018, Moz had a $451m cash pile, 95 per cent of which, some $430m, was provided by these web giants. Those deals will expire [PDF, p25] in November 2020 unless renewed or renegotiated.
Seeking alternative funding sources, the open-source browser developer planned to roll out paid-for services to bring in more dosh. According to Baker, "our pre-COVID plan for 2020 included a great deal of change already: building a better internet by creating new kinds of value in Firefox; investing in innovation and creating new products; and adjusting our finances to ensure stability over the long term." These efforts have not done, or are unlikely to do, the trick, apparently.

Mozilla doubles down on anti-tracking tech: It'll be tougher for wily ad-biz cookie monsters to track Firefox   SEE BELOW

In her memo [PDF] to staff, Baker said Mozilla has shut down its operations in Taiwan, some 60 or so employees will be expected to change teams, and 25 per cent of the workforce will be cut.
"The people who are included in the reduction are both true Mozillians, and professionals with high degrees of skill and expertise and commitment," she said. "This action is not in any way – not, not, not – a reflection on personal or professional qualities. Indeed, to the contrary, the contributions of this set of people are valuable and important and are a part of Mozilla that we cherish."
Mozilla has offered to continue paying former staff their full salary until the end of the year as severance. Some people will also receive bonus payments based on their prior work performances.
“In order to refocus the Firefox organization on core browser growth through differentiated user experiences, we are reducing investment in some areas such as developer tools, internal tooling, and platform feature development, and transitioning adjacent security/privacy products to our New Products and Operations team,” the memo stated.
Those products include Moz's app Pocket that allows netizens to compile a list of saved articles to read later, its virtual social meeting rooms Hubs, and its $4.99-a-month VPN subscription service. Mozilla also said it’s creating new teams to focus on design and machine learning.
"We are organizing a new product organization outside of Firefox that will both ship new products faster and develop new revenue streams," Baker said in her memo.
Google Chrome continues to dominate the browser market – desktop and mobile – though there are suggestions that Firefox's extensive use of anti-tracking technology hurts its ranking among usage monitors. Net Marketshare pegged Chrome at 71 per cent and Firefox on seven per cent on the desktop, and Chrome on 63 per cent on mobile, and Firefox less than one per cent.
"Today we announced a significant restructuring of Mozilla Corporation. This will strengthen our ability to build and invest in products and services that will give people alternatives to conventional Big Tech," Baker insisted. ®

Mozilla doubles down on anti-tracking tech: It'll be tougher for wily ad-biz cookie monsters to track Firefox

Apple still leading in anti-cookie diet, Google – predictably – in the rearguard

Tue 4 Aug 2020 // 

Thomas Claburn in San Francisco 

A week after Firefox 79 debuted, Mozilla says that it plans to start rolling out version 2.0 of its Enhanced Tracking Protection (ETP) scheme to prevent redirect tracking on the web.
On the web there's a distinction between first-party cookies – files stored in your browser by a visited web application or site – and third-party cookies that report to other domains that have some affiliation with the visited site.
Last year, Firefox implemented ETP 1.0 to block online tracking schemes by default from using cookies set in a third-party context, while allowing first-party cookies. That's because blocking first-party cookies would break many websites.

"Redirect trackers work by forcing you to make an imperceptible and momentary stopover to their website as part of that journey," said Steven Englehardt, senior privacy engineer at Mozilla in a blog post on Tuesday. "So instead of navigating directly from the review website to the retailer, you end up navigating to the redirect tracker first rather than to the retailer."But ad tech companies have been slow to accept that internet users don't want to be tracked from website to website and have been relying on a technique called redirect tracking, also called bounce tracking, to bypass third-party cookie blocking.
A redirect tracker involves web page code that intercepts the click and takes the user to the tracking domain, so its cookie can be loaded in a first-party context before sending the internet user onward to the intended destination website.
The tracker's code can link the website the user is coming from and the website the user is going to, thereby developing a dataset about the user's movements across the web.

No more

ETP 2.0, which will be activated in Firefox browsers over the next few weeks, addresses redirect tracking by clearing cookies and site data set by known trackers every 24 hours.
This doesn't do much against unknown, covert trackers, but Mozilla chose not to clear all cookies because doing so would inconvenience people by logging them out of all websites. That would mean more authentication challenges and CAPTCHA puzzles would be presented because websites wouldn't recognize return visitors.
Mozilla is not the first to do this. Back in 2018, Apple's WebKit team shipped redirect tracking protection, which they refer to as bounce tracking, in Intelligent Tracking Protection 2.0.
Firefox's implementation differs in a few ways. ITP has its own rules-based domain classification scheme to identify trackers while Firefox relies on its tracking protection list. Also, Firefox won't clear data from a domain if there's been first-party interaction within 45 days, whereas WebKit has a 30-day interaction window, with a slightly different definition of what "interaction" means.
In March, Apple implemented full third-party cookie blocking in Safari and Google has said it aims to phase out third-party cookies in 2020, even as it works on a set of supposedly privacy-respecting alternatives. ®