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Ecuador Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 646 as 130 Still Missing

Diane A. Wade
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Ecuador Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 646 as 130 Still Missing

Ecuador has declared 8 days of national mourning a week after the devastating earthquake that killed at least 646 people.

In a speech announcing the national mourning, Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa has said the number of fatalities has risen to 646 and another 130 people were still missing.

The 7.8 magnitude quake struck off the Ecuadorean coast on April 16, injuring thousands and destroying many towns.

It was the worst tragedy to hit the South American nation in decades.

“These have been sad days for the homeland. The country is in crisis,” Rafael Correa said on his weekly TV broadcast on April 23.Ecuador earthquake 2016

Rafael Correa praised the 27 countries who sent rescue teams over the past week and said that 113 people had been rescued alive from the rubble.

“This is an amazing figure, which made all this effort worthwhile,” he added.

The president also announced that “in the next few hours” he would sign a decree declaring eight days of national mourning.

“It has been a national tragedy, but we will recover,” he said.

More than 12,000 people were treated over the past week across the country for injuries caused by the earthquake, said Rafael Correa.

Foreign nationals from the Colombia, Cuba, the UK, Ireland, Canada, and the Dominican Republic have been confirmed among the dead.

Major international and aid organizations have sent help.

The cost of rebuilding could be up to $3 billion, President Rafael Correa said during a visit to the worst-affected region.

The World Bank has agreed to lend $150 million to help Ecuador cope with the financial costs of the quake.

The tragedy comes at a time when the oil-producing country is already reeling from the slump in global crude prices.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the Ecuador earthquake had struck at a fairly shallow depth of 12 miles, about 17 miles from Muisne in a sparsely populated area.

North Korea Will Suspend Nuclear Tests If US Ceases Exercises in South Korea

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Will Suspend Nuclear Tests If US Ceases Exercises in South Korea

North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong has said his country will suspend its nuclear tests if the US stops its annual military exercises with South Korea.

Ri Su-yong also told the Associated Press that his country would not be cowed by international sanctions.

A US official has defended the drills as a sign of commitment to South Korea.

Meanwhile, Pyongyang said April 23 submarine-launched ballistic missile test was a “great success”.

“It fully confirmed and reinforced the reliability of the Korean-style underwater launching system and perfectly met all technical requirements for carrying out… underwater attack operation,” the North Korean news agency KCNA said.Ri Su-yong UN human rights council

The report added that the test gave North Korea “one more means for powerful nuclear attack”.

North Korea is banned from nuclear tests and activities that use ballistic missile technology under UN sanctions dating back to 2006.

Earlier, Ri Su-yong defended North Korea’s right to have a nuclear deterrent and said the US drove North Korea to develop such weapons as an act of self-defense.

The minister said that the suspension of the military drills could open the door to talks and reduced tensions.

“If we continue on this path of confrontation, this will lead to very catastrophic results, not only for the two countries but for the whole entire world as well,” he told AP.

“Stop the nuclear war exercises in the Korean Peninsula, then we should also cease our nuclear tests.”

It was a rare interview by a top North Korean official with a foreign media outlet. The conversation took place in North Korea’s diplomatic mission at the UN, AP said.

An unnamed US official quoted by AP defended the drills in South Korea as demonstrating Washington’s commitment to its alliance with Seoul.

The US has insisted North Korea give up its nuclear weapons program first before any negotiations and has ignored similar proposals in the past, according to the agency.

Ri Su-yong also said sanctions would not sway his country: “If they believe they can actually frustrate us with sanctions, they are totally mistaken.

“The more pressure you put on to something, the more emotionally you react to stand up against it. And this is important for the American policymakers to be aware of.”

The interview came hours after North Korea said it launched a ballistic missile from a submarine, a type of missile hard to detect.

Solar Impulse Pacific Crossing: Solar-Powered Plane Lands in Silicon Valley

James J. Williams
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Solar Impulse Pacific Crossing: Solar-Powered Plane Lands in Silicon Valley

Solar Impulse has landed in California after a three-day flight over the Pacific Ocean.

High winds delayed the solar-powered plane’s landing at Moffett Airfield, Mountain View, as pilot Bertrand Piccard flew in a holding pattern off the coast.

Solar Impulse left Hawaii on April 21, after eight months of repairs following battery damage on a flight from Japan.

This is the ninth leg of Solar Impulse’s attempt to fly round the world.

Solar Impulse started its journey last March in Abu Dhabi. The trip has involved two different pilots flying separate legs.

The plane gets all its energy from the sun, and has 17,000 photovoltaic cells on its top surfaces.

These power Solar Impulse’s propellers during the day but also charge batteries that the vehicle’s motors can then call on during the night.

The distance on this leg was 2,200 nautical miles.

Starting in Abu Dhabi, UAE, in March, Solar Impulse crossed Oman, India, Myanmar, and China.Solar Impulse 2 solo flight record

The plane then flew to Japan, before undertaking a 8,924km passage to Hawaii. That five-day, five-night crossing set a record for the longest ever non-stop solo plane journey.

However, Solar Impulse’s batteries overheated during the trip, forcing the project to stop on the Pacific archipelago while repairs were conducted.

A further 20 million euros ($23 million) had to be raised from supporters during the winter to keep the project going for another year.

Bertrand Piccard shares flying duties with his business partner, Andre Borschberg.

It was Andre Borschberg who flew into Kalaeloa in July 2015, and he will take the controls on the next leg across the US mainland.

Bertrand Piccard and Ande Borschberg’s intention is to reach New York by the start of June, to begin preparations for an Atlantic crossing.

Assuming this is completed successfully, it should then be a relatively straightforward run back to the “finish line” in Abu Dhabi.

Bertrand Piccard and Andre Borschberg have been working on the Solar Impulse project for more than a decade.

