China is using a new form of colonialism to scheme its way into countries as a part of its expansionist policy.

To fulfil its aim of becoming&nbsp;a true global power, China is&nbsp;utilising investment, influence, and interference&nbsp;as its secret weapons.

This&nbsp;chequebook diplomacy&nbsp;continues today, such as through&nbsp;China's&nbsp;substantial support for Pacific nations tackling the Covid-19 pandemic.

China has been using the financial tool of debt to gain influence across the world and grab considerable power in India’s neighbouring countries, thereby increasing the amount of political and security threats the nation is exposed to.

In 2013 Chinese President Xi Jinping launched an international investment program that became known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Under a new mantra to connect the global economy, China began investing heavily in foreign infrastructure projects in over 60 countries that account for 60 percent of the world population and 30 percent of global gross domestic product.

From 2013 to 2018 China made an estimated nearly $614 billion worth of investments in countries participating in BRI. Morgan Stanley predicts China’s overall expense from BRI could reach $1.3 trillion over the next decade.

President Xi considers BRI an opportunity to share China’s model for economic growth with the developing world. Geopolitical rivals are concerned BRI investment programs will deepen China’s political influence and military expansion.

China's debt-trap diplomacy

In a push to gain rapid political and economic ascendency across the globe, China is dispensing billions of dollars in the form of concessional loans to developing countries, mostly for its large-scale infrastructure projects.

Often, developing nations are lured by China’s offer of cheap loans for transformative infra projects, which involve a substantial investment. These developing nations, which are primarily low- or middle-income countries, are unable to keep up with the repayments, and Beijing then gets a chance to demand concessions or advantages in exchange for debt relief.

Manipulates narratives

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the state-owned media&nbsp;outlets should ''tell stories about China well and spread China's voice well; enable the world to see a multidimensional and colorful China; present China as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and an upholder of international order.''

In the last 4 years, Beijing has signed media cooperation agreements with BRI&nbsp;countries In Thailand, for example, over a dozen media outlets have inked deals with Xinhua.

2019 was named the 'ASEAN-China year of media exchanges'.

China uses systematic strategies&nbsp;to embed itself in the global news landscape and build its discourse power beyond borders.&nbsp;

At this year's UNGA, Jinping said ''We will never seek hegemony, expansion, or sphere of influence. We have no intention to fight either a cold war or a hot war with any country.”

However, China is continuously increasing the number of&nbsp;Confucius Institutes, which &nbsp;are public educational partnerships between colleges and universities in China and colleges and universities in other countries; the partnerships are funded and arranged in part by Hanban which is itself affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education.&nbsp;

Last year, the Human Rights Watch said that these institutes consider political loyalty while hiring people. Their job, of course, is to sell the Chinese narrative.

China is using a new form of colonialism to scheme its way into countries as a part of its expansionist policy. To fulfil its aim of becoming a true global power, China is utilising investment, influence, and interference as its secret weapons.

China is using a new form of colonialism to scheme its way into countries as a part of its expansionist policy. To fulfil its aim of becoming a true global power, China is utilising investment, influence, and interference as its secret weapons. This chequebook diplomacy continues today, such as through China's substantial support for Pacific nations tackling the Covid-19 pandemic. China has been using the financial tool of debt to gain influence across the world and grab considerable power in India’s neighbouring countries, thereby increasing the amount of political and security threats the nation is exposed to. In 2013 Chinese President Xi Jinping launched an international investment program that became known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Under a new mantra to connect the global economy, China began investing heavily in foreign infrastructure projects in over 60 countries that account for 60 percent of the world population and 30 percent of global gross domestic product. From 2013 to 2018 China made an estimated nearly $614 billion worth of investments in countries participating in BRI. Morgan Stanley predicts China’s overall expense from BRI could reach $1.3 trillion over the next decade. President Xi considers BRI an opportunity to share China’s model for economic growth with the developing world. Geopolitical rivals are concerned BRI investment programs will deepen China’s political influence and military expansion. China's debt-trap diplomacy In a push to gain rapid political and economic ascendency across the globe, China is dispensing billions of dollars in the form of concessional loans to developing countries, mostly for its large-scale infrastructure projects. Often, developing nations are lured by China’s offer of cheap loans for transformative infra projects, which involve a substantial investment. These developing nations, which are primarily low- or middle-income countries, are unable to keep up with the repayments, and Beijing then gets a chance to demand concessions or advantages in exchange for debt relief. Manipulates narratives Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged the state-owned media outlets should ''tell stories about China well and spread China's voice well; enable the world to see a multidimensional and colorful China; present China as a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and an upholder of international order.'' In the last 4 years, Beijing has signed media cooperation agreements with BRI countries In Thailand, for example, over a dozen media outlets have inked deals with Xinhua. 2019 was named the 'ASEAN-China year of media exchanges'. China uses systematic strategies to embed itself in the global news landscape and build its discourse power beyond borders. At this year's UNGA, Jinping said ''We will never seek hegemony, expansion, or sphere of influence. We have no intention to fight either a cold war or a hot war with any country.” However, China is continuously increasing the number of Confucius Institutes, which are public educational partnerships between colleges and universities in China and colleges and universities in other countries; the partnerships are funded and arranged in part by Hanban which is itself affiliated with the Chinese Ministry of Education. Last year, the Human Rights Watch said that these institutes consider political loyalty while hiring people. Their job, of course, is to sell the Chinese narrative.

Why is Chinese colonisation a severe threat for foreign countries

China's&nbsp;Communist Party (CCP) is using its United Front Work Department for coercing and bullying “those who would oppose Beijing’s policies,” as per US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

The United States has imposed visa restrictions on these Chinese officials and others who have used or threatened to use violence, the release of private information or other coercive tactics to intimidate critics.

“The United Front frequently intimidates members of academia, businesses, civil society groups, and Chinese diaspora communities, including members of ethnic and religious minority communities who speak out against horrific human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang, Tibet, and elsewhere in China,” he said, saying that its coercive tactics include the release of personal details of their targets, a practice known as “doxing.”

Pompeo said the visa restrictions would apply to those “who have engaged in the use or threat of physical violence, theft, and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity.”

He accused China of seeking to “co-opt and coerce” people in the United States and elsewhere to support its “authoritarian narratives and policy preferences” and called on Beijing “to end its use of coercion and intimidation tactics to suppress freedom of expression.”

The&nbsp;United Front Work Department&nbsp;gathers intelligence on, manages relations with, and attempts to influence elite individuals and organisations inside and outside China. It is the driving force behind China's foreign influence campaigns. Under Xi Jinping, its operations have become more organised, expansive, and even insidious.

In 2017,&nbsp;the University of California, San Diego announced that the Dalai Lama will deliver a keynote speech at a commencement ceremony.&nbsp;There was a push back&nbsp;led by Chinese students and within hours of the university's announcement, the Chinese students and scholars association issued a statement. It was organised by the&nbsp;United Front Work Department.

It said: "If the university insists on acting unilaterally and inviting the Dalai Lama to give a speech at the graduation ceremony, our association vows to take further measures to firmly resist the university’s unreasonable behavior."

According to reports,&nbsp;hundreds of organisations for ethnic Chinese people have been formed in the West with each of them having&nbsp;direct or indirect links to the&nbsp;United Front Work Department.

Chinese students travelling overseas for education seems to be ideal candidates for recruitment.&nbsp;

According to reports, China's state security police recruited "long term moles" from more than half a million students studying overseas in 2018.

