You can’t talk about architectural discourse in the 21st century without discussing sustainable design. Known for its high rate of carbon dioxide emissions and contributions to air pollution relative to other cornerstone sectors, the buildings and construction industry is gradually implementing greener standards to reduce its heavy ecological footprint. In addition to the development of smart cities and green buildings, the use of alternative building materials is being explored. To this end, Israeli company Kenaf Ventures is developing and producing sustainable raw materials made from the kenaf plant (Hibiscus cannabinus) in an effort to decarbonize the construction sector without reducing…
Author: zenger.news
NEW DELHI — Following two years of strained diplomatic ties, India and Pakistan — the two Asian neighbors — finally met to deliberate on the contentious Indus Waters Treaty. The Indus water commissioners of India and Pakistan last met at the beginning of February 2019. The events after the last meeting — the terror attack on the Indian Army in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, on Feb. 14, 2019; India’s airstrike in retaliation on terrorist camps in Balakot in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan; and India scrapping Jammu and Kashmir’s special status — have done more harm than good to the discussions. After India abrogated…
Air travel is taking a giant step toward normalcy thanks to an Israeli rapid COVID-19 diagnostic test soon to be deployed in European airports. Successfully piloted in two European airports, the portable SpectraLIT device has received CE approval for sale throughout the European Union under the European Medical Devices Directive. SpectraLIT was developed by Newsight Imaging of Ness Ziona in collaboration with Sheba Medical Center’s ARC Innovation Center. Together they established Virusight Diagnostic to commercialize the inexpensive device. SpectraLIT rapid virus testing device. (Courtesy of Virusight Diagnostic)“As travel restrictions are gradually lifted, innovation and technology will continue to be central…
KARURA, Kenya — One of the world’s largest urban forests sits just outside Nairobi, one of Africa’s busiest cities. Amid its tranquility, the setting is often pierced by ear-splitting gasoline motorbikes emitting fumes as rangers patrol for poachers, intruders and watch over visitors. “Normally, we use gasoline motorbikes to patrol this forest, making it impossible to nab culprits because of the noise. In many instances, we have been fighting a losing battle,” John Chege, the infrastructure coordinator from Friends of Karura Forest, told Zenger News. But now, thanks to an electric motorbikes pilot project recently launched in Nairobi, Friends of Karura…
NEW DELHI — Known as ‘The Big Bull,’ Harshad Mehta hit the headlines in India in 1992 in the wake of an INR 4,000 crore ($545 million) securities scam. Liquor baron Vijay Mallya is under investigation by multiple agencies and faces charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy, and diversion of loan funds of an estimated INR 9,000 crore ($1.23 billion). Subrata Roy, the founder of Sahara India Pariwar, is behind bars on a complaint that his firm deceived investors in a proposed housing project of INR 25,000 crore ($3.4 billion). Most of these men have promised a perfect rag to riches story,…
The state of Veracruz, Mexico, eased its COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of the Holy Week and is ready to receive thousands of tourists for the holiday. Mexico manages its lockdown with a stoplight code. The red light marks the most dangerous moments and total lockdown. With the epidemiological stoplight marking green, tourists are ready to visit historical sites, practice adventure sports, enjoy the beaches and discover arts, traditions and food. “In Veracruz, we like to visit the pier, have sherbets, go to San Juan de Úlua and the beach, of course. I live in the State of Mexico, and I…
Mexico has a severe obesity problem, according to official government reports. It is estimated that seven out of 10 adults are obese. The data concerning childhood obesity in Mexico is even more alarming. For years, the Mexican Institute of Social Security has warned about the rise in obesity in young people and the many risks that accompany it, such as diabetes, kidney failure, heart attacks and high cholesterol levels. “Unfortunately, we are finding more and more cases of childhood obesity,” said Abigail Velasco Juárez, a private pediatric neonatologist in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. “Unfortunately, many of the parents do…
Israeli researchers report that the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid vaccine neutralizes the British B.1.1.7 variant at the same approximately 95 percent level that it neutralizes the original SARS-CoV-2 strain. The vaccine was found to be moderately less effective against the South African B.1.351 variant and the combined British-South African variants of the coronavirus. The study was published on March 20 in the journal Cell Host and Microbe. The Pfizer vaccine has been found to be effective in fighting variants of Covid-19. (Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)“Our findings show that future variants could necessitate a modified vaccine as the virus mutates to increase its infectivity,”…
BRISBANE, Australia — A jury should “think long and hard” whether a world champion kayaker is guilty of being involved in an alleged plan to import up to AUD 200 million ($154 million) worth of cocaine into Australia. Olympic silver medalist Nathan Baggaley, 45, and his younger brother Dru Baggaley are accused of importing a commercial quantity of cocaine into Coolangatta on the Gold Coast, Australia, between December 2017 and August 2018. Baggaley was arrested in mid-2019, about a year after his 39-year-old brother and another man, Anthony Draper, went out to sea before attempting to return to the mainland with…
BRISBANE, Australia — Hail storms will be more severe and more frequent in Australia because of climate change, an international study led by a University of New South Wales researcher has found. Published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, the study examined the effects of climate change on hail in the future. It found hailstorm frequency will decrease in East Asia and North America while increasing in Australia and Europe, and hailstorm severity will increase in most regions. “We came to the conclusion that on balance, the hail threat is likely to increase in Australia, especially in Australia’s southeast including the Sydney area,” said…