Scientists have discovered&nbsp;a new mammal reference genome that helps to identify&nbsp;genetic variants for human health.

According to research published in the journal&nbsp;Science, scientists have&nbsp;identified more than 85 million genetic variants in the rhesus macaque, the largest database of genetic variation for anyone nonhuman primate species to date.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/vexas-syndrome-scientists-discover-new-fatal-disorder-in-men-338852">VEXAS syndrome: Scientists discover new fatal disorder in men</a>

"This is a major step forward in the amount of information we have about genetic variation in the rhesus macaque," said Dr. Jeffrey Rogers, associate professor at the Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor and one of the corresponding authors of the study.

"We have actually identified thousands of new mutations in the population of research animals. Now colleagues all over the country who are investigating various aspects of health and disease using rhesus macaques can begin to make use of that information."

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Dr. Wesley C. Warren at the University of Missouri and Dr. Evan Eichler at the University of Washington, both corresponding authors of the study, used a combination of several advanced technologies to substantially improve the rhesus macaque reference genome assembly first created in 2007.

The new reference genome&nbsp;provides a more complete and accurate picture of the rhesus macaque DNA sequence. The rhesus macaque is the most widely studied nonhuman primate in biomedical research.

This improvement can support more sophisticated and more detailed analyses of fundamental questions in molecular genetics, cell biology, and physiology.

''When we coupled this higher quality genome reference with a broader sequencing of expressed genes, our team discovered gene structures unique to macaque as well as specific repeat sequences undergoing deletions that suggest evolutionary competition to suppress these elements from expanding continues today," said Warren, professor at the University of Missouri's Bond Life Sciences Center.

Researchers at Baylor's Human Genome Sequencing Center sequenced the genomes of 853 rhesus macaque from research institutions around the country and compared them to the new reference genome.

The genome analysis showed that rhesus macaque have more genetic variants per individual than humans. Among the millions of genetic variants identified, researchers found several damaging mutations in genes known to cause genetic disorders in humans, including autism, inherited blindness and several others.

"We can find naturally occurring models of genetic disorders by surveying the rhesus macaque population," Rogers said.

"We will find animals that naturally carry interesting and useful genetic mutations that can help us understand genetic variation and susceptibility to disease in humans. Rhesus macaques are also widely studied by primatologists and evolutionary biologists, so this new reference genome will also provide new insight into the evolution of the nonhuman primate and human genomes."

Scientists have discovered a new mammal reference genome that helps to identify genetic variants for human health. According to research published in the journal Science, scientists have identified more than 85 million genetic variants in the rhesus macaque, the largest database of genetic variation for anyone nonhuman primate species to date.

Scientists have discovered a new mammal reference genome that helps to identify genetic variants for human health. According to research published in the journal Science, scientists have identified more than 85 million genetic variants in the rhesus macaque, the largest database of genetic variation for anyone nonhuman primate species to date. Also read: VEXAS syndrome: Scientists discover new fatal disorder in men "This is a major step forward in the amount of information we have about genetic variation in the rhesus macaque," said Dr. Jeffrey Rogers, associate professor at the Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor and one of the corresponding authors of the study. "We have actually identified thousands of new mutations in the population of research animals. Now colleagues all over the country who are investigating various aspects of health and disease using rhesus macaques can begin to make use of that information." Dr. Wesley C. Warren at the University of Missouri and Dr. Evan Eichler at the University of Washington, both corresponding authors of the study, used a combination of several advanced technologies to substantially improve the rhesus macaque reference genome assembly first created in 2007. The new reference genome provides a more complete and accurate picture of the rhesus macaque DNA sequence. The rhesus macaque is the most widely studied nonhuman primate in biomedical research. This improvement can support more sophisticated and more detailed analyses of fundamental questions in molecular genetics, cell biology, and physiology. ''When we coupled this higher quality genome reference with a broader sequencing of expressed genes, our team discovered gene structures unique to macaque as well as specific repeat sequences undergoing deletions that suggest evolutionary competition to suppress these elements from expanding continues today," said Warren, professor at the University of Missouri's Bond Life Sciences Center. Researchers at Baylor's Human Genome Sequencing Center sequenced the genomes of 853 rhesus macaque from research institutions around the country and compared them to the new reference genome. The genome analysis showed that rhesus macaque have more genetic variants per individual than humans. Among the millions of genetic variants identified, researchers found several damaging mutations in genes known to cause genetic disorders in humans, including autism, inherited blindness and several others. "We can find naturally occurring models of genetic disorders by surveying the rhesus macaque population," Rogers said. "We will find animals that naturally carry interesting and useful genetic mutations that can help us understand genetic variation and susceptibility to disease in humans. Rhesus macaques are also widely studied by primatologists and evolutionary biologists, so this new reference genome will also provide new insight into the evolution of the nonhuman primate and human genomes."

Scientists discover new mammal reference genome

Storm Bella: Gusts of more than 100mph batter France, Britain

For the first time, researchers have found microplastic particles in the human placenta, an organ that creates in the uterus during pregnancy, of unborn children unexpectedly, which as indicated by them is "a matter of extraordinary concern." The placenta gives oxygen and sustenance to the infant in the belly while eliminating the waste issue.&nbsp;

As indicated by an examination published&nbsp;in the journal Environment International at&nbsp;the beginning of December, researchers uncovered that these particles are fit for conveying synthetic compounds that could prompt long haul or upset the baby's creating the resistant framework.&nbsp;

The report additionally noticed that this microplastic follows may have been devoured or taken in by the mothers.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/plastic-pollution-is-booming-from-coronavirus-and-will-get-worse-after-the-pandemic-304641">Plastic pollution is booming from coronavirus and will get worse after the pandemic</a>

The health impact of microplastics in the body is as yet unknown. However, the researchers said they could convey synthetic compounds that could cause long-haul harm or upset the embryo's creating a safe framework. The particles are probably going to have been devoured or taken in by the moms.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/monolith-christmas-edition-because-this-one-is-made-of-gingerbread-352528">Monolith Christmas edition? Because this one is made of Gingerbread</a>

The particles were found in the placentas of four solid ladies who had typical pregnancies and births. Microplastics were distinguished on both the fetal and maternal sides of the placenta and in the layer inside which the embryo creates.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bottle-fed-babies-consume-16-million-microplastic-particles-each-day-study-336585">Bottle-fed babies consume 1.6 million microplastic particles each day: Study</a>

Twelve plastic particles were found. Just about 4% of every placenta was investigated, be that as it may, recommending the complete number of microplastics was a lot higher. All the particles dissected were plastics that had been colored blue, red, orange or pink and may have initially come from bundling, paints or makeup, and individual consideration items.&nbsp;

The microplastics were generally 10 microns in size (0.01mm), which means they are adequately little to be conveyed in the circulation system. The particles may have entered the infants' bodies, however, the specialists couldn't evaluate this.&nbsp;

