Hundreds of Americans poisoned by hand sanitizer this month (Source msn.com) More than half of hand sanitizers imported from Mexico contain dangerous levels of toxic ingredients and should not be used by consumers, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In January alone, more than 900 accidental poisonings involving hand sanitizer were reported in the U.S., the overwhelming majority involving young children.

The FDA on Tuesday issued a countrywide import alert for alcohol-based hand sanitizers from Mexico, the agency’s latest attempt to address a pandemic-induced spike in products contaminated with methanol, or wood alcohol. The substance, which in most cases is not listed as an ingredient on the labels, can be toxic when absorbed through the skin, and life-threatening when ingested. “Although people using these products on their hands are at risk for methanol poisoning, young children who ingest these products and adolescents and adults who drink these products as an alcohol substitute are most at risk,” the FDA noted.

The increased use of hand sanitizers has led to a surge in accidental poisonings, most involving children. According to data from the National Poison Data System, there were 938 hand-sanitizer exposure cases reported to the 55 U.S. Poison Control Centers during a 10-day period, from January 1, 2021 to January 10, a 57% increase from a year ago. Of those cases, nearly 600 involved children ages 5 and younger.

Russia flies more Sputnik V vaccine to Argentina, first doses reach Bolivia (Source Reuters)

Russia delivered the first batch of its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine to Bolivia on Thursday along with a larger shipment for neighboring Argentina, as Moscow looks to play a key role in the region’s vaccine rollout despite delivery delays. A plane carrying 240,000 doses of the vaccine arrived in Argentina, of which 20,000 doses went on to Bolivia, where President Luis Arce was waiting to greet the delivery in La Paz. Bolivia will be the second Latin American country to roll out the Russian vaccine.

“Starting tomorrow, the distribution begins. There are 20,000 vaccines and two doses for each person,” presidential spokesman Jorge Richter told reporters. “They will be for the sectors that are most exposed and at the front line of contagion.”

Germany and Russia create ‘green’ foundation that skirts US sanctions to finish Nord Stream pipeline

(Source telegraph.co.uk) A German state has been accused of using a ‘green’ foundation backed with Russian money to bypass US sanctions against the completion of the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, the northeastern most state in Germany, set up the Climate and Environmental Protection MV foundation earlier this month claiming its goal was to “further environmental projects in the Baltic Sea region.”

One such project, the state confirmed, would be assisting in the completion of the North Stream 2 gas pipeline, construction of which has been complicated by US sanctions. But it appears that finishing the gas line is likely to be the foundation’s primary aim. The Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom gets to choose its chairperson, while funding it with an initial 20 million euros.

First 2 US cases of South African COVID variant found in SC (Source foxcarolina.com) DHEC said their labs on Wednesday detected the first two known cases in the United States of the COVID-19 variant strain that recently emerged in South Africa. DHEC said as viruses mutate, variants emerge. DHEC’s labs have been monitoring positive cases closely for any variations in the virus strain and detected this South African variant in tests conducted on Wednesday. The samples were determined to be the B.1.351 variant.

The B.1.351 variant has been identified in more than 30 countries but these are the first cases of this variant identified in the United States. Other states have had cases of another, called B.1.1.7, originally identified in United Kingdom. Both variants originally detected in the United Kingdom and South Africa spread easier and quicker than the majority of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Xi warns Biden and EU not to reignite Cold War

(Source politico.com) Chinese leader Xi Jinping warned new U.S. President Joe Biden not to marshal Europe into an alliance against Beijing, saying that any attempt to freeze China out of global trade and technology networks risked reigniting the Cold War. Xi’s virtual address to the World Economic Forum comes as China is making a show of power and setting out its red lines to the new American leader. Over the weekend, Taiwan reported a large incursion by Chinese bombers and jet fighters for two days in a row. While Biden’s team has called for the formation of an alliance of democracies to confront China’s economic model, Xi cautioned against the dangers of such an approach. “Forming small groups or launching new cold wars on the world stage; excluding, threatening and intimidating others; resorting to decoupling, supply disruption or sanctions would only push the world towards division, if not confrontation,” Xi said.

