European Space Agency aims to take on 26 people for missions to the Moon and eventually to Mars

But the ESA warned that it expected a “very high number” of applications to come in during the eight-week recruitment drive from 31 March, and said candidates would have to endure a tough selection process lasting until October 2022.

“Candidates need to be mentally prepared for this process,” Lucy van der Tas, ESA head of talent acquisition, said at a media conference.

Adapting technology that enabled humans to be in space could open the opportunity for people with disabilities, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti said.

“When it comes to space travel, we are all disabled,” Cristoforetti added.

Requirements for an astronaut job at ESA include a master’s degree in natural sciences, engineering, mathematics or computer science and three years of post-graduate experience.

US billionaires vie to make space the next business frontier

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Scientists have identified another new coronavirus variant in the UK which has potentially concerning mutations.

B.1.525, the new variant, contains a genetic change called E484K which is also found in the Brazilian and South African variants.

Public Health England (PHE) has said there is no evidence that the mutations in the new variant make the virus more transmissible or cause severe disease.

Laboratory studies have shown that viruses with the E484K mutation can escape human defences, making them more efficient at evading natural and vaccine-triggered immunity.

PHE said 38 cases involving B.1.525 have been identified so far in the UK, after samples dating back to December were studied.

It is not clear where the cases in the UK were found.

The experts said the variant has alterations in its genetic material that make it similar to the Kent variant, which is the dominant virus in the UK

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Seven symptoms should trigger a Covid test, new evidence shows – so what are they

Four more symptoms of Covid should be added to the ‘classic’ cough, fever or loss of taste/smell that should prompt people to get a test, experts have concluded.

They say millions of coronavirus cases could be going undetected because people are only being told to have a test if they have the three most widely recognised signs.

Anyone who feels unwell has been urged to get a test by the researchers behind a new study which suggests that extending the list of symptoms to include fatigue, sore throat, headache and diarrhoea would help pick up around a third more Covid-19 cases.

The findings, published in the Journal of Infection, are based on data from 122,000 UK adults using the Zoe Covid Symptom Study app.

Professor Tim Spector, lead scientist on the Zoe app and professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London (KCL), said: “We’ve known since the beginning that just focusing testing on the classic triad of cough, fever and anosmia (loss of smell) misses a significant proportion of positive cases.

“We identified anosmia as a symptom back in May and our work led to the Government adding it to the list; it is now clear that we need to add more.

“By inviting any users who log any new symptoms to get a test, we confirmed that there are many more symptoms of Covid-19.

“This is especially important with new variants that may cause different symptoms.

“For us, the message for the public is clear: if you’re feeling newly unwell, it could be Covid and you should get a test.”

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• Covid human challenge trial: World’s first study to deliberately expose people to coronavirus to begin in UK

• Covid: Extra testing for Manchester, Southampton, Surrey and Norfolk to detect South African variant

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Scientists at KCL teamed up with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (Cepi) to analyse data from 122,000 people, 1,202 of whom reported receiving a positive coronavirus test within a week of first feeling ill.

They found that testing people with any of the three classic symptoms would have spotted 69% of symptomatic cases, with 46 people testing negative for every person testing positive.

But the researchers said that extending the list of symptoms to fatigue, headache, sore throat and diarrhoea in the first three days of illness would have detected 96% of symptomatic cases, with 95 testing negative for every positive test.

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A world-first ‘human challenge’ trial will infect healthy young people with coronavirus to study how it spreads and which vaccines work best

Dr. Catherine Schuster-Bruce

Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters

• A world-first study in the UK is infecting 90 healthy young people with coronavirus.
• Scientists will figure out the smallest amount of virus needed to cause COVID-19.
• They will also study how it spreads from person to person, and which vaccine works best.

A world-first study will infect young, healthy people with coronavirus in a controlled environment to learn more about its characteristics, UK officials announced Monday.

The so-called “human challenge” study has just received ethical approval, and will recruit 90 people between the ages of 18 and 30 who are at low risk of COVID-19 complications.

The study is backed by £33.6 million ($46.5 million) of UK government funding, and will begin within weeks, provided the hospitals with the secure facilities designed to contain the virus give the go-ahead, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) said in a press release. 

The volunteers will be exposed to a lab-made coronavirus and monitored for 24 hours so that scientists can determine the smallest amount of virus that can cause infection. Researchers will also study how the virus spreads from person, and the volunteers’ immune responses.

The study will start with the original virus found in the UK in March 2020— that has shown to be low risk for young, healthy people — rather than the more contagious coronavirus variant now spreading in the UK and elsewhere, called B.1.1.7.

Challenge trials regularly play a role in the development of treatments for diseases, such as for cholera and flu, but this is the first human challenge trial for COVID-19.

In a second wave of the study, a small number of volunteers will receive a COVID-19 shot that has proven in clinical trials to be safe, and then be exposed to coronavirus, to help identify which vaccines are most effective.

“These human challenge studies will take place here in the UK and will help accelerate scientists’ knowledge of how coronavirus affects people and could eventually further the rapid development of vaccines,” Kwasi Kwarteng, the UK business secretary, said.

