Friday, May 1, 2026

#RescEU and #HumanitarianAid under the new #MFF

PressNewsAgency
-
0
#RescEU and #HumanitarianAid under the new #MFF

Why is the Commission proposing to strengthen the EU Civil Protection Mechanism and rescEU?

The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is a crisis management structure that allows member states and Participating States [1] to strengthen their cooperation in the field of civil protection, to improve prevention, preparedness and response to disasters. It is based on voluntary contributions of member states, with the European Commission playing a key coordinating and co-financing role.

The need for a more flexible, faster and reactive system to respond to large-scale emergencies is one of the lessons learnt from the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

The rapid spread of the virus exposed some limitations in the current crisis management framework. At times when member states are hit by the same emergency simultaneously and unable to offer each other assistance, the EU is currently unable to help quickly enough to fill these critical gaps as it does not have its own assets and has to rely on voluntary support from member states.

A reinforcement and upgrade of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism – as requested by the European Council in March 2020 – is therefore necessary to avoid situations where member states are left alone during crises.

What is the main objective of the proposal?

The Commission’s proposes to allow the EU and its member states to be better prepared for and able to react quickly and flexibly to crises, in particular those with a high-impact given the potential disruption to our economies and societies.

Under the Commission’s proposal, the EU will be able to;

  • Directly procure an adequate safety net of rescEU capacities;
  • use its budget more flexibly to be able to prepare more effectively and react faster in times of exceptional needs, and;
  • dispose of the logistical capacity to provide multi-purpose air services in case of emergencies and to ensure timely transport and delivery of assistance.

These strategic capacities will be supplementary to those of the EU member states. They should be strategically pre-positioned in such a way as to ensure the most effective geographic coverage in response to an emergency.

In this way, a sufficient number of strategic assets will be available in order to support member and participating states in situations of large-scale emergencies and offer an effective EU-response.

What kinds of action will be financed under the proposal?

The upgraded EU Civil Protection Mechanism will equip the European Union with assets and logistical infrastructure that can cater for different types of emergencies, including those with a medical emergency dimension. This would allow the EU to:

  • Acquire, rent, lease and stockpile identified rescEU capacities;
  • fully finance the development and the operational cost of all rescEU capacities as a strategic European reserve in case national capacities are overwhelmed;
  • enhance the funding for national capacities deployed under the European Civil Protection Pool to increase their availability for deployment, and;
  • ensure timely transport and delivery of requested assistance. This also includes internationally deployable experts, technical and scientific support for all types of disasters as well as specific medical equipment and personnel such as ‘flying medical experts’, nurses and epidemiologists.

Humanitarian aid

How will EU humanitarian aid be enhanced under the new MFF?

The Commission proposes €14.8 billion for humanitarian aid, of which €5bn comes from the European Union Recovery Instrument to reinforce the humanitarian aid instrument.

The increased budget reflects the growing humanitarian needs in the most vulnerable parts of the world. The Humanitarian Aid Instrument will provide needs-based delivery of EU assistance to save and preserve lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural hazards or man-made crises.

A significantly enhanced Solidarity and Emergency Aid Reserve will reinforce EU action in response to all aspects of the health crisis, as well as other emergencies. Funds can be channelled to provide emergency support as and when needed through EU instruments such as humanitarian aid in cases where funding under dedicated programmes proves insufficient.

Why is the Commission proposing to increase humanitarian aid budget?

Humanitarian crises in the world are increasing: In 2020, nearly 168 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection, a significant increase from 130 million people in 2018 (OCHA humanitarian needs overview 2020). The needs are stemming from the conflicts, global refugee crisis, worsening natural disasters due to climate change.

The coronavirus pandemic further increases already existing humanitarian needs. It has a major health, social and economic impact on societies around the globe, in particular on the poorest countries. It is estimated that up to 265 million people worldwide could be under severe threat of hunger by the end of 2020 due to the effects of the pandemic (OCHA humanitarian needs overview 2020). This requires strong reinforcements to the humanitarian aid budget to meet the growing needs.