"It resembles having a cyborg child: not, at this point made distinctly out of human cells, yet a combination of natural and inorganic substances," said Antonio Ragusa, head of obstetrics and gynecology at the San Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli emergency clinic in Rome, and who drove the examination. "The moms were stunned."&nbsp;

In the examination, distributed in the diary Environment International, the analysts finished up: "Because of the vital job of the placenta in supporting the hatchling's turn of events and in going about as an interface with the outside climate, the presence of conceivably unsafe plastic particles involves incredible concern. Further examinations should be performed to evaluate if the presence of microplastics may trigger safe reactions or may prompt the arrival of poisonous pollutants, bringing about damage."&nbsp;

The expected impacts of microplastics on babies include&nbsp;diminished fetal development, they said. The particles were not found in placentas from two different ladies in the investigation, which might be the aftereffect of various physiology, diet or way of life, the researchers said. Microplastics contamination has arrived at all aspects of the planet, from the culmination of Mount Everest to the most profound seas. Individuals are now known to devour the little particles by means of food and water, and to inhale them in.&nbsp;

Their impact on the body is obscure however researchers state there is a pressing need to survey the issue, especially for newborn children. In October, researchers uncovered that infants who took care of recipe milk in plastic jugs are gulping a huge number of particles daily. In 2019, specialists announced the revelation of air contamination particles on the fetal side of placentas, demonstrating that unborn children are likewise presented to the grimy air created by engine traffic and non-renewable energy source consumption.&nbsp;

The Italian scientists utilized a sans plastic convention to convey the infants to forestall any tainting of the placentas. Obstetricians and birthing assistants utilized cotton gloves to help the ladies in labor and just cotton towels were utilized in the conveyance room.&nbsp;

Andrew Shennan, teacher of obstetrics at King's College London, told the Daily Mail it was consoling that the infants in the examination had ordinary births yet "it is clearly best not to have unfamiliar bodies while the child is creating".&nbsp;

Elizabeth Salter Green, at the synthetic compounds good cause Chem Trust, stated: "Infants are being brought into the world pre-dirtied. The examination was exceptionally little however by and by banners an extremely stressing concern."&nbsp;

A different late investigation indicated that nanoparticles of plastic breathed in by pregnant guinea pigs were distinguished in the liver, lungs, heart, kidney, and cerebrum of their embryos.

For the first time, researchers have found microplastic particles in the human placenta, an organ that creates in the uterus during pregnancy, of unborn children unexpectedly, which as indicated by them is "a matter of extraordinary concern.

For the first time, researchers have found microplastic particles in the human placenta, an organ that creates in the uterus during pregnancy, of unborn children unexpectedly, which as indicated by them is "a matter of extraordinary concern." The placenta gives oxygen and sustenance to the infant in the belly while eliminating the waste issue. As indicated by an examination published in the journal Environment International at the beginning of December, researchers uncovered that these particles are fit for conveying synthetic compounds that could prompt long haul or upset the baby's creating the resistant framework. The report additionally noticed that this microplastic follows may have been devoured or taken in by the mothers. Also read: Plastic pollution is booming from coronavirus and will get worse after the pandemic The health impact of microplastics in the body is as yet unknown. However, the researchers said they could convey synthetic compounds that could cause long-haul harm or upset the embryo's creating a safe framework. The particles are probably going to have been devoured or taken in by the moms. Also Read | Monolith Christmas edition? Because this one is made of Gingerbread The particles were found in the placentas of four solid ladies who had typical pregnancies and births. Microplastics were distinguished on both the fetal and maternal sides of the placenta and in the layer inside which the embryo creates. Also read: Bottle-fed babies consume 1.6 million microplastic particles each day: Study Twelve plastic particles were found. Just about 4% of every placenta was investigated, be that as it may, recommending the complete number of microplastics was a lot higher. All the particles dissected were plastics that had been colored blue, red, orange or pink and may have initially come from bundling, paints or makeup, and individual consideration items. The microplastics were generally 10 microns in size (0.01mm), which means they are adequately little to be conveyed in the circulation system. The particles may have entered the infants' bodies, however, the specialists couldn't evaluate this. "It resembles having a cyborg child: not, at this point made distinctly out of human cells, yet a combination of natural and inorganic substances," said Antonio Ragusa, head of obstetrics and gynecology at the San Giovanni Calibita Fatebenefratelli emergency clinic in Rome, and who drove the examination. "The moms were stunned." In the examination, distributed in the diary Environment International, the analysts finished up: "Because of the vital job of the placenta in supporting the hatchling's turn of events and in going about as an interface with the outside climate, the presence of conceivably unsafe plastic particles involves incredible concern. Further examinations should be performed to evaluate if the presence of microplastics may trigger safe reactions or may prompt the arrival of poisonous pollutants, bringing about damage." The expected impacts of microplastics on babies include diminished fetal development, they said. The particles were not found in placentas from two different ladies in the investigation, which might be the aftereffect of various physiology, diet or way of life, the researchers said. Microplastics contamination has arrived at all aspects of the planet, from the culmination of Mount Everest to the most profound seas. Individuals are now known to devour the little particles by means of food and water, and to inhale them in. Their impact on the body is obscure however researchers state there is a pressing need to survey the issue, especially for newborn children. In October, researchers uncovered that infants who took care of recipe milk in plastic jugs are gulping a huge number of particles daily. In 2019, specialists announced the revelation of air contamination particles on the fetal side of placentas, demonstrating that unborn children are likewise presented to the grimy air created by engine traffic and non-renewable energy source consumption. The Italian scientists utilized a sans plastic convention to convey the infants to forestall any tainting of the placentas. Obstetricians and birthing assistants utilized cotton gloves to help the ladies in labor and just cotton towels were utilized in the conveyance room. Andrew Shennan, teacher of obstetrics at King's College London, told the Daily Mail it was consoling that the infants in the examination had ordinary births yet "it is clearly best not to have unfamiliar bodies while the child is creating". Elizabeth Salter Green, at the synthetic compounds good cause Chem Trust, stated: "Infants are being brought into the world pre-dirtied. The examination was exceptionally little however by and by banners an extremely stressing concern." A different late investigation indicated that nanoparticles of plastic breathed in by pregnant guinea pigs were distinguished in the liver, lungs, heart, kidney, and cerebrum of their embryos.

Microplastics found in the placentas of unborn babies for first time

Britain deployed additional military personnel to the port of&nbsp;Dover&nbsp;on Friday to help clear the queues of lorries following the resumption of cross-channel travel for drivers who test negative for COVID-19.

Several thousand cargo trucks have been trapped for days around the southern English port of&nbsp;Dover&nbsp;since France closed borders with the UK in a bid to stop the spread of a new coronavirus strain.

Hundreds of lorries arrived at the French port of Calais on Friday as authorities scrambled to ease a bottleneck in Britain, where thousands of drivers have been stuck for days after France imposed tougher coronavirus rules.

Traffic was moving only slowly through the port on Friday, a public holiday. Most trucks were still parked further up the motorway as drivers waited to take tests before being allowed to board the cross-channel ferries.