Prince Funeral: Iconic Musician Cremated in Private Ceremony

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Funeral: Iconic Musician Cremated in Private Ceremony

Prince’s publicist Anna Meacham has confirmed the singer was cremated with a small, private service for family, friends and musicians.

The cause of his death is still unknown and the results of April 22 autopsy could take at least four weeks.

Prince Nelson Rogers, 57, was found dead in a lift on his Paisley Park estate, near Minneapolis, on April 21, where fans are still paying tributes.

According to officials, there was no sign of trauma on the body and no indication the death was suicide.

Anna Meacham said Prince’s “final storage” would be kept private.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

“A few hours ago, Prince was celebrated by a small group of his most beloved: family, friends and his musicians, in a private, beautiful ceremony to say a loving goodbye,” she said.

Among the people who attended the ceremony were percussionist Sheila E, bassist Larry Graham and Prince’s sister Tyka Nelson.

Prince was a Jehovah’s Witness which requires funerals to take place within a week of a person’s death.

His innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz. He was at his peak in the 1980s with albums like Dirty Mind, 1999 and Sign O’ The Times. He sold more than 100 million records.

Prince was last seen at about 20:00 on April 20 and was found unconscious by some of his staff at about 09:30 the next morning.

He had been rushed to hospital in Illinois six days earlier, while flying home from a concert in Atlanta, Georgia, but was treated and released a few hours later.

Quoting unnamed sources, TMZ reported that Prince was treated in Illinois for an overdose of Percocet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxgUF3oJCXI

Fiat Chrysler Recalls 1.1 Million Cars Worldwide

Clyde K. Valle
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Fiat Chrysler Recalls 1.1 Million Cars Worldwide

Fiat Chrysler has announced it is recalling more than 1.1 million cars worldwide over fears they may roll away after drivers get out.

There have been as many as 41 injuries because drivers mistakenly believed they had put the automatic cars in “park”.

The recall covers cars and SUVs whose gearshifts could be confusing to drivers.Fiat Chrysler recall 2015

More than 850,000 vehicles in North America are affected, along with just over 250,000 elsewhere.

The affected models include 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans and 2014/15 Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs.

Fiat Chrysler said it would update the vehicles to automatically prevent them from moving, even if the driver fails to put the vehicle in park. The company did not say when the fix would become available to owners.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in February it had reports of 314 complaints, including 121 crashes after vehicles rolled away. Some hit buildings, drivers or other cars and many incidents occurred soon after the vehicles were bought.

Injury reports included three complaints of a fractured pelvis, and four others requiring some form of hospitalization.

An NHTSA spokesman said the agency would monitor the recall to ensure it took place as quickly as possible.

Fiat Chrysler said it began equipping the Charger and 300 with a new gearshift design for the 2015 model, while the Grand Cherokee was updated for the following year.

North Korea Test Fires Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

Roy Siemens
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North Korea Test Fires Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile

According to South Korean sources, North Korea appears to have fired a ballistic missile from a submarine off its eastern coast.

It is not clear whether the test was authentic, and if it was, whether it will be considered a success by North Korea.

A successful test would be significant because submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) are hard to detect.

The latest test comes as North Korea gears up for a rare and significant party congress next month.

North Korea is banned from nuclear tests and activities that use ballistic missile technology under UN sanctions dating back to 2006.

A South Korea defense ministry spokesman said: “North Korea launched a projectile which was believed to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile around 6:30 pm in the East Sea (Sea of Japan) near the north-eastern port of Sinpo.”

Photo KCNA
Photo KCNA

“We are keeping close tabs on the North Korean military and maintaining a full defence posture,” he said.

North Korea has yet to report the test in its own official media. The secretive state has claimed to have carried out similar tests before but some doubt those claims.

The US says photographs supposedly showing one launch in December were manipulated and others think North Korea has fired missiles from submerged platforms, but not submarines.

Regarding this latest test, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement that the missile travelled about 19 miles, whereas a typical SLBM can travel at least 186 miles.

North Korea has so far conducted four nuclear tests – the first one in October 2006 and the latest in January this year.

The UN Security Council responded to the latter by imposing its strongest sanctions to date over North Korea’s nuclear weapons program.

In March 2016, North Korea said it had developed nuclear warheads small enough to fit on ballistic missiles, although experts cast doubt on the claims.

Analysts believe North Korea may be gearing up for a fifth test as a show of strength ahead of the North Korean Workers’ Party Congress, the first since 1980.

Bangladesh Killings: Prof. Rezaul Karim Siddique Hacked to Death in Rajshahi

Roy Siemens
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Bangladesh Killings: Prof. Rezaul Karim Siddique Hacked to Death in Rajshahi

Bangladeshi university professor Rezaul Karim Siddique has been hacked to death, in an attack police say is similar to a number of killings of secular bloggers and atheist activists in the past months.

AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique, 58, was a professor of English at Rajshahi University in the western Bangladesh.

The professor was attacked with machetes by unidentified assailants while on his way to the university from his home.

In 2015, four prominent secular bloggers were killed with machetes.

Photo AFP
Photo AFP

Deputy police commissioner Nahidul Islam told AFP news agency that AFM Rezaul Karim Siddique had been involved in cultural programs, and had set up a school at Bagmara, a former bastion of outlawed Islamist group Jamayetul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

Members of JMB were arrested over an assault on an Italian Catholic priest in 2015.

Earlier this month a Bangladeshi law student who had expressed secular views online died when he was hacked with machetes and then shot in the capital, Dhaka.

The four bloggers killed in 2015 had all appeared on a list of 84 “atheist bloggers” drawn up by Islamic groups in 2013 and widely circulated.

There have also been attacks on members of religious minorities including Shia, Sufi and Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and Hindus. Two foreigners, an Italian aid worker and a Japanese man, were also shot dead in 2015, in seemingly random attacks.

ISIS has said it carried out many of the attacks – but this has not been independently verified.