The EU adapted its humanitarian response in light of the needs stemming from the coronavirus pandemic. However, the impact of the pandemic and the economic fall-out, are compounding existing needs, making it all the more important that the Union is equipped to demonstrate solidarity with the rest of the world.

More information

Factsheet on rescEU

Factsheet on Humanitarian Aid

 

Source by [author_name]

The C.D.C. Waited ‘Its Entire Existence for This Moment.’ What Went Wrong?

PressNewsAgency
-
0
The C.D.C. Waited ‘Its Entire Existence for This Moment.’ What Went Wrong?

To the president’s aides, one of the most frustrating moments came on May 1, when Dr. Schuchat published one of the agency’s regular reports on morbidity and mortality without giving the White House any notice, according to two of Mr. Trump’s advisers.

Written in dry, scientific language, the report offered a blunt assessment of the virus’s spread, showing how travel from Europe and mass gatherings had accelerated it. Dr. Schuchat went further when interviewed for an Associated Press article — “Health Official Says U.S. Missed Some Chances to Slow Virus” — saying that “taking action earlier could have delayed further amplification.”

As the president pushed governors to “liberate” their states from virus lockdowns, top C.D.C. officials in April delivered a draft of new guidance full of caveats about lifting the restrictions. In it, the agency urged schools, churches, child care centers, day camps, restaurants and bars to take numerous precautions and move slowly.

Trump aides were furious when they saw the draft. To them, it was more evidence that the C.D.C. refused to consider political, economic and social effects in weighing how and when to reopen the country. The agency’s recommendations for houses of worship, particularly annoyed some aides, who resisted the advice that churches stop giving communion.

When the White House sat on the draft guidance for weeks, a copy was leaked.

While the C.D.C. delayed posting the draft guidance that would allow churches to reopen, Mr. Trump all but ordered it to do so. During a visit to Michigan on May 21, the president — who the next day would explain, “In America, we need more prayer, not less” — made it clear the C.D.C. no longer had any choice.

“I said, ‘You better put it out,’” Mr. Trump told reporters. “And they’re doing it.”

Lawrence Gostin, the director of a legal center at the World Health Organization, and a former C.D.C. official, chided the White House for exerting undue pressure on the C.D.C. throughout the crisis.



Source link

Maria Shriver and AARP Take on Alzheimer’s in Women

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Maria Shriver and AARP Take on Alzheimer’s in Women

By Serena Gordon
HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, June 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — An Alzheimer’s diagnosis is devastating, no matter your sex. But the disease strikes far more women than men.

Journalist and author Maria Shriver is determined to help researchers figure out why women make up two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease. And why certain races and ethnicities are harder hit, too.

“Some of the biggest research challenges in terms of gender disparity reach back to the many years of neglect by researchers to include women in their studies,” said Shriver, 64.

“The lack of female representation in scientific research has left critical gaps in knowledge about the gender differences that exist in our unique bodies and responses to treatment. So we’re starting out from behind,” she explained.

To address some of these issues, Shriver founded the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM). In partnership with AARP, her group just released a new report called “It’s Time to Act: The Challenges of Alzheimer’s and Dementia for Women.” Seventy-five Alzheimer’s and dementia researchers contributed to the report, which includes a 10-year strategic plan for researchers, policymakers and caregivers.

During a virtual meeting to announce the report, Jo Anne Jenkins, CEO of AARP, said, “The lifetime risk for women to develop Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia after age 45 is estimated to be one in five. For men it’s one in 10.”

And the report noted that by the time a woman reaches her 60s, she has more than twice the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease than breast cancer.

What’s more, over 60% of caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementia are women, Jenkins noted.

“We’ve made progress, but we don’t yet have enough answers why women have an increased prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease,” Jenkins said.