Dr. Chris Chiu, the study’s chief investigator, from Imperial College London, said that the researchers’ eventual aim was to establish which vaccines and treatments work best “in beating this disease.”

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The Bahamas is moving to make its national digital currency more accessible by launching a prepaid card for the “sand dollar.”

The Central Bank of The Bahamas has partnered with global payment giant Mastercard and local payment startup Island Pay to create a card that supports the sand dollar central bank digital currency.

According to a Wednesday announcement, the card is running under a new program from Mastercard and Island Pay, allowing users to convert the digital currency to traditional Bahamian dollars and pay for goods and services. The new card will be accepted for payments across the Caribbean region and other locations supporting Mastercard, the companies said.

The new solution is based on technology from Island Pay, a digital payment startup mainly operating across the Caribbean region. The company holds a license from the Central Bank of The Bahamas to operate as a payment service provider and electronic money institution.

The announcement does not provide more details on how exactly Mastercard’s CBDC technology works. As previously reported, the company has been actively engaged with several major central banks around the world to support CBDC initiatives.

The Bahamas is known as one of the first countries in the world to ever launch a CBDC. The sand dollar launched in pilot mode in late 2019 and became available across its entire archipelago in October 2020.

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — At a colourful event dubbed, ‘A Celebration with the Monarch 2020-2021’ reigning National Senior Calypso Monarch Gloria Esdaile Robinson, stage name Queeny-G, did what no other monarch before her has done, she recognised contributions of fellow calypsonians and supporting affiliates with awards.

Held at the Mill House, Garvey’s Estate in Boyd’s, West Basseterre, on February 14, the event saw the official launch of Queeny-G’s video ‘We’re in this together.’ The highly anticipated ‘Monarch’s Choice Awards,’ according to Queeny-G, “honour the contributions of calypsonians and supporting affiliates for their continuous participation, promotion and development of the Calypso art-form and industry.”

Receiving top awards included the person she dethroned to capture the Senior Calypso Monarch title, Sylvester Hodge, stage name King Socrates, one of three recipients of the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award in Calypso.’ His award for ‘Calypso Development,’ sponsored by the Minister of Tourism et al the Hon Lindsay Grant.

Other ‘Lifetime Achievement Awards in Calypso’ recipients were Daven Liburd, stage name Lord Kut, who has participated in all 48 carnivals, but was taken ill and could not take part in the Sugar Mas 49, was honoured for ‘Long Service,’ sponsored by Trevor Fraites & Associates; Glen Hanley of Grand Masters Proud Sounds who was recognised for ‘Sound Engineering,’ sponsored by Jenkins Ltd.

‘Legacy Award in Calypso’ awards were presented to well-known cameraman Mervin Sage of the St. Kitts Nevis Information Service for ‘Historical Documentation (videography);’ and Wingrove Hicks Williams of Grand Masters for ‘Band leadership, talent development, and music arrangement.’

“For this year’s awards, a panel of experienced calypsonians/writers and engineers were tasked with the responsibility to select nominees from amongst the calypsonians and supporting affiliates who participated in Sugar Mas 49,” said Queeny-G, who during Sugar Mas 49 became only the second woman to ever be crowned Senior Calypso Monarch.

Having won the 2020/21 Senior Calypso Monarch, Gloria Esdaile Robinson made history by becoming the first person to have won both the National Carnival Queen Pageant in 1996, and the National Carnival Calypso Competition. In 1993, Ms. Robinson won the St. Kitts Talented Teen Pageant and capped it with the Miss Haynes Smith Caribbean Talented Teen Pageant crown.

The extraordinary event, held on Valentine’s Day evening, ‘A Celebration with the Monarch 2020-2021,’ was emceed by Andy Blanchette, with the category descriptions for ‘Monarch’s Choice Award Segment’ being read by Lanein Blanchette, while Clement ‘Monarch’ O’Garro, and St. Clair ‘G-Cue’ Liburd announced the category nominees and winners.

The categories included ‘Best Personally Uplifting Calypso,’ with five nominees. Kibiane Willett, ‘Queen Kibi,’ won for her song ‘Don’t Give Up;’ ‘Most Entertaining Calypsonian,’ had four nominees. It went to Daven Liburd ‘Lord Kut,’ and ‘Best Witty Calypso’ had three nominees, and was won by Junior Newton, ‘Bad Man Polo,’ for his song ‘Mark that mother.’

“I really prefer to honour others, that I guess is part of my nature,” observed Queeny-G. “Calypso is alive, I am just doing my part. I have been given a responsibility and tonight I wanted to do something extra special. It is important for us to recognise calypso and the contribution calypsonians and the affiliates, the persons who help to make calypso what it is.”

‘People’s Choice’ category had two nominees. Clement Williams, ‘King La La,’ walked away with the award for his song, ‘How you get it do.’

‘Best Social Commentary’ had seven nominees. ‘Queen Brown Sugar,’ Kendra Hutton, walked away with the award for her song ‘Sex offenders list.’

‘Best Political Commentary’ attracted four nominees, which were outdone by Duncan Wattley, ‘Big Lice,’ for his song, ‘We want to know.’