Bangladesh is officially secular but critics say the government has failed to properly address the attacks.

Ohio Shootings: At Least Eight Dead in Execution-Style Killings in Pike County

Nancy Clayson
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Ohio Shootings: At Least Eight Dead in Execution-Style Killings in Pike County

At least eight members of a family, seven adults and one teenager, died in “execution-style” killings in four separate homes in rural Ohio.

They were all shot in the head and police are still searching for the attacker, or attackers.

More than a dozen officials from multiple agencies were sent to crime scenes in Piketon, south of Columbus.

A pastor at the scene said the violence may have been the result of a “domestic situation”.

According to Pike County Sheriff Charles Reader, all of the victims are members of a family called Rhoden.

Photo foxnews.com
Photo foxnews.com

They were all found in homes along Union Hill Road in Pike County. The Pike County Sheriff said there are four active crime scenes spanning about 30 miles.

Some of the victims appeared to have been shot as they slept, police said, including a mother in bed with her four-day-old baby close by.

Three children, including the infant, survived the shootings. The boy who was killed was 16 years old.

“There is a strong possibility that any individual involved in this is armed and incredibly dangerous,” Sheriff Charles Reader said.

Police have not determined a motive or officially identified the dead. They say none of the deaths appeared to be self-inflicted and they believe those responsible are still at large.

Ohio Governor and Republican presidential hopeful John Kasich has promised that those responsible will be found.

“We’ll find them, we’ll catch them and they’ll be brought to justice,” John Kasich said, while campaigning in Connecticut.

Sheriff Charles Reader said he would “suspect the family was being targeted”. He said he had met about 100 relatives of the victims at a church and they were being offered protection.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said it was “hard to believe” someone could kill a mother with her baby sleeping nearby.

Authorities are urging Pike residents to come forward with any information they might have.

EU-Turkey Refugee Deal: Angela Merkel and EU Delegates to Visit Syrian Border

Roy Siemens
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EU-Turkey Refugee Deal: Angela Merkel and EU Delegates to Visit Syrian Border

Top EU delegates and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are due to visit the Turkish-Syrian border to promote a controversial month-old refugee deal.

The visit comes amid questions over the legality of the EU-Turkey pact, which deports back to Turkey refugees who do not qualify for asylum in Greece.

However, human rights groups say Turkey is not a safe place to return people.

Turkish officials have warned the deal could collapse if demands for visa-free EU travel for its citizens are not met.

The agreement says Turkey must meet 72 conditions by May 4 to earn the visa waiver, but diplomats say only half of those points have been met so far.Angela Merkel on migrant crisis

Angela Merkel is expected to visit a refugee camp in the southern city of Gaziantep, near the Syrian border, where she will meet Turkey’s PM Ahmet Davutoglu.

The German chancellor will travel with the European Council President, Donald Tusk, and the EU Commission Vice-President, Frans Timmermans.

Angela Merkel has faced opposition in Germany for her migration policies and has defended the deal with Turkey despite opposition from some European partners.

Her trip comes as she faces additional pressure for agreeing to the prosecution of German comedian Jan Boehmermann accused of insulting Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Advocates of freedom of speech in both Turkey and Germany have called on Angela Merkel to send out a strong message on the issue during her visit.

The goal of the EU-Turkey deal is to deter refugees, mainly Syrians and Iraqis, from making the crossing between Turkey and Greece.

Under the agreement, refugees who have arrived illegally in Greece since March 20 are expected to be sent back to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected.

For each Syrian migrant returned to Turkey, the EU is due to take in another Syrian who has made a legitimate request.

The scheme has reduced sharply the number of arrivals, from more than 56,000 in February to around 7,800 over the past 30 days, according to the European Commission.

However, the International Organization of Migration said unofficial data for arrivals in Greece in recent days suggested the numbers were picking up again.

The promised relocation to EU countries seems to be slow as nations are reluctant to take in more refugees – 103 Syrians have been resettled from Turkey to Europe, the commission said.

In March 2016, EU border agency Frontex requested 1,550 extra staff to help oversee the deal, but so far only 340 police officers and experts have been sent.

Rights organizations have attacked the scheme, with Amnesty International saying that Turkey has illegally returned Syrians to their country, a charge Ankara denies.

The EU has pledged up to $6.8 billion in aid to Turkey over the next four years.

Ankara, however, expects more, including visa liberalization, a point which faces opposition of some EU members.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this month: “If the European Union does not take the steps it needs to take, if it does not fulfill its pledges, then Turkey won’t implement this agreement.”

Turkey already hosts some 2.7 million Syrian refugees, at a cost of over $10 billion, the government says.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kNc40X8urU

Prince Autopsy Result: No Reason to Believe Singer’s Death Was Suicide

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Autopsy Result: No Reason to Believe Singer’s Death Was Suicide

According to Carver County Sheriff Jim Olson, there is “no reason to believe” that Prince’s death was suicide.

The sheriff of the Minnesota county where the iconic musician had his home made the statement after a post-mortem examination.

There was no sign of trauma on the body, Sheriff Jim Olson said, suggesting Prince had died alone.

Prince Nelson Rogers, 57, was found dead in a lift on his Paisley Park estate on April 21.

Fans have been wearing purple, the color associated with the musician who sold more than 100 million records.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

Prince’s innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz. He was at his peak in the 1980s with albums like Dirty Mind, 1999 and Sign O’ The Times.

Sheriff Jim Olson warned that full results from the post-mortem could take several weeks, and the incident was still under investigation.

He said it was not unusual for there to be no one in the residence except Prince.

Prince was last seen at about 20:00 on April 20 and was found unconscious by some of his staff at about 09:30 the next morning.

He had been rushed to hospital in Illinois six days earlier, while flying home from a concert in Georgia, but was treated and released a few hours later.