China's Communist Party (CCP) is using its United Front Work Department for coercing and bullying “those who would oppose Beijing’s policies,” as per US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

China's Communist Party (CCP) is using its United Front Work Department for coercing and bullying “those who would oppose Beijing’s policies,” as per US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. The United States has imposed visa restrictions on these Chinese officials and others who have used or threatened to use violence, the release of private information or other coercive tactics to intimidate critics. “The United Front frequently intimidates members of academia, businesses, civil society groups, and Chinese diaspora communities, including members of ethnic and religious minority communities who speak out against horrific human rights abuses taking place in Xinjiang, Tibet, and elsewhere in China,” he said, saying that its coercive tactics include the release of personal details of their targets, a practice known as “doxing.” Pompeo said the visa restrictions would apply to those “who have engaged in the use or threat of physical violence, theft, and release of private information, espionage, sabotage, or malicious interference in domestic political affairs, academic freedom, personal privacy, or business activity.” He accused China of seeking to “co-opt and coerce” people in the United States and elsewhere to support its “authoritarian narratives and policy preferences” and called on Beijing “to end its use of coercion and intimidation tactics to suppress freedom of expression.” The United Front Work Department gathers intelligence on, manages relations with, and attempts to influence elite individuals and organisations inside and outside China. It is the driving force behind China's foreign influence campaigns. Under Xi Jinping, its operations have become more organised, expansive, and even insidious. In 2017, the University of California, San Diego announced that the Dalai Lama will deliver a keynote speech at a commencement ceremony. There was a push back led by Chinese students and within hours of the university's announcement, the Chinese students and scholars association issued a statement. It was organised by the United Front Work Department. It said: "If the university insists on acting unilaterally and inviting the Dalai Lama to give a speech at the graduation ceremony, our association vows to take further measures to firmly resist the university’s unreasonable behavior." According to reports, hundreds of organisations for ethnic Chinese people have been formed in the West with each of them having direct or indirect links to the United Front Work Department. Chinese students travelling overseas for education seems to be ideal candidates for recruitment. According to reports, China's state security police recruited "long term moles" from more than half a million students studying overseas in 2018.

How is CCP using United Front Work Department for its sinister agendas

Approximately two million members of the&nbsp;Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are&nbsp;secretly embedded in some of the world`s biggest companies, banks, media groups, universities, and government agencies, according to the latest report.

An explosive data leak, obtained by 'The Australian'&nbsp;newspaper, comprises not only&nbsp;the names of around two million CCP agents but also, has their party position, birth-date, national ID number, and ethnicity.

According to the list of data, the companies which are being secretly infiltrated by CCP members include&nbsp;manufacturers such as Boeing and Volkswagen, pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and AstraZeneca, and banks like ANZ and HSBC. 
 
"It is believed to be the first leak of its kind in the world," The Australian journalist and Sky News host Sharri Markson said. "What`s amazing about this database is not just that it exposes people who are members of the Communist Party, and who are now living and working all over the world, from Australia to the US to the UK, but it`s amazing because it lifts the lid on how the party operates under President and Chairman Xi Jinping," she added. 
 
Around 79,000 CCP branches have been set up inside western companies where members if called on, are answerable directly to the Communist Party and President Xi himself, the reports said. 
 
"It is also going to embarrass some global companies who appear to have no plan in place to protect their intellectual property from theft, from economic espionage," Markson said. 
 
The data was reportedly extracted from a server in Shanghai in 2016 by Chinese dissidents, who used it for counterintelligence purposes. It was later leaked to the international bipartisan group the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, before being sent to the international consortium of four media organisations--The Australian, the UK`s Mail on Sunday, Belgium`s De Standaard, and a Swedish editor. 
 
The Australian did not name the individual members on the list, only the companies they work for.

Approximately two million members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are secretly embedded in some of the world`s biggest companies, banks, media groups, universities, and government agencies, according to the latest report.

Approximately two million members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) are secretly embedded in some of the world`s biggest companies, banks, media groups, universities, and government agencies, according to the latest report. An explosive data leak, obtained by 'The Australian' newspaper, comprises not only the names of around two million CCP agents but also, has their party position, birth-date, national ID number, and ethnicity. According to the list of data, the companies which are being secretly infiltrated by CCP members include manufacturers such as Boeing and Volkswagen, pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and AstraZeneca, and banks like ANZ and HSBC. "It is believed to be the first leak of its kind in the world," The Australian journalist and Sky News host Sharri Markson said. "What`s amazing about this database is not just that it exposes people who are members of the Communist Party, and who are now living and working all over the world, from Australia to the US to the UK, but it`s amazing because it lifts the lid on how the party operates under President and Chairman Xi Jinping," she added. Around 79,000 CCP branches have been set up inside western companies where members if called on, are answerable directly to the Communist Party and President Xi himself, the reports said. "It is also going to embarrass some global companies who appear to have no plan in place to protect their intellectual property from theft, from economic espionage," Markson said. The data was reportedly extracted from a server in Shanghai in 2016 by Chinese dissidents, who used it for counterintelligence purposes. It was later leaked to the international bipartisan group the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, before being sent to the international consortium of four media organisations--The Australian, the UK`s Mail on Sunday, Belgium`s De Standaard, and a Swedish editor. The Australian did not name the individual members on the list, only the companies they work for.

Two million members of Chinese Communist Party infiltrating world's biggest companies: Report

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat stated on Monday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is carrying out development activities in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, amid the Sino-Indian standoff at Ladakh.

He also underlined that Indian forces are well- equipped to deal with any eventuality, and similar activities are being undertaken in the country.

"We are locked in a stand-off in Ladakh. There is some development activity which has been going on in Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Every nation will continue to make preparations to boost its security based on its strategic interests. "I don't think there should be much concern in that because we, on our side, are also carrying out similar activities," Rawat told reporters after the launch of indigenously built state-of-the-art stealth frigate 'Himgiri' at Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers here. Indian Armed forces will leave no stone unturned to safeguard the country's frontiers, he insisted.

"China's attempt to change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control along the northern borders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated high levels of preparation on the land, sea and in the air," the CDS said.

The Indian Army, following the Doklam stand-off in 2017, has taken measures to ensure that the situation does not escalate there any further, he maintained. Indian forces are carefully watching the activities of the PLA at Doklam, where the armies of the two most populous countries in the world were engaged in a 73-day eyeball-to-eyeball stand-off in 2017.

"We have taken necessary action to counter anything that would be a cause of concern to our national security," he said, when asked about possible Chinese misadventures in the eastern sector, in the midst of the Ladakh impasse.

The CDS further said that the Indian Armed forces have adequate strength and reserves to counter any threat, and is looking to equip themselves with more cutting-edge technology.

"Time has come now to look at the future of war fighting, imbibing technology into our systems," he said.

Talking about the continuous ceasefire violation by Pakistan, he said India is fully prepared to deal with it and that it is the other side which should be more concerned about carrying out such activities.

Asked whether India should have more submarines or procure another aircraft carrier, Rawat said both have their advantages and disadvantages.

"Submarines have a separate place in naval warfare, in domination of the seas, and so does an aircraft carrier," he said, maintaining that the Navy needs an air wing.

The country needs to utilise its large number of island territories for strengthening security along the sea lanes of communication, Rawat said.

He also said that islands can be an option for launching naval strike aircraft. "Once we have studied all that and understood in detail, we will take a call," he asserted.

Rawat said that the three forces -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- will be integrated, while retaining the niche capabilities of each service.

"We strongly believe that no single force or no single service can succeed in any conflict situation if we are to face conflict with our adversaries anywhere -- whether it is land, air or sea," he said.

The integration will ensure synergised application of the country's combat potentials, the CDS said.

