b

RBS: misconduct charges could be higher

RBS reports a £134 million third quarter operating loss and warns costs relating to past misconduct could be substantially higher than expected. Meantime France's BNP Paribas posts a 14.5 per cent rise in net income. It comes a day after Deutsche Bank said it would be slashing 15,000 jobs. Analysts say despite the upheaval, the medium term outlook for investment banks is positive. Hayley Platt reports.




b

Private bridge links U.S.-Mexico

A terminal in the U.S. is now linked to the Tijuana International Airport via a cross-border bridge. Julie Noce reports.




b

AstraZeneca's $4 billon Xmas present

M&A in the pharma sector marches on unabated - AstraZeneca buying a 55 percent stake in biotech Acerta Pharma for $4.0 billion to give it new cancer drugs. Hayley Platt reports.




b

It's about time-TTPM's Silver on Mattel's new Barbies

Toy industry expert Jim Silver, CEO of TTPM talks about Mattel's new Barbies which will come in petite, tall and curvy and how they will impact falling barbie sales. Bobbi Rebell reports.




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Schiphol airport closed briefly on security threat

Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport was closed briefly as police investigated a suspicious situation. Julie Noce reports.




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Top hedge fund managers take home $13 bln

The 25 biggest hedge fund earners took home a combined $13 billion last year, despite mediocre returns.




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United CEO testifies before House committee

The chief executive of United Airlines sat down before a House panel on Tuesday to testify about the forced removal on April 9 of a passenger from a Chicago flight, an incident that drew international condemnation.




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The Met showcases Islamic art as a response to Trump's Muslim ban

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York leads Islamic art tours to improve understanding of its contributions to the world heritage. Fred Katayama reports.




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Caribbean islands fear grim tourist season after Irma

Hurricane Irma’s deadly tear through the Caribbean will hobble the region’s multi-billion dollar tourism industry for months, just as hotels, airlines, and cruises were gearing up for the region’s peak winter season.




b

'I felt humiliated' Brazilian nurses face attacks

Health workers face a growing tide of hostility in Brazil for potentially spreading COVID-19.




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Mum and newborn leave hospital after beating COVID-19

A mother who was given a 50 percent survival chance and her newborn baby were discharged from hospital on Monday (May 4) after both fighting COVID-19.




b

Biden's accuser says he should drop out of White House race

Tara Reade, the woman who alleges Joe Biden sexually assaulted her in 1993, said in a video interview on Thursday that he should withdraw from the White House race. Gloria Tso reports.




b

Lockdown diary: the Italian priest delivering blessings from car speaker

Priest Don Giuseppe Castelvecchio hasn't been able to conduct services in his San Fiorano church for two months. In the town where restrictions are easing, his sermons delivered from a loud speaker in a car are a welcome relief. Joe Davies reports.




b

Australia to end most COVID-19 restrictions by July

Australia will ease social distancing restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus in a three-step process, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Friday, with the aim of removing all curbs by July. Lauren Anthony reports.




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Britain honors World War Two VE Day anniversary

Britons stood in silence and Queen Elizabeth addressed the nation on Friday's 75th anniversary of "Victory in Europe" Day, though the coronavirus dampened commemorations for the end of World War Two on the continent. Lauren Anthony reports.




b

Africans scale back funerals to curb COVID-19

Across Africa, centuries-old cultural traditions are being foregone in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen governments impose restrictions on gatherings and other practices around death and burial. Francesca Lynagh reports.




b

'Never give up': Queen praises Britons on Victory in Europe Day

Britain's Queen Elizabeth honored those who died in World War Two on Friday, the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, and used the occasion to say she was proud of how people had responded to the coronavirus pandemic.




b

Beijing gym-goers welcome partial re-open

The grunts, groans and the sound of pulsing music and crashing weights has returned to some of Beijing's gyms after being closed for nearly three months due to the coronavirus outbreak. Ciara Lee reports.




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Putin attends slimmed down Victory Day celebrations

Russia marked 75 years since the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War Two on Saturday, but the coronavirus outbreak forced it to scale back celebrations. Olivia Chan reports.




b

Stem Careers in the Brexit Era

The UK’s exit from the EU has had a mixed effect on scientists’ assessment of their international mobility and future job market prospects, according to the 2020 STEM Survey




b

Plate tectonics may have started on Earth 3.2 billion years ago

Rocks from a 3.2-billion-year-old formation in Australia show changes in the direction of their magnetism over time that suggest plate tectonics started earlier than we thought




b

Pocket-sized device tests DNA in blood samples for genetic conditions

A cheap, lightweight smartphone-heated device can test for DNA in blood, urine and other samples in a fraction of the time it takes to test in a lab




b

Waste water tests could monitor 2 billion people for the coronavirus

We need to scale up testing efforts to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, and looking for signs of virus RNA in our sewage could provide a shortcut




b

Dingoes are both pest and icon. Now there's a new reason to love them

Dingoes have been persecuted in Australia for centuries for killing livestock, but protecting them could benefit the environment and aid recovery from the devastating fires