‘Most Improved Calypsonian’ category, which had five young-lady calypsonians, saw the award go to Venetia Clarke, ‘Lady Composer; while the ‘Media Award for the Best Promotion of Calypso Music,’ had four radio stations from both St. Kitts and Nevis contending for the award which however went to ZIZ Broadcasting Corporation.

‘Rising Star in Calypso’ category had five nominees. ‘Singing Sensation,’ Tiandra Francis, received a sponsorship opportunity to produce/record one song at the Monarch’s Studio, Abo’s Digital Factory, in Gingerland, Nevis.

In the ‘Best Calypso Writing Award 2020-2021,’ four great song writers were presented. Bernard Wattley, won the award for writing ‘We’re in this together,’ which was sung by the eventual winner Queeny-G. The same song won Antonio Abonaty Liburd the ‘Best Calypso Arrangement 2020-2021’ award from a field of four nominees. Two outright winners were Kimberly Gumbs who received the award for ‘Most Dedicated Female Calypso Fan,’ and Warren Bradshaw for the ‘Most Dedicated Male Calypso Fan’ award.

In thanking her many sponsors, most of whom were present or represented, Gloria Esdaile Robinson said: “I trust that the sponsors who have supported us this time around are pleased with the showing tonight, and will be willing to come on board next year’s event. We are going to make this a February event. It is all about the love for calypsonians, and I know a lot of the times we experience challenges because some persons win, some persons thought they should have won, some persons lose.”

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1373.FEB.12 (wecompress.com)

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It was an executive order that made waves in environmental circles: after only a week in office, President Joe Biden pledged to preserve 30% of US lands and waters by 2030.

The so-called 30 by 30 conservation goal has already met with bipartisan support in Congress, and it aligns with science-based global preservation targets to reach an eventual target of 50% by 2050.

So which US areas might be at the top of the list? Environmentalists have a few ideas.

Alaskan tribes, activists and businesses sue to save America’s biggest national forest

The US Geological Survey reports that only 12% of US lands are permanently protected, with roughly 23% of its coastal waters protected. That means that in order to reach Biden’s goals, the country will have to conserve more than 400m acres land and inland waterways alone in the next 10 years.

Restoring national monuments such as Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, where Trump slashed protections in 2017, is a likely first step – it’s “the low-hanging fruit”, according to Aaron Weiss, deputy director of the Center for Western Priorities.

As for the next moves, “I think to make this work durable and lasting over time, this work has to come from the ground … we should start where agreement [already] exists,” said Tracy Stone-Manning, associate vice-president for public lands at the National Wildlife Federation.

She counted off a slew of locally driven initiatives primed to expand conservation areas, including 80,000 acres of big sky country in Montana and 1.3m acres of Mojave desert, and bighorn sheep habitat, in Nevada. A proposal on the cards in California could save 250,000 acres of river rapids and redwood groves. And a recently reintroduced act in Colorado would protect over 400,000 acres of craggy mountains and key migration corridors.

Conservationists also anticipate the return of locally based national monument campaigns to preserve red-rock gorges and rolling hills in Oregon’s Owyhee Canyonlands, as well as towering rock formations and ancient cliff dwellings in Arizona’s Greater Grand Canyon.

But even that incremental acreage, Weiss says, won’t get the country to 30 by 30 alone – “not even close”.

Millions of acres of additional protected landscapes will need to emerge in the next 10 years. At the top of conservationists’ lists are areas rich in biodiversity: mountain ranges like the Appalachians and the Blue Ridge Mountains, wide swaths of prairieland across the Great Plains, old-growth forests in the Pacific north-west, and currently under-protected coastal forests in the American south-east.

Some of these regions, like the Cumberland Forest in Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee, are already the subject of preservation efforts. Others are previously acquired lands by conservation groups, like Lake Wimico, a freshwater wetland refuge for resident and migratory wildlife in Florida, or scattered parcels of forested land in the west. And still others, mainly in the south-east, are held by private landowners, making voluntary protection agreements – commonly called conservation easements – a key strategy.

Although environmentalists will likely encourage Biden to meet his goals by utilizing the Antiquities Act, which allows presidents to set aside nationally significant lands and waters for permanent protection, they say local efforts pushing protections for a given area will be essential.

“One of the real exciting opportunities for [30 by 30] is that it’s really not a top-down mandate, where someone in DC is drawing the map and getting us towards 30%,” said Sierra Club lands, water and wildlife director Dan Ritzman. “The idea is really locally driven conservation efforts – these are bottom-up campaigns, where people familiar with the land and affected by its management will be deeply involved in its conservation.”

This may also require rethinking traditional definitions of conservation, which have often equated protection with human absence, and largely ignored or excluded indigenous communities’ ways of life and ties to sacred land. But Woody Lee, member of the Navajo Nation and executive director of indigenous-led organization Utah Diné Bikéyah, says Bears Ears national monument — which is directly co-managed by sovereign tribal nations and the US federal government — could serve as a model.

“I think [Bears Ears] blazed a trail … this particular type of initiative has never been done,” Lee said. “I would support other tribes that want to go the same path, or a similar path that would have the same result.”

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