British transport minister Grant Shapps said on Twitter on Friday more than 10,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out on lorry drivers and only 24 of them had tested positive.

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Update on Kent lorry situation: Over 10,000 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Coronavirus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Coronavirus</a> tests now carried out. Just 24 positive (0.24%). 
 
A huge thank you for the tireless efforts of our troops, police, civilian testers, council planners &amp; port &amp; ferry workers for giving up their Xmas to get people home.
— Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) <a href="https://twitter.com/grantshapps/status/1342466329144659969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Soldiers were checking vehicles and drivers' documents at the entrance to the port and French officials, in&nbsp;Dover&nbsp;to help clear the backlog, were seen administering a nasal swab to a driver.

An additional 800 British troops have now been deployed to the port, on top of the 300 sent initially, British media reported.

The French and British governments agreed to end the blockade late on Tuesday but the long lines of trucks are expected to take days to clear, British authorities have said.

More than 700 hauliers have been cleared for departure since France reopened its border, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported.

Britain deployed additional military personnel to the port of Dover on Friday to help clear the queues of lorries following the resumption of cross-channel travel for drivers who test negative for COVID-19.

Britain deployed additional military personnel to the port of Dover on Friday to help clear the queues of lorries following the resumption of cross-channel travel for drivers who test negative for COVID-19. Several thousand cargo trucks have been trapped for days around the southern English port of Dover since France closed borders with the UK in a bid to stop the spread of a new coronavirus strain. Hundreds of lorries arrived at the French port of Calais on Friday as authorities scrambled to ease a bottleneck in Britain, where thousands of drivers have been stuck for days after France imposed tougher coronavirus rules. Traffic was moving only slowly through the port on Friday, a public holiday. Most trucks were still parked further up the motorway as drivers waited to take tests before being allowed to board the cross-channel ferries. British transport minister Grant Shapps said on Twitter on Friday more than 10,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out on lorry drivers and only 24 of them had tested positive. Update on Kent lorry situation: Over 10,000 #Coronavirus tests now carried out. Just 24 positive (0.24%). A huge thank you for the tireless efforts of our troops, police, civilian testers, council planners & port & ferry workers for giving up their Xmas to get people home. — Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP (@grantshapps) December 25, 2020 × Soldiers were checking vehicles and drivers' documents at the entrance to the port and French officials, in Dover to help clear the backlog, were seen administering a nasal swab to a driver. An additional 800 British troops have now been deployed to the port, on top of the 300 sent initially, British media reported. The French and British governments agreed to end the blockade late on Tuesday but the long lines of trucks are expected to take days to clear, British authorities have said. More than 700 hauliers have been cleared for departure since France reopened its border, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported.

UK deploys more troops at Dover port to ease channel logjam by truckers

St. Peter's Square would usually be full to the brim on&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;Day of people who have travelled from all over the world gathering to hear Pope Francis give his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message.

But this year, on Friday&nbsp;the square was ghostly empty as Covid restrictions placed Italians under a nation-wide lockdown for much of the&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;and New Year holidays. The restrictions mean people are not be able to go to St. Peter's Square or the basilica for papal events, all of which have been moved indoors.

The sound of the wind passing through St. Peter's Square replaced the solemn sound of Carabinieri military police band's trumpets and the smiles of the limited number of people allowed to follow Francis' message from the Hall of Blessings inside the Vatican's Apostolic Palace were covered by protective masks.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/europe-celebrates-subdued-christmas-amid-coronavirus-352426" hreflang="en">Europe celebrates subdued Christmas amid coronavirus</a>

The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa on Friday, led&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;day Mass in the Church of Nativity, believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus.

The mass in the West Bank town of Bethlehem which usually attracts hundreds of tourists and worshippers from around the world was nearly empty this year amid COVID-19 rules and restrictions.

From online feasts to virtual gatherings and celebrations, the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to stay away from the streets on Christmas.

A smaller than usual crowd of faithful greeted the patriarch at Manger Square, in striking contrast to what would normally be a vibrant scene.

Just 12 months ago the Palestinian town was celebrating its busiest&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;season for two decades,thanks to a dramatic increase in incoming pilgrims and tourists after regional violence diminished.

But now, hotels that were adding new wings in 2019 are shuttered and&nbsp;Christmas&nbsp;festivities will be held online due to the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the Palestinian Authority.

Members of the British royal family are not spending the festive period together this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

The famous&nbsp;trulli, or&nbsp;limestone&nbsp;buildings of Alberobello, were lit up with Christmas animations, a glimpse of light as Italy is fighting against a fresh surge in coronavirus cases.

Snowflakes and stars enlightened the walls of the white cone-shaped constructions, typical of the Puglia region, giving a touch of Christmas spirit to one of the most stunning Italian World Heritage sites.

The narrows streets of the town, usually crowded with tourists were empty as the country was placed under nationwide lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Year holiday.

A group of Father Frosts - Russian New Year characters similar to Santa Claus - landed on a roof of&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;children's hospital ahead of New Year celebrations on Friday&nbsp;to cheer up young patients during the festive season.

Some children as well as parents were laughing and taking pictures as festive characters - dressed in red coats and donning long beards - climbed down using ropes and waved through windows.

'Father Frost landing' is an annual tradition for&nbsp;Moscow's Morozovskaya hospital. But this year not only the landing but all other festivities were also held outdoors due to the coronavirus pandemic, the city's department of health said.

The climbers were joined by Snegurochkas - Russia's female New Year characters who were waving to little patients from an aerial ladder.

The climbers' performance was followed by a colorful show by&nbsp;Moscow&nbsp;street artists who marched and danced in the hospital yard as an orchestra of snowmen played festive songs.

St. Peter's Square would usually be full to the brim on Christmas Day of people who have travelled from all over the world gathering to hear Pope Francis give his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message.