"We had some hiccups on this, we have to have understanding of each other's service, integration is taking place and gradually we are moving forward in that direction.''&nbsp;

"We have successfully overcome some of the misconceptions about force restructuring by allowing space to each force to develop niche capabilities based on their strengths, and thus enhance our overall combat power," he added.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat stated on Monday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is carrying out development activities in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, amid the Sino-Indian standoff at Ladakh.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat stated on Monday that the People's Liberation Army (PLA) is carrying out development activities in Tibet Autonomous Region of China, amid the Sino-Indian standoff at Ladakh. He also underlined that Indian forces are well- equipped to deal with any eventuality, and similar activities are being undertaken in the country. "We are locked in a stand-off in Ladakh. There is some development activity which has been going on in Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Every nation will continue to make preparations to boost its security based on its strategic interests. "I don't think there should be much concern in that because we, on our side, are also carrying out similar activities," Rawat told reporters after the launch of indigenously built state-of-the-art stealth frigate 'Himgiri' at Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers here. Indian Armed forces will leave no stone unturned to safeguard the country's frontiers, he insisted. "China's attempt to change the status quo on the Line of Actual Control along the northern borders amidst the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated high levels of preparation on the land, sea and in the air," the CDS said. The Indian Army, following the Doklam stand-off in 2017, has taken measures to ensure that the situation does not escalate there any further, he maintained. Indian forces are carefully watching the activities of the PLA at Doklam, where the armies of the two most populous countries in the world were engaged in a 73-day eyeball-to-eyeball stand-off in 2017. "We have taken necessary action to counter anything that would be a cause of concern to our national security," he said, when asked about possible Chinese misadventures in the eastern sector, in the midst of the Ladakh impasse. The CDS further said that the Indian Armed forces have adequate strength and reserves to counter any threat, and is looking to equip themselves with more cutting-edge technology. "Time has come now to look at the future of war fighting, imbibing technology into our systems," he said. Talking about the continuous ceasefire violation by Pakistan, he said India is fully prepared to deal with it and that it is the other side which should be more concerned about carrying out such activities. Asked whether India should have more submarines or procure another aircraft carrier, Rawat said both have their advantages and disadvantages. "Submarines have a separate place in naval warfare, in domination of the seas, and so does an aircraft carrier," he said, maintaining that the Navy needs an air wing. The country needs to utilise its large number of island territories for strengthening security along the sea lanes of communication, Rawat said. He also said that islands can be an option for launching naval strike aircraft. "Once we have studied all that and understood in detail, we will take a call," he asserted. Rawat said that the three forces -- Army, Navy and Air Force -- will be integrated, while retaining the niche capabilities of each service. "We strongly believe that no single force or no single service can succeed in any conflict situation if we are to face conflict with our adversaries anywhere -- whether it is land, air or sea," he said. The integration will ensure synergised application of the country's combat potentials, the CDS said. "We had some hiccups on this, we have to have understanding of each other's service, integration is taking place and gradually we are moving forward in that direction.'' "We have successfully overcome some of the misconceptions about force restructuring by allowing space to each force to develop niche capabilities based on their strengths, and thus enhance our overall combat power," he added.

China's PLA carrying out development work in Tibet; India ready for any eventuality: CDS Rawat

Sri Lanka has recorded the highest number of elephant deaths in the world due to the human-elephant conflict, according to a media report.

The country’s Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) had ordered a special audit into the human-elephant conflict by renowned elephant expert Dr Prithviraj Fernando, the head of the Centre for Conservation and Research.

In a meeting of the COPA held recently, it was also disclosed that Sri Lanka ranked number two globally after India where highest number of human deaths were reported due to the human-elephant conflict, according to Daily News.

COPE Committee Chairman Tissa Vitarana said that in the past 12 months, the number of elephants killed in conflict with humans in Sri Lanka was 407 as against the previous annual average of 272. The number of people killed also increased from an average of 85 humans to 122 per year in the country.

COPE Committee Chairman Vitarana and other members emphasised the need for the Wildlife Department and other relevant agencies to work together on a more efficient programme to resolve the human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka, which has become a serious problem.

He also said that despite 60 years of efforts to resolve the human-elephant conflict, no significant progress had been made and that a new approach was needed to find a solution.

The COPA directed the Department of Wildlife Conservation to set up a National Coordinating Committee with all relevant institutions as soon as possible to reduce the human-elephant conflict.

The Committee pointed out that although 4,211 km of elephant fences had been constructed by 2016 to control the human-elephant conflict, they had become inactive in a short period of time due to improper maintenance.

Although Rs 86 million rupees is spent annually for the maintenance of the electric fences, the committee pointed out the need for the Wildlife Conservation Department to monitor whether this maintenance is being carried out on a daily basis, the daily said.

The committee also pointed out that this maintenance should be done with the support of the people.

The Committee also discussed that many constructions had to be halted due to protests by the people in some areas who thought that the construction of the fence was a boundary of their land.

Sri Lanka has recorded the highest number of elephant deaths in the world due to the human-elephant conflict, according to a media report. The country’s Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) had ordered a special audit into the human-elephant conflict by renowned elephant expert Dr Prithviraj Fernando, the head of the Centre for Conservation and Research.

Sri Lanka has recorded the highest number of elephant deaths in the world due to the human-elephant conflict, according to a media report. The country’s Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) had ordered a special audit into the human-elephant conflict by renowned elephant expert Dr Prithviraj Fernando, the head of the Centre for Conservation and Research. In a meeting of the COPA held recently, it was also disclosed that Sri Lanka ranked number two globally after India where highest number of human deaths were reported due to the human-elephant conflict, according to Daily News. COPE Committee Chairman Tissa Vitarana said that in the past 12 months, the number of elephants killed in conflict with humans in Sri Lanka was 407 as against the previous annual average of 272. The number of people killed also increased from an average of 85 humans to 122 per year in the country. COPE Committee Chairman Vitarana and other members emphasised the need for the Wildlife Department and other relevant agencies to work together on a more efficient programme to resolve the human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka, which has become a serious problem. He also said that despite 60 years of efforts to resolve the human-elephant conflict, no significant progress had been made and that a new approach was needed to find a solution. The COPA directed the Department of Wildlife Conservation to set up a National Coordinating Committee with all relevant institutions as soon as possible to reduce the human-elephant conflict. The Committee pointed out that although 4,211 km of elephant fences had been constructed by 2016 to control the human-elephant conflict, they had become inactive in a short period of time due to improper maintenance. Although Rs 86 million rupees is spent annually for the maintenance of the electric fences, the committee pointed out the need for the Wildlife Conservation Department to monitor whether this maintenance is being carried out on a daily basis, the daily said. The committee also pointed out that this maintenance should be done with the support of the people. The Committee also discussed that many constructions had to be halted due to protests by the people in some areas who thought that the construction of the fence was a boundary of their land.

Sri Lanka records highest elephant deaths in world

US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that his country has inoculated the first person&nbsp;with Pfizer's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/coronavirus-vaccine">coronavirus vaccine</a>, marking a pivotal turn in its&nbsp;effort to control the deadly virus.

Trump took to Twitter and tweeted: ''First vaccine administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations world!''

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First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1338490171801661441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Trump's tweet came minutes after Sandra Lindsay, an ICU nurse, was given the vaccine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, an early epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, receiving applause on a live stream with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

"It didn't feel any different from taking any other vaccine," Lindsay said. "I feel hopeful today, relieved. I feel like healing is coming. I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history. I want to instill public confidence that the vaccine is safe."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-to-distribute-40-million-vaccine-doses-by-2020-end-349713/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The coronavirus vaccine, developed by Pfizer and its German partner&nbsp;BioNTech, won emergency-use approval from federal regulators on Friday after it was found to be 95 per cent&nbsp;effective in preventing illness in a large clinical trial.

Governor Andrew Cuomo, watching the landmark moment via video-link, told Lindsay he hoped the vaccine would give her and other frontline health care workers "a sense of security and safety."

"It's going to take months before the vaccine hits critical mass. So, this is the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's a long tunnel," he said, reminding people to keep following social distancing guidelines.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-pence-among-top-us-officials-to-be-offered-covid-19-vaccine-on-priority-report-349600" hreflang="en">Trump, Pence among top US officials to be offered COVID-19 vaccine on priority: Report</a>

The first 2.9 million doses began to be shipped to distribution centers around the country on Sunday, just 11 months after the United States documented its first COVID-19 infections.

As of Monday, the United States had registered 16,286,343 cases and 299,489 deaths from the virus.

Hospitals in Texas, Utah and Minnesota said they also anticipated receiving their first doses of the vaccine at select hospitals on Monday, to be administered right away.