The new report highlights five crucial steps that could help women achieve meaningful progress against Alzheimer’s disease in the next 10 years:

Eliminate the stigma of dementia

Stigma and misinformation can affect women’s access to early diagnosis and quality care. Shriver said one of the biggest misconceptions is that Alzheimer’s is just a natural feature of aging.

“Alzheimer’s disease is not a health problem that only affects the elderly; it’s a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain,” she said.

Empower women to stay brain healthy

There are important things women can do to keep their brain in better shape. Many of these things — like exercise and eating a healthy diet — help keep the brain and the heart humming.

“How we care for our brains on a regular basis — and from an early age on — will have enormous impact on whether or not we end up with the disease. Adapting our lifestyle behaviors is something within our control,” Shriver said.

When it comes to caring for her own brain, Shriver said, the most important steps she takes are sticking to a healthy diet, incorporating exercise into her routine, prioritizing sleep, reducing stress and discussing any medical concerns or risk factors with her doctor.

Ensure inclusive research

Dementia disproportionately affects women and racial/ethnic minorities. Research needs to include diverse populations. Older black people are twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s compared to whites, yet just 2% of participants in clinical trials of drugs for Alzheimer’s were black.

Support family caregivers

Taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s or another dementia can be tough, time-consuming work. The report noted it can also take a toll on the caregiver‘s health and finances. Family caregivers need access to training and local services that can ensure they get much-needed breaks from caregiving. Family caregivers also need paid leave and health care benefits of their own.

Improve dementia training for health care providers

Medical professionals need training to better spot and treat memory and thinking troubles in older women.

“Doctors should take proactive steps to promote well-being and implement evidence-based, person-centered care … A team-based approach across all health and social care professions will abolish the outdated notion there is nothing you can do about dementia,” Shriver said.




SLIDESHOW


Dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Aging Brains
See Slideshow

Elected officials and policymakers also play a role.

“Alzheimer’s disease is 100% fatal. There is no treatment or cure. Of the top 10 causes of death in America, it is the only disease without any effective drug or course of action,” Shriver noted.

Shriver said that nonprofit groups and organizations of physicians, other health care workers and therapists need to demand action on Alzheimer’s disease from their local, state and federal officials.

MedicalNews
Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


From WebMD Logo

Health Solutions From Our Sponsors

References


SOURCES: Maria Shriver, founder, Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement; May 21, 2020 WAM/AARP report and virtual meeting, “It’s Time to Act: The Challenges of Alzheimer’s and Dementia for Women”



Source link

Final States Reopen Amid Worries That Protests Will Spark New COVID Infections

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Final States Reopen Amid Worries That Protests Will Spark New COVID Infections

By Robin Foster and E.J. Mundell
HealthDay Reporters

TUESDAY, June 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Michigan prepared to lift its stay-at-home order on Tuesday — one of the last states to do so. But in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo warned that protests rampant in numerous American cities could trigger a second wave of COVID-19 infections.

“Protest, just be smart about it,” Cuomo said. New York plans to reopen all of the state, including New York City, on June 8. State public health officials urged protesters to wear face coverings, use hand sanitizer, maintain social distancing and get tested for the coronavirus, The New York Times reported.

At the same time, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer lifted a stay-at-home order for the state’s 10 million residents, saying that groups of 100 people or less would be allowed to gather outdoors, the Times reported. Restaurants are also allowed to reopen, though tables must be at least six feet apart.

And Louisiana’s governor said the state would begin easing its social distancing restrictions on Friday, allowing venues including churches, malls, bars and theaters to increase capacity to 50 percent. But the mayor of New Orleans quickly tweeted that New Orleans would not be following the state’s lead.

But as the number of U.S. coronavirus cases passed 1.8 million on Tuesday, a new poll shows that a majority of Americans still think it’s more important to control the virus’ spread than to restart the economy.