Quoting unnamed sources, TMZ reports that Prince was treated in Illinois for an overdose of the painkiller drug Percocet.

Declining to give details of the preliminary findings, medical examiner spokesperson Martha Weaver said a full set of tests would be done on the body, involving tissue and blood samples.

Earlier, she announced that the body would be released to the family on April 22.

Sheriff Jim Olson confirmed police were in contact with Prince’s family.

“We have no reason to believe at this point that this was a suicide,” he said, then added, “but again, this is early on in the investigation and we’re continuing to investigate.”

The sheriff spoke of Prince as a good member of the community and said he had been a “friend to [his staff] as well as being an employer”.

Fans have set up impromptu memorials in Prince’s home town Minneapolis and in New York.

Prince had spoken about struggling with childhood epilepsy, the Associated Press reports, and friends say he had hip trouble.

His former percussionist, Sheila E, told the news agency Prince had suffered the effects of years of jumping off risers and speakers on stage while wearing high heels.

Prince’s latest album, HITnRUN Phase Two, was released in 2015 and he had been touring as recently as last week.

Dieselgate: VW Sets Emissions Scandal Provisions to €16.2 Billion

Clyde K. Valle
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Dieselgate: VW Sets Emissions Scandal Provisions to €16.2 Billion

Volkswagen has announced it set aside more than double provisions for the diesel emissions scandal to €16.2 billion.

In 2015, VW told shareholders that €6.7 billion had been set aside for potential costs or recalls.

The increased sum included the cost of fixing cars that violate air pollution standards, buying back vehicles and legal costs.

The move comes as German carmakers agreed to recall 630,000 diesel vehicles to tweak engine software.

German transport minister Alexander Dobrindt said Mercedes Benz, Opel and Porsche as well as VW and Audi would adjust settings that increased levels of emissions such as nitrogen dioxide in some diesel cars.

Shares in Daimler fell 4.6% in Frankfurt after the Mercedes owner said it had begun an internal investigation into its diesel emissions testing at the request of the US Justice Department.VW buy back deal US

Daimler said net profit for Q1 of 2016 fell by a third to €1.4 billion, held back by costs associated with the launch of the new E-Class range. The bigger-than-expected decline came despite a 2% rise in revenue to €35 billion as sales rose 7% to 683,885 vehicles.

VW CEO Matthias Muller said he could not put a figure on the total cost of the emissions scandal until a final deal was reached with US authorities.

Nor could the company release preliminary findings from an investigation it commissioned from law firm Jones Day until reaching an agreement, it said.

VW still faced the DoJ fines as part of an expected civil settlement, as well as possible criminal charges.

On April 21, a US court disclosed details of a deal between VW and the DoJ for more than 500,000 American owners of its diesel cars affected by the emissions cheating.

The deal will involve buybacks and “substantial” compensation for owners of mostly two-liter vehicles.

The increased emissions provision pushed VW to an annual pre-tax loss of €1.3 billion, compared with a profit of €14.7 billion the previous year.

VW expected group sales to fall by up to 5% in 2016.

Chief financial officer Frank Witter said: “We are again operating in an exceedingly challenging environment in which global demand for new vehicles is declining, exchange rates and interest rates remain highly volatile and competition in many of our markets is intensifying.”

VW shares closed down 1.7% in Frankfurt on April 22 and are more than 40% lower than at this time last year.

Paris Climate Deal: Record 171 Countries Sign New International Treaty at UN

James J. Williams
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Paris Climate Deal: Record 171 Countries Sign New International Treaty at UN

Some 171 countries signed the Paris climate deal at United Nations headquarters on April 22 – a record number for a new international treaty.

About 15 nations, mainly small island states, had already ratified the agreement.

However, dozens of other countries were required to take this second step before the pact came into force.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said: “Paris will shape the lives of all future generations a profound way – it is their future that is at stake.”

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ban Ki-moon said the planet was experiencing record temperatures: “We are in a race against time I urge all countries to join the agreement at the national level.”

“Today we are signing a new covenant for the future.”Paris Climate Change Agreement 2016

As the world marked the 46th Earth Day, UN climate chief Christiana Figueres explained what now needed to happened.

“Most countries, though not all, need to take the signed document and go back home and go to ratification procedures that in most countries requires parliamentary discussion and decision.”

Even though the US and China represent around 38% of global emissions, getting to the 55% figure will not be that easy.

The EU, which represents just under 10% of global CO2, will take a considerable amount of time as each of the 28 members has to ratify it themselves.

That is unlikely to begin until the EU can agree how much of the carbon cutting each country will have to undertake.

Small island states were upset with this approach.

President Barack Obama is also keen to see the new agreement take effect before he leaves office next January. A little known clause in the treaty means it would take four years if a new leader, less committed to climate action, wanted to take the US out of the agreement.

Other countries are also aware of this and are watching the US election process very closely.

China said it would “finalize domestic procedures” to ratify the Paris Agreement before the G20 summit in China in September.

There is obvious delight here in New York at the record turnout of countries and leaders to sign the agreement. However, some attendees are cautioning that this is merely the first rung on a very difficult ladder.

Prince Cause of Death: Autopsy Carried Out in Minnesota

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Cause of Death: Autopsy Carried Out in Minnesota

The autopsy of Prince’s body has begun in Minnesota at 9AM on April 22.

The legendary musician died suddenly at his home in Minnesota on April 21 at the aged of 57.

Prince Nelson Rogers was found collapsed in a lift at the premises outside Minneapolis, which doubled as his music studio. According to a transcript of a 9.43am emergency call released on April 22, an unidentified male caller said he was dead and replied: “Yes, it’s Prince” when asked if he was with the person. Prince was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.07AM on April 21.

Photo Instagram
Photo Instagram

No details were released as medical examiner’s office said it could take days to determine cause of death and weeks to receive results of toxicology test.

A wave of tributes has swept around the world for Prince who sold more than 100 million records.

