This is according to the German Chancellor Angela Merkel who said that all the 26 European Union member states had agreed to fully back it. According to the agreement, implementation could be over in three months.

Such good news couldn’t have arrived at a better time for the adventure-hungry tourists whose escapades had been halted by the Coronavirus. Summer holidays are a few months away, and with the Covid fatigue among tourists, the excitement of going on a European summer holiday is palpable already.

Still, travel restrictions may remain in place

The EU has been intensifying its Covid 19 vaccination drive even as it remains wary of possibilities of deadlier waves. Measures meant at easing travel restrictions across the bloc remain in limbo, thanks to new Covid 19 variants.

Equally coy about the resumption of free international travel in the summer is Priti Patel, the Home Secretary. According to him, summer could prove a little too soon for a holiday, owing to the erratic situation in the UK and across the EU.

But these travel restrictions notwithstanding, rolling out a single vaccine passport means that savvy vacationers could have a reason to start hunting for holiday destinations. Travel trials like PocDoc’s ‘fit to fly’ certificates at the Edinburgh Airport also signify the region’s tourists’ readiness as soon as the international borders open.

Massive travel bookings already taking place

Right now, every eager traveler is holding onto faith, hoping that UK premier Boris Johnson’s projections for a summer holiday from as early as May 17 come to fruition. Holiday bookings have been increasing tremendously, with EasyJet reporting a whopping 337% surge in ticket sales and a further 630% in holiday bookings.

It is clear, therefore, that maybe it isn’t too early to book a European post-Covid holiday. Greece is calling, much like the Swiss getaways, Spanish beaches, and several Asian and African vacation destinations.

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Then the reformed XFL started to play with good results before the start of the 2020 COVID pandemic. The resulting shutdown caused the league to close soon after their season started. Now it’s time for the latest league named Fan Controlled Football which is beginning to get some exposure as the season progresses.

So… what the heck is Fan Controlled Football?

Fan Controlled Football is an indoor football league with roots dating back to 2008 when comedian Steve Hofstetter floated a satirical business concept of a fan-controlled baseball team. The idea went through several generations and eventually moved from satire to a working business model.

According to the official site, FCF.io, this incarnation started in 2015 when the group purchased an indoor team in Salt Lake City and applied the fan control idea to the team. Fans helped pick the name – Screaming Eagles – as well as the uniforms and other aspects of running a team. That included everything from coaching hires to recruiting players and “what beer we had on tap” during games.

It also created a chance to test out how fans could sit at home, or from anywhere, and watch games on devices while interacting with their team. Now, the term “armchair quarterback” may be real.

The FCF is a four-team league that is playing a short season in a bubble environment outside of Atlanta in Duluth, Georgia. Games are 7 on 7 and played on a 50-yard field with no goalposts inside Infinite Energy Arena. Games are televised live on Twitch and VENN.

What Makes FCF Different

Will the FCF survive or will it hit the same fate as other leagues in the past? Going up against the NFL is a tough thing to do. That’s why the FCF may stick around for more than one season – they are not trying to be another version of the NFL.

COSTS: First, payroll is not as expensive as a normal football team as there are not as many players. There are no kickers and no special teams. Players make somewhere around $750 bucks a week plus room and board.

TIME: games are shorter averaging about an hour which is perfectly geared towards a modern society with changing TV viewing patterns.

SEASON: Other leagues have tried to mimic the NFL with full schedules of sixteen games, playoff games, and a Championship. The FCF has a short season and a Championship game. Granted, if there are more seasons to follow that schedule will probably increase. This year the format is being tested – expect rule and other modifications – something the NFL is not good at doing in a timely matter.

FANS: The biggest difference between the NFL and the FCF is the role that fans play in the league. With the NFL, and leagues that have tried to compete with them using the NFL format, the idea is to have fans as spectators and consumers. That may be the same for the FCF but the fans can now take an active role in how the game is played while the game is in progress!

