Top Chinese official tells the US commerce secretary he's ready to improve cooperation
The top Chinese official in charge of economic relations with Washington has told Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo he's ready to “make new positive efforts” to improve cooperation following an agreement to reduce trade tension
1970-01-01 08:00
'The Five' host Jesse Watters slams Biden Administration for additional Covid booster shot and return of mask mandate
Jesse Watters went on to suggest that the booster shot might as well just be a fraud
1970-01-01 08:00
UK says a cyberattack was not the cause of air traffic problems that snarled flights
The British government says a cyberattack was not the cause of a breakdown at the nationwide air traffic control system that saw hundreds of flights delayed and canceled
1970-01-01 08:00
Live worm discovered in woman's brain in a worrying world first
A worm has been found living inside a woman’s brain, in a horror-movie-style world first. Doctors in Canberra, Australia, were left stunned after they pulled the 8cm (3in) parasite from the patient’s damaged frontal lobe tissue during surgery last year. "Everyone [in] that operating theatre got the shock of their life when [the surgeon] took some forceps to pick up an abnormality and the abnormality turned out to be a wriggling, live 8cm light red worm," said infectious diseases doctor Sanjaya Senanayake, according to the BBC. "Even if you take away the yuck factor, this is a new infection never documented before in a human being." Senanayake and his colleagues believe the parasite could have been in there for up to two months. The patient, a 64-year-old woman from New South Wales, was first admitted to her local hospital in late January 2021 after suffering three weeks of abdominal pain and diarrhoea, followed by a constant dry cough, fever and night sweats, The Guardian reports. By 2022, her symptoms extended to forgetfulness and depression, and she was referred to Canberra Hospital, where an MRI scan of her brain revealed “abnormalities” that required surgery. “The neurosurgeon certainly didn’t go in there thinking they would find a wriggling worm,” Senanayake told the paper. “Neurosurgeons regularly deal with infections in the brain, but this was a once-in-a-career finding. No one was expecting to find that.” The team at the hospital sent the worm to an experienced parasite researcher who identified it as an Ophidascaris robertsi. This type of roundworm is commonly found in carpet pythons – non-venomous snakes that are ubiquitous across much of Australia. Writing in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, Mehrab Hossain, a parasitologist, said she suspected that the patient became an "accidental host" to the worm after cooking with foraged plants. The 64-year-old was known to have often collected native grasses from around her lakeside home, Senanayake told The Guardian. He and his co-workers have concluded that the woman was probably infected after a python shed eggs from the parasite via its faeces into the grass. By touching the plants, she may then have transferred the eggs into her own food or kitchen utensils. Fortunately, the unlucky and unique patient is said to be making a good recovery. However, Senanayake told the BBC that her case should serve as an important warning to society more broadly. "It just shows as a human population burgeons, we move closer and encroach on animal habitats. This is an issue we see again and again, whether it's Nipah virus that's gone from wild bats to domestic pigs and then into people, whether its a coronavirus like Sars or Mers that has jumped from bats into possibly a secondary animal and then into humans,” he said. "Even though Covid is now slowly petering away, it is really important for epidemiologists… and governments to make sure they've got good infectious diseases surveillance around." Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
1970-01-01 08:00
Live worm found in Australian woman's brain in world first
The parasite - usually found in pythons - could have been there for two months, scientists say.
1970-01-01 08:00
Mexico sends 1,200 more troops to Michoacan state after weekend of cartel violence
The Mexican government says it has sent 1,200 more troops to the cartel-dominated western state of Michoacan after a weekend of violence
1970-01-01 08:00
As worker actions continue nationwide, White House highlights how administration is helping unions
As worker actions continue from Hollywood to Detroit, and new labor unions crop up nationally, the White House on Monday was highlighting its effort to bolster worker organizing throughout the U_S_ President Joe Biden is counting on critical labor support as he campaigns for a second term in office, holding his first re-election campaign rally at a Pennsylvania union hall in June, declaring: “I’m proud to be the most pro-union president in American history.”
1970-01-01 08:00
New tool will allow college athletes to report gambling suspicions to a sports wagering monitor
A digital platform where college athletes can alert their administrations anonymously to improper or illegal conduct by coaches, teammates or others is expanding to allow them to report suspected gambling activity
1970-01-01 08:00
‘Gran Turismo’ takes weekend box office crown over ‘Barbie’ after all
The box office results are in and Sony’s racing movie “Gran Turismo” won the weekend over “Barbie” after all
1970-01-01 08:00
UK air traffic control says it has fixed a technical problem that sparked delays and cancellations
Britain’s air traffic control system says it has fixed a “technical issue” that caused heavy delays and cancellations
1970-01-01 08:00
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to call on Democrats to codify 'Obamacare' into state law
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will call on lawmakers to pass legislation proactively protecting key provisions in the Affordable Care Act during a speech Wednesday where she'll outline her legislative priorities for the second half of the year
1970-01-01 08:00
Iran summons Swiss diplomat over US seizure of Iranian crude oil that's now at port in Houston
Iran has summoned a Swiss diplomat over the apparent U.S. seizure of Iranian crude oil from a ship that sat for months off Texas
1970-01-01 08:00