Fans gathered across America to dance and sing along to the musician’s hits.

Illuminated buildings from Las Vegas to Melbourne, Australia, turned purple – the color with which he was associated since the release of his album Purple Rain.

Prince’s innovative music spanned rock, funk and jazz, and he was at his peak in the 1980s with albums like Purple Rain, 1999 and Sign O’ The Times.

The Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office in Minnesota said an examination would be conducted on April 22 but warned it could be days or weeks before any findings were released.

Energy Efficient Solutions for your Eco-friendly Office

Nancy Clayson
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Energy Efficient Solutions for your Eco-friendly Office

In 2016, we will witness many businesses becoming eco-friendly and turning their offices green. There are a couple of reasons why you should decide to do the same. First of all, you would aid in preserving the nature and making the world a better place. Besides this, you would be able to use your eco-credentials as a selling point with customers who are concerned about the environment and want to do business with companies who share their feelings. Making your office eco-friendly is not easy, and if you decide to do so, make sure you take a look at the following solutions.

Eco-Friendly Office

Use Less Paper

An easy change you can make in your office in order to make it more eco-friendly is trying to cut on your paper usage. You can do this by switching to a Cloud-based software. There are many Cloud apps like eSlip that allow you to create, track and send receipts and invoices electronically, without having to use paper. Other apps like Soon allow employees to share any files back and forth on their devices without having to print anything. Make sure you use apps like this and you will never have the need to print anything in your office.

Be Careful about Lighting

How you light up your office affects your mood but it also heavily affects environment. LED lights are favorite among people who are concerned for the nature. When using LED light bulbs you can reduce your energy consumption by 80-90%. Not to mention that these can last around 100,000 hours. All of this makes them much better and greener solution than a standard bulb. Standard turn only 5-10% of its consumed energy into light while the rest simply goes out as heat. You should also make sure that you use as much natural light as you can. Keep your blinds open during the whole day and consider installing additional window or two.

Eco-Friendly OfficeCarefully Design Your Office

The way you design your office may also have a huge impact on the environment. First of all you have to make sure you use most out of the windows in your office. Do not place anything in front of the window that can block natural light. Also, be sure to choose efficient doors and windows that will not allow heat to come in during the summer and retain it in the office during the winter. This way you will spend less energy trying to cool or heat the place. You should also be careful when choosing furniture. You should try to get furniture from an eco-friendly manufacturer. Turn to JP Office WorkStations if you want to get office furniture from a business that shares your concerns about the environment.

Eliminate All the Energy Vampires

When you are not using PC, phone chargers or other devices you should make sure they are unplugged. All of these devices are commonly referred to as energy vampires – appliances that draw energy simply by being plugged in. What you can do is install a timer on the appliances in your office so you can turn them off in the evening or during the weekends when you are not there. When trying to preserve the nature, all the energy you manage to save counts, so doing this does help a lot and you should encourage your employees and colleagues to do the same.

Eco-Friendly Office

 

When it comes to preserving the nature, any effort you make counts and aids in making the world a better place. Make sure you take all of these things in consideration if you want to make your office green.

Parechovirus Can Cause Developmental Delays and Brain Damage in Babies

Kathryn R. Bown
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Parechovirus Can Cause Developmental Delays and Brain Damage in Babies

According to a study by the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID), parechovirus can cause developmental delays and brain damage in babies.

More than 100 babies were hospitalized with parechovirus in 2013 and 2014.

One year later, doctors found that many of these babies had developmental problems.

No specific treatment or vaccine is currently available.

According to ASID, babies infected with the virus suffered from symptoms such as seizures, irritability and muscle twitches.

“This is a new virus and we know very little about it. This study is helping improve our understanding of some of the long-term consequences of infection in children and the results are concerning,” said ASID president Prof. Cheryl Jones in a statement.

Photo ABC News
Photo ABC News

Parechovirus was identified in Europe just over a decade ago.

However, Australia recently recorded one of the world’s largest outbreaks, starting in Sydney in late 2013.

ASID said over 100 babies were hospitalized in Sydney alone during this outbreak, with 70% of these children suffering from neurological infection.

The new study successfully followed up on 46 out of 79 of the infants, with half of them showing some developmental issues at 12 months.

Nearly 20% of the children had developed significant neurological problems.

“This clearly illustrates just how vitally important it is that we follow up young infants with brain infections from this virus and remain on alert for emerging infectious diseases,” Prof. Cheryl Jones said.

“It also highlights our need to develop an adequate response.

“There is currently no vaccination and no treatment for this virus. And whilst we are not anticipating a global epidemic we can certainly be confident that we will have further outbreaks in Australia.”

Parechovirus is spread by contact with bodily fluids such as airborne droplets of saliva, in the same way as the common cold.

Donald Trump Is Projecting a New Image

Diane A. Wade
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Donald Trump Is Projecting a New Image

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump has promised to change his image, in a closed-door meeting with GOP leaders.

Donald Trump, who leads the Republican race to be presidential nominee, delivered his message via aides, the Associated Press news agency reports.

The New York businessman’s success in primary elections so far has set off alarm bells among those in the party anxious that his tone and policies will turn off voters.

Five states go to the polls on April 26 to pick their presidential candidates.

Donald Trump has a clear lead in the number of delegates but may fall short of the 1,237 threshold required to win the nomination without a contested convention – where the nominee is chosen through negotiations among party figures.Donald Trump foreign policy advisory team

In a recording of April 21 meeting obtained by Associated Press, Donald Trump’s senior aides told Republican leaders that he has been “projecting an image” so far and “the part that he’s been playing is now evolving”.

In it, Donald Trump’s newly hired senior aide, Paul Manafort, told the Republican National Committee (RNC) members that the presidential hopeful has a campaigning personality and a private one.

