Pfizer reports COVID-19 vaccine 95% effective as Phase 3 trial concludes
Over 41,000 people had completed the vaccination protocol. Out of the 170 positive COVID cases detected in the trial only eight were observed in the active vaccine group.
North & Central America
Purina introduces sustainable pet food made from insect protein
The company’s new “Purina Beyond Nature’s Protein” will include insect protein from black soldier fly larvae as well as plant proteins from fava beans and millet. The kibble is being launched in Switzerland this month with other countries in Europe slated for the near future.
Promising flu vaccine derived from tobacco plant passes clinical trials
The recent development, promises to be a huge boost to the annual fight against the seasonal flu, as plants can be engineered to produce viral proteins and cultivated at scale.
Marlins hire Kim Ng as MLB’s first female general manager
Ng becomes the highest-ranking woman in baseball operations in the major leagues, and she is believed to be the first female GM for a men’s team in a major professional sport in North America, the Marlins said.
New York City will try a police-free approach to addressing mental health crises
Thanks to a new pilot program, 911 calls in New York City that are evidently mental health-related will be taken care of by mental health and crisis workers instead of law enforcement. The move is the result of months of protests around the country over police brutality, sparked by the tragic death of George Floyd.
Pizza Hut becomes first nationwide pizza chain to offer plant-based toppings
Hamburger joints were early adopters of plant-based meat options, but now, Pizza Hut’s collaboration with Beyond Meat makes them the first national pizza chain to offer plant-based toppings across their 7,000 locations.
Joe Biden becomes the first President or President-elect to mention trans people in official remarks
It seems that the eventual 46th President is beginning to follow through with his campaign promise to trans people that he believes “that Trans Lives Matter,” as he wrote in an article for LGBTQ Nation last month.
H3X claims it’s tripled the power density of electric aircraft motors
Weight is a big deal in aviation – and that goes double for electric aircraft. Every pound carried skyward represents a pound less payload you can carry, a reduction in the range you’ll get from your battery or hydrogen tank, and ultimately a loss of money for the owner.
Nebraska voters say ‘no more’ to 404% interest rates on payday loans
A 400% interest rate on small-dollar loans is the average across the States. Now that 83% of Nebraska’s voters have approved Initiative 428, that won’t be the case in this Midwestern state: Payday lending interest rates will soon be capped at 36%.
City of Austin votes to spend $7 billion to revolutionize transportation
Austin’s new transit plan will build a new rail system with 31 stations, four rapid bus routes, new on-demand shuttles to take people to transit stations, and new park-and-ride stations. The city will also reserve $300 million to ensure that residents aren’t displaced from their homes as a result of gentrification.