While nearly 6 in 10 Americans say the pandemic has taken a heavy economic toll on their communities, a majority of a divided country still believes that containing COVID-19 infections is paramount, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows.

Overall, 57 percent of all Americans and 81 percent of Democrats say trying to control the spread of the coronavirus is most important right now. But only 27 percent of Republicans agree, while 66 percent of them say restarting the economy is more critical. Nearly 6 in 10 independents say their priority is trying to control the virus’s spread, the survey found.

And nearly 7 in 10 Americans say they are worried about the possibility of a second wave of coronavirus infections in the fall, the poll showed.

As the U.S. coronavirus death toll passed 105,000 on Tuesday, jobless numbers released last week show the number of unemployed has now passed 40 million.

Concerns about hydroxychloroquine continue

Meanwhile, safety concerns over a malaria drug that President Donald Trump has touted as a coronavirus treatment prompted the World Health Organization to remove the medication from a global trial of potential COVID-19 therapies last week.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the international health agency’s director-general, said that the WHO decided to take a “pause” in testing hydroxychloroquine after a study published recently in The Lancet medical journal found people who took the drug were more likely to die, the Times reported. Several other studies have found the medication has no benefit and could possibly harm COVID-19 patients.

Regardless, Trump has finished taking a two-week course of the malaria drug to guard against COVID-19 infection after two White House staffers tested positive for the coronavirus.

And on Sunday, the White House announced it has sent 2 million doses of hydroxychloroquine to Brazil to battle the spread of coronavirus in that country. Not only that, the two countries are embarking on a joint research effort to study whether the drug is safe and effective for the prevention and early treatment of COVID-19, the Trump administration said.

Disappointing drug trials

Hopes for another drug being tested against coronavirus infection have dimmed, after a major, new study found the drug on its own won’t be enough to significantly curb cases and deaths.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that, “given high mortality [of patients] despite the use of remdesivir, it is clear that treatment with an antiviral drug alone is not likely to be sufficient.”

The study does suggest that remdesivir works better when given earlier rather than later in the disease course. “Our findings highlight the need to identify COVID-19 cases and start antiviral treatment before the pulmonary disease progresses to require mechanical ventilation,” the researchers said.

Early evidence had suggested that remdesivir might help fight coronavirus illness, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave it “emergency use authorization.”

Already, combinations of remdesivir and other drugs are being tried, to see if dual-drug treatments might boost outcomes even more. For example, one federally funded clinical trial is combining remdesivir with a potent anti-inflammatory drug called baricitinib, while a trial from biotech firm CytoDyn is pairing it with an antiviral called leronlimab.

Vaccine efforts continue

Meanwhile, the search for an effective vaccine goes on. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said in late May that it would provide up to $1.2 billion to the drug company AstraZeneca to develop a potential coronavirus vaccine from Oxford University, in England.




QUESTION


What is the Wuhan coronavirus?
See Answer

The fourth, and largest, vaccine research agreement funds a clinical trial of the potential vaccine in the United States this summer with about 30,000 volunteers, the Times reported.

The goal? To make at least 300 million doses that could be available as early as October, the HHS said in a statement.

However, many experts have said that the earliest an effective, mass-produced vaccine would be available won’t be until sometime next year, and billions of doses would be needed worldwide.

Pharmaceutical giant Merck has also jumped into the fight against the coronavirus, announcing two separate efforts to develop a vaccine and a partnership to develop a promising antiviral drug that can be taken as a pill, the Times reported.

The United States has already agreed to provide up to $483 million to the biotech company Moderna and $500 million to Johnson & Johnson for their vaccine efforts. It is also providing $30 million to a virus vaccine effort led by the French company Sanofi, the Times reported.

According to a Times tally, the top five states in coronavirus cases as of Tuesday are: New York with more than 376,500; New Jersey with nearly 161,000; Illinois with over 121,000; California with more than 115,600, and Massachusetts with over 100,800.