It looks like the FCF will complete its inaugural season of four games with two post-season games. That’s something both the Alliance of American Football and the XFL failed to do. Hopefully, an expanded version will kick off in 2022… wait… scratch that. As mentioned above – there are no kickoffs.

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In recent reports, some dogs have been trained to literally sniff out individuals infected with COVID-19. Now, a tech company is using the power of artificial intelligence to do the same thing with an “artificial nose” handheld device.

In a recent test, BrainChip Inc. and NaNose Medical were able to successfully detect COVID-19 in exhaled breath in much the same way a breathalyzer detects alcohol.  Their COVID-19 testing results are reportedly fast and highly accurate.

BrainChip is a leading provider of ultra-low power high performance artificial intelligence technology. In a press release, the company wrote, “Using the NaNose Medical artificial nose, and Akida’s artificial brain, is a potential breakthrough in accurate, fast, inexpensive, widespread (COVID-19) testing with the potential to control outbreaks and reduce this disease’s death toll.”

This NaNose Medical technology is based on the artificial nose developed at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology, by Prof. Hossam Haick, and has the same sensitivity to minute quantities of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as a dog’s nose.

While it’s use as an instant or rapid COVID-19 test are new, the device has been used in tests to identify diseases including Parkinson’s, cancers, kidney failure, and multiple sclerosis for several years.

For the recent trials testing COVID-19, NaNose Medical collected samples from 130 patients and used that data to train its Akida neuromorphic processor. The system has now learned to recognize patterns of VOC biomarkers associated with an COVID-19 infection within seconds with a high level of accuracy.

According to a study in China, this type of breath sensor data is more accurate than current COVID-19 tests using the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Additionally, sensor testing like this reduces the risk to healthcare workers because the tests does not rely on saliva or mucus samples.

“Artificial intelligence in medicine and healthcare is an emerging field and one in which we are eager to contribute with our edge AI processing solution at the Edge, for the benefit of science and humanity,” said Louis DiNardo, BrainChip CEO.

Both Louis DiNardo, Brainchip CEO and Orit Marom Albeck, NaNose Medical CEO said: “Using the NaNose Medical artificial nose, and Akida’s artificial brain, is a potential breakthrough in accurate, fast, inexpensive, widespread testing with the potential to control outbreaks and reduce this disease’s death toll.”

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The word femicide, understood as perpetuated violence against a woman by a man, was first spread by sociologist, activist and criminologist Diane Russell in 1992 in her famous book “Femicide: The Politics of a woman killing”.

2020 will be remembered as the year of the pandemic due to Covid-19 and the year in which the population was forced to remain closed within the four walls of their houses, recording another terrible fact: the increase in femicides.

Many women, forced to remain segregated in their home during the lockdown, were killed or suffered physical and psychological abuse.

To get a better idea, here are some statistics.

During the first six months of 2020, murderers of women accounted for 45% of the total of all murders, reaching as much as 50% in spring 2020.

One woman every three days was killed inside the house in the first ten months of 2020, for a total of 91 femicides in Italy, this number is scary and should make you think.

Women and children are the weakest victims and their confinement at home, without being able to go out and ask for help, was one of the main causes that led to the increase in these terrible killings.

Most of the victims were killed within the family or by a partner or ex-partner, 21 out of 26 women killed, lived with their own executioner.

Home, the place considered to be the safest, has become a trap with no escape route for many women, who often, due to family pressures, have preferred or have been forced not to file a complaint.

Violence against women is rooted in time and in patriarchal culture all over the world and killing a woman “only” because she is a woman is a mindset difficult to unhinge.

Why does man kill or violate a woman?

Sociological research has shown that the cause is to be found in the fear for men,of losing their power, the fear that women become too autonomous, independent and they can no longer control them. Acts of violence come from men from all social classes, with no particular difference between educational levels and family backgrounds.

Most of the men claim that they killed for LOVE , but if you love someone, you must know how to give up and accept the independence and happiness of the other person.

Women are not an object to be possessed and I hope that sooner or later, all this will change.“Men are afraid that women will laugh at them, Women are afraid that men will kill them” (Margaret Atwood).