“When he’s out on the stage, when he’s talking about the kinds of things he’s talking about on the stump, he’s projecting an image that’s for that purpose,” Paul Manafort said.

Donald Trump knows he needs to moderate his personality, Paul Manafort told the meeting. “The negatives [unfavorable ratings in polls] will come down. The image is going to change.”

His standing among female voters is particularly low, after a series of controversial remarks about women, abortion and rival Ted Cruz’s wife.

According to analysts, Donald Trump’s decisive win in the New York primary this week seemed to signal a new, softer side in his victory speech.

Meanwhile, he told a rally in Pennsylvania on April 21: “At some point, I’m going to be so presidential that you people will be so bored.”

On one of the key social issues currently engulfing the GOP, transgender rights, Donald Trump took a stance out of step with his key rival Ted Cruz on April 21, when he said transgender people should be allowed to use a toilet assigned to a gender of their choosing.

Ted Cruz criticized this as politically correct but former candidate Ben Carson praised Donald Trump for “trying to moderate”.

Donald Trump has accused the RNC of conspiring against him and of rigging the way delegates are awarded in a way that is unfavorable to him.

Venezuela Introduces Power Cuts to Save Energy

Diane A. Wade
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Venezuela Introduces Power Cuts to Save Energy

Venezuela will cut power for four hours a day from next week to deal with a worsening energy crisis.

The power cuts will last for 40 days as the country struggles under a severe drought limiting hydroelectric output.

It is the latest setback to Venezuela’s economy which has been hit by a sharp fall in the price of its main export, oil.

Venezuela’s main brewer, Polar, also says it will stop production because it has no dollars to buy grain abroad.

Polar, which produces 80% of Venezuela’s beer, says 10,000 workers will be affected by the stoppage.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

Announcing the restrictions on April 21, Energy Minister Luis Motta Dominguez said the hours of suspension would be published on a daily basis in newspapers and on ministerial websites. He added that the cuts would not happen between 20:00 and midday.

Venezuela’s energy crisis has been deepening all this year, in February, shopping malls were told to reduce their opening hours and generate their own energy.

President Nicolas Maduro has accused Venezuela’s business elite of colluding with the US to wreck the economy.

He has accused Polar President Lorenzo Mendoza of being allied to the opposition which now dominates the Venezuelan parliament against him.

Many businessmen and opposition politicians blame the energy crisis and shortages of basic goods on government economic mismanagement.

They say tough currency controls introduced in 2003 by the late president, Hugo Chavez have only made this worse.

The country’s economy is in dire straits, suffering from spiraling inflation, shortages of some basic goods and dwindling revenue from oil.

Venezuela’s almost exclusive relies on oil, the price of which has fallen sharply.

Prince Dead: Iconic Musician Dies at the Age of 57

Sonia Pantiss
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Prince Dead: Iconic Musician Dies at the Age of 57

Prince has died at his Paisley Park home in Minnesota at the age of 57.

Police were called to a medical emergency at the music icon’s estate on April 21 in the morning. An investigation is now under way.

On April 15, 2016, Prince’s private plane was forced to land in Illinois so he could seek medical treatment for flu-like symptoms. He had performed in a concert one day earlier in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed Prince’s death on Twitter, writing: “Prince Rogers Nelson (57) found dead at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, MN. We are investigating the circumstances of his death.”

The police department had previously withheld his identity until the next of kin was notified.

Prince became a global superstar in the 1980s, with albums such as 1999, Purple Rain and Sign O’ the Times.

The hugely popular, acclaimed and influential musician’s innovative music spanned rock, funk, and jazz, and selling more than 100 million records during his career.

Photo Getty Images
Photo Getty Images

A spokeswoman for the musician said: “It is with profound sadness that I am confirming that the legendary, iconic performer, Prince Rogers Nelson, has died.

“There are no further details as to the cause of death at this time.”

Born on June 7, 1958, Prince was a prolific writer and performer from a young age – reportedly writing his first song when he was seven.

A singer, songwriter, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, Prince recorded more than 30 albums. His best known hits include Let’s Go Crazy and When Doves Cry.

Prince also wrote music for several artists, with Sinead O’Connor’s version of Nothing Compares 2U becoming a worldwide smash in 1990.

In 1984, the musician won an Oscar for the score to Purple Rain, a movie he also starred in.

Throughout his career Prince had a reputation for secrecy and eccentricity, once changing his name to an unpronounceable symbol.

In 2004, Prince was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which said he “rewrote the rulebook”.

VW to Offer Substantial Compensation and Buy-Back Deals to Settle Emissions Scandal

Clyde K. Valle
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VW to Offer Substantial Compensation and Buy-Back Deals to Settle Emissions Scandal

Volkswagen has reached a deal with the US authorities in the diesel emissions scandal.

The German giant will offer “substantial compensation” and car buy-back deals as part of the settlement.

Final details of the packages offered will be announced in June, but a court had given VW and regulators until April 21 to reach a deal in principle.

In 2015, US regulators discovered that VW cars were fitted with software that could distort emissions tests.

The automaker subsequently said 11 million cars worldwide were affected.

Details of the preliminary agreement were announced in a California court. US district court Judge Charles Breyer said the settlement would include a buyback offer for nearly 500,000 2.0-litre vehicles.VW buy back deal US

He did not give details of how much car owners would offered in compensation, but said the deal between Volkswagen, the US government and private lawyers would be “substantial”.

Judge Charles Breyer said VW would also pay into an environmental fund and commit other money to promote green car technology.

The company told its shareholders in 2015 it had set aside $7.3 billion to help defray the potential costs of a recall or regulatory penalties, but that figure could rise. The company faces as much as $20 billion in fines for Clean Air Act violations alone.

VW installed software in the diesel engines to detect when they were being tested and cheat the results. Some models could have been pumping out up to 40 times the legal limit of the pollutant, nitrogen oxide, regulators disclosed.

