A Bat Discovery Could Prevent Catastrophe

In remote northern Australia, the Hendra virus is transmitted from bats to horses via urine or feces. “When people treat sick horses, that's when people get sick,” said disease ecologist Raina Plowright, who studies pandemic prevention. The virus doesn’t spread as easily between humans: Only seven cases have been documented, but four of those died. With each jump from bat to horse to human the virus can mutate and strengthen. “We're talking about a catastrophic, civilization-changing event,” Plowright warned. But new research shows that hungry bats during food shortages carry huge Hendra viral loads — a discovery that could be key to curbing future pandemics. (Source: NPR)

Investors Take Aim at FTX’s Celebrity Endorsers

A proposed class action lawsuit targeting disgraced FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried for his alleged “Ponzi scheme” crypto platform also wants Larry David, Tom Brady and Stephen Curry to pay up. The trio, along with Gisele Bundchen, Shaquille O’Neal and Naomi Osaka, touted FTX as everything a non-expert needed “to buy, sell, and trade crypto safely.” The platform is under investigation by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice over possible securities violations and potential criminal activity, while investors have lost an estimated $1 billion. The complaint called FTX’s business model a “house of cards” that targeted unsophisticated investors. (Source: Hollywood Reporter)

In Pakistan, ‘Joyland’ Finally Comes to the Big Screen

The story of a romance between a married man and a transgender woman was chosen as Pakistan’s official Oscars submission and earned fans abroad after snagging the jury prize at Cannes. But back home, Islamist hardliners convinced the government to block its domestic release. Yesterday the Central Board of Film Censors reversed course: “The distributors can screen the film from tomorrow morning if they wish.” While transgender rights are legally protected in Pakistan, many in the community face social stigma. An aide to the prime minister celebrated the ban’s reversal, saying, “Transgender people are as much citizens of Pakistan as anyone else.” (Sources: AFP, Hollywood Reporter)

‘Snowdon’ No More for Wales’ Famous Mountain

Call it Yr Wyddfa. That’s the Welsh name — pronounced “er with-va” — for the mountain formerly known as Snowdon. The park in which it’s found will now go by Eryri, pronounced “eh-ruh-ri,” rather than Snowdonia. Last year, a petition to change the name garnered 5,000 signatures, sparking the National Park Authority into “decisive action.” At 3,560 feet, the mountain is Wales’ highest peak and draws around 400,000 visitors a year. They’ve long found both the English and Welsh names on signs and pamphlets, but it's hoped the formalization will be a benefit to the Welsh language and the area’s history. (Source: BBC)

Djokovic Hopes for ‘Great Australian Summer’

Novak Djokovic is planning a return to Melbourne’s Australian Open a year after he was deported and barred from the country until 2025 for not having a COVID-19 vaccination. The nine-time Open winner said he “could not receive better news for sure” after Immigration Minister Andrew Giles confirmed the Serbian superstar would be granted a temporary visa for next year’s tournament, beginning in January. Australia's requirement that all visitors be vaccinated against the virus was quietly dropped in July, allowing Giles to cancel the ruling — although he added that this does not mean the original decision was an “error.” (Source: The Guardian)

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