Latest news with #United States
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Plague Death in Arizona Shows Insidious Disease Never Disappeared
A person in Arizona has died from the plague, local health officials reported on Friday. This marks the first such death in this region in 18 years. But it's a stark reminder that this historic disease, though rare nowadays, is not just a disease of the past. So what actually is "plague"? And is it any cause for concern in Australia? Related: There are 3 types of 'plague' The word "plague" is often used to refer to any major disease epidemic or pandemic, or even to other undesirable events, such as a mouse plague. Naturally, the word can evoke fear. But scientifically speaking, plague is a disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague has three main forms: bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic. Bubonic is the most common and is named after "buboes", which are the painful, swollen lymph nodes the infection causes. Other symptoms include fever, headache, chills and weakness. Bubonic plague is typically spread by fleas living on animals such as rats, prairie dogs and marmots. If an infected flea moves from their animal host to bite a human, this can cause an infection. People can also become infected through handling an animal infected with the disease. Septicemic plague occurs if bubonic plague is left untreated, or it can occur directly if the disease enters the bloodstream. Septicemic plague causes bleeding into the organs. The name comes from septicemia, which refers to a serious blood infection. The recent death in the United States was due to a case of pneumonic plague, which is the most severe form. Bubonic plague can in some cases spread to the lungs, where it becomes pneumonic plague. However, pneumonic plague can also spread from person to person via tiny respiratory droplets, in a similar way to COVID. Symptoms are similar to the other forms but also include severe pneumonia. Some 30–60% of people who contract bubonic plague will die, while the fatality rate can be up to 100% for pneumonic plague if left untreated. Plague: a potted history This disease is one of the most important in history. The Plague of Justinian (541–750CE) killed tens of millions of people in the western Mediterranean, heavily impacting the expansion of the Byzantine Empire. The medieval Black Death (1346–53) was also seismic, killing tens of millions of people and up to half of Europe's population. Spread by the growing trade networks of the British empire, the third and most recent plague pandemic spanned the years 1855 until roughly 1960, peaking in the early 1900s. It was responsible for 12 million deaths, primarily in India, and even reached Australia. It's believed the bubonic plague was largely behind these pandemics. Plague in the modern day First introduced into the US during the third pandemic, plague infects an average of seven people a year in the west of the country, due to being endemic in groundhog and prairie dog populations there. The last major outbreak was 100 years ago. Deaths are very rare, with 14 deaths in the past 25 years in the US. Globally, there have been a few thousand cases of plague over the past decade. The countries with the most cases currently include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and Peru, with cases also occurring in India, central Asia and the US. Cases usually occur in rural and agricultural areas. Plague can be treated Plague can easily be treated with common antibiotics, typically a course of 10–14 days, which can include both oral and intravenous antibiotics. But it must be treated quickly. The recent death is concerning, as it involves the airborne pneumonic form of the disease, the only form that spreads easily from person to person. But there's no evidence of further spread of the disease within the US at this stage. As Y. pestis is not found in Australian animals, there is little risk here. Plague has not been reported in Australia in more than a century. But plague, like many diseases, is influenced by environmental conditions. The risk of climate change causing an expansion in the habitat of animal hosts means public health experts around the world should continue to monitor it closely. The plague, though often perceived as a disease of history, is still with us and can pose a major health threat if not treated early. Thomas Jeffries, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Western Sydney University This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the . Related News Measles Can Erase Your Immune System's Memory, Expert Says Yo-Yo Dieting May Trigger Long-Lasting Changes in Gut Bacteria 11 Everyday Items That We Forget Are Nasty Hotspots For Bacteria
South China Morning Post
6 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Why the global balance of power is shifting in China's favour
In recent years, the world has entered an acute phase of geopolitical confrontation, driven by structural problems such as trade imbalances. Historically, such crises have often been addressed through military conflicts aimed at weakening rivals and redirecting financial and trade flows. This logic is examined in The Price of War, a study of conflicts spanning over 150 years. Advertisement Since most major powers today possess weapons of mass destruction for deterrence, confrontation has largely taken on a hybrid form. Yet the United States' drive to solve domestic problems at others' expense remains, especially in its relations with China, Russia and the European Union. The toolbox of weapons has expanded to include economic tools such as tariffs or tech restrictions designed to limit the development of highly value-added industries. The White House might be confident about this arsenal, but US President Donald Trump's policies of tariffs, tax cuts and pressure on the US Federal Reserve have coincided with a weakening US dollar . Meanwhile, efforts to reduce the trade deficit have diminished both Washington's global role and overall investor confidence. The US dollar remains Washington's key economic weapon. But its declining status weakens US geopolitical influence. Since 2000, the US dollar's share in global reserves has fallen from 71 per cent to below 60 per cent. A recent study by the International Monetary Fund suggests that in times of rising global tension, countries diversify their currency holdings. The S&P 500's record performance , when measured in other major currencies, reveals a shift in the global financial system. Recent events are dispelling the illusion of US economic invincibility. Advertisement These trends are especially clear when viewed through a multidimensional national power index based on dozens of indicators such as demographics, technology, economy and military strength. My team at the Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences has developed a method to rank countries based on power.