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Larry King has had one of the greatest careers in journalism and presenting in television history, interviewing some of the world’s most prevalent political figures, celebrities, and high-profile individuals.

In his almost 63-year-long career, he has conducted over 50,000 interviews, and presented various television and radio shows, including “Larry King Live” which he hosted on CNN for the better part of 25 years.

It’s because of these incredible achievements that he has been the recipient of two Peabody awards, as well as an Emmy, and ten Cable ACE awards.

Throughout the years, King has had many heath scares including heart attacks, a cancerous tumour, and a stroke, but was determined to work until “the day he died”.

Unfortunately, like millions of people around the world, Larry King was affected by the Covid-19 Pandemic. In late December 2020, Larry King was admitted to a Los Angeles hospital after testing positive for the virus. After media speculation, his family released an official statement on January 2^nd confirming that king was indeed battling the disease.

King passed away on Saturday 23^rd January 2021. The representatives of his company, Ora Media, released the following shortly after; “[It is] with profound sadness, Ora Media announces the death of our co-founder, host and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles.”

Friends, family, other celebrities, and fans of his shows around the world expressed their sadness and grief all across the internet. Former interviewees such as filmmaker Ron Howard, fellow presenter and scientist Bill Nye, and singer Mariah Carey, all shared their own heart-warming tributes on Twitter.

Despite his unfortunate passing, Larry King’s legacy will live on for decades to come…

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The presidential inauguration ceremony for Joe Biden took place on January 20, 2021. Simply put, it was a ceremony like no other before it. With celebrations never seen before, the event was studded with exquisite moments.

From former President Obama’s appearance to Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, and Katy Perry performing, the entire world saw the greatness of the evening.

Headlines were made of Bernie’s mittens and the Americans said good riddance to Trump on the day he left his position as the President after a year of rolling crisis.

When it comes to national ceremonies, the day made it in history books. The effervescent joy and spirit of the evening left many speechless.

Kamala Harris and her husband attended the ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial whereas President Biden and the first lady witnessed the fireworks show from the Truman Balcony of the Whitehouse.

The theme of the evening was not concentrated around celebrating the win of Biden and Harris, rather it was to celebrate the unity of people who were to be given the credit of bringing such a day upon America.

Tributes were paid to the front-line workers who gave their all fighting the COViD pandemic. The iconic speeches of the President and Vice President made it clear that after years, finally, democracy had prevailed.

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On Sunday 7 December, a large part of the countryside and villages around Modena (Nonantola the most affected village), was completely flooded. The rupture of an embankment of the Panaro river is now causing many families to pass moments of fear and despair.

Houses full of water, impassable roads, 364 people evacuated with the help of rubber boats, and a lack of electricity in many areas.

The people of Modena are used to difficulties. Earthquakes and other floods have shaken this land several times in the past. Solidarity and hard work are repaying the suffering.

The 150 firefighters and almost 300 civil protection volunteers are working for hours without end, in the rain that never stops. The leak in the embankment was promptly repaired, but many people are still away from home or intent on saving what can be saved inside their houses.

Researchers and teachers from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia immediately made themselves available to help Civil Protection in the technical-scientific field.

Fortunately, the leak has been closed and sealed. Additionally, the river is being constantly monitored to avoid further problems.

A step was also taken by the President of Emilia Romagna Stefano Bonaccini who promptly requested the State for the Recovery Fund in order to secure the territory, bearing in mind the enormous changes that occur due to climatic effects.

On 7 December, the residents of the affected municipalities awoke in the “yellow zone,” an area where travel would finally be granted. They could have gone to visit relatives or to shop in the city, but the tragedy struck them.

The anger is high and justified. Citizens have wondered why the alert came only when the water was already inside the houses and why public money has not been used in recent years to prevent these types of disasters.

Fortunately, thanks to all the people involved in the rescue, the safety rules for Covid were implemented and ad hoc shelters were created.Surely the Modena population will rise again to continue filling the world with its wonders.