Nations grapple with pandemic

In Asia, where the coronavirus first struck, several countries are finally returning to a new normal.

In the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus first emerged, officials said Tuesday that they had finished a massive effort to test almost all of its 11 million residents, the Times reported.

Nearly 9.9 million people were tested during the drive, which began in mid-May and has not been matched in scale or speed elsewhere. (Children and those who had recently been tested were not tested in the drive.) The result? Roughly 300 asymptomatic infections were detected.

Meanwhile, South Korea has seen a spike in new cases, the AP reported.

The Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 67 of the 79 new cases reported were from the Seoul metropolitan area, where about half of South Korea’s 51 million people live. The government has shut public facilities such as parks, museums and state-run theaters in the metropolitan area for the next two weeks, to stem any further spread of the virus.

Elsewhere, the situation remains challenging. On Tuesday, the United Kingdom’s coronavirus death count passed 39,000, the second highest in the world, according to a Johns Hopkins University tally. Britain has now surpassed Italy, Spain and France for COVID-19 deaths in Europe. With Prime Minister Boris Johnson easing lockdown measures, schools across England reopened Monday amid fierce debate over whether the move is premature, the Post reported.

Brazil is fast becoming the next hotspot in the coronavirus pandemic. By Tuesday, the South American country had reported nearly 30,000 deaths and over 526,000 confirmed infections, according to the Hopkins tally. Only the United States has more cases. Last week, Trump issued a ban on all foreign travelers from Brazil because of the burgeoning number of COVID-19 cases in that country, CNN reported.

Cases are also spiking wildly in Russia: As of Tuesday, that country reported the world’s third-highest number of COVID-19 cases, at over 423,000, the Hopkins tally showed.

Worldwide, the number of reported infections passed 6.1 million on Tuesday, with nearly 376,000 deaths, according to the Hopkins tally.

MedicalNews
Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

References


SOURCES: New England Journal of Medicine, May 22, 2020; Associated Press; The New York Times; Washington Post; CBS News; NBC News, The LancetNew York City Dept. of Health and Mental Hygeine

Source link

Sinus Infection? ‘Good’ Germs in Your Nose May Be Key

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Sinus Infection? ‘Good’ Germs in Your Nose May Be Key

TUESDAY, June 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — If you constantly battle sinus infections, low levels of good bacteria in your nose may be to blame, new research suggests.

Previous research has shown that health-protecting strains of bacteria reside in your digestive system, genital tract and on your skin.

In this study, researchers found that people with chronic nasal and sinus inflammation had lower numbers of beneficial lactobacilli bacteria in their upper respiratory tract than people without such inflammation.

The researchers also pinpointed a specific strain of lactobacilli that’s especially helpful and has evolved to thrive in the oxygen-rich environment of the nose, according to the study published May 26 in the journal Cell Reports.

“Sinusitis patients don’t have a lot of treatment options,” and available treatments often lead to problems such as antibiotic resistance and cause side effects, said study author Sarah Lebeer, of the University of Antwerp in the Netherlands.

The authors assessed the levels of 30 different families of bacteria in the upper respiratory tract of 225 chronic rhinosinusitis patients and 100 healthy people.

The healthy people had higher numbers of lactobacilli than the patients, with up to 10 times more in some parts of the nose.

Further investigation showed that a specific strain of lactobacilli had anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and were also well-adapted to the oxygen-rich environment of the nose.

The researchers also developed a nasal spray that delivers lactobacilli to the nose and resulted in the bacteria colonizing the upper respiratory tract of 20 healthy volunteers.

Lebeer said she became interested in populations of bacteria in the nose when her mother had surgery for lifelong headaches and chronic rhinosinusitis.

“My mother had tried many different treatments, but none worked. I was thinking it’s a pity that I could not advise her some good bacteria or probiotics for the nose,” she said in a journal news release.

“No one had ever really studied it,” said Lebeer, who’s previously studied gut and vaginal probiotics.

