Testing times: Borneo orangutans get COVID swabs

Dozens of critically endangered orangutans in Malaysia have been tested for the coronavirus, with vets in protective suits undertaking the tricky task of giving the apes nasal swabs.

Israeli firm unveils armed robot to patrol volatile borders

An Israeli defense contractor on Monday unveiled a remote-controlled armed robot it says can patrol battle zones, track infiltrators and open fire. The unmanned vehicle is the latest addition to the world of drone technology, which is rapidly reshaping the modern battlefield.

Little to celebrate after 50 years of activism: Greenpeace chief

Half a century after a small group of radicals created Greenpeace, the head of the environmental organisation warned that it still has far to go on the climate crisis before it can truly celebrate.

Greenpeace: An 'insane' vision that took flight 50 years ago

"Insane"—that was teenager Barbara Stowe's reaction 50 years ago when her parents and the other founders of Greenpeace decided that they would send a boat to halt US nuclear tests.

Vietnam speeds up Hanoi vaccine drive; 1M jabs over weekend

Vietnam is speeding up its vaccination program in an effort to loosen coronavirus lockdown restrictions in major cities by the end of the month, the government said Monday.

China to target biggest payment app Alipay in tech crackdown: FT

Chinese regulators have ordered sweeping changes to the country's biggest payment app Alipay, as the ruling Communist Party attempts to rein in "the unruly growth" of the tech giants.

School starts for 1 million NYC kids amid new vaccine rules

Classroom doors swing open for about a million New York City public school students on Monday in the nation's largest experiment of in-person learning during the coronavirus pandemic.

Isotope mapping sheds rare light into migratory routes, natal origins of monarch butterflies

Pre-COVID-19 pandemic, University of Ottawa biology student Megan Reich enjoyed the road trip of a lifetime, crisscrossing the east coast of the United States in search of a specific thrill: Milkweed.

World-leading pharma collaborates call for plain language summaries of peer-reviewed medical journal articles

Pharmaceutical and biotech companies who form the Open Pharma collaboration, have today announced the ever-pressing need for plain language summaries in peer-reviewed medical journal publications.

Children of cancer patients are too often excluded from the disease journey, research shows

The announcement of a cancer diagnosis abruptly and durably alters the course of daily life—not just for the person receiving it, but also for their family. New research presented at the ESMO Congress 2021 suggests that adequate communication and support for children of cancer patients still represents a significant unmet need that parents require help to fulfill.

Patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma face barriers to treatment access

A study of 2,804 patients with stage I to stage III malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) found significant variability in access to care and a positive association between multimodality treatment, income levels, and survival outcomes. The research was presented today at the IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer in OA13: Topics in Pleural Mesothelioma.

Neoadjuvant cisplatin, pemetrexed plus atezolizumab followed by surgical resection, maintenance atezolizumab is safe

Neoadjuvant cisplatin and pemetrexed plus atezolizumab followed by surgical resection and maintenance atezolizumab met safety criteria, according to research presented today in OA13: Topics in Pleural Mesothelioma at the IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

UKLS trial meta-analysis confirms that low dose CT screening for lung cancer reduces mortality

Low-dose CT lung cancer (LDCT) screening is associated with a 16 percent relative reduction in lung cancer mortality, when compared against a non-LDCT control arm, according to research presented by Professor John Field and the United Kingdom Cancer Screening Trial (UKLS) Team today at the IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer. The research will be published in The Lancet Regional Health-Europe.

Almost two thirds of thoracic oncologists used telehealth for the first-time during pandemic: IASLC survey

Nearly two-thirds of thoracic oncologists surveyed indicated they used telehealth tools for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a report issued at the IASLC 2021 World Conference on Lung Cancer.

Clone your camel: beauty pageants, races spur high demand

Cloning is in high demand in the competitive world of camel beauty pageants, leaving scientists at a Dubai clinic working round the clock to produce carbon-copy beasts.

Ocelots rescued from traffickers returned to wild in Ecuador

Six ocelots rescued from illegal wildlife traffickers have been returned to the wild in northern Ecuador, the environment ministry said on Saturday.

Internet funding rule could favor rural areas over cities

Cities and urban counties across the U.S. are raising concerns that a recent rule from President Joe Biden's administration could preclude them from tapping into $350 billion of coronavirus relief aid to expand high-speed internet connections.

UK ditches plans for vaccine passports at crowded venues

Authorities in Britain have decided not to require vaccine passports for entry into nightclubs and other crowded events in England, Britain's health secretary said Sunday, reversing course amid opposition from some of the Conservative government's supporters in Parliament.

Japan passes 50% vaccination rate, may ease limits in Nov.

Japan's government says more than 50% of the population has been fully vaccinated.

Chinese city with coronavirus outbreak stops buses, trains

A city in southern China that is trying to contain a coronavirus outbreak told the public Sunday not to leave town, suspended bus and train service and closed cinemas, bars and other facilities.