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Since filming began on the superhero flick less than two months ago, Tom Holland, who plays the titular role of the web-slinger, and the rest of the crew from Marvel Studios, have been travelling across the US to various filming locations.

Despite a huge spike in coronavirus cases and deaths in the US, the production has been given the green light to continue filming – but with restrictions on what they can and cannot do.

However, members of the public have been sent into a fury over a certain allowance that was made this week in regard to a specific filming location.

For the previous two movies in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe)’s spider man trilogy, Marvel has partnered with two local Atlanta high schools for scenes where Spider-Man lives out his daily life as his teenage alter ego, Peter Parker. And that partnership has continued for the third entry in the series.

Under normal circumstances this would be perfectly fine. But as you are probably sick of hearing at this point, these are confusing times (to quote the hulk himself).

Both parents and members of the local community were furious to hear that, while the schools themselves closed to students due to the pandemic, a Hollywood film crew is allowed to film there? It simply doesn’t make sense.

It’s reported that one of the schools was paid roughly $50,000 to allow the production to take place on their site. To a lot of outsiders, it seems like the schools are more interested in cash over preserving the future educations of their students, but that’s just one viewpoint.

As of the time of writing, Marvel Studios have yet to comment. Could production be halted if enough parents complain? Only time will tell…

The post Marvel’s ‘Spider-Man 3’ Production Sparks Outrage appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

The most recent data published by the Ministry of Health shows that there have been 2087 deaths from Covid-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.

These statistics show that suicide incidents, which have been declining for many years, have risen steadily recently, hitting their highest level since May 2015.

Japan is among the few advanced economies to publish suicide information on a timely basis. Sadly, Japan is the nation with the greatest number of suicide incidents in the Western Pacific following South Korea (26.9 per 100,000). The world average is 10.6 per 100,000.

Suicide incidents in Japan are related to a variety of causes. These causes include long hours of service, school stress, social alienation, and stigma. Records of suicide incidents have been maintained in the country since 1978.

Suicides of Women Increasing

Based on these results, there was a decline in suicide cases over the 10 years leading up to 2019. Last year actually, the number of suicide incidents decreased to 20,000. However, it is believed that the corona-virus outbreak has triggered this pattern and that this spike is primarily affecting women.

Men form the bulk of people who have committed suicide in Japan. However, the percentage of women taking their own lives is rising.

Is Covid-19 the only variable to blame?

Japan was one of a few countries that quickly controlled and limited corona-virus cases. As a result, they now have less stringent quarantine requirements relative to many European countries and America.

In other words, the root causes of suicide in Japan may be interpreted as deeper problems – unrelated to COVID-19.

According to CNN’s article, Associate Professor Michiko Ueda of Waseda University in Tokyo, “We have not even been locked down and the effect of Covid-19 has been very minimal compared to other countries.”

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This decision was made after the US announced a that it planned to import prescription drugs from Canada to ensure cheap drugs for Americans. Canada, however, is not the only country producing cheap drugs. In fact, prescription drug costs are higher than some nations but still more economical than in the US.

Canada’s suppliers are worried about the safety of Canadians and have already warned that the plan devised by President Trump would result in major shortages in their country.

Due to the COVID-19 virus, the requirement of the drugs and other medicines has been enhanced as per the reports of AFP agency. The health ministry of Canada released a statement proclaiming that 68 percent of the drugs sources stem from expatriates, and this balance should not be disrupted.

The statement further affirmed that the companies linked with prescription drugs will be asked to share information in case potential shortages result. This should be done within a day if a serious health issue prevails.

The US President, Donald Trump has, however, signed a legislative order allowing the import of affordable prescription drugs from Canada.

A month after the order was passed, the Canadian Prime Minister responded saying he will be glad to extend their supplies and export them to other nations. However, his top and foremost priority is to protect and safeguard the people of his own country, Canada.

Meanwhile in the US, the drug pharmacies and suppliers continue to face criticism from all over the country including insurance companies, patients, US politicians and President Trump himself.

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