The company’s lawyer, Robert Giuffra said: “Volkswagen is committed to winning back the trust of its customers, its dealers, its regulators and all of America.”

The agreements are “an important step forward on the road to making things right,” he added.

VW said in a statement that it “intends to compensate its customers fully and to remediate any impact on the environment from excess diesel emissions”.

The automaker said a deal in principle had been reached with the Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.

VW added that it had “reached an agreement on the basic features of a settlement with the class action plaintiffs in the lawsuit in San Francisco. This agreement will be incorporated into a comprehensive settlement in the coming weeks”.

The deal announced on April 21 covers mostly 2-liter vehicles.

Judge Charles Breyer said he expects an agreement between VW and regulators covering about 90,000 larger vehicles and SUVs to be addressed “expeditiously”.

Rio 2016: Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony Held in Greece

Clyde K. Valle
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Rio 2016: Olympic Torch Lighting Ceremony Held in Greece

The Olympic torch for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro has been lit in southern Greece.

Actress Katerina Lehou performing the role of high priestess lit the torch by using the sun’s rays.

The flame will be taken by various runners on an international relay that will culminate at the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 5.

The ritual was established 80 years ago for the Berlin Games, based on a ceremony in Ancient Olympia where games were held for more than 1,000 years.

Katerina Lehou offered a mock prayer to Apollo, the old Greek god of light and music, at April 21ceremony.

Wearing a long pleated robe, the actress knelt solemnly to the ground and lit the torch within a few seconds by using a concave mirror to catch the sunlight.

Photo NBC News
Photo NBC News

Katerina Lehou then delivered the flame to Greek world gymnastics champion Eleftherios Petrounias, the first runner in a torch relay that will conclude at the opening ceremony in Rio’s Maracana Stadium.

The chief organizer of the 2016 Olympic Games, Carlos Nuzman, promised to “deliver history”. He said the Olympics would unite Brazil, which is beset by political and economic crises.

“[The torch lighting] brings a message that can and will unite our dear Brazil, a country that is suffering much more than it deserves in its quest for a brighter future,” Carlos Nuzman said in his speech.

Brazil’s President Dilma Rousseff was forced to cancel her trip to ancient Olympia because of the impeachment threat she faces.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said the flame was “a timeless reminder that we are all part of the same humanity” despite the difficulties that Brazil is facing.

“Rio de Janeiro… will provide a spectacle to showcase the best of the human spirit. In just a few weeks the Brazilian people will enthusiastically welcome the world and amaze us with their joy of life and their passion for sport,” Thomas Bach said.

Before the flame arrives in South America it will begin a six-day relay across Greece, passing through the town of Marathon – which gave its name to the long distance race – as well as a camp for refugees and migrants in Athens, the International Olympic Committee has said.

The torch is due to arrive in Brazil on May 3 for a relay across the country, traveling through hundreds of cities and villages in every Brazilian state.

The Olympic torch will be carried by about 12,000 bearers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_08vOWJMT0Y

Mitsubishi Scandal: Okazaki Office Raided over Fuel Economy Tests

Clyde K. Valle
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Mitsubishi Scandal: Okazaki Office Raided over Fuel Economy Tests

A Mitsubishi Motors office in Japan has been raided by authorities following the revelation that the automaker had falsified its fuel economy data.

The officials searched Mitsubishi’s plant in Okazaki.

Mitsubishi has admitted that employees altered data to flatter mileage rates on more than 600,000 vehicles.

A government spokesman said they were treating it as an “extremely serious case” and that it had ordered Mitsubishi to submit a full report.

The authorities have set April 27 as the deadline for Mitsubishi Motors to hand over the report on the inaccurate testing.

Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said: “Based on [the findings from] the raid, and a report from the company, we would like to reveal the extent of the inaccuracies as soon as possible.

“We will deal with the situation in a strict manner and would like to make sure of the safety of cars.”Mitsubishi fuel test 2016

The Okazaki office is Mitsubishi’s second largest plant in Japan and is a manufacturing hub as well as a research facility.

The inaccurate tests involved 157,000 of Mitsubisi’s own cars and 468,000 vehicles produced for Nissan.

The issue affected models including Mitsubishi’s ek Wagon and eK Space, as well as Nissan’s Dayz and Dayz Roox.

All are “mini-cars” with 660cc petrol engines and are popular in Japan but have found little success in other markets.

Shares of Mitsubishi Motors were not traded on April 21 as no buyers could be found to match investors wanting to sell.

Instead, the Tokyo Stock Exchange set an indicated closing price of 583 yen, a 20% drop from yesterday’s close of 733 yen.

Shares in Mitsubishi had already fallen 15% on April 20, when news of the falsified data first emerged.

Mitsubishi had struggled for years to regain consumer trust after a defects scandal in the early 2000s that covered up problems such as failing brakes, faulty clutches and fuel tanks that fell off vehicles.

Rich List 2016: Adele Named UK’s Richest Ever Female Musician

Sonia Pantiss
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Rich List 2016: Adele Named UK’s Richest Ever Female Musician

According to the Sunday Times Rich List, Adele is Britain’s richest ever female musician.

On a list of the top 50 music millionaires in the UK and Ireland, Adele’s £85 million ($122 million) fortune puts her in the 30th place – an increase of £35 million compared to 2015.Adele 25 album

The only female singer with a bigger fortune on the list – which also covers Ireland – is Enya on £91 million ($130 million).

For the fifth year running Adele, 27, is also ranked top of the Young Music Rich List, covering those aged 30 and under.

The singer’s fortune was boosted by the November release of 25 – her first album in four years.

Adele made her debut on the under-30s list in 2011 in ninth place, but by 2012 she had secured the top spot, a position she has held onto ever since.

The singer is now ranked at number 30 in the overall UK and Ireland music millionaires list, above Cliff Richard, Gary Barlow and Kylie Minogue, and up from 43rd place in 2016.