“We think that certain patients would benefit from remodeling their microbiome and introducing beneficial bacteria in their nose to reduce certain symptoms. But we still have a long way to go with clinical and further mechanistic studies,” she said.

— Robert Preidt

MedicalNews
Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.





QUESTION


Which illness is known as a viral upper respiratory tract infection?
See Answer

References


SOURCE: Cell Reports, news release, May 26, 2020



Source link

Trump-Touted Hydroxychloroquine in Short Supply for Lupus Patients

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Trump-Touted Hydroxychloroquine in Short Supply for Lupus Patients

TUESDAY, June 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A drug championed by President Donald Trump as a coronavirus panacea appears to be in short supply for people who really need it: lupus patients.

More than one-third of U.S. lupus patients who take hydroxychloroquine have struggled to fill prescriptions for the drug during the COVID-19 crisis, a new survey finds.

One patient finally filled her prescription after three weeks of calling different pharmacies. Yet another said her physician advised halving her regular dose until there was no longer a supply shortage.

Shortages of hydroxychloroquine occurred in March and April after media reports — and the president — suggested the drug may help prevent or treat COVID-19. Trump has since said he took the drug himself as a preventive measure even though the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned it could cause serious heart problems for coronavirus patients.

Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disorder that produces joint pain, swelling, fatigue and other symptoms. It’s critical for lupus patients to stay on hydroxychloroquine to prevent disease flares that may make them more susceptible to infections.

The survey by the Lupus Research Alliance included 334 lupus patients in 42 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico who’d been taking hydroxychloroquine (brand name: Plaquenil) for an average of 11.4 years.

The poll was conducted from March 1 through May 18. According to the preliminary findings, 31% of respondents had difficulty getting refills of hydroxychloroquine, and 5% couldn’t refill their prescriptions.

Of those who had difficulty with refills or couldn’t get them, one-third split doses, and 9% ran out of the drug completely. About two-thirds had enough for a full dose.

Of the 72 patients who eventually obtained a refill, 36% couldn’t get it from their regular pharmacy, and 58% said it took two or more weeks to get their refill.

“I tried to refill my prescription, but they said I can only have two weeks’ worth. So I’m taking what’s left of that allotment and will try again to refill,” one patient noted.

“The survey results offer real-world data about the access of lupus patients to hydroxychloroquine,” said Teodora Staeva, chief scientific officer of Lupus Research Alliance.

“While we are encouraged by the results, the Lupus Research Alliance will continue to monitor the situation closely,” she said in a news release from the group. “We still recommend that people with lupus speak with their health care providers about a contingency plan should any shortages arise in the future.”

— Robert Preidt

MedicalNews
Copyright © 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.





QUESTION


What is the Wuhan coronavirus?
See Answer

References


SOURCE: Lupus Research Alliance, news release, May 28, 2020

Source link

Company Says Remdesivir Helps Moderately Sick COVID-19 Patients

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Company Says Remdesivir Helps Moderately Sick COVID-19 Patients

TUESDAY, June 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The California-based pharmaceutical company Gilead announced that its experimental antiviral drug remdesivir improved symptoms of hospitalized patients suffering with moderate COVID-19, the Associated Press reported Monday.

Remdesivir is the only drug shown to help fight the COVID-19. A study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health found the drug shorten recovery from 15 to 11 days in severely sick patients, the AP noted.

Given by IV, remdesivir interferes with a protein the virus needs to replicate itself and is approved in Japan as a treatment for COVID-19 and in the U.S. is for emergency use in some patients.

For the study, nearly 600 patients were assigned to five to 10 days of remdesivir. By the 11th day patients on five days of remdesivir were 65% more likely to improve, Gilead reported.

“when treating patients with severe disease — those who require non-invasive supplemental oxygen — 5 days of remdesivir led to similar improvements as a 10-day course. The totality of clinical data shows that remdesivir has the potential to meaningfully benefit patients with COVID-19 and offers important hope,” the company said in a press statement.