St. Peter's Square would usually be full to the brim on Christmas Day of people who have travelled from all over the world gathering to hear Pope Francis give his "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) message. But this year, on Friday the square was ghostly empty as Covid restrictions placed Italians under a nation-wide lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Year holidays. The restrictions mean people are not be able to go to St. Peter's Square or the basilica for papal events, all of which have been moved indoors. The sound of the wind passing through St. Peter's Square replaced the solemn sound of Carabinieri military police band's trumpets and the smiles of the limited number of people allowed to follow Francis' message from the Hall of Blessings inside the Vatican's Apostolic Palace were covered by protective masks. Also see: Europe celebrates subdued Christmas amid coronavirus The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa on Friday, led Christmas day Mass in the Church of Nativity, believed by Christians to be the birthplace of Jesus. The mass in the West Bank town of Bethlehem which usually attracts hundreds of tourists and worshippers from around the world was nearly empty this year amid COVID-19 rules and restrictions. From online feasts to virtual gatherings and celebrations, the coronavirus pandemic has forced people to stay away from the streets on Christmas. A smaller than usual crowd of faithful greeted the patriarch at Manger Square, in striking contrast to what would normally be a vibrant scene. Just 12 months ago the Palestinian town was celebrating its busiest Christmas season for two decades,thanks to a dramatic increase in incoming pilgrims and tourists after regional violence diminished. But now, hotels that were adding new wings in 2019 are shuttered and Christmas festivities will be held online due to the coronavirus restrictions imposed by the Palestinian Authority. Members of the British royal family are not spending the festive period together this year as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The famous trulli, or limestone buildings of Alberobello, were lit up with Christmas animations, a glimpse of light as Italy is fighting against a fresh surge in coronavirus cases. Snowflakes and stars enlightened the walls of the white cone-shaped constructions, typical of the Puglia region, giving a touch of Christmas spirit to one of the most stunning Italian World Heritage sites. The narrows streets of the town, usually crowded with tourists were empty as the country was placed under nationwide lockdown for much of the Christmas and New Year holiday. A group of Father Frosts - Russian New Year characters similar to Santa Claus - landed on a roof of Moscow children's hospital ahead of New Year celebrations on Friday to cheer up young patients during the festive season. Some children as well as parents were laughing and taking pictures as festive characters - dressed in red coats and donning long beards - climbed down using ropes and waved through windows. 'Father Frost landing' is an annual tradition for Moscow's Morozovskaya hospital. But this year not only the landing but all other festivities were also held outdoors due to the coronavirus pandemic, the city's department of health said. The climbers were joined by Snegurochkas - Russia's female New Year characters who were waving to little patients from an aerial ladder. The climbers' performance was followed by a colorful show by Moscow street artists who marched and danced in the hospital yard as an orchestra of snowmen played festive songs.

Quiet Christmas: Coronavirus pandemic keeps crowds at home

Joe Biden went to the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in South Carolina in late February, before the state’s presidential primary, and listened as the Rev. Isaac J. Holt Jr. delivered a message of encouragement.

“You’re going to win,” Holt said he told Biden privately, a political prophecy that was fulfilled in the coming days.

Now Holt, the pastor of one of Charleston’s largest Black congregations, has another message for Biden as he plans for his incoming administration: “Biden owes us. And we have not forgotten.”

Black voters have a political marriage of convenience with the Democratic Party. They are at once the party’s most solid voting demographic and deeply frustrated by the lack of systemic change its politicians have delivered for them.

In South Carolina, the state that helped propel Biden to the Democratic nomination and where about half the Democratic electorate is Black, voters complain of receiving campaign promises from politicians while they are running but not being prioritized once they are elected.

There are similar grievances among voters in cities like Milwaukee, Detroit and Philadelphia — hubs of general-election campaigning in key swing states — who have grown used to the silence that follows presidential election years.

In their telling, attention quickly shifts to midterm races in gerrymandered, Republican-leaning congressional districts, and the Black voters who helped Democrats ascend to the White House are sometimes discarded. Their issues are too divisive. Their needs are too great.

Biden has insisted that this time will be different, and people like Holt are taking him at his word. Last month, in his victory speech after becoming president-elect, Biden cited Black voters specifically, alluding to those who rallied around him in South Carolina after his primary campaign flopped in other early-voting states.

“Especially at those moments when this campaign was at its lowest ebb, the African American community stood up again for me,” Biden said. “You’ve always had my back, and I’ll have yours.”

But who defines political priorities for Black voters, and what does it mean to have their back?

Leading Black politicians, civil rights leaders, activists and many of the same South Carolina church leaders Biden leaned on to turn his campaign around all said in interviews that it was important to address the coronavirus pandemic. But they also raised issues that ran the gamut of liberal policy initiatives, from investing in small businesses and historically Black colleges and universities to tackling student debt and climate change.

Many also pushed back against the singular focus on racial representation that has dominated debates over Biden’s transition team and Cabinet picks. Having a Cabinet that reflects the racial diversity of America is good, they said. But they added that Biden’s legacy on race would be judged on his willingness to pursue policy changes that address systemic racism — a standard he has set for himself.

“What he’s got to do, in my opinion, is to depart from the tradition,” said Rep. James E. Clyburn, a powerful South Carolina Democrat who is the highest-ranking Black member of the House. “What is getting us in trouble in the past is when people get into office, they abandon the platform they ran on” in favor of appeasing Republicans, he said.

The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, cited a commitment Biden had made during a public forum to prioritize eliminating poverty and addressing the concerns of poor people.

Live up to that, he said, and a cross-racial section of marginalized Americans, including Black people, will have their lives transformed.

“We certainly want to see a Cabinet that looks like America. But more important, we want to see a Cabinet that works for America,” Barber said. “And not just the middle class. And not just the so-called working class. But from the bottom up.”

In effect, they are asking President Biden to take a cue from candidate Biden. During the primary and general election, and under pressure from activists who cast Biden as an artifact of the political past, his team embraced a plan for Black Americans called “Lift Every Voice,” which would seek to close the Black-white income gap, expand educational opportunities, invest $70 billion in historically black colleges and universities, and reimagine the criminal justice system and policing.

Biden’s selection of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the first Black woman on a major party ticket, was — with the campaign’s encouragement — taken as a symbolic affirmation of these commitments. Former President Barack Obama, the country’s first Black president, had to assure white America he would be a president for all races. But Biden repeatedly asserted that Black communities would get special attention in his administration.

Black political leaders believe that the biggest barrier to Biden’s commitment to address systemic racism is his own instinct for compromise, bipartisanship and deference to the idea of Washington civility. Biden has consistently restated his belief that congressional Republicans will work with his administration in due time, though some of them continue to cast doubt on the legitimacy of his victory, and President Donald Trump shows no signs of loosening his grip on the party’s base.

(BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.)

“Bipartisanship is how the president-elect and vice president-elect plan to get things done from day one,” said Ramzey Smith, a spokesperson for Biden’s transition team. “They’ve made it abundantly clear that in order to combat the systemic inequities that Black Americans have faced for generations, it is imperative to work across the aisle and engage with all groups to reach a consensus that doesn’t compromise our principles or priorities.”

Some Black leaders who have met with Biden and Harris during the transition have been frustrated by this sentiment, according to several people familiar with the discussions. Biden, the leader of the Democratic Party, is one of the few Democrats left who believes that the Republicans who reflexively opposed Obama’s every action and have been slow to acknowledge Biden’s legitimacy are simply an aberration.

(END OPTIONAL TRIM.)

Leaders are asking him to consider unilateral action like executive orders to enact his agenda, claiming that Washington horse-trading has rarely prioritized the needs of Black communities. Biden has been steadfast: Republicans will come around.

“We will see if he’s right, and we’ll see very shortly,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc., who has met with the Biden transition team. “If he’s not, we’ll also see it very shortly. It’s perfectly fine to be hopeful. But certainly you should be fully prepared to pivot and to be effective.”

Even vocal allies of Biden say his ability to rise to the standards he set for himself, particularly when it comes to racial equity and a Black agenda, may rely on his willingness to see Republicans as obstructionists to be overcome, not negotiators to be met at a midpoint.

(STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.)

Clyburn, whose well-timed endorsement of Biden in South Carolina helped ensure his dominance in the state, said Biden must learn from the mistakes made by previous Democratic leaders, including Obama.

