WASHINGTON — The theory that modern society is too clean, leading to defective immune systems in children, should be swept under the carpet, as per a new study by researchers at University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The findings of the “study” were published in the “Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.” In medicine, the “hygiene hypothesis” states that early childhood exposure to particular microorganisms protects against allergic diseases by contributing to the development of the immune system. However, there is a pervading view (public narrative) that Western 21st-century society is too hygienic, which means toddlers and…
Author: zenger.news
FRANKLIN, Australia — An independent Tasmanian member of parliament claims people in the Australian state Labor party knew about sexual harassment claims leveled at former leader David O’Byrne when they backed him for the role. O’Byrne announced on July 4 he would resign as opposition leader at the next party caucus meeting, less than three weeks after being elected to the job. He issued a public apology on June 30 after being accused of sending inappropriate text messages to a junior employee and kissing her twice without consent when he worked for the Liquor, Hospitality, and Miscellaneous Union more than a…
NEW DELHI — Germany will lift the ban on most travelers from five countries hit by the ‘Delta’ variant of Covid-19, including India and the United Kingdom, from June 7, said Walter J Lindner, German ambassador to India. “Promised to work hard on easing travel restrictions for travelers from IND [India] and update you immediately,” tweeted Linder. “And voila: from tomorrow on, GER (Germany) is removing entry ban and easing travel rules for five countries where the Delta variant is widespread, including IND! Details soon on the website.” The change will mean simpler requirements for people visiting those countries. People who have had either…
NEW DELHI — The Bar Council of Delhi suspended a lawyer’s license for using his chamber for performing Muslim marriages (nikahs) and religious conversions. Performing nikah in the chamber or court premises is not permitted by an advocate or any other person and calls for urgent action by the council. “The bar council has taken action based on a complaint that the lawyer was using his chamber for performing nikahs,” said Piyush Gupta, the Secretary of Bar Council of Delhi. Bar Council of Delhi Chairman Ramesh Gupta ordered a Special Disciplinary Committee to be set up to investigate the matter. The members…
ISLAMABAD — Debt-ridden Pakistan has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia-based Islamic Development Bank to borrow $4.5 billion to reduce oil and gas shortages that affect people’s livelihoods through power cuts and fuel disruptions. The loan will be used to pay for crude oil, refined petroleum products, liquefied natural gas, and industrial chemical urea over the next three years. The agreement was reached with the International Islamic Trade Finance Corporation, the trading arm of the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank. The opposition parties blame the debt crisis on lethargy and mismanagement by the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government. They have pointed to delays in buying…
WELLINGTON, New Zealand — New Zealand’s nurses plan to walk off the job three times in the next three months in “history-making” defiance of Jacinda Ardern’s government. As Australian health providers pitch to medical professionals to move across the Tasman Sea, Kiwi nurses are showing their dissatisfaction in their workplaces. The Kiwi healthcare providers’ largest representative union, the New Zealand Nurses Organization, said its 30,000 members voted in “very high” numbers for the strikes in a nationwide ballot which concluded on July 6. “We are facing a national health crisis in terms of safe staffing, recruitment, and retention,” New Zealand Nurses…
CANBERRA, Australia — The coalition government has suffered a hit among Australian women while Scott Morrison’s approval rating is at its lowest for a year. Polling for two popular publications shows the coalition’s female primary vote has fallen from 41 to 37 percent since the last federal election in May 2019. Support for Labor among women rose two percentage points to 35, while female backing for independents lifted from four to seven percent. The findings come during the renewed debate about the treatment of women in the Liberal Party after a former member of parliament Julia Banks accused the prime minister…
BEIJING — The United States is the top threat to global cybersecurity, Wang Wenbin, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said. The comment came amid strained ties between Washington and Beijing. “As facts have proven time and again, it is the US that has been forcing companies to install backdoors and obtaining user data in violation of relevant rules,” Wenbin said during a press briefing. “The US itself is the top threat to global cybersecurity.” Wenbin said that the US has long been taking advantage of its advanced tech capacity to run invasive surveillance on people at home and abroad, steal various data…
SYDNEY — Public financing of coal, oil, and gas projects in Australia is tipped to rise as the federal government increasingly steps in as a lender of last resort. The conditions are ripe for taxpayer-backed financiers to fund fossil fuel projects as more private lenders rule it out, a report released by research center Jubilee Australia has found. The research was put together by probing Export Finance Australia’s annual reports and transaction registers to identify the nature of the activities supported. It comes just four days after the Morrison government was criticized for extending an AU$175 million ($132.27 million) loan to…
MUMBAI, India — Indian Actor Arjun Kapoor will soon treat his fans with his new character “Chiraunji” in his upcoming film “Bhoot Police.” Kapoor took to Instagram to introduce his character from the forthcoming film that also stars Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, and Yami Gautam. In the first look poster, Arjun has an angry young man vibe. He is seen wearing an oversized black outfit with a knife-shaped pendant and studded rings. Giving an intense look, he is holding a torch in his hand. “Unravel the mysterious door of supernatural powers with laughter!” said Kapoor in the post. “Meet CHIRAUNJI in #BhootPolice. Coming soon on @disneyplushotstarvip.”…