Copyright © 2019 HealthDay. All rights reserved.





QUESTION


What is the Wuhan coronavirus?
See Answer

Source link

Tom Cruise starrer Mission Impossible 7 to resume production in September  : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Tom Cruise starrer Mission Impossible 7 to resume production in September  : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

Amid coronavirus pandemic, many of the films have been halted. Tom Cruise starrer Mission Impossible 7‘s production was interrupted earlier this year. Now, the makers plan to resume production in September.

Actor Simon Pegg, who plays Benji Dunn, confirmed the news about the plans to restart the film. “That will begin with the outdoor stuff,” Simon told Variety, “That feels fairly doable, and obviously there will be precautions put in place.”

Pegg further said, “People that are involved in any close proximity stuff, it will have to be determined that they’re safe to do that. I don’t know what the testing situation is, how that works, or whether they’ll be able to be tested regularly.”

Paramount Pictures has delayed Mission: Impossible 7 and will now release on November 19, 2021, originally scheduled for July 21, 2021. The follow-up Mission: Impossible 8 will open on November 4, 2022, which was originally supposed to release on August 5, 2022.

Christopher McQuarrie will helm the next two installments of Mission: Impossible. He previously directed 2015’s Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation and 2018’s Mission Impossible: Fallout. 

ALSO READ: NASA Chief wants Tom Cruise to inspire kids to be the next Elon Musk with his Space film

Tags : , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BOLLYWOOD NEWS

Catch us for latest Bollywood News, Bollywood Movies update, Box office collection, New Movies Release & upcoming movies info only on Bollywood Hungama.

Source link

Endangered species of seahorses returns home because of lockdown

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Endangered species of seahorses returns home because of lockdown


Seahorses have returned to the Dorset coast (Credits: FLPA/REX)

The endangered spiny seahorse has recolonised its former stronghold in Dorset due to the coronavirus lockdown, marine conservationists say.

During one regular survey dive at Studland Bay, the Seahorse Trust found 16 seahorses including pregnant males and a juvenile that had been born this year.

This is the largest number found in a single dive on the site since the charity began monitoring there in 2008.

Prior to this, a seahorse had not been seen at the site for two years.

Neil Garrick-Maidment, who founded the Seahorse Trust, puts the increase down to the reduction in people, boat traffic and associated noise and anchors in the area due to lockdown measures.

‘The ecology of the site has made a remarkable recovery,’ he said.

‘We have seen so many seahorses because the food chain has recovered, giving seahorses plenty of food to eat, and crucially, somewhere to hide.

‘The seagrass has started to repair itself, and the spiny seahorses have taken advantage of this.’

Both of the UK’s native seahorse species – the spiny and the short snouted – were granted protected status in 2008 under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Following years of campaigning, Studland Bay was finally designated as a Marine Conservation Zone last year in recognition of the importance of its seagrass habitat and seahorse population.


Mandatory Credit: Photo by FLPA/REX (3278186a) Long-snouted Seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) adult, amongst Eelgrass (Zostera marina) on seabed, Studland Bay, Dorset, England Nature
A Long-snouted Seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus) adult, amongst Eelgrass (Zostera marina) on seabed, Studland Bay, Dorset, England (Credits: FLPA/REX)

Mr Garrick-Maidment said: ‘The question is how we go forward.

‘We do not want boats and divers banned, but the seahorses and seagrass do need their legal protection enforced.

‘The 16 seahorses discovered on a single dive are an amazing discovery, but we now need the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) and Natural England to enforce the Wildlife and Countryside Act and the Marine Conservation Zone and put in place measures such as environmentally friendly moorings.

‘The seahorses need protection to stop them being disturbed again as Covid restrictions are lifted, and to stop them vanishing from this legally protected site.

‘We have a unique opportunity to help nature and to restore the balance of our planet.

