By Sonja Begemann Earlier this week a California judge ruled glyphosate does not need a label warning stating it causes cancer. U.S. District Court Judge William Shuff denied an amendment that asked the state to require the warning. The court issued its preliminary injunction Feb. 26, 2018, which blocked the enforcement of Proposition 65—requirement for any product known to cause cancer to be labeled. This week’s ruling denies the California Attorney General’s attempt to amend the court’s decision. In the preliminary injunction the judge states: “It is inherently misleading for a warning to state that a chemical is known to…
Author: Abdallah el-Kurebe
A Principal Scientist and Cassava Breeder with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Dr Alfred Dixon and Dr Hernan Ceballos of the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have won the 2018 Golden Cassava Prize. The prestigious award, which is usually bestowed on colleagues for their excellent contributions to cassava transformation, was given to the two researchers by the International Scientific Committee of the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21). Announcing the winners of the prize at the GCP21 Cassava Conference in Cotonou, the Director of GCP21, Dr Claude Fauquet said Drs Dixon and Ceballos were selected…
The Anambra Government says it will spend N4.1 billion on strategic agricultural development initiative in the 2018 planting season. The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanisation, Processing and Export, Mr Afam Mbanefo disclosed this on Thursday in Awka He said that the state would during the period, evolve and apply sustainable cluster-based farming initiative to boost agriculture. “The cluster-base is a major method in driving modern agriculture. The ministry will apart from development of cluster farming initiative, provide farm inputs and motorcycles to farmers in the state. Gov. Willie Obiano’s administration is keen in empowering small holder farmers and I urge more…
Syphilis researchers have identified exterior proteins on the bacteria that could serve as vaccine targets Summary: Despite efforts to eradicate it, syphilis is on the rise. It is the second leading cause of stillbirth and miscarriage worldwide, and if left untreated it can cause strokes, dementia, and other neurological disease. Until now, most health agencies focused on treating infected people and their sex partners — but new discoveries may make a vaccine possible. Despite efforts to eradicate it, syphilis is on the rise. Until now, most health agencies focused on treating infected people and their sex partners but new discoveries…
Ice melt has caused sea levels to rise by eight mm since 1992, according to leading scientists on Thursday. Australian scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) teamed up with international researchers to study the Antarctic and concluded that the eight-mm rise in sea levels corresponded to approximately three trillion tonnes of ice melt. Their research was published in the scientific journal Nature on Thursday. Using 24 different satellite-based estimates, the group demonstrated a tripling of ice-loss in western Antarctica between 1992 and 2017. Lead author and senior scientist, CSIRO Oceanographer Steve Rintoul, expressed concerns over the…
The African Development Bank (AfDB) Tuesday said it would invest $120 million in the next 2-3 years to boost the production and transformation of cassava and eight other commodities on the continent. The Director for Agriculture at AfDB, Dr Martin Fregene, who said this at the fourth International conference on cassava organized by the Global Cassava Partnerships for the 21st Century, GCP21, in Cotonou, Republic of Benin on Monday added that the nine commodities include: cassava, rice, maize, sorghum/millet, wheat, livestock, aquaculture, high iron beans and orange fleshed sweet potatoes. “Transforming cassava on the African continent would help African nations to…
By Stellamaries Amuwa The minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewale has said that Nigeria emerged 7th amongst the high TB burden countries globally and second in Africa, which has further underscored the need for concerted efforts towards the reduction of the burden of the disease. Adewale made this known at a symposium on tuberculosis themed: “Raising Future Leaders To end TB in Nigeria,” yesterday in Bingham University Karu, Nassarawa State. According to the minister, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Clement Uwaifo, Nigeria is one of the countries on the list of 30 high burden…
India went big in their commitment to Beat Plastic Pollution today, with an announcement to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022. This unprecedented ambitious move against disposable plastic will drastically stem the flow of plastics from 1.3 billion people and business in the fasted growing economy in the world. Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed World Environment Day as the start of a global movement to defeat single-use plastics, highlighting India’s rapid economic development can be done in a way that is sustainable and green. “It is the duty of each one of us, to ensure that the…
South Sudan is on the verge of eradicating guinea worm since no transmission was reported in the country in 2017 and the first quarter of 2018, a senior official said on Friday. Makur Kariom, the Undersecretary in the Ministry of Health, said South Sudan would soon achieve the goal of total guinea worm eradication thanks to targeted interventions like improved hygiene and public awareness. “We have been going on for more than 17 months now without cases of Guinea worm reported in the country. So, guinea worm is not in the country as we talk,” said Kariom. He said South…
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said everybody needs to do something to stop plastic pollution from getting into the world’s oceans Guterres, who stated this in his message for World Oceans Day, said everybody could contribute “from carrying your own water bottle, to volunteering for a local clean-up”. The UN chief reminded everyone of the major role the oceans had in everyday life, as the lungs of the planet, providing most of the oxygen that we breathe. “The oceans make our blue planet unique in our solar system – and not just visually,” he said. He added that they helped regulate “the global climate…