He cited Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick B. Garland, whom Republicans refused to even grant a hearing, as an example.

Republicans “lied to him and told him that if he put up a moderate, they will approve him for the Supreme Court,” Clyburn said. “They never did it, and they never planned to do it.

“I told them at the time that you will be better off putting up an African American woman for the Supreme Court,” he added. “If you put up a Black woman, she would have an immediate constituency. Make them turn her down. He would have redefined politics in this country, and frankly, I think Hillary Clinton would have been elected president.”

The Rev. Joseph A. Darby Jr., the senior pastor at Nichols Chapel AME Church in Charleston and a former leader of the local NAACP, said he had been heartened by Biden’s Cabinet choices, including that of retired Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, who would be the first Black man to lead the Defense Department.

“Just having new folks at the table is helpful,” Darby said. “But it’s that plus the substance.”

The stakes could not be higher. Black people sit at the intersection of the year’s biggest policy priorities: access to health care, criminal justice and the climate change crisis. Black Americans have been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, dying, being hospitalized and facing economic devastation at disproportionate rates.

In Darby’s congregation, a mother and her child both died from the virus. Holt’s congregation has not been able to convene since March, just weeks after Biden spoke from the pulpit as a candidate.

Last week, in an interview at his church, Holt made another of his patented political predictions: If Biden does not follow through on his promises to Black people — does not make eroding systemic racism a priority in deed, not just words — Republicans will make gains with Black voters.

He cited the modest shift toward Trump in November’s election among some Black voters and the increasingly nonpartisan nature of younger Black people. Those are warning signs, he said.

“The party system is not something that fits the Black community as a whole,” Holt said. “We’re tired of Democrats, and we’re tired of the two-party system.”

Some of Holt’s congregants, at a socially distant gathering in the sanctuary they had not visited in months, echoed their pastor’s urgency. Although they expressed confidence in Biden and said they all voted for him in the primary and general elections, they framed their choice as a call for action rather than a blank check of trust.

“He can’t get stuck on healing hearts,” said Shakeima Chatman, 46, a real estate agent. “But he can institute policies and regulation.”

What gave them hope: that Biden was comfortable among Black voters on the campaign trail and the loyalty he showed to Obama as his vice president.

What worried them: that he favorably invoked segregationists in the name of bipartisanship, that he said Black people who did not support him “ain’t Black,” and that he told wealthy donors at a fundraiser that “nothing would fundamentally change” if he was elected.

For Black communities, it must.

“Policies created these disparities,” said Cleo Scott Brown, who is 66. “Policy has to fix it.”

Joe Biden went to the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in South Carolina in late February, before the state’s presidential primary, and listened as the Rev. Isaac J.

Joe Biden went to the Royal Missionary Baptist Church in South Carolina in late February, before the state’s presidential primary, and listened as the Rev. Isaac J. Holt Jr. delivered a message of encouragement. “You’re going to win,” Holt said he told Biden privately, a political prophecy that was fulfilled in the coming days. Now Holt, the pastor of one of Charleston’s largest Black congregations, has another message for Biden as he plans for his incoming administration: “Biden owes us. And we have not forgotten.” Black voters have a political marriage of convenience with the Democratic Party. They are at once the party’s most solid voting demographic and deeply frustrated by the lack of systemic change its politicians have delivered for them. In South Carolina, the state that helped propel Biden to the Democratic nomination and where about half the Democratic electorate is Black, voters complain of receiving campaign promises from politicians while they are running but not being prioritized once they are elected. There are similar grievances among voters in cities like Milwaukee, Detroit and Philadelphia — hubs of general-election campaigning in key swing states — who have grown used to the silence that follows presidential election years. In their telling, attention quickly shifts to midterm races in gerrymandered, Republican-leaning congressional districts, and the Black voters who helped Democrats ascend to the White House are sometimes discarded. Their issues are too divisive. Their needs are too great. Biden has insisted that this time will be different, and people like Holt are taking him at his word. Last month, in his victory speech after becoming president-elect, Biden cited Black voters specifically, alluding to those who rallied around him in South Carolina after his primary campaign flopped in other early-voting states. “Especially at those moments when this campaign was at its lowest ebb, the African American community stood up again for me,” Biden said. “You’ve always had my back, and I’ll have yours.” But who defines political priorities for Black voters, and what does it mean to have their back? Leading Black politicians, civil rights leaders, activists and many of the same South Carolina church leaders Biden leaned on to turn his campaign around all said in interviews that it was important to address the coronavirus pandemic. But they also raised issues that ran the gamut of liberal policy initiatives, from investing in small businesses and historically Black colleges and universities to tackling student debt and climate change. Many also pushed back against the singular focus on racial representation that has dominated debates over Biden’s transition team and Cabinet picks. Having a Cabinet that reflects the racial diversity of America is good, they said. But they added that Biden’s legacy on race would be judged on his willingness to pursue policy changes that address systemic racism — a standard he has set for himself. “What he’s got to do, in my opinion, is to depart from the tradition,” said Rep. James E. Clyburn, a powerful South Carolina Democrat who is the highest-ranking Black member of the House. “What is getting us in trouble in the past is when people get into office, they abandon the platform they ran on” in favor of appeasing Republicans, he said. The Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, co-chair of the Poor People’s Campaign, cited a commitment Biden had made during a public forum to prioritize eliminating poverty and addressing the concerns of poor people. Live up to that, he said, and a cross-racial section of marginalized Americans, including Black people, will have their lives transformed. “We certainly want to see a Cabinet that looks like America. But more important, we want to see a Cabinet that works for America,” Barber said. “And not just the middle class. And not just the so-called working class. But from the bottom up.” In effect, they are asking President Biden to take a cue from candidate Biden. During the primary and general election, and under pressure from activists who cast Biden as an artifact of the political past, his team embraced a plan for Black Americans called “Lift Every Voice,” which would seek to close the Black-white income gap, expand educational opportunities, invest $70 billion in historically black colleges and universities, and reimagine the criminal justice system and policing. Biden’s selection of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, the first Black woman on a major party ticket, was — with the campaign’s encouragement — taken as a symbolic affirmation of these commitments. Former President Barack Obama, the country’s first Black president, had to assure white America he would be a president for all races. But Biden repeatedly asserted that Black communities would get special attention in his administration. Black political leaders believe that the biggest barrier to Biden’s commitment to address systemic racism is his own instinct for compromise, bipartisanship and deference to the idea of Washington civility. Biden has consistently restated his belief that congressional Republicans will work with his administration in due time, though some of them continue to cast doubt on the legitimacy of his victory, and President Donald Trump shows no signs of loosening his grip on the party’s base. (BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM.) “Bipartisanship is how the president-elect and vice president-elect plan to get things done from day one,” said Ramzey Smith, a spokesperson for Biden’s transition team. “They’ve made it abundantly clear that in order to combat the systemic inequities that Black Americans have faced for generations, it is imperative to work across the aisle and engage with all groups to reach a consensus that doesn’t compromise our principles or priorities.” Some Black leaders who have met with Biden and Harris during the transition have been frustrated by this sentiment, according to several people familiar with the discussions. Biden, the leader of the Democratic Party, is one of the few Democrats left who believes that the Republicans who reflexively opposed Obama’s every action and have been slow to acknowledge Biden’s legitimacy are simply an aberration. (END OPTIONAL TRIM.) Leaders are asking him to consider unilateral action like executive orders to enact his agenda, claiming that Washington horse-trading has rarely prioritized the needs of Black communities. Biden has been steadfast: Republicans will come around. “We will see if he’s right, and we’ll see very shortly,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund Inc., who has met with the Biden transition team. “If he’s not, we’ll also see it very shortly. It’s perfectly fine to be hopeful. But certainly you should be fully prepared to pivot and to be effective.” Even vocal allies of Biden say his ability to rise to the standards he set for himself, particularly when it comes to racial equity and a Black agenda, may rely on his willingness to see Republicans as obstructionists to be overcome, not negotiators to be met at a midpoint. (STORY CAN END HERE. OPTIONAL MATERIAL FOLLOWS.) Clyburn, whose well-timed endorsement of Biden in South Carolina helped ensure his dominance in the state, said Biden must learn from the mistakes made by previous Democratic leaders, including Obama. He cited Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Judge Merrick B. Garland, whom Republicans refused to even grant a hearing, as an example. Republicans “lied to him and told him that if he put up a moderate, they will approve him for the Supreme Court,” Clyburn said. “They never did it, and they never planned to do it. “I told them at the time that you will be better off putting up an African American woman for the Supreme Court,” he added. “If you put up a Black woman, she would have an immediate constituency. Make them turn her down. He would have redefined politics in this country, and frankly, I think Hillary Clinton would have been elected president.” The Rev. Joseph A. Darby Jr., the senior pastor at Nichols Chapel AME Church in Charleston and a former leader of the local NAACP, said he had been heartened by Biden’s Cabinet choices, including that of retired Gen. Lloyd J. Austin III, who would be the first Black man to lead the Defense Department. “Just having new folks at the table is helpful,” Darby said. “But it’s that plus the substance.” The stakes could not be higher. Black people sit at the intersection of the year’s biggest policy priorities: access to health care, criminal justice and the climate change crisis. Black Americans have been ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, dying, being hospitalized and facing economic devastation at disproportionate rates. In Darby’s congregation, a mother and her child both died from the virus. Holt’s congregation has not been able to convene since March, just weeks after Biden spoke from the pulpit as a candidate. Last week, in an interview at his church, Holt made another of his patented political predictions: If Biden does not follow through on his promises to Black people — does not make eroding systemic racism a priority in deed, not just words — Republicans will make gains with Black voters. He cited the modest shift toward Trump in November’s election among some Black voters and the increasingly nonpartisan nature of younger Black people. Those are warning signs, he said. “The party system is not something that fits the Black community as a whole,” Holt said. “We’re tired of Democrats, and we’re tired of the two-party system.” Some of Holt’s congregants, at a socially distant gathering in the sanctuary they had not visited in months, echoed their pastor’s urgency. Although they expressed confidence in Biden and said they all voted for him in the primary and general elections, they framed their choice as a call for action rather than a blank check of trust. “He can’t get stuck on healing hearts,” said Shakeima Chatman, 46, a real estate agent. “But he can institute policies and regulation.” What gave them hope: that Biden was comfortable among Black voters on the campaign trail and the loyalty he showed to Obama as his vice president. What worried them: that he favorably invoked segregationists in the name of bipartisanship, that he said Black people who did not support him “ain’t Black,” and that he told wealthy donors at a fundraiser that “nothing would fundamentally change” if he was elected. For Black communities, it must. “Policies created these disparities,” said Cleo Scott Brown, who is 66. “Policy has to fix it.”

