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World Leaders Seek New Path to Slow Warming of Planet

             

The Eiffel Tower is seen at sunset in Paris, France, November 22, 2015. The capital will host the World Climate Change Conference 2015 (COP21) from November 30 to December 11.  REUTERS/CHARLES PLATIAU

CLICK HERE - Paris 2015 - COP21/CMP11 - UN Climate Change Conference - INDCs

reuters.com - by Alister Doyle - November 23, 2015

Next week, in the waning days of what is set to be the hottest year on record, world leaders meet on the outskirts of Paris for a summit that seeks nothing less than to steer the global economy away from its ever-growing reliance on fossil fuels.

The challenge is enormous and has proven elusive in the past. The U.N.-sponsored talks are aimed at getting 195 countries to agree on a path for cutting the greenhouse gas emissions which scientists say have raised global temperatures and begun upending the earth's climate.

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Paris Pact May Hinge on ‘Loss and Damage’ Dispute

If rich countries don’t agree to help poorer ones recover after storms amplified by global warming tear villages apart, or help communities prosper even as their homes sink into rising seas, climate negotiations in Paris risk being scuttled.

climatecentral.org - by John Upton - November 11, 2015

A long list of disagreements is bedeviling diplomats as they prepare for a historic two-week session of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, beginning Nov. 30. A hoped-for Paris agreement could be history’s most far-reaching climate pact, with nations pledging to take a variety of steps under it to slow and adapt to climate change.

Of those disagreements, experts say the two that have the greatest potential to derail negotiations relate to money.

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CLICK HERE - ADDITIONAL IMAGE SLIDERS - Global Icons at Risk from Sea Level Rise: Pictures

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Interferon-γ Inhibits Ebola Virus Infection

submitted by George Hurlburt

                                                         

CLICK HERE - STUDY - Interferon-γ Inhibits Ebola Virus Infection

scicasts.com - November 19, 2015

The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa has claimed more than 11,300 lives and starkly revealed the lack of effective options for treating or preventing the disease. Progress has been made on developing vaccines, but there is still a need for antiviral therapies to protect health care workers and local populations in the event of future outbreaks.

A new study led by University of Iowa virologist Dr. Wendy Maury, suggests that gamma interferon, which is an FDA-approved drug, may have potential as an antiviral therapy to prevent Ebola infection when given either before or after exposure to the virus.

The study, published in the journal PLOS Pathogens, found that gamma interferon, given up to 24 hours after exposure, can inhibit Ebola infection in mice and completely protect the animals from death.

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Unmitigated Climate Change to Shrink Global Economy by 23 Percent, Researchers Find

CLICK HERE - STUDY - Global non-linear effect of temperature on economic production

reuters.com - by Ben Gruber - November 16, 2015

Berkeley, California (Reuters) When the world heats up, economies around the globe will cool down. That's according to a new study which predicts that rising temperatures due to climate change will wreak havoc on economic output.  

"Our best estimate is that the global economy as a whole will be 23 percent smaller in 2100 than if we would avoid climate change entirely," said co-author of the study Solomon Hsiang, an associate professor of public policy at the University of California Berkeley. 

The study looked at the relationship between temperature and economic activity in 166 countries over a 50 year period.

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CLICK HERE - Berkeley News - Study finds climate change will reshape global economy

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Paris Attacks: Terrorists Using Suicide Vests Stage Multiple Attacks and Take Hostages

            

French President Francois Hollande said at least 127 were killed on Friday in a series of six coordinated attacks in Paris that he described as an "act of war" -- blaming ISIS for the violence that included shootings, explosions and a hostage situation at a concert hall.

CLICK HERE - The Guardian - Paris Attacks

CLICK HERE - Reuters - Paris Attacks: Live Updates

CLICK HERE - The Guardian - (7) - Paris Attacks: As It Happened

CLICK HERE - The Guardian - (6) - Paris Attacks: As It Happened

CLICK HERE - The Guardian - (5) - Paris Attacks: As It Happened

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CDC - Ebola Virus RNA Stability in Human Blood and Urine in West Africa’s Environmental Conditions

cdc.gov

Janvier F, Delaune D, Poyot T, Valade E, Mérens A, Rollin PE, et al.

CLICK HERE - Ebola virus RNA stability in human blood and urine in West Africa’s environmental conditions
Emerg Infect Dis. 2016 Feb. http://dx.doi.org/10.3201/eid2202.151395

DOI: 10.3201/eid2202.151395

Abstract

We evaluated RNA stability of Ebola virus in EDTA blood and urine samples collected from infected patients and stored in West Africa’s environmental conditions. In blood, RNA was stable for at least 18 days when initial cycle threshold values were <30, but in urine, RNA degradation occurred more quickly.

 

 

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The Oral Polio Vaccine Can Go 'Feral,' But WHO Vows to Tame It

April 1959: Bottles containing the polio vaccine. M. McKeown/Getty Images

Image: April 1959: Bottles containing the polio vaccine. M. McKeown/Getty Images

npr.org - November 10th, 2015 - Jason Beaubien

The oral polio vaccine may go down in history as one of the most powerful public health tools of modern times. Developed by Albert Sabin in 1961, the vaccine is cheap, easy to administer and has pushed polio to the brink of extinction.

The joke is that if you can "count to two" you can vaccinate kids against polio.

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Society 'to be hit by climate change'

A man wades across a flooded area.

Image: A man wades across a flooded area.

bbc.com - November 16th, 2015 - Roger Harrabin

Human societies will soon start to experience adverse effects from manmade climate change, a prominent economist has warned.

Prof Richard Tol predicts the downsides of warming will outweigh the advantages with a global warming of 1.1C - which has nearly been reached already.

Prof Tol is regarded by many campaigners as a climate "sceptic".

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#Paris: The power, the horror, and the distortions

bbc.com - November 14th, 2015 - Dave Lee

As the true extent of the Paris attacks becomes clear, we are reminded yet again how the internet - or more specifically, social media - is changing what it means to cope with disasters affecting people on a global scale.

It may seem trivial to even care about social media during moments like this - in happier moments it can seem like a place for selfies, holiday photos and banal arguments in 140 characters.

But during a crisis social media becomes the single most significant platform for news to be spread, eyewitness experiences to be shared and official statements to be made.

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Global Partnership on Sustainable Development Data Launched in NY

                                        

unsdsn.org - September 29, 2015

On September 28, 2015, a new Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data was officially launched on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York. The Partnership brings together governments, private companies, academia, scientists and civil society in support of data-driven decision-making, by catalyzing more open, new and usable data to help end extreme poverty, combat climate change and promote inclusive growth. The Partnership will specifically look to provide more, better quality data to help monitor and achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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