COVID-19 has ravaged the United States. More than 299,000 Americans have been killed by the virus, including over 35,000 residents of New York state.

Logistical challenge

The first US&nbsp;shipments of coronavirus vaccine departed from Pfizer's facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Sunday, packed into trucks with dry-ice to maintain the necessary sub-Arctic temperatures, and then were transported to UPS and FedEx planes waiting at air fields in Lansing and Grand Rapids, kicking off a national immunization endeavor of unprecedented complexity.

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In picture:&nbsp;Boxes containing Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine are unloaded from air shipping containers at UPS Worldport, in Louisville, Kentucky/Reuters

The jets delivered the shipments to UPS and FedEx cargo hubs in Louisville and Memphis, respectively, from where they were loaded onto planes and trucks to be distributed to the first 145 of 636 vaccine-staging areas across the country. Second and third waves of vaccine shipments were due to go out to the remaining sites on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"This is the most difficult vaccine rollout in history. There will be hiccups undoubtedly but we've done everything from a federal level and working with partners to make it go as smoothly as possible. Please be patient with us," Surgeon General Jerome Adams told Fox News on Monday, adding that he would get the shot as soon as he can.

The logistical effort is further complicated by the need to transport and store the Pfizer/BioNTech&nbsp;vaccine at minus 70 Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit), requiring enormous quantities of dry ice or specialized ultra-cold freezers.

Workers clapped and whistled as the first boxes were loaded onto trucks at the Pfizer factory on Sunday.

"We know we're all suffering, our families are suffering. We're going into the Christmas holiday with shutdowns and people are going to be very impacted by this pandemic. We know how much people are hurting," UPS Healthcare President Wes Wheeler said on Sunday from the company’s command center in Louisville, Kentucky

Healthcare workers and elderly residents of long-term care homes will be first in line to get the inoculations of a two-dose regimen given about three weeks apart.

US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that his country has inoculated the first person with Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, marking a pivotal turn in its effort to control the deadly virus.

US President Donald Trump on Monday announced that his country has inoculated the first person with Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine, marking a pivotal turn in its effort to control the deadly virus. Trump took to Twitter and tweeted: ''First vaccine administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations world!'' First Vaccine Administered. Congratulations USA! Congratulations WORLD! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 14, 2020 × Trump's tweet came minutes after Sandra Lindsay, an ICU nurse, was given the vaccine at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, an early epicenter of the country's COVID-19 outbreak, receiving applause on a live stream with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "It didn't feel any different from taking any other vaccine," Lindsay said. "I feel hopeful today, relieved. I feel like healing is coming. I hope this marks the beginning of the end of a very painful time in our history. I want to instill public confidence that the vaccine is safe." The coronavirus vaccine, developed by Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech, won emergency-use approval from federal regulators on Friday after it was found to be 95 per cent effective in preventing illness in a large clinical trial. Governor Andrew Cuomo, watching the landmark moment via video-link, told Lindsay he hoped the vaccine would give her and other frontline health care workers "a sense of security and safety." "It's going to take months before the vaccine hits critical mass. So, this is the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's a long tunnel," he said, reminding people to keep following social distancing guidelines. Also read: Trump, Pence among top US officials to be offered COVID-19 vaccine on priority: Report The first 2.9 million doses began to be shipped to distribution centers around the country on Sunday, just 11 months after the United States documented its first COVID-19 infections. As of Monday, the United States had registered 16,286,343 cases and 299,489 deaths from the virus. Hospitals in Texas, Utah and Minnesota said they also anticipated receiving their first doses of the vaccine at select hospitals on Monday, to be administered right away. COVID-19 has ravaged the United States. More than 299,000 Americans have been killed by the virus, including over 35,000 residents of New York state. Logistical challenge The first US shipments of coronavirus vaccine departed from Pfizer's facility in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Sunday, packed into trucks with dry-ice to maintain the necessary sub-Arctic temperatures, and then were transported to UPS and FedEx planes waiting at air fields in Lansing and Grand Rapids, kicking off a national immunization endeavor of unprecedented complexity. In picture: Boxes containing Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine are unloaded from air shipping containers at UPS Worldport, in Louisville, Kentucky/Reuters The jets delivered the shipments to UPS and FedEx cargo hubs in Louisville and Memphis, respectively, from where they were loaded onto planes and trucks to be distributed to the first 145 of 636 vaccine-staging areas across the country. Second and third waves of vaccine shipments were due to go out to the remaining sites on Tuesday and Wednesday. "This is the most difficult vaccine rollout in history. There will be hiccups undoubtedly but we've done everything from a federal level and working with partners to make it go as smoothly as possible. Please be patient with us," Surgeon General Jerome Adams told Fox News on Monday, adding that he would get the shot as soon as he can. The logistical effort is further complicated by the need to transport and store the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at minus 70 Celsius (minus 94 Fahrenheit), requiring enormous quantities of dry ice or specialized ultra-cold freezers. Workers clapped and whistled as the first boxes were loaded onto trucks at the Pfizer factory on Sunday. "We know we're all suffering, our families are suffering. We're going into the Christmas holiday with shutdowns and people are going to be very impacted by this pandemic. We know how much people are hurting," UPS Healthcare President Wes Wheeler said on Sunday from the company’s command center in Louisville, Kentucky Healthcare workers and elderly residents of long-term care homes will be first in line to get the inoculations of a two-dose regimen given about three weeks apart.

US administers first coronavirus vaccine; Donald Trump congratulates Americans

Researchers have revealed how the brain encodes time and place into memories in the latest study conducted by the University of Texas.

The findings published in PNAS and Science could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/blood-test-could-predict-alzheimers-disease-4-years-before-symptoms-begin-346697">Blood test could predict Alzheimer's disease 4 years before symptoms begin</a>

About 10 years prior, a gathering of neurons known as "time cells" was found in rodents. These cells seem to assume an extraordinary part in chronicle when occasions occur, permitting the cerebrum to accurately check the request for what occurs in a wordy memory.&nbsp;

Situated in the cerebrum's hippocampus, these phones show a trademark movement design while the creatures are encoding and reviewing occasions, clarifies Bradley Lega, a partner teacher of a neurological medical procedure at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (UTSW) and senior creator of the PNAS study.&nbsp;

By terminating in a reproducible arrangement, they permit the cerebrum to coordinate when occasions occur, Lega says. The circumstance of their terminating is constrained by 5 Hz cerebrum waves, called theta motions, in a cycle known as precession.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/not-sleeping-enough-your-brain-might-be-eating-itself-319676">Not sleeping enough? Your brain might be eating itself</a>

Lega examined whether people likewise have time cells by utilizing a memory task that sets solid expectations for time-related data. Lega and his associates enlisted volunteers from the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at UT Southwestern's Peter O'Donnell Jr. Mind Institute, where epilepsy patients remain for a few days before the medical procedure to eliminate harmed portions of their cerebrums that flash seizures. Cathodes embedded in these patients' cerebrums assist their specialists with recognizing the seizure foci and furthermore give important data on the mind's internal functions, Lega says.&nbsp;

While recording electrical movement from the hippocampus in 27 volunteers' cerebrums, what the group discovered was energizing: Not just did they recognize a powerful populace of time cells, however, the terminating of these phones anticipated how well people had the option to connect words together as expected (a marvel called fleeting bunching). At last, these cells seem to show stage precession in people, as anticipated.&nbsp;

"For quite a long time researchers have suggested that time cells resemble the magic that binds recollections of occasions in our lives," as indicated by Lega. "This finding explicitly underpins that thought in an exquisite manner."&nbsp;

In the second examination in Science, Brad Pfeiffer, associate educator of neuroscience, driven a group researching place cells—a populace of hippocampal cells in the two creatures and people that records where occasions happen.&nbsp;