b

BCG vaccine being trialled as potential protection against covid-19

A long-standing hypothesis suggests the BCG vaccine also serves to generally enhance the immune system, meaning it could protect against covid-19, and trials are under way to find out




b

Brain implant lets man with paralysis move and feel with his hand

A brain-computer interface has helped a man with a severe spinal cord injury move and feel using a hand again, letting him carefully lift light objects such as a paper cup




b

Reports of an insect apocalypse are overblown but still concerning

While an alarming 9 per cent of insects on land are being lost each decade, the state of the world’s insects is much more nuanced than warnings of an insect apocalypse




b

What the first coronavirus antibody testing surveys can tell us

We need to be very cautious about preliminary studies estimating how many people have already been infected by the coronavirus




b

Microwaved bamboo could be used to build super-strong skyscrapers

Bamboo is a renewable material that when microwaved becomes stronger by weight than steel or concrete – which could make it ideal for constructing buildings, cars and planes




b

Pet food can contain drug-resistant bacteria that may pass to humans

Some dogs and cats may be passing gut microbes to their owners that withstand last-resort antibiotics, which can be needed to fight off pneumonia from a coronavirus infection




b

Infrared-reflecting paint can cool buildings even when it is black

Black paint usually absorbs heat, but a new two-layer polymer paint reflects infrared light and keeps objects 16°C cooler, which could help make buildings more energy efficient




b

We know the best spots to look for alien life – can we get to them?

Extraterrestrial oceans are an obvious place to search for alien life, but getting there and having a look won't be easy, says NASA's Kevin Hand in his book Alien Oceans




b

Science Diction review: The origins of jargon in bite-sized chunks

A podcast called Science Diction looks at the stories behind scientific terms and phrases. Each episode is short and nicely put together, says David Silverberg




b

What is it like to be a covid-19 contact tracer and what do they do?

Covid-19 contact tracers are part healthcare worker, part detective and part call centre operative. But what is the job really like? New Scientist spoke to one in Ireland to find out




b

Research volunteers won't be told of their coronavirus genetic risk

Half a million people taking part in the UK Biobank, which gathers genetic information for researchers to study, won't be told if they turn out to be genetically vulnerable to the coronavirus




b

Smart windows can let visible light through while blocking out heat

A 3D printed grate can be used to make a smart window that blocks heat from sunlight out in the summer while letting it through in the winter, conserving energy




b

Names of UK's coronavirus science advisers to be revealed

The membership of the UK's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies has so far been kept secret, but a list of names will soon be published, the UK's chief scientific adviser has said




b

Electrical devices implanted in the brain may help treat anorexia

In a small trial, implanting electrodes into the brain helped women with severe anorexia gain weight and feel less anxious and depressed




b

It’s impossible to predict if crucial Antarctic glacier will collapse

The Pine Island glacier has three tipping points that could lead to the collapse of the entire West Antarctic ice sheet, potentially raising sea levels by 3 metres over centuries




b

Robots with 3D-printed muscles are powered by the spines of rats

Robots made of 3D-printed muscle and rat spines could help us understand conditions like motor neurone disease and the technique may eventually be used to build prosthetic devices




b

Frozen bull semen may have unleashed bluetongue virus on farm animals

The ongoing spread of bluetongue virus among European farm animals may have started when a cow was inseminated with infected bull semen stored from an earlier outbreak




b

UK sets new target to recruit 18,000 contact tracers by mid-May

The UK government has set a new target of recruiting an army of 18,000 coronavirus contact tracers by the middle of May, to be in place for the launch of the NHS contact tracing app




b

Analysis of 85 animals reveals which are best at holding their alcohol

Humans, chimpanzees, gorillas and bats have evolved to be good at metabolising alcohol, according to a study that suggests many mammals can get drunk




b

Is the universe conscious? It seems impossible until you do the maths

The question of how the brain gives rise to subjective experience is the hardest of all. Mathematicians think they can help, but their first attempts have thrown up some eye-popping conclusions




b

Devs: Here's the real science behind the quantum computing TV show

In TV series Devs, a tech company has built an extremely powerful quantum computer. The show is both beautiful and captivating, says Rowan Hooper




b

Why it’ll still be a long time before we get a coronavirus vaccine

Trials of experimental coronavirus vaccines are already under way, but it’s still likely to be years before one is ready and vaccination may not even be possible




b

Rotten fish smell could detect awareness in people with brain injuries

It can be difficult for doctors to assess the level of consciousness in people who have had serious brain injuries, but observing their reaction to strong odours may help




b

Massive Spinosaurus dinosaur swam through water propelled by its tail

A well-preserved fossilised tail from Spinosaurus suggests this massive dinosaur may have been able to propel itself and hunt for prey in the water




b

Robot with pincers can detect and remove weeds without harming crops

A robot that uses artificial intelligence to find and remove weeds could eventually be used as an alternative to chemical insecticides




b

Tiger survival threatened by mass road-building in precious habitats

Over half the world’s wild tigers now live 5 kilometres from a road, and infrastructure projects planned in Asia could fragment their habitat further