UNHCR – Figures at a Glance – Refugees

Top hosting countries. Five countries hosted at least 1.2 million refugees and Venezuelans displaced abroad *

Source: UNHCR – Figures at a Glance

Louisiana State Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting Arrestee | OPA | Department of Justice

Jacob Brown, 31, a former trooper with the Louisiana State Police, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Shreveport, Louisiana, for using excessive force against an arrestee.

The indictment charges Brown with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Specifically, the indictment alleges that on May 30, 2019, Brown assaulted an arrestee, identified in the indictment only as A.B., by repeatedly striking him in the head and body with a dangerous weapon (a flashlight modified with a metal tactical cap designed for breaking glass). The indictment further alleges that the incident resulted in bodily injury to A.B.

If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Source: Louisiana State Police Officer Indicted on Federal Civil Rights Charge for Assaulting Arrestee | OPA | Department of Justice

DeWine announces Vax to School scholarship for Ohioans 12-25

Gov. Mike DeWine on Thursday announced the Ohio Vax-2-School program, which will offer college and job training scholarships to residents ages 12 to 25 who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The state will offer five $100,000 scholarships as well as 50 $10,000 scholarships using funds from coronavirus relief appropriations. Prizes will be announced Monday through Friday, starting the week of Oct. 11.

Source: DeWine announces Vax to School scholarship for Ohioans 12-25

California COVID vaccine booster shots: Timing, eligibility – Los Angeles Times

Officials unveiled a new COVID-19 Vaccine Action Plan on Thursday — the day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized offering a third Pfizer-BioNTech dose to those 65 and older, as well as younger people with underlying health conditions or who work in high-risk jobs.

Source: California COVID vaccine booster shots: Timing, eligibility – Los Angeles Times

Lake Powell hydropower at risk as water levels plunge, says BLM

  • Major reservoirs like Lake Powell and Lake Mead, which store water from the Colorado River, are experiencing a major decline in water levels thanks to a megadrought exacerbated by climate change.
  • The Bureau of Land Management projects 3% chance that Lake Powell’s water levels fall below the minimum level necessary for the lake’s Glen Canyon Dam to generate hydroelectricity next year. In 2023, the chance of a power shutdown jumps to 34%.
  • Other large bodies of water in the U.S. West have also hit record lows this year and triggered concern about power generation, including Lake Oroville in California.

Source: Lake Powell hydropower at risk as water levels plunge, says BLM

Artemisinin-resistant malaria detected in Uganda | CIDRAP (Me: Problem… mosquitoes do not recognize human geographical boundaries)

A study today in the New England Journal of Medicine reports evidence of emerging artemisinin-resistant malaria in Uganda, a potentially worrisome development for Africa.

Conducted at a hospital in Northern Uganda, where malaria transmission is high, the study found that 5.8% of malaria patients treated with an artemisinin derivative from 2017 through 2019 had evidence of slow parasite clearance, which can be a sign of partial resistance to artemisinin. Further analysis of parasite DNA samples from patient blood samples identified genetic mutations associated with delayed parasite clearance and artemisinin resistance.

Artemisinin and artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) are the most effective and widely used treatment for malaria caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite and have greatly contributed to global reductions in malaria deaths and complications. While artemisinin resistance is widespread in the Greater Mekong Subregion of Southeast Asia, experts fear it could have a devastating impact in Africa, where 90% of malaria cases and deaths are reported.

“Our findings suggest a potential risk of cross-border spread across Africa and highlight the need to perform large-scale surveys,” the team of researchers from Uganda and Japan wrote.

Source: Artemisinin-resistant malaria detected in Uganda | CIDRAP