Analysts have since quite a while ago referred to that as creatures travel a way they've been on previously, neurons encoding various areas along the way will fire in succession much like time cells fire in the request for worldly occasions, Pfeiffer clarifies. Likewise, while rodents are effectively investigating a climate, place cells are additionally coordinated into "small scale arrangements" that speak to a virtual compass of areas in front of the rodent. These radar-like ranges happen about 8-10 times each second and are believed to be a mind system for foreseeing promptly impending occasions or results.&nbsp;

Before this examination, it was realized that when rodents quit running, place cells would frequently reactivate in long groupings that seemed to replay the rodent's related knowledge in the opposite. While these "converse replay" occasions were known to be significant for memory development, it was hazy how the hippocampus had the option to create such successions. For sure, impressive work had shown that experience ought to fortify forward, "look forward" successions, however, debilitate switch replay occasions.&nbsp;

To decide how these retrogressive and forward recollections cooperate, Pfeiffer and his associates set anodes in the hippocampi of rodents, at that point permitted them to investigate two better places: a square field and a long, straight track. To urge them to travel through these spaces, they put wells with chocolate milk at different spots. They at that point broke down the creatures' place cell action to perceive how it compared to their areas.&nbsp;

Specific neurons terminated as the rodents meandered through these spaces, encoding data on spot. These equivalent neurons terminated in a similar arrangement as the rodents remembered their ways, and occasionally terminated backward as they finished various legs of their excursions. In any case, investigating the information, the specialists discovered something new: As the rodents traveled through these spaces, their neurons showed forward, prescient smaller than normal successions, yet in addition in reverse, review scaled-down arrangements. The forward and in reverse groupings rotated with one another, each taking a couple of dozen milliseconds to finish.&nbsp;

"While these creatures were pushing ahead, their cerebrums were continually exchanging between expecting what might occur straightaway and reviewing what simply occurred, all inside portion of-a-second time spans," Pfeiffer says.&nbsp;

Pfeiffer and his group are at present examining what inputs these cells are accepting from different pieces of the cerebrum that cause them to act in these forward or turn around designs.&nbsp;

In principle, he says, it very well may be conceivable to capture this framework to help the mind review where an occasion occurred with greater constancy. Essentially, adds Lega, incitement strategies may in the end have the option to copy the exact designing of time cells to help individuals all the more precisely recollect fleeting successions of occasions.

Researchers have revealed how the brain encodes time and place into memories in the latest study conducted by the University of Texas. The findings published in PNAS and Science could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers have revealed how the brain encodes time and place into memories in the latest study conducted by the University of Texas. The findings published in PNAS and Science could eventually provide the basis for new treatments to combat memory loss from conditions such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's disease. Also read: Blood test could predict Alzheimer's disease 4 years before symptoms begin About 10 years prior, a gathering of neurons known as "time cells" was found in rodents. These cells seem to assume an extraordinary part in chronicle when occasions occur, permitting the cerebrum to accurately check the request for what occurs in a wordy memory. Situated in the cerebrum's hippocampus, these phones show a trademark movement design while the creatures are encoding and reviewing occasions, clarifies Bradley Lega, a partner teacher of a neurological medical procedure at University of Texas Southwestern Medical School (UTSW) and senior creator of the PNAS study. By terminating in a reproducible arrangement, they permit the cerebrum to coordinate when occasions occur, Lega says. The circumstance of their terminating is constrained by 5 Hz cerebrum waves, called theta motions, in a cycle known as precession. Also read: Not sleeping enough? Your brain might be eating itself Lega examined whether people likewise have time cells by utilizing a memory task that sets solid expectations for time-related data. Lega and his associates enlisted volunteers from the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at UT Southwestern's Peter O'Donnell Jr. Mind Institute, where epilepsy patients remain for a few days before the medical procedure to eliminate harmed portions of their cerebrums that flash seizures. Cathodes embedded in these patients' cerebrums assist their specialists with recognizing the seizure foci and furthermore give important data on the mind's internal functions, Lega says. While recording electrical movement from the hippocampus in 27 volunteers' cerebrums, what the group discovered was energizing: Not just did they recognize a powerful populace of time cells, however, the terminating of these phones anticipated how well people had the option to connect words together as expected (a marvel called fleeting bunching). At last, these cells seem to show stage precession in people, as anticipated. "For quite a long time researchers have suggested that time cells resemble the magic that binds recollections of occasions in our lives," as indicated by Lega. "This finding explicitly underpins that thought in an exquisite manner." In the second examination in Science, Brad Pfeiffer, associate educator of neuroscience, driven a group researching place cells—a populace of hippocampal cells in the two creatures and people that records where occasions happen. Analysts have since quite a while ago referred to that as creatures travel a way they've been on previously, neurons encoding various areas along the way will fire in succession much like time cells fire in the request for worldly occasions, Pfeiffer clarifies. Likewise, while rodents are effectively investigating a climate, place cells are additionally coordinated into "small scale arrangements" that speak to a virtual compass of areas in front of the rodent. These radar-like ranges happen about 8-10 times each second and are believed to be a mind system for foreseeing promptly impending occasions or results. Before this examination, it was realized that when rodents quit running, place cells would frequently reactivate in long groupings that seemed to replay the rodent's related knowledge in the opposite. While these "converse replay" occasions were known to be significant for memory development, it was hazy how the hippocampus had the option to create such successions. For sure, impressive work had shown that experience ought to fortify forward, "look forward" successions, however, debilitate switch replay occasions. To decide how these retrogressive and forward recollections cooperate, Pfeiffer and his associates set anodes in the hippocampi of rodents, at that point permitted them to investigate two better places: a square field and a long, straight track. To urge them to travel through these spaces, they put wells with chocolate milk at different spots. They at that point broke down the creatures' place cell action to perceive how it compared to their areas. Specific neurons terminated as the rodents meandered through these spaces, encoding data on spot. These equivalent neurons terminated in a similar arrangement as the rodents remembered their ways, and occasionally terminated backward as they finished various legs of their excursions. In any case, investigating the information, the specialists discovered something new: As the rodents traveled through these spaces, their neurons showed forward, prescient smaller than normal successions, yet in addition in reverse, review scaled-down arrangements. The forward and in reverse groupings rotated with one another, each taking a couple of dozen milliseconds to finish. "While these creatures were pushing ahead, their cerebrums were continually exchanging between expecting what might occur straightaway and reviewing what simply occurred, all inside portion of-a-second time spans," Pfeiffer says. Pfeiffer and his group are at present examining what inputs these cells are accepting from different pieces of the cerebrum that cause them to act in these forward or turn around designs. In principle, he says, it very well may be conceivable to capture this framework to help the mind review where an occasion occurred with greater constancy. Essentially, adds Lega, incitement strategies may in the end have the option to copy the exact designing of time cells to help individuals all the more precisely recollect fleeting successions of occasions.

Study sheds light on how brain encodes time and place into memories

The last solar eclipse of 2020 will be visible on December 14 from 7.03 pm (IST) to 12:23 am (IST).

Solar eclipse 2020 will be visible in Chile, Argentina, South-West Africa and Antarctica where the sun will be completely blocked.

Different spots in the Pacific, Atlantic and the Indian Ocean will likewise have the option to see the eclipse.&nbsp;

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the Sun’s rays and casting a shadow on parts of Earth. It occurs twice a year but can go up to five times in very rare scenarios.

The current year's all-out sun powered shroud won't be noticeable in India as the Sun would have been set for the day when the heavenly occasion starts.

The magnitude of the&nbsp;eclipse is 1.02 and will keep going for a length of 2 minutes and 10 seconds with the Sun totally covered with the Moon's shadow. Individuals have been encouraged to not straightforwardly take a gander at the Sun during the overshadowing as it can cause extreme eye harm. The individuals who wish to take an immediate perspective on the overshadowing should utilize satisfactory assurance, for example, obscure glasses or a pinhole projector.