‘We must grab this with both hands, for the seagrass, for the sea, for humanity and crucially for these incredible seahorses.’



Source link

Creating a sustainable food system: The EU’s strategy

PressNewsAgency
-
0
Creating a sustainable food system: The EU’s strategy

Creating a sustainable food system: The EU’s strategy

Setting targets

The strategy provides the framework for a series of laws that the Commission will propose,  ranging from a revision of EU pesticides legislation, new EU animal welfare rules and plans to address food waste and tackle food fraud to food labelling, a carbon farming initiative and the reform of the EU farm system.

It will complement existing EU legislation and build a comprehensive framework that covers the whole food supply chain.

All the proposals will need to be negotiated with and approved by the Council and Parliament.

The strategy’s key targets for 2030:
  • 50% reduction in the use and risk of pesticides;
  • at least 20% reduction in the use of fertilisers;
  • 50% reduction in sales of antimicrobials used for farmed animals and aquaculture, and;
  • 25% of agricultural land to be used for organic farming.

Although EU agriculture is the only major farm sector worldwide to have reduced its greenhouse gas emissions (by 20% since 1990), it still accounts for about 10% of greenhouse gas emissions (of which 70% are due to animals) Together with manufacturing, processing, packaging and transportation, the food sector is one the main drivers of climate change.

According to the strategy, a shift in our way of producing, buying and consuming food is necessary to improve the environmental footprint and help mitigate climate change, whilst protecting the livelihoods of all economic actors in the food chain, by generating fairer economic returns and opening up new business opportunities.

The Farm to Fork Strategy is part of the European Green Deal and its goal of making the EU climate neutral by 2050, which is closely linked to the new Biodiversity Strategy 2030.

It aims to make the EU food system more robust and resilient to future crises like COVID-19 and more recurrent natural disasters such as floods or droughts.

Ensuring affordable, healthy and sustainable food

The Farm to Fork Strategy intends to ensure affordable safe and nutritious food for consumers. It responds to increasing demands for healthy and environmentally friendly products.

According to a Eurobarometer survey from April 2019, the most important factors for Europeans when buying food aare origin (53%), price (51%), food safety (50%) and taste (49%). In addition two thirds of respondents (66%) said they had changed their habits after finding out information on food risks.

Consumption patterns are changing, but with more than 950,000 deaths in 2017 related to unhealthy diets and half of adults being overweight, there is room for improvement. To make it easier to choose healthy options and make informed decisions, the Commission proposes a mandatory harmonized front-of‑pack nutrition labelling system.

Leading a global transition

The EU is the number one importer and exporter of agri-food products worldwide and the largest seafood market. European food is of the highest global standard and the strategy aims to promote a global transition to sustainability in co-operation with partners and through trade agreements.

Parliament, a strong defender of sustainability

In a resolution on the European Green Deal adopted in January, Parliament welcomed the plan for a sustainable food system strategy and highlighted the need to use natural resources more efficiently while supporting the agricultural sector. They reiterated calls to reduce pesticides dependency, and the use of fertilizers and antibiotics in agriculture. They also wanted higher animal welfare standards and an EU-wide food waste reduction target of 50%.

After the presentation of the new Farm to Fork Strategy, environment committee chair Pascal Canfin (Renew Europe, France) said the plans need to be transformed into EU legislation. Norbert Lins (EPP, Germany), chair of the agriculture committee, said that the strategy must be built on the lessons learnt by the COVID-19 crisis and give farmers the support they need to guarantee food security.

Find out more

Source by [author_name]

1...65,46465,46565,466...65,723Page 65,465 of 65,723

FOLLOW US

© Copyright 2025 - PressNewsAgency LLC . . . All Rights Reserved . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Naeem T Ahmed { Editor / Publisher } . . . . Contact@PressNewsAgency.org . . . . . . . . . Phone: +1.8884110555 +1.5055960123