Black voters want President Biden to take a cue from candidate Biden

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 96th birth anniversary, stating that his thoughts and dedication to the progress of the country will always give us the strength to serve the nation.

He paid floral tributes to the BJP stalwart at the `Sadaiv Atal` Samadhi in the national capital. Taking to Twitter, Shah said: "Offered floral tributes at Sadaiva Atal on the birth anniversary of the most revered Bharat Ratna Atal ji. Atal ji's thoughts and his dedication to the progress of the country will always give us strength to serve the nation."

"Salutations to the revered Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who started the era of development, the welfare of the poor and good governance in India, and a life devoted to the nation. Atal ji`s duty and national service will always be the focus of inspiration for us. Atal ji`s commitment to work and service to the nation will always be the center of inspiration for us," he added.

Vajpayee's birthday is celebrated as the 'Good Governance Day'.The later leader, who led the National Democratic Alliance government from 1998-2004, was the first-ever leader from the BJP to have become the nation`s Prime Minister.

Vajpayee served as Prime Minister thrice -- briefly in 1996, and then for two terms between 1998 and 2004. One of the prominent leaders of the country and founder members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Vajpayee died on August 16, 2018, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after a prolonged illness. He was 93. The late leader was conferred Bharat Ratna in 2015. He had also been awarded Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian in 1994.&nbsp;

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 96th birth anniversary, stating that his thoughts and dedication to the progress of the country will always give us the strength to serve the nation.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his 96th birth anniversary, stating that his thoughts and dedication to the progress of the country will always give us the strength to serve the nation. He paid floral tributes to the BJP stalwart at the `Sadaiv Atal` Samadhi in the national capital. Taking to Twitter, Shah said: "Offered floral tributes at Sadaiva Atal on the birth anniversary of the most revered Bharat Ratna Atal ji. Atal ji's thoughts and his dedication to the progress of the country will always give us strength to serve the nation." "Salutations to the revered Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who started the era of development, the welfare of the poor and good governance in India, and a life devoted to the nation. Atal ji`s duty and national service will always be the focus of inspiration for us. Atal ji`s commitment to work and service to the nation will always be the center of inspiration for us," he added. Vajpayee's birthday is celebrated as the 'Good Governance Day'.The later leader, who led the National Democratic Alliance government from 1998-2004, was the first-ever leader from the BJP to have become the nation`s Prime Minister. Vajpayee served as Prime Minister thrice -- briefly in 1996, and then for two terms between 1998 and 2004. One of the prominent leaders of the country and founder members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Vajpayee died on August 16, 2018, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) after a prolonged illness. He was 93. The late leader was conferred Bharat Ratna in 2015. He had also been awarded Pt. Govind Ballabh Pant Award for Best Parliamentarian in 1994.

Atal Bihari Vajpayee's national service will always be focus of inspiration for us, says Amit Shah

Japan on Friday invited Germany's warship for a naval drill to counter China's growing regional influence in the Indo-Pacific region.

In talks between Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Kishi hoped that a German warship would hold joint exercises with Japan`s Self-Defense Forces in 2021. 
 