The previous&nbsp;solar eclipse of the year was an annular&nbsp;solar eclipse that happened on June 21, 2021. Despite the fact that the complete sun based obscuration isn't noticeable in India, individuals can watch it online on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) site.&nbsp;

We will be noticing two solar eclipses in the following year, 2021. The first has been accounted for to happen during the mid-year, on June 10 and the second one on December 4.

The last solar eclipse of 2020 will be visible on December 14 from 7.03 pm (IST) to 12:23 am (IST). Solar eclipse 2020 will be visible in Chile, Argentina, South-West Africa and Antarctica where the sun will be completely blocked.

The last solar eclipse of 2020 will be visible on December 14 from 7.03 pm (IST) to 12:23 am (IST). Solar eclipse 2020 will be visible in Chile, Argentina, South-West Africa and Antarctica where the sun will be completely blocked. Different spots in the Pacific, Atlantic and the Indian Ocean will likewise have the option to see the eclipse. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon comes between the Sun and the Earth, blocking out the Sun’s rays and casting a shadow on parts of Earth. It occurs twice a year but can go up to five times in very rare scenarios. The current year's all-out sun powered shroud won't be noticeable in India as the Sun would have been set for the day when the heavenly occasion starts. The magnitude of the eclipse is 1.02 and will keep going for a length of 2 minutes and 10 seconds with the Sun totally covered with the Moon's shadow. Individuals have been encouraged to not straightforwardly take a gander at the Sun during the overshadowing as it can cause extreme eye harm. The individuals who wish to take an immediate perspective on the overshadowing should utilize satisfactory assurance, for example, obscure glasses or a pinhole projector. The previous solar eclipse of the year was an annular solar eclipse that happened on June 21, 2021. Despite the fact that the complete sun based obscuration isn't noticeable in India, individuals can watch it online on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) site. We will be noticing two solar eclipses in the following year, 2021. The first has been accounted for to happen during the mid-year, on June 10 and the second one on December 4.

Solar Eclipse 2020: Timings and all you need to know

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that President Donald Trump's administration, in a&nbsp;"fundamental change", has removed Sudan from the List of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could help the African country get international loans to revive its battered economy and end its pariah status.&nbsp;

"Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism is officially rescinded.&nbsp;This represents a fundamental change in our bilateral relationship toward greater collaboration and support for Sudan's historic democratic transition," Pompeo said in a <a href="https://www.state.gov/sudans-state-sponsor-of-terrorism-designation-rescinded/">statement</a>.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sudan-to-normalise-relations-with-israel-trump-announces-337538">Sudan to normalise relations with Israel, Trump announces</a>

Sudan has had the designation since 1993, on the grounds that ousted President Omar al-Bashir briefly hosted al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and other wanted militants. Sudan was also believed to have served as a pipeline for Iran to supply weapons to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

The move comes after a 45-day Congressional review period following Trump's announcement of his intention to remove Sudan from the list, which was swiftly followed by the announcement that Israel and Sudan intend to normalise relations.

Delisting Sudan is also a key incentive for the government in Khartoum to normalise relations with Israel.

The two countries have agreed to have full diplomatic ties, making Sudan the third Arab state&nbsp;after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain&nbsp;to move to normalize relations with Israel this year. After Sudan, Morocco also established diplomatic ties with Israel.

Sudan is on a fragile transition to democracy following an uprising that led to the military's ouster of former autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019.

The county is now ruled by a joint military and civilian government that seeks better ties with Washington and the West.

In October, Trump announced that he would remove Sudan from the list if it follows through on its pledge to pay $335 million to American terror victims and their families.

Sudan has agreed to pay compensation for victims of the 1998 bombings of the US&nbsp;Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, attacks carried out by al-Qaida while bin Laden was living in Sudan.

According to the October announcement, once the compensation money was deposited, Trump was to sign an order removing Sudan from the terrorism list on which it has languished under heavy American sanctions for 27 years.

Since Trump's announcement, the Sudanese government also inked an agreement with the US&nbsp;That could effectively stop any future compensation claims being filed against the African country in US&nbsp;Courts.

That deal restores in US&nbsp;Courts what is known as sovereign immunity to the Sudanese government. It would however enter into force after U.S. Congress passes legislation needed to implement the agreement. Khartoum has said the $335 million in compensation money would be held in an escrow account until then.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that President Donald Trump's administration, in a "fundamental change", has removed Sudan from the List of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could help the African country get international loans to revive its battered economy and end its pariah status.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Monday that President Donald Trump's administration, in a "fundamental change", has removed Sudan from the List of state sponsors of terrorism, a move that could help the African country get international loans to revive its battered economy and end its pariah status. "Sudan's designation as a state sponsor of terrorism is officially rescinded. This represents a fundamental change in our bilateral relationship toward greater collaboration and support for Sudan's historic democratic transition," Pompeo said in a statement. Also read: Sudan to normalise relations with Israel, Trump announces Sudan has had the designation since 1993, on the grounds that ousted President Omar al-Bashir briefly hosted al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and other wanted militants. Sudan was also believed to have served as a pipeline for Iran to supply weapons to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. The move comes after a 45-day Congressional review period following Trump's announcement of his intention to remove Sudan from the list, which was swiftly followed by the announcement that Israel and Sudan intend to normalise relations. Delisting Sudan is also a key incentive for the government in Khartoum to normalise relations with Israel. The two countries have agreed to have full diplomatic ties, making Sudan the third Arab state after the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain to move to normalize relations with Israel this year. After Sudan, Morocco also established diplomatic ties with Israel. Sudan is on a fragile transition to democracy following an uprising that led to the military's ouster of former autocratic President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. The county is now ruled by a joint military and civilian government that seeks better ties with Washington and the West. In October, Trump announced that he would remove Sudan from the list if it follows through on its pledge to pay $335 million to American terror victims and their families. Sudan has agreed to pay compensation for victims of the 1998 bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, attacks carried out by al-Qaida while bin Laden was living in Sudan. According to the October announcement, once the compensation money was deposited, Trump was to sign an order removing Sudan from the terrorism list on which it has languished under heavy American sanctions for 27 years. Since Trump's announcement, the Sudanese government also inked an agreement with the US That could effectively stop any future compensation claims being filed against the African country in US Courts. That deal restores in US Courts what is known as sovereign immunity to the Sudanese government. It would however enter into force after U.S. Congress passes legislation needed to implement the agreement. Khartoum has said the $335 million in compensation money would be held in an escrow account until then.

'Fundamental change': Mike Pompeo says Sudan no longer on list of terror sponsors

Researchers have found 20 new species in the Zongo Valley of the Bolivian Andes including a pit viper called&nbsp;'mountain fer-de-lance'.

Just as distinguishing new species, the Conservation International group rediscovered four species thought to be wiped out, including the "fallen angel peered toward frog," which was last located 20 years back, before a hydroelectric dam was underlying its territory. After various endeavors to discover the frog it was expected the species not, at this point existed.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/scientists-digitally-unwrap-mummies-of-ancient-egyptian-cat-snake-and-bird-322116">Scientists digitally 'unwrap' mummies of ancient Egyptian cat, snake and bird</a>

The Bolivian banner snake acquired its name from its striking red, yellow, and green tones. It was found in thick undergrowth woods at the most noteworthy piece of the mountain the group overviewed.&nbsp;

The Lilliputian frog is a microscopic 1 centimeter long and is covered by its earthy colored tone, which causes it to stow away in thick layers of greenery and soil.&nbsp;

Cup orchids have dynamic and unmistakable purple and yellow shading. This new species was found in Zongo yet is essential for a gathering of animal groups found all through a lot of Central and South America.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/sleeping-snakes-stall-elon-musks-plans-for-a-gigafactory-near-berlin-348507">Sleeping snakes stall Elon Musk's plans for a gigafactory near Berlin</a>

The satyr butterfly was most recently seen 98 years back and was rediscovered in the Zongo Valley's undergrowth, trapped in a lattice trap containing its food wellspring of spoiled organic product. It is simply known to live in the Zongo Valley.&nbsp;

