Author: Starvision News Desk

Honolulu, Aug 19 (IANS) The death toll from the wildfires in Hawaii’s Maui island, deemed to be the the deadliest in modern US history, has spiked to 114 while more than 60 per cent of the disaster area has been searched with rescue efforts continuing, authorities said.The Maui Police Department confirmed in an update that the total number of fatalities in the deadly wildfires has increased to 114, up from Thursday’s 111, reports Xinhua news agency.In a televised speech, Hawaii Governor Josh Green said that the number of lives lost in the disaster is “expected to increase each day” as…

Washington, Aug 19 (IANS) Hurricane Hilary, now a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to impose “significant impacts”, including heavy rain and flooding, on the US Southwest this weekend into early next week, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).The National Hurricane Center (NHC) on Friday issued for the first time a tropical storm watch for parts of Southern California, warning against possible threat of tropical conditions in the areas within 48 hours, reports Xinhua news agency.Hilary intensified rapidly Thursday into Friday from a tropical storm on Mexico’s Pacific coast to a Category 4 hurricane, with a maximum surface wind of…

New York, Aug 19 (IANS) Severe Covid-19 may cause long-lasting alterations to the innate immune system, the first line of defence against pathogens, according to a small study.These changes may help explain why the disease can damage so many different organs and why some people with long Covid have high levels of inflammation throughout the body.The study, published online in the journal Cell, examined immune cells and molecules in blood samples from 38 people recovering from severe Covid and other severe illnesses, as well as from 19 healthy people.Notably, researchers led by Steven Z. Josefowicz, from the Weill Cornell Medicine…

New Delhi, August 19 (IANS) Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi has voiced concerns about her incarcerated husband’s security and safety, saying he “can be poisoned” in Attock jail.In a letter written to the home secretary of Punjab province, Bushra Bibi said the court had directed authorities concerned to shift his husband to Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, Geo News reported.“My husband has been imprisoned in Attock jail without any justification. According to the law, my husband should be transferred to Adiala jail,” she added.The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman was jailed earlier this month after the court sentenced…

New York, Aug 19 (IANS) A 44-year-old Indian-origin lab owner was sentenced o 27 years in prison for defrauding Medicare by submitting over $463 million in genetic and other laboratory tests that patients did not need.According to court documents, Minal Patel’s Atlanta-based LabSolutions LLC was enrolled with Medicare and performed sophisticated genetic tests. Patel conspired with patient brokers, telemedicine companies, and call centers to target Medicare beneficiaries with telemarketing calls. The calls falsely stated that Medicare covered expensive cancer genetic tests, a Department of Justice release said. After the Medicare beneficiaries agreed to take a test, Patel paid kickbacks and…

New York, Aug 19 (IANS) Those following a plant-based diet with limited added salts and sugars, adequate rest, exercise and socialisation were found to have a 29 per cent lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 28 per cent lower risk of cancer mortality compared to others who were non-adherent to this lifestyle, a new research has said. In a study of adults in the UK, those who adhered closely to a Mediterranean lifestyle had lower risk of all-cause and cancer mortality.The researchers analysed the habits of 110,799 members of the UK Biobank cohort, a population-based study across England, Wales,…

Chandigarh, Aug 19 (IANS) The Haryana government will introduce a spirulina-based product under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) for severe acute malnourished  and moderate acute malnourished children on a pilot basis in Nuh for six months.Spirulina, an algae that grows in fresh or saltwater, is rich in nutrients and possesses antioxidant properties.A study conducted by the Institute of Health Management and Research (IHMR), Bengaluru, demonstrated a 46 and 67 per cent reduction in malnutrition by administering spirulina for six months to children.Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kaushal said three nutrition-rich programmes will be implemented across all blocks of the aspirational district…

Rome, Aug 19 (IANS) Intense heatwaves and extreme weather that gripped Italy for most part of this year will cost farmers at least 6 billion euros ($6.5 billion), according to estimates from the country’s main agricultural union.Coldiretti said that 2023 has so far been “a black year” for the agricultural sector, reports Xinhua news agency.In its report published on Friday, the group said that Italy had experienced an average of nearly 11 extreme weather events per day so far this year, including hailstorms, tornadoes, flash floods and windstorms in addition to long and intense series of heat waves.This year in…

Vienna, Aug 19 (IANS) Former Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has been charged with making false statements to Parliament, prosecutors said.The former Chancellor has been accused of giving false testimony before an investigative committee of the Austrian parliament, Xinhua news agency quoted a press release from the prosecutor’s office for economic crimes and corruption as saying on Friday.If found guilty the former People’s Party leader could face up to three years in prison.In response, Kurz denied the charges, calling them “groundless”.”The accusations are false and we look forward to the time when the truth finally comes to light and the accusations…

New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) After EG.5 raised concerns for a new Covid outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) has now flagged another sub-variant of Omicron BA.2.86, dubbed as BA.X.BA.2.86 is from Omicron’s BA. 2 lineage and was first detected in Israel. It has to date been detected in just five cases — in Denmark (2), Israel (1), the US (1), the UK (1) — and the variant has shown large mutations, increasing fears of fresh Covid cases.After just three cases WHO declared it a variant under monitoring (VUM), and also called for closer monitoring of the variant to understand…