Adele is one of just three solo women to make it onto the 2016 list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWlaQKZSLn0

Mexico: Pemex Oil Plant Explosion Kills at Least Three in Veracruz

Diane A. Wade
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Mexico: Pemex Oil Plant Explosion Kills at Least Three in Veracruz

At least three people were killed and other 136 injured after a large explosion hit an oil plant in the south-east Mexican state of Veracruz.

The facility is owned by Mexico’s state oil company, Pemex, in the port city of Coatzacoalcos.

Hundreds of people have been evacuated and schools closed. Footage showed a large fire and vast plumes of smoke.

The cause of the explosion is unclear. Several blasts have been reported at Pemex facilities in recent years.

The latest incident occurred at around 15:15 local time, Pemex said in a statement. Veracruz state Governor Javier Duarte told a radio station the blast was felt 6 miles away.

Photo Reuters
Photo Reuters

The fire was under control by early evening, Pemex said. Residents were told to stay indoors because of the possible toxic nature of the smoke from the blast, but Pemex said the smoke dissipated quickly, lessening any possible toxic effects.

According to Pemex, of the 136 people injured, 88 remain in hospital, 13 of whom are in a serious condition.

Video posted on social media purporting to show a local hospital showed scenes of chaos and patients suffering heavy blood loss.

Pemex said the part of the factory hit by the explosion was managed by a sister company, Mexichem.

Associated Press reported that the plant produces vinyl chloride, a dangerous chemical used to make PVC pipes and packaging materials.

Exports of oil from the plant, one of the largest terminals for oil distribution in Mexico, would not be affected, the company added.

Pemex’s own headquarters in Mexico City was hit by a large gas blast in January 2013, killing 37 people.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmjNBiGQEXQ

VW Reaches Diesel Buy Back Deal in US

Clyde K. Valle
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VW Reaches Diesel Buy Back Deal in US

Volkswagen has reached a deal with the US authorities under which the automaker could offer to buy back up to 500,000 diesel cars in the US.

VW has also agreed a compensation fund for owners.

The German car giant is expected to reveal the deal to a Federal judge in San Francisco on April 21.

A VW spokeswoman, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department declined to comment.

The company could also offer to repair diesel vehicles if US regulators approve a fix at a future date, reports said.VW buy back deal US

In March, US District Judge Charles Breyer gave VW until April 21 “to announce a concrete proposal for getting the polluting vehicles off the road.”

Judge Charles Breyer said in March the “proposal may include a vehicle buy back plan or a fix approved by the relevant regulators that allows the cars to remain on the road with certain modifications.”

In September 2015, the EPA found that VW cars being sold in the US had a “defeat device” – or software – in diesel engines that could detect when they were being tested, and change the performance to improve results.

Some models could be pumping out up to 40 times the legal limit of the pollutant nitrogen oxide.

In March, VW CEO Matthias Muller said that a deal with US authorities over its emissions scandal could take longer and cost more than expected.

Matthias Muller warned that the €6.7 billion set aside to cover the costs of the scandal might not be enough.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2K6yw55Ga4

The Spread of Zika Virus

Nancy Clayson
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Once considered not so serious, Zika Virus is fast becoming a nightmare. People with Zika infections have symptoms that can include mild fever, skin rash, conjunctivitis, muscle pain, joint pain and headache. In the last two years, national health authorities of Brazil and French Polynesia reported potential neurological and auto-immune complications of Zika virus disease. In Brazil, the authorities also observed an increase in Guillain-Barre syndrome (an autoimmune disorder that can lead to life-threatening paralysis) which coincided with Zika virus infections in the general public, as well as an increase in babies born with microcephaly in northeast Brazil.

In Brazil, over 1200 microcephaly cases were recorded in 2015. The tenfold rise in a year time is believed to be connected with a spreading of the Zika Virus in South America in recent years.

Recently, studies published on Zika virus by UCLA finds significant genetic changes in the strain compared with one discovered 70 years back. The researchers are tracing the genetic mutation to understand how the transmission happens from person to person and how the virus causes different

Zika virus is transmitted through the vector Aedes aegypti, the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya, and yellow fever. Also, sexual transmission of Zika virus is possible. The possibility of transmission via blood is being investigated.

More than 50% of the world population lives in regions where mosquitos are prevalent and Aedes aegypti population is extremely difficult to control. This puts the larger part of the population living in tropical and developing countries at much larger risk.

The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes the elimination of mosquito breeding sites as the most effective way of protecting people from Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya and Yellow fever. Usage of repellents for personal protection against mosquito bites is also recommended. Fogging is advocated only in an emergency and is advised to be carried out only during the hours around dawn and dusk when mosquito activity is most intense. WHO is also exploring newer methods (currently in trials) to bring down the population of the vector in regions severely infected by Zika virus.

In 2016, Spain confirmed that a pregnant woman has been diagnosed with the Zika virus, first such case in Europe. Previously, European countries including Ireland and Denmark reported Zika-virus infections in the country, but not in pregnant women.

Zika virus in the United States and other countries are mainly linked to people travelling to and from Brazil. In the period between September 2009 and August 2015, the number of travelers from Brazil to the United States was nearly 2.8 million.

Given the growing severity of this infectious disease, there is a fair number of drug developers looking into a possible Zika virus cure. Some of the notable ones are Inovio Pharma, NewLink Genetics, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline, and Cerus. The possible cure is expected to be available in the form of vaccines according to various sources within the pharmaceutical industry.

Intrexon, a company involved in biologic insect controls, has developed genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes focused on passing a genetic mutation to the next generation of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. This new genetic insertion kills the new generation of mosquitoes before they reach the reproductive adult stage. The pest control method by Intrexon was announced environmentally safe by The Food and Drug Administration in March 2016. This could really be the start of Zika-virus combat mission.

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