The recently discovered Adder's mouth orchid has parts that cunningly mirror creepy crawlies, fooling them into moving dust.&nbsp;

With energetic examples and striking tones, Catesby's snail sucker is particular to benefit from snails and slugs.&nbsp;

Despite the fact that the 20 new species discovered in&nbsp;the Zongo Valley are new to science, they are recognisable to nearby indigenous networks. A newfound bamboo has been routinely utilised by indigenous individuals for development materials and to make wind instruments called sikus or zampoñas.&nbsp;

In the cloud woodland of Zongo Valley, a caterpillar from a Morpho butterfly benefits from bamboo. Morpho butterflies are profoundly pursued because of their brilliant blue tone.&nbsp;

Zongo Valley is loaded with fantastic, normal cascades and is known as the "heart of the district." Locals rely upon the woodland as Zongo supplies building materials, hydroelectric force and water for Bolivia's capital of La Paz and encompassing territories.&nbsp;

As the Andes get higher and more extreme, they become more rough. Wonderful cascades a lot run all through the mountains.&nbsp;

Amazingly uncommon Mercedes burglar frogs have just been seen in a couple of spots, including Zongo.&nbsp;

Another types of metalmark butterfly, which flies in the cloud woodland shade and feeds on bloom nectar, was additionally found on the Bolivia undertaking.

Researchers have found 20 new species in the Zongo Valley of the Bolivian Andes including a pit viper called 'mountain fer-de-lance'. Just as distinguishing new species, the Conservation International group rediscovered four species thought to be wiped out, including the "fallen angel peered toward frog," which was last located 20 years back, before a hydroelectric dam was underlying its territory.

Researchers have found 20 new species in the Zongo Valley of the Bolivian Andes including a pit viper called 'mountain fer-de-lance'. Just as distinguishing new species, the Conservation International group rediscovered four species thought to be wiped out, including the "fallen angel peered toward frog," which was last located 20 years back, before a hydroelectric dam was underlying its territory. After various endeavors to discover the frog it was expected the species not, at this point existed. Also read: Scientists digitally 'unwrap' mummies of ancient Egyptian cat, snake and bird The Bolivian banner snake acquired its name from its striking red, yellow, and green tones. It was found in thick undergrowth woods at the most noteworthy piece of the mountain the group overviewed. The Lilliputian frog is a microscopic 1 centimeter long and is covered by its earthy colored tone, which causes it to stow away in thick layers of greenery and soil. Cup orchids have dynamic and unmistakable purple and yellow shading. This new species was found in Zongo yet is essential for a gathering of animal groups found all through a lot of Central and South America. Also read: Sleeping snakes stall Elon Musk's plans for a gigafactory near Berlin The satyr butterfly was most recently seen 98 years back and was rediscovered in the Zongo Valley's undergrowth, trapped in a lattice trap containing its food wellspring of spoiled organic product. It is simply known to live in the Zongo Valley. The recently discovered Adder's mouth orchid has parts that cunningly mirror creepy crawlies, fooling them into moving dust. With energetic examples and striking tones, Catesby's snail sucker is particular to benefit from snails and slugs. Despite the fact that the 20 new species discovered in the Zongo Valley are new to science, they are recognisable to nearby indigenous networks. A newfound bamboo has been routinely utilised by indigenous individuals for development materials and to make wind instruments called sikus or zampoñas. In the cloud woodland of Zongo Valley, a caterpillar from a Morpho butterfly benefits from bamboo. Morpho butterflies are profoundly pursued because of their brilliant blue tone. Zongo Valley is loaded with fantastic, normal cascades and is known as the "heart of the district." Locals rely upon the woodland as Zongo supplies building materials, hydroelectric force and water for Bolivia's capital of La Paz and encompassing territories. As the Andes get higher and more extreme, they become more rough. Wonderful cascades a lot run all through the mountains. Amazingly uncommon Mercedes burglar frogs have just been seen in a couple of spots, including Zongo. Another types of metalmark butterfly, which flies in the cloud woodland shade and feeds on bloom nectar, was additionally found on the Bolivia undertaking.

20 new species discovered in Zongo Valley of Bolivia

A new Artificial Intelligence software will help in determining the&nbsp;probability of contracting the fatal coronavirus infection, as per a recent study conducted at the University of Vermont and Cedars-Sinai.

The study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research is also available online. It describes the performance of Biocogniv`s new AI-COVID software, which can help hospitals reduce the number of patients referred for scarce PCR testing.

The lead author and University of Vermont Assistant Professor Timothy Plante, M.D., M.H.S. said: "Nine months into this pandemic, we now have a better understanding of how to care for patients with Covid-19."

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/united-states-mass-inoculation-underway-as-covid-19-cases-soar-349687/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

He further said, "but there`s still a big bottleneck in Covid-19 diagnosis with PCR testing."PCR testing is the current standard diagnostic for Covid-19, and requires specific sampling, like a nasal swab, and specialized laboratory equipment to run.

Biocogniv Chief Operating Officer Tanya Kanigan, Ph.D., said: "According to data from over 100 US hospitals, the national average turnaround time for Covid-19 tests ordered in emergency rooms is above 24 hours, far from the targeted one-hour turnaround."

The researchers were able to train a model that analyses changes in&nbsp;Complete Blood Count and Complete Metabolic Panels&nbsp;and assign&nbsp;a probability of the patient being Covid-19 negative with high accuracy.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/rare-fungal-infection-detected-in-coronavirus-patients-349431" hreflang="en">Rare fungal infection detected in coronavirus patients</a>

Complete Blood Count and Complete Metabolic Panels are common laboratory tests ordered by emergency departments and have a rapid turnaround time. These tests provide insight into the immune system, electrolytes, kidney, and liver.

"AI-Covid takes seconds to generate its informative result once these blood tests return, which can then be incorporated by the laboratory into its own test interpretation," said Jennifer Joe, M.D., an emergency physician in Boston, Mass. and Biocogniv`s Chief Medical Officer.

"In an efficient emergency department that prioritizes these routine blood tests, the door-to-result time could be under an hour," added Joe.

Cedars-Sinai pulmonary and internal medicine specialist Victor Tapson, M.D., says such assistive tools that help physicians rule out possible diagnoses are familiar in emergency medicine.

Tapson said, "For example, a low D-dimer blood test can help us rule out clots in certain patients, allowing providers to skip expensive, often time-consuming diagnostics such as chest CT scans".

The Biocogniv team believes a secondary benefit of laboratories incorporating AI-Covid might be reduced time for traditional PCR results.

"With the help of AI-Covid, laboratories might relieve some of the testing bottlenecks by helping providers better allocate rapid PCR testing for patients who really need it," said Joe.

The AI-Covid model was validated on real-world data from Cedars-Sinai as well as on data from geographically and demographically diverse patient encounters from 22 US&nbsp;hospitals, achieving an area under the curve (or AUC) of 0.91 out of 1.00.

"This enables the model to achieve a high sensitivity of 95 per cent while maintaining moderate specificity of 49 per cent, which is very similar to the performance of other commonly used rule-out tests," said Biocogniv Chief Scientific Officer George Hauser, MD, a pathologist.

"I`m honoured to have such an impressive team of medical scientists from the University of Vermont and Cedars-Sinai as collaborators invalidating this timely model," said Biocogniv CEO Artur Adib, Ph.D.

Adib added, "AI has progressed considerably; the time is now to leverage this powerful tool for new healthcare breakthroughs, and we`re glad to direct it to help hospital laboratories and providers combat the current Covid-19 crisis."&nbsp;

A new Artificial Intelligence software will help in determining the probability of contracting the fatal coronavirus infection, as per a recent study conducted at the University of Vermont and Cedars-Sinai.