Kishi suggested that such an act would also ensure the right of passage through the South China Sea (SCS), most of which is now claimed by China. Over years, Japan has voiced for a free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), as a large volume of trade goes through the region, particularly energy supplies.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/quad-japan-australia-align-to-counter-chinas-growing-regional-influence-344175">Quad: With an eye on China,&nbsp;Japan to&nbsp;&nbsp;Australia align</a>

Japanese Defence Minister stressed told Germany&nbsp;that China is "strengthening its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo with force in the background." He also welcomed Germany`s efforts to strengthen its maritime presence and contribute to maintaining order in the region. 
 
The defence ministers of the two nations met at a time when Germany had expressed interest over sending its navy to patrol the Indian Ocean trade routes. Addressing Australian and German think tanks, Kramp-Karrenbauer had recently said that her country would also like to have closer defence cooperation with Australia.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-china-sea-military-bases-vulnerable-to-attack-indefensible-during-war-report-348120">South China Sea military bases vulnerable to attack, indefensible during war: Report</a>

With an eye on China's claims on the disputed islands in the South China Sea, several&nbsp;smaller nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei, as well as Taiwan are joining hands with the United States to fend off a common enemy. 
 
The communist giant has also taken over islands and reefs, often violating the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) by sending fishing trawlers, research and exploration vessels and even Coast Guard ships. 
 
Owing to Chinese belligerence in the strategic region, a number of European nations have espoused interest in protecting the trade routes in the Indo-Pacific. Nations like France, the Netherlands and Germany have already revised their foreign policies towards China and the Indo-Pacific region, which means that the European Union (EU) too will follow suit in the near future. 
 
The UK too is in the process of upgrading its Indo-Pacific outlook. It has already indicated that its aircraft carrier strike group Queen Elizabeth is likely to visit the region in January 2021. 
 
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has been reaching out to ASEAN countries like Vietnam and Indonesia specifically to strengthen economic cooperation and also to garner support for the FOIP,&nbsp;an issue which is close to the Japanese. Japan is active in the four-member Quad comprising India, US, Japan and Australia, whose navies held the Malabar maritime drills in November in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. 
 
Japan has been proactive in strengthening relations with like-minded countries, seeking to build alternative supply chains, strengthening defence cooperation and building alliances for rule of law, freedom of navigation and keeping the shipping lanes free and open.

&nbsp;

Japan on Friday invited Germany's warship for a naval drill to counter China's growing regional influence in the Indo-Pacific region. In talks between Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Kishi hoped that a German warship would hold joint exercises with Japan`s Self-Defense Forces in 2021.

Japan on Friday invited Germany's warship for a naval drill to counter China's growing regional influence in the Indo-Pacific region. In talks between Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi and his German counterpart, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Kishi hoped that a German warship would hold joint exercises with Japan`s Self-Defense Forces in 2021. Kishi suggested that such an act would also ensure the right of passage through the South China Sea (SCS), most of which is now claimed by China. Over years, Japan has voiced for a free and open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), as a large volume of trade goes through the region, particularly energy supplies. Also read: Quad: With an eye on China, Japan to Australia align Japanese Defence Minister stressed told Germany that China is "strengthening its attempts to unilaterally change the status quo with force in the background." He also welcomed Germany`s efforts to strengthen its maritime presence and contribute to maintaining order in the region. The defence ministers of the two nations met at a time when Germany had expressed interest over sending its navy to patrol the Indian Ocean trade routes. Addressing Australian and German think tanks, Kramp-Karrenbauer had recently said that her country would also like to have closer defence cooperation with Australia. Also read: South China Sea military bases vulnerable to attack, indefensible during war: Report With an eye on China's claims on the disputed islands in the South China Sea, several smaller nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei, as well as Taiwan are joining hands with the United States to fend off a common enemy. The communist giant has also taken over islands and reefs, often violating the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) by sending fishing trawlers, research and exploration vessels and even Coast Guard ships. Owing to Chinese belligerence in the strategic region, a number of European nations have espoused interest in protecting the trade routes in the Indo-Pacific. Nations like France, the Netherlands and Germany have already revised their foreign policies towards China and the Indo-Pacific region, which means that the European Union (EU) too will follow suit in the near future. The UK too is in the process of upgrading its Indo-Pacific outlook. It has already indicated that its aircraft carrier strike group Queen Elizabeth is likely to visit the region in January 2021. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has been reaching out to ASEAN countries like Vietnam and Indonesia specifically to strengthen economic cooperation and also to garner support for the FOIP, an issue which is close to the Japanese. Japan is active in the four-member Quad comprising India, US, Japan and Australia, whose navies held the Malabar maritime drills in November in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Japan has been proactive in strengthening relations with like-minded countries, seeking to build alternative supply chains, strengthening defence cooperation and building alliances for rule of law, freedom of navigation and keeping the shipping lanes free and open.

Japan invites German warship for naval drill to counter China's growing regional influence

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A new study has revealed that that skills strongly associated with driving ability can be "seriously" impaired by the equivalent of less than half a beer.

Scientists with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) California-based&nbsp; Ames Research Center and San José State University warned that hand-eye coordination in driving and other activities is compromised after consuming the equivalent of less than a half of beer, for a person around 75 kg in weight.&nbsp;

The findings provide new information on the potential impact of even minimal alcohol consumption on high-risk human activities that rely on keen visual and visuomotor control, like driving, piloting, or working heavy machinery. 
 
In previous studies, eye movements and vision were only affected at blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) approaching the legal limit for driving. 
 
The study from the research team based at NASA`s Ames Research Center in California found for the first time that hand-eye coordination is dramatically more sensitive to alcohol with some measures of coordination impaired by more than 20 per cent at BAC levels as low as 0.015 per cent. 
 
"Our findings provide a cautionary tale that the subjective experience of drunkenness is often not aligned with objective impairment of sensorimotor coordination. In other words, most people feel they are unimpaired after one drink, yet they are to a significant degree," said Terence Tyson, first author on the study in a paper published in The Journal of Physiology. 
 
Driving may be affected by drinking just a small amount of alcohol, even though the driver may feel fine and be well within the legal limit, Tyson added. 
 
To reach this conclusion, the researchers measured volunteers` eye movements, pupil responses, and BAC, multiple times during a day while they performed a specially designed task, before and after they drank alcohol. 
 
At random, the volunteers were assigned a mixed drink containing a certain quantity of alcohol achieving either the higher (0.06 per cent) or lower (0.02 per cent) peak BAC levels so that they were not aware of exactly how much they drank on a given day. 
 
The researchers then computed 21 different ocular measures that have been shown to assess neural processing in specific brain areas that contribute to different components of the eye-movement and pupillary responses. 
 
The study participants were men and women, mostly in their 20s, who drink on average 1-2 drinks per week. 
 
The researchers made sure that participants had a full night`s sleep the night before, and asked that they abstain from both alcohol and caffeine consumption for several nights in a row prior to testing. 
 
Apart from this finding specific to alcohol-induced impairment, this study further demonstrated how an especially designed collection of non-invasive eye measurements can be used to measure mild deficits of processing in the brain. 
 