Arab News
14 hours ago
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistan's finance chief eyes ‘step-change' US investment after Washington trade talks
KARACHI: Pakistan and the United States are exploring a shift in their economic engagement from a trade-focused relationship to one anchored in long-term investment, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb said in a video message after high-level talks in Washington on Friday. The meeting between Aurangzeb, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer followed a virtual discussion last month during which both sides agreed to push negotiations forward 'at the earliest.' The talks come after the US imposed a 29 percent 'reciprocal tariff' on Pakistani exports under President Donald Trump's trade measures announced in April, a move Islamabad said could undercut its fragile, export-led recovery. 'One thing we discussed was that we have to move beyond the immediate trade imperative for it to be brought into the next level and bring in a real step change,' Aurangzeb said after his interaction with US officials. 'So, the investment imperative will come forward, and areas have already been identified in terms of minerals and mining, in terms of AI [artificial intelligence], in terms of digital infrastructure [and] crypto,' he continued. 'We feel that this will be a real game changer, God willing, in terms of the relationship and the economic relationship between Pakistan and the United States.' The Pakistani finance chief said both sides were committed to resolving outstanding trade issues to move 'toward the finishing line' and begin investment-related discussions 'very quickly.' He also hinted at forthcoming announcements 'at the leadership level,' which he said would reflect all the hard work and efforts that have been put in both by Pakistan and on the US side. 'We begin with trade, and then it will very quickly be followed through with investment discussions between the two countries and real execution of the investment upside,' he said, calling the next phase a 'real win-win for Pakistan and the United States.' Pakistan's finance ministry has said the US remains its largest trading partner while emphasizing Islamabad's interest in expanding cooperation beyond textiles to other sectors. The US is Pakistan's top export destination, with shipments totaling $5.44 billion in the 2023-24 fiscal year. From July 2024 to February 2025, exports rose 10 percent from a year earlier, according to official data.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Mystic Aquarium scientist to lead research expedition to underwater canyons ‘deeper than the Grand Canyon'
Mystic Aquarium 'will lead an interdisciplinary team of scientists on an oceanographic research expedition to study vibrant marine life, biodiversity, and the changing ocean environment within the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument (monument),' aquarium officials said. The scientists 'will study predator-prey interactions, collect and identify gelatinous zooplankton, conduct seabird population surveys, and collect environmental DNA to measure biodiversity,' according to Mystic Aquarium. They will travel on the Research Vessel Connecticut to explore the monument and collect data. 'Dr. Peter Auster, Scientist-in-Residence at Mystic Aquarium and Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Connecticut, will lead the expedition,' according to Mystic Aquarium. 'The team is comprised of scientists and educators representing organizations including Yale University, University of Rhode Island, University of Connecticut, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.' The monument, a government-established marine protected area, is 'the first and only Marine National Monument off the continental United States,' according to the aquarium. It ' features three underwater canyons deeper than the Grand Canyon' as well as four seamounts, or extinct volcanoes, 'that rise higher than any mountain east of the Rockies.' The environment allows refuge for marine life, according to Mystic Aquarium, which includes 'endangered marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds, and many species of rare and fragile deep-sea corals, some thousands of years old.' 'The monument is located approximately 130 miles off Cape Cod and spans an area roughly the size of Connecticut,' according to the aquarium. This CT baker uses an ingredient that's growing broadly in popularity. There's a reason she does it. 'The monument is a living laboratory, sitting in an undisturbed, remote location where migrating whales, sea turtles, sea birds and other species representing a large portion of the food web gather to eat, breed, and find shelter,' said Dr. Peter Auster, the expedition's chief scientist and principal investigator. 'As our oceans are rapidly changing, MPAs like the monument allow us to collect essential data to inform conservation strategies.' 'Marine protected areas are one of the most valuable ocean research and conservation tools we have, offering an unmatched opportunity to study how the ocean works in the absence of human disturbance and showcase its rich biodiversity,' said Katie Cubina, Education and Outreach Consultant for Mystic Aquarium. 'There is something in the ocean for everyone, whether it's the protection of endangered marine animals, scientific discoveries, or simply appreciating its intrinsic beauty.' Want to follow along the expedition? Check out 'Mystic Aquarium's Instagram account and tune into a livestream event via YouTube' on thursday, July 24 at 1 p.m. according to the aquarium. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Evercore ISI Downgraded The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) and Reduces the PT
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is one of the . On July 14, Evercore ISI downgraded The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) from Outperform to Market Perform, while also reducing the price target from $190 to $170. The conservative outlook comes ahead of its Q4 earnings call, which is set to happen on July 29. The analyst expects The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG)'s fiscal 2026 organic sales growth to be between 1% and 3%, below the market consensus of 2.4%. This includes about a 50 basis point loss due to portfolio optimization rather than asset sales. A happy couple viewing the products of this household and personal product company in a mass merchandiser store. Moreover, the analyst also highlighted adverse shifts in retail channels, especially the growing consumer shift to Amazon, which now accounts for about 50% of growth in household and personal care products in the United States. This retail shift could limit the company's sales growth below the 4% needed to drive operating leverage, constraining earnings growth. The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) is a multinational consumer goods company that manufactures and markets a wide range of household and personal care products. While we acknowledge the potential of PG as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 30 Stocks That Should Double in 3 Years and 11 Hidden AI Stocks to Buy Right Now. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