Sahara Desert Is Covered in Glittery Ice Crystals During a Rare Ice Dusting

(Source mymodernmet.com) Ice and desert are two words that go together like oil and water. They seem at odds with one another; especially the Sahara, the largest and hottest desert on Earth that’s known for its inhospitable climate. So imagine how magical it looks when the sand is sparkling with ice crystals like it did in the middle of January 2021. The frosty ground is a rare sight. In fact, this recent occurrence was only the fourth time in 42 years that the ice made its appearance. When it has happened, it hasn’t lasted long. Luckily, photographer Karim Bouchetata was there to capture the marvelous sight this time around. The mingling of the ice and the red sand—particularly in the wavy drifts—is both a beautiful and enchanting look at a place best known for its extremely hot temperatures that last for months at a time. Bouchetata snapped his photos and took video outside of the town of Ain Sefra in northwestern Algeria near the border of Morocco. It’s about 1,000 feet above sea level and among the Atlas Mountains, meaning snow is a possibility. 

Pentagon Orders Hypersonic Missile Trackers Amid Russia, China Arms Race (Source newsweek.com)

The Pentagon has chosen two companies to build prototype sensors able to track hypersonic weapons as the U.S. seeks to expand both its offensive and defense hypersonic technology amid a nascent arms race with Russia and China. The Missile Defense Agency this month awarded $122 million to L3Harris and $155 million to Northrop Grumman to work on their sensors, which will be able to track incoming hypersonic weapons from space. The project is known as the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor, or HBTSS. Hypersonic weapons pose an unprecedented threat. Unlike traditional ballistic missiles, hypersonic projectiles can maneuver in flight, making them more difficult to intercept.

Russia Holds More Gold Than Dollars

(Source thetrumpet.com)

For the first time in history, Russia holds more gold in its reserves than United States dollars, reported Bloomberg on January 12. This is a milestone for Russia and a warning to the U.S. Russia is willing to risk moving away from the dollar. The question is, will others follow? Over the course of many years, Russia has been decreasing its holding of dollars. To replace them, it has amassed gold and non-American currencies. The Russian Central Bank reports that only 22 percent of its international reserves are in U.S. dollars; gold accounts for 23 percent.

Russia holds $583 billion in international reserves. These are funds that can be exchanged between central banks of different countries. Therefore, they must be stable and internationally recognized currencies. Since the end of World War ii, the dollar has been the primary reserve currency.

Russia’s largest reserve currency holding is the euro, accounting for a third of all reserves. Gold is the second largest. Chinese Yuan comprises about 12 percent. Bloomberg wrote, “The shift is part of a broader strategy outlined by [Russian] President Vladimir Putin to ‘de-dollarize’ the Russian economy and lower its vulnerability to U.S. sanctions amid deteriorating relations with Washington.”

When a nation’s central bank buys gold, its government expects the future to be unpredictable. It can also be a precursor to armed conflict. While this does not mean war is imminent, it does mean Russia is well-prepared.

Putin Warns of Global Tensions Similar to 1930s in Davos Speech (Source Bloomberg.com)

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the world risks sliding into an “all against all” conflict amid tensions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and growing economic inequality. Addressing the World Economic Forum on Wednesday for the first time in 12 years, Putin drew parallels with the 1930s when he said a failure to resolve international problems sparked World War II. “Today, such a global hot conflict is, I hope, in principle impossible,” Putin said in his online speech to The Davos Agenda. “But, I repeat, the situation can develop unpredictably and uncontrollably.” Putin spoke a day after Russia and the U.S. exchanged diplomatic notes agreeing to a five-year extension of the 2010 New START treaty limiting strategic nuclear weapons that was due to expire Feb. 5. Russia’s parliament voted unanimously to back the extension on Wednesday.

Forget about your tax refund. Stimulus money is why you should file early this year (Source cnet.com)

Filing your taxes early can potentially set you up to get a third stimulus check faster and also speed up delivery on any missing money you should’ve received from the first or second stimulus checks. While tax season doesn’t officially start until Feb. 12 for the IRS, you have two reasons other than a tax refund to get your paperwork in order as soon as possible. First, you can set up direct deposit with the IRS if you haven’t already, preparing yourself for faster delivery of a third stimulus check if it happens during tax season — or potentially sooner. And the earlier you file, the quicker you can recover any unpaid stimulus check money you’re due.