In future studies, the researchers plan to look at how their eye measurements are affected by other types of neurological conditions, such as those caused by degenerative diseases or toxic exposures. 
 
NASA is interested in developing sensitive yet non-invasive methods for detecting mild impairments.

A new study has revealed that that skills strongly associated with driving ability can be "seriously" impaired by the equivalent of less than half a beer. Scientists with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) California-based Ames Research Center and San José State University warned that hand-eye coordination in driving and other activities is compromised after consuming the equivalent of less than a half of beer, for a person around 75 kg in weight.

A new study has revealed that that skills strongly associated with driving ability can be "seriously" impaired by the equivalent of less than half a beer. Scientists with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) California-based Ames Research Center and San José State University warned that hand-eye coordination in driving and other activities is compromised after consuming the equivalent of less than a half of beer, for a person around 75 kg in weight. The findings provide new information on the potential impact of even minimal alcohol consumption on high-risk human activities that rely on keen visual and visuomotor control, like driving, piloting, or working heavy machinery. In previous studies, eye movements and vision were only affected at blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) approaching the legal limit for driving. The study from the research team based at NASA`s Ames Research Center in California found for the first time that hand-eye coordination is dramatically more sensitive to alcohol with some measures of coordination impaired by more than 20 per cent at BAC levels as low as 0.015 per cent. "Our findings provide a cautionary tale that the subjective experience of drunkenness is often not aligned with objective impairment of sensorimotor coordination. In other words, most people feel they are unimpaired after one drink, yet they are to a significant degree," said Terence Tyson, first author on the study in a paper published in The Journal of Physiology. Driving may be affected by drinking just a small amount of alcohol, even though the driver may feel fine and be well within the legal limit, Tyson added. To reach this conclusion, the researchers measured volunteers` eye movements, pupil responses, and BAC, multiple times during a day while they performed a specially designed task, before and after they drank alcohol. At random, the volunteers were assigned a mixed drink containing a certain quantity of alcohol achieving either the higher (0.06 per cent) or lower (0.02 per cent) peak BAC levels so that they were not aware of exactly how much they drank on a given day. The researchers then computed 21 different ocular measures that have been shown to assess neural processing in specific brain areas that contribute to different components of the eye-movement and pupillary responses. The study participants were men and women, mostly in their 20s, who drink on average 1-2 drinks per week. The researchers made sure that participants had a full night`s sleep the night before, and asked that they abstain from both alcohol and caffeine consumption for several nights in a row prior to testing. Apart from this finding specific to alcohol-induced impairment, this study further demonstrated how an especially designed collection of non-invasive eye measurements can be used to measure mild deficits of processing in the brain. In future studies, the researchers plan to look at how their eye measurements are affected by other types of neurological conditions, such as those caused by degenerative diseases or toxic exposures. NASA is interested in developing sensitive yet non-invasive methods for detecting mild impairments.

Don't drink and drive: Study shows only half a beer can hamper hand-eye coordination

US State Department on Friday&nbsp;expressed "deep concern" over a Pakistani court's order to release British-born al-Qaeda leader Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three aides, who were convicted and sentenced in the abduction and murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

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(1/3)We are deeply concerned by the reports of the December 24 ruling of Sindh High Court to release multiple terrorists responsible for the murder of Daniel Pearl. We have been assured that the accused have not been released at this time.
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It said that the US will continue to monitor any developments in the case and will continue to support the Pearl family "through this extremely difficult process" while honouring the legacy of Pearl as a "courageous journalist".

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-court-orders-release-of-terrorist-omar-sheikh-linked-in-daniel-pearl-case-352063" hreflang="en">Pak court orders release of terrorist Omar Sheikh linked in Daniel Pearl case</a>

A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of four men accused of orchestrating the 2002 kidnapping and murder of American journalist&nbsp;Daniel&nbsp;Pearl, including the main suspect earlier sentenced to death for masterminding the killing.

Sheikh, a seasoned jihadist who once studied at the London School of Economics and had been involved in previous kidnappings of foreigners, was arrested days after&nbsp;Pearl's abduction and later sentenced to death by hanging.

The decision by Sindh High Court to release the accused comes months after it sparked outrage for overturning the murder conviction and death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and acquitted three other men connected to the case.

The four are being held under the emergency orders of the local government while an ongoing appeal against their acquittals is heard in the Supreme Court, but defence lawyers argued against their continued detention in the south of the country.

“All the petitioners ... shall be released from jail forthwith on the receipt of this order, unless they are wanted in any other custody case or any order against their release has been passed by the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan,” Thursday's court order read.

The April order has been challenged by the government at the Supreme Court, and&nbsp;Pearl's parents have also petitioned the country's highest judicial forum seeking the overturning of the decision to acquit the suspects.

Pearl&nbsp;was South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal when he was abducted in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about Islamist extremists.

US State Department on Friday expressed "deep concern" over a Pakistani court's order to release British-born al-Qaeda leader Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three aides, who were convicted and sentenced in the abduction and murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl.

US State Department on Friday expressed "deep concern" over a Pakistani court's order to release British-born al-Qaeda leader Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and his three aides, who were convicted and sentenced in the abduction and murder case of American journalist Daniel Pearl. (1/3)We are deeply concerned by the reports of the December 24 ruling of Sindh High Court to release multiple terrorists responsible for the murder of Daniel Pearl. We have been assured that the accused have not been released at this time. — State_SCA (@State_SCA) December 24, 2020 × It said that the US will continue to monitor any developments in the case and will continue to support the Pearl family "through this extremely difficult process" while honouring the legacy of Pearl as a "courageous journalist". Also read: Pak court orders release of terrorist Omar Sheikh linked in Daniel Pearl case A Pakistani court on Thursday ordered the immediate release of four men accused of orchestrating the 2002 kidnapping and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl, including the main suspect earlier sentenced to death for masterminding the killing. Sheikh, a seasoned jihadist who once studied at the London School of Economics and had been involved in previous kidnappings of foreigners, was arrested days after Pearl's abduction and later sentenced to death by hanging. The decision by Sindh High Court to release the accused comes months after it sparked outrage for overturning the murder conviction and death sentence of Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and acquitted three other men connected to the case. The four are being held under the emergency orders of the local government while an ongoing appeal against their acquittals is heard in the Supreme Court, but defence lawyers argued against their continued detention in the south of the country. “All the petitioners ... shall be released from jail forthwith on the receipt of this order, unless they are wanted in any other custody case or any order against their release has been passed by the Honorable Supreme Court of Pakistan,” Thursday's court order read. The April order has been challenged by the government at the Supreme Court, and Pearl's parents have also petitioned the country's highest judicial forum seeking the overturning of the decision to acquit the suspects. Pearl was South Asia bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal when he was abducted in Karachi in January 2002 while researching a story about Islamist extremists.

'Deeply concerned': US slams Pak court's order to release accused in Daniel Pearl case

Deeply concerned over Pak court's order to release Omar Saeed Sheikh in Daniel Pearl case

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