Thuwal, Saudi Arabia (SPX) Jul 03, 2020 A type of anaerobic bacteria responsible for more than 50 percent of nitrogen loss from marine environments has been shown to use solid-state matter present outside their cells for respiration. The finding by KAUST researchers adds to knowledge of the global nitrogen cycle and has important energy-saving potential for wastewater treatment. Living organisms use oxidation/reduction reactionshttp://dlvr.it/Rb3F50 Continue reading Anammox bacteria generate energy from wastewater while taking a breath

Beijing (AFP) July 3, 2020 China appointed a hardliner involved in a clamp down against protests on the mainland as the head of Hong Kong’s new security agency on Friday, state media said, days after imposing a sweeping law on the territory that criminalises dissent. Zheng Yanxiong will take the helm of the controversial national security agency, a new office set up under the legislation … Continue reading China appoints hardliner as head of Hong Kong national security agency

Hong Kong (AFP) July 3, 2020 Western nations are moving to offer millions of Hong Kongers refuge after Beijing passed draconian security laws designed to choke the city’s democracy movement – but many obstacles prevent a mass exodus. The United Kingdom is leading allies in offering nearly half the city’s 7.5 million people a potential pathway to British citizenship, with strong indications Australia, Canada, New … Continue reading China crackdown sparks Western offers of asylum for Hong Kongers

Potsdam, Germany (SPX) Jul 03, 2020 The Earth’s crust is under constant stress. Every now and then this stress is discharged in heavy earthquakes, mostly caused by the slow movement of Earth’s crustal plates. There is, however, another influencing factor that has received little attention so far: intensive erosion can temporarily change the earthquake activity (seismicity) of a region significantly. This has now been shown … Continue reading Typhoon changed earthquake patterns

One of the e-tail world’s most pressing questions is: When will Amazon have its Prime Day sale this year? Perhaps a better question is: Will Prime Day happen at all? Amazon so far is not telling. If Prime Day 2020 takes place in the fall, the biggest deal days of the e-commerce industry could happen within several weeks of each other.http://dlvr.it/RZtDP9 Continue reading Prime Day Uncertainty a Dilemma for Amazon Sellers

The heart of the manufacturing world was the first region to feel the effects of the pandemic. While we have seen some stabilization, many challenges remain in terms of pricing, reliability, and the supply chain itself. Let’s take a closer look at these challenges to better understand how best to navigate sourcing essential products from Asia in the current landscape.http://dlvr.it/RZqGjy Continue reading The Changing Dynamics of Essential Product Sourcing

Shoppers are starting to come back to their favorite brick and mortar storefronts as the pandemic restrictions allow consumers to exit from lockdown. But the impact of COVID-19 has etched some far-reaching changes in the retail industry that will not set back the strides online shopping has gained since March. That is a conclusion clearly visible in research published last week by TrustRadius.http://dlvr.it/RZpTFl Continue reading E-Commerce Dominates ‘New Normal’ Retail

Paris (AFP) July 1, 2020 Annual forest harvesting in 26 European countries increased nearly 50 percent during 2016-2018 compared to an average of the four previous years, a trend that could threaten the European Union’s climate goals, according to a study by the European Commission. Researchers at the Joint Research Centre in Italy analysed 15 years of satellite data, documenting a dramatic shift in forest … Continue reading Forest harvesting in Europe threatens climate goals

Moscow (AFP) June 30, 2020 The Russian Arctic set record temperatures in June that sparked abnormal tundra fires, the head of Russia’s weather service said Tuesday, blaming climate change for the “fantastical” anomalies. Russia’s northern territories, including parts of Yakutia region which borders the Arctic ocean, have faced a heat wave in recent weeks, and villages in the remote tundra are battling wildfires with shttp://dlvr.it/RZkbrZ Continue reading Russian Arctic sets ‘fantastical’ heat records: weather chief

Geneva (AFP) June 30, 2020 The UN rights chief on Tuesday said COVID-19 was being instrumentalised to silence free speech, citing China and Russia, while voicing alarm at statements in the US that “deny the reality” of the virus. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet pointed to Russia, China, Kosovo, Nicaragua among others where “threats and intimidation against journalists, bloggers and civic activhttp://dlvr.it/RZkbhW Continue reading UN rights chief slams virus response in China, Russia, US