Soils getting too salty, FAO says – dpa international/The Star
Being described as 'the salt of the earth' is usually a good thing, going by the old saying. But with at least 20 per cent of the world's irrigable soils…
Killer cats spread bacterial disease while they hunt – dpa international
Domestic cats have long been fingered as voracious hunters, causing dozens of native-mammal extinctions in Australia alone. But the purring predators bring with them another threat to the wild, according…
IMF lowers Asia economic growth outlook after months of lockdowns – dpa international
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday cut its 2021 economic growth forecast for Asia to 6.5 per cent, citing "new peaks of the pandemic cycle." Many countries in the…
Pandemic’s economic impact “pales” compared to population decline, OECD says – dpa international
While the coronavirus pandemic upended state spending plans and left economies reeling, its impact is likely to pale in comparison to challenges such as ageing populations, according to the Organisation…
TB deaths up worldwide since start of Covid pandemic – dpa international
The number of deaths from tuberculosis (TB) increased last year for the first time in a decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday, putting the number at 1.5…
Just a couple minutes of pandemic news can ruin your mood – dpa international
Some countries have seemingly seen the worst of the coronavirus and have lifted many lockdown restrictions, and yet pandemic news can still "ruin a person's mood" in just minutes, according…
IMF cuts US and global GDP growth forecasts, citing “uncertainty” – dpa international
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Tuesday cut its global economic growth forecast for 2021 to 5.9 per cent, citing "uncertainty about how quickly the pandemic can be overcome." In…
Huge jump in mental health disorders since start of Covid pandemic – dpa international
The first year of the coronavirus pandemic saw a "stark rise" in mental health disorders, with around 160 million additional cases worldwide, according to estimates by doctors and scientists in…
Singapore scientists float ‘airborne surveillance’ kit for coronavirus – dpa international
Singapore-based scientists have come up with a device that detects coronavirus in the air of indoor spaces, raising the prospect of "airborne surveillance" of the virus to supplement testing of…
‘Bored’ pet parrots prone to pining for the jungle – dpa international
The Norwegian Blue may only have been a fictional parrot species made famous by a Monty Python comedy sketch about a dead caged bird "pining for the fjords," but real…