A new Artificial Intelligence software will help in determining the probability of contracting the fatal coronavirus infection, as per a recent study conducted at the University of Vermont and Cedars-Sinai. The study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research is also available online. It describes the performance of Biocogniv`s new AI-COVID software, which can help hospitals reduce the number of patients referred for scarce PCR testing. The lead author and University of Vermont Assistant Professor Timothy Plante, M.D., M.H.S. said: "Nine months into this pandemic, we now have a better understanding of how to care for patients with Covid-19." He further said, "but there`s still a big bottleneck in Covid-19 diagnosis with PCR testing."PCR testing is the current standard diagnostic for Covid-19, and requires specific sampling, like a nasal swab, and specialized laboratory equipment to run. Biocogniv Chief Operating Officer Tanya Kanigan, Ph.D., said: "According to data from over 100 US hospitals, the national average turnaround time for Covid-19 tests ordered in emergency rooms is above 24 hours, far from the targeted one-hour turnaround." The researchers were able to train a model that analyses changes in Complete Blood Count and Complete Metabolic Panels and assign a probability of the patient being Covid-19 negative with high accuracy. Also read: Rare fungal infection detected in coronavirus patients Complete Blood Count and Complete Metabolic Panels are common laboratory tests ordered by emergency departments and have a rapid turnaround time. These tests provide insight into the immune system, electrolytes, kidney, and liver. "AI-Covid takes seconds to generate its informative result once these blood tests return, which can then be incorporated by the laboratory into its own test interpretation," said Jennifer Joe, M.D., an emergency physician in Boston, Mass. and Biocogniv`s Chief Medical Officer. "In an efficient emergency department that prioritizes these routine blood tests, the door-to-result time could be under an hour," added Joe. Cedars-Sinai pulmonary and internal medicine specialist Victor Tapson, M.D., says such assistive tools that help physicians rule out possible diagnoses are familiar in emergency medicine. Tapson said, "For example, a low D-dimer blood test can help us rule out clots in certain patients, allowing providers to skip expensive, often time-consuming diagnostics such as chest CT scans". The Biocogniv team believes a secondary benefit of laboratories incorporating AI-Covid might be reduced time for traditional PCR results. "With the help of AI-Covid, laboratories might relieve some of the testing bottlenecks by helping providers better allocate rapid PCR testing for patients who really need it," said Joe. The AI-Covid model was validated on real-world data from Cedars-Sinai as well as on data from geographically and demographically diverse patient encounters from 22 US hospitals, achieving an area under the curve (or AUC) of 0.91 out of 1.00. "This enables the model to achieve a high sensitivity of 95 per cent while maintaining moderate specificity of 49 per cent, which is very similar to the performance of other commonly used rule-out tests," said Biocogniv Chief Scientific Officer George Hauser, MD, a pathologist. "I`m honoured to have such an impressive team of medical scientists from the University of Vermont and Cedars-Sinai as collaborators invalidating this timely model," said Biocogniv CEO Artur Adib, Ph.D. Adib added, "AI has progressed considerably; the time is now to leverage this powerful tool for new healthcare breakthroughs, and we`re glad to direct it to help hospital laboratories and providers combat the current Covid-19 crisis."

New Artificial Intelligence software to help determine probability of contracting coronavirus

Russian space agency&nbsp;Roscosmos announced that it had successfully launched&nbsp;Angara-A5 heavy-lift&nbsp;rocket&nbsp;after a long hiatus of&nbsp;nearly six years.

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Еще больше видео! Еще больше ракурсов! 
 
Смотрите новые видеокадры второго испытательного пуска тяжелой ракеты-носителя <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D0%90%D0%BD%D0%B3%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ангара</a>-А5 с космодрома <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/%D0%9F%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%B5%D1%86%D0%BA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Плесецк</a> 😎🚀 
 
Видео: <a href="https://twitter.com/mod_russia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mod_russia</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fm7gXFPl31">pic.twitter.com/Fm7gXFPl31</a>
— РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) <a href="https://twitter.com/roscosmos/status/1338424680554917893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Angara rocket,&nbsp;first developed after the fall of the Soviet Union, blasted off&nbsp;with a mock payload from Plesetsk in northern Russia at 0550 GMT.

Twelve minutes and 28 seconds after the launch, "the orbital block consisting of the Breeze-M upper stage and the spacecraft's cargo mockup separated from the third stage of the carrier", Roscosmos said in a statement.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/russias-soyuz-spacecraft-takes-quickest-crew-trip-to-international-space-station-334731" hreflang="en">Russia's Soyuz spacecraft takes quickest crew trip to International Space Station</a>

Agency head Dmitry Rogozin welcomed the news on Twitter, posting a picture of the rocket and writing: "She flies, damn it!"

The mission, which continues work to certify the Angara to carry national security payloads, had already been delayed by several years due to manufacturing and quality control issues.

The only other launch of the heavy-class Angara rocket took place in late December 2014, while a test of a lighter class version of the rocket was conducted in July that year.

The Angara rockets -- named after a Siberian river flowing out of Lake Baikal -- are the first new family of launchers to be built after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

They are designed to replace the Proton rockets that date back to the 1960s and have suffered a series of embarrassing failures in recent years.&nbsp;

President Vladimir Putin hopes the new launchers will revive Russia's space industry and reduce reliance on other former Soviet countries.&nbsp;

Officials say the heavy-class Angara rocket is more environmentally friendly than its predecessors because it is fuelled by oxygen and kerosene rather than hugely toxic heptyl.

Angara is a family of rockets developed by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Centre based around the Universalniy Raketniy Modul (URM) or Universal Rocket Module.

The URM-1 is a common booster used across the family of rockets, being employed as the first core stage of all Angara configurations, with additional units serving as side boosters on the larger versions of the rocket. Similarly, the URM-2 has been designed as a common second stage for the family, although it is not used on the smallest version of the rocket, Angara-1.

Russian space agency Roscosmos announced that it had successfully launched Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket after a long hiatus of nearly six years. Еще больше видео!

Russian space agency Roscosmos announced that it had successfully launched Angara-A5 heavy-lift rocket after a long hiatus of nearly six years. Еще больше видео! Еще больше ракурсов! Смотрите новые видеокадры второго испытательного пуска тяжелой ракеты-носителя #Ангара-А5 с космодрома #Плесецк 😎🚀 Видео: @mod_russia pic.twitter.com/Fm7gXFPl31 — РОСКОСМОС (@roscosmos) December 14, 2020 × Angara rocket, first developed after the fall of the Soviet Union, blasted off with a mock payload from Plesetsk in northern Russia at 0550 GMT. Twelve minutes and 28 seconds after the launch, "the orbital block consisting of the Breeze-M upper stage and the spacecraft's cargo mockup separated from the third stage of the carrier", Roscosmos said in a statement. Also see: Russia's Soyuz spacecraft takes quickest crew trip to International Space Station Agency head Dmitry Rogozin welcomed the news on Twitter, posting a picture of the rocket and writing: "She flies, damn it!" The mission, which continues work to certify the Angara to carry national security payloads, had already been delayed by several years due to manufacturing and quality control issues. The only other launch of the heavy-class Angara rocket took place in late December 2014, while a test of a lighter class version of the rocket was conducted in July that year. The Angara rockets -- named after a Siberian river flowing out of Lake Baikal -- are the first new family of launchers to be built after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They are designed to replace the Proton rockets that date back to the 1960s and have suffered a series of embarrassing failures in recent years. President Vladimir Putin hopes the new launchers will revive Russia's space industry and reduce reliance on other former Soviet countries. Officials say the heavy-class Angara rocket is more environmentally friendly than its predecessors because it is fuelled by oxygen and kerosene rather than hugely toxic heptyl. Angara is a family of rockets developed by the Khrunichev State Research and Production Centre based around the Universalniy Raketniy Modul (URM) or Universal Rocket Module. The URM-1 is a common booster used across the family of rockets, being employed as the first core stage of all Angara configurations, with additional units serving as side boosters on the larger versions of the rocket. Similarly, the URM-2 has been designed as a common second stage for the family, although it is not used on the smallest version of the rocket, Angara-1.

Russia successfully launches Angara heavy-lift rocket after long hiatus

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