Live updates: Russia’s war in Ukraine

The Netherlands plans to join the US and Germany in sending a Patriot missile defense system to Ukraine, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said during a meeting with US President Joe Biden at the White House on Tuesday. “We have the intention to join what you are doing with Germany…

Biden reaches a vital new tipping point on Ukraine | CNN Politics

CNN  —  The West has reached its latest fateful crossroads over Ukraine. Looming decisions on deepening support for Kyiv’s fight against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s onslaught have been rendered even more critical by a winter battlefield that was more dynamic than the expected frozen stalemate. Time is also fast ebbing…

Yen falls after Bank of Japan stands pat on ultra-easy policy | CNN Business

Hong Kong CNN  —  The yen plunged on Wednesday after the Bank of Japan decided to maintain its ultra-easy monetary policy, defying market expectations that rising inflation could force the central bank to move away from low interest rates. The BOJ kept its yield curve control (YCC) targets unchanged as…

Nobel laureate Maria Ressa cleared by Philippine court of tax evasion | CNN

CNN  —  A Philippine court on Wednesday acquitted Nobel laureate Maria Ressa of tax evasion charges, ending a raft of legal hearings against the veteran Filipino-American journalist that she says were politically motivated. Ressa, CEO and founder of news site Rappler and a former CNN bureau chief, was cleared of…

Systematic framework to compare performance of plastics recycling approaches

With only a small percentage of plastics recycled, determining the best way to recycle and reuse these materials may enable higher adoption of plastics recycling and reduce plastic waste pollution. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) examined the benefits and trade-offs of current…

Study explores effects of dietary choline deficiency on neurologic and system-wide health: Reaching adequate dietary choline intake is critical to offset organ pathologies and may help protect the brain against Alzheimer’s disease

Choline, an essential nutrient produced in small amounts in the liver and found in foods including eggs, broccoli, beans, meat and poultry, is a vital ingredient for human health. A new study explores deficiency in dietary choline adversely affects the body and may be a missing piece in the puzzle…

Using fungi, researchers convert ocean plastic into ingredients for drug industry

Research on fungi underway at the University of Kansas has helped transform tough-to-recycle plastic waste from the Pacific Ocean into key components for making pharmaceuticals. The chemical-biological approach for converting polyethylene uses an everyday soil fungus called Aspergillus nidulans that has been genetically altered. The results were reported recently in…

Circadian clock controls sunflower blooms, optimizing for pollinators

An internal circadian clock controls the distinctive concentric rings of flowering in sunflowers, maximizing visits from pollinators, a new study from plant biologists at the University of California, Davis shows. The work is published Jan. 13 in eLife. A sunflower head is made up of hundreds of tiny florets. Because…

In cells, UV-emitting nail polish dryers damage DNA and cause mutations

The ultraviolet nail polish drying devices used to cure gel manicures may pose more of a public health concern than previously thought. Researchers at the University of California San Diego studied these ultraviolet (UV) light emitting devices, and found that their use leads to cell death and cancer-causing mutations in…

Science of sediment transport key to river conservation and protection

Researchers at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have devised a better way to measure how fast sediment flows in rivers — information that can help scientists and planners better prepare for flooding and weather-related events, understand salmon activity and even restore rivers. Their solution,…

Researchers create new system for safer gene-drive testing and development: Hacking system converts split gene drives into full drives, offering new experimentation flexibility… but also reveals surprising fitness costs of full drive systems

Scientists continue to expand the technological frontiers of CRISPR, along with its enormous potential, in areas ranging from human health to global food supplies. Such is the case with CRISPR-based gene drives, a genetic editing tool designed to influence how genetic elements are passed from one generation to the next.…

New research furthers case for exercise promoting youthfulness: Evidence shows that exercise promotes a molecular profile in muscle that is consistent with expression of youthfulness-promoting Yamanaka factors

A recent paper published in the Journal of Physiology deepened the case for the youthfulness-promoting effects of exercise on aging organisms, building on previous work done with lab mice nearing the end of their natural lifespan that had access to a weighted exercise wheel. The densely detailed paper, “A molecular…

The world’s oldest person, a French nun, dies at 118 | CNN

CNN  —  French nun Sister André, the world’s oldest known person, died on Tuesday at the age of 118 in the southern city of Toulon. The city’s mayor, Hubert Falco, announced the news of her death on Twitter, writing that “it is with immense sadness and emotion that I learnt…

Vanessa Redgrave Fast Facts | CNN

CNN  —  Here’s a look at the life of award-winning actress Vanessa Redgrave. Birth date: January 30, 1937 Birth place: London, England Birth name: Vanessa Redgrave Father: Sir Michael Redgrave, actor Mother: Rachel Kempson, actor Marriage: Tony Richardson (April 29, 1962-April 28, 1967, divorced) Children: with Franco Nero: Carlo Gabriel…

Brazil security failings on January 8 draw growing scrutiny | CNN

Brasilia, Brazil CNN  —  A police sniper peeked out of a helicopter as it performed a low flyby just a few meters above the Ministries Promenade in Brasilia. He was one of hundreds of officers deployed to secure the enormous grass patch – which sits in front of the Brazilian…