Mpox, Gold Rush, & "Doomsday Serpent"

News without the noise.

Adam Rogers
August 21, 2024

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The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the mpox outbreak is not another COVID-19.

The WHO declared a health emergency due to the rise of mpox cases in Central Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo. With over 500 deaths and the virus spreading to nearby countries, the situation is serious. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned it could spread further and called for international help to stop it.
However, the virus is already well understood, and there are known ways to control its spread. While more research is needed on a specific strain (Clade 1b), the WHO's European director, Hans Kluge, said that the situation is manageable, especially since effective measures were used during a previous outbreak in 2022.
Kluge reassured the public that the risk of mpox to the general population is low. The virus primarily spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, but it can also be transmitted through objects that have been used by the infected. The WHO is not recommending lockdowns, masks, or mass vaccination. Instead, vaccines should be used in outbreak areas for those most at risk.

Gold prices hit a record $2,531.60 per ounce.

The spike in value is driven by increasing expectations that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates. As rates drop, bonds and shares become less attractive, prompting more investors to buy gold, which is considered a safe investment during uncertain times.
Gold bars generally weigh 400 troy ounces (12.4kg), so a standard gold bar is now worth more than $1m. Experts predict gold could reach $2,600 by the end of 2024 and possibly $3,000 by mid-2025. Additionally, holdings in the SPDR Gold Trust, the largest gold-backed exchange-traded fund, increased to a seven-month high.
Gold has gained over 20% this year, driven by geopolitical uncertainties, increased speculative interest, and large investments in gold funds. However, some experts warn that gold prices could drop if expectations for rate cuts change.

Top tennis player Jannik Sinner tested positive twice for a banned anabolic steroid in March.

Despite the positive tests, Sinner will not be suspended and can continue competing. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found that the substance entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist.
The ITIA discovered that Sinner's physiotherapist had been using a spray containing clostebol, a banned steroid, on their own skin to treat a wound. The steroid was then accidentally transferred to Sinner through daily massages. Sinner lost the $325,000 and 400 points he earned at the Indian Wells tournament due to the positive tests but successfully appealed his provisional suspension.
The Italian has had a strong year, winning the Australian Open in January for his first Grand Slam title. He reached the semifinals at the French Open in June and the quarterfinals at Wimbledon in July. He recently won the Cincinnati Open and is a favorite in the upcoming U.S. Open.

Panama sent its first flight of deported migrants back home on Tuesday as part of a new plan to cut down on the number of people traveling through dangerous jungle areas to reach the U.S. The first flight returned 29 Colombians, all with criminal records in their home country. (More)

Israel's military said they found the bodies of six hostages who Hamas held in an underground tunnel in Gaza. Five of them had already been confirmed dead, but they had hoped one might still be alive. Israel Defense Forces and the security agency Shin Bet recovered the bodies in a joint operation. (More)

Eli Lilly’s weight loss drug tirzepatide reduced the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes by 94% in overweight or obese adults with prediabetes after three years of weekly shots. The data comes from the longest completed trial of the drug. Lilly said the results reinforce its strong long-term benefits. (More)

Both the Army Reserve and police missed chances to step in and help a gunman during a mental health crisis, which might have prevented the deadliest shootings in Maine's history, according to a report. The special commission investigating the attacks, which killed 18 people, found that law enforcement had the authority under Maine's "yellow flag" law to take away Robert Card’s guns and put him in protective custody, but they didn’t use it. (More)

A serial killer suspect escaped police custody in Nairobi on Tuesday. Collins Jumaisi was arrested last month after at least six bodies were found in an old quarry in Kenya. He escaped from the Gigiri police station along with 12 Eritrean nationals. Police say Jumaisi confessed to killing 42 women, including his wife, but his lawyer claims he was tortured into confessing. (More)

Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest person, dies at 117.

12-foot “doomsday serpent” surfaces near San Diego.

See images of this month’s blue supermoon.

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