YOUR WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE
- New Zealand announced a gradual reopening of its borders as it begins to lift some of the world’s most strict Covid restrictions. Vaccinated citizens will be able to return home on 27 February 2022 without having to be quarantined by the government. These citizens will be permitted into the country on 13 March. People will still be required to self-isolate for 10 days but will be able to do so in their own home. The country has registered 53 deaths and 17,000 Covid cases – extremely low statistics compared to other countries.
- Elephant endotheliotrophic herpes virus (EEHV) has a fatality rate of up to 85%. The virus killed seven offspring at Chester Zoo. The zoo is teaming with experts from the University of Surrey to conduct a world-first trial of a possibly life-saving vaccine. A zoo spokeswoman stated that they normally lose elephants between ages 18 months and three years. By the time they noticed signs like lethargy or oral ulcers, it was often too late. The virus is found in sanctuaries, safari parks, and, most concerningly, wild elephant populations in nine different nations.
- Facebook’s daily active users (DAUs) have fallen for the first time in the company’s 18-year existence. According to Meta Networks, Facebook’s parent company, DAUs declined to 1.929 billion in three months from 1.930 billion. The company also warned of decreasing revenue due to competition from rivals like TikTok and YouTube, as well as a reduction in advertising expenditure. According to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, the company’s sales growth has been limited as audiences, particularly younger users, have moved to rivals.
- Donations to truck drivers opposing vaccination regulations in Canada have been halted on GoFundMe. Donations to the “Freedom Convoy 2022” page had hit £5.8 million. The protest began over a week ago over a regulation needing Covid vaccinations to enter the US-Canada border. The fundraiser is now suspended and under evaluation to ensure it complies with the terms of service, and applicable laws and regulations. This was confirmed by a notice on the Freedom Convoy contributions website on Wednesday.
- The robotics professor, William “Red” Whittaker, has been overseeing the creation of Iris, a tiny wheeled robot that might become the first rover deployed by the US to explore the Moon without a crew. Iris was created by students at Whittaker’s hometown university, Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in Pittsburgh, rather than professional engineers at NASA or a big aerospace corporation. The robot was just attached to its lunar lander in preparation for a launch in mid-2022.
- According to the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Europe director, the region may soon experience a “long period of tranquillity” amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. Hans Kluge noted high immunisation rates, the end of winter, and the Omicron variant’s less severe nature. “This moment of increased protection should be viewed as a ‘ceasefire’ that may just bring us lasting peace,” he stated. It happens as a number of European countries lift most of the Covid-19 restrictions.
NEWS BROUGHT TO YOU BY PAMELA MOORE
Date: 04/02/22
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