Mint promotes digital-chip currency for penniless future

On the cusp of the post-penny age, the Royal Canadian Mint is preparing to launch a digital alternative to all coinage and small bank notes — dubbed "MintChip" — which it hails as the natural next step in the "evolution of currency."


The concept was quietly introduced on Wednesday when the Ottawa-based Crown corporation activated a website outlining its vision for the future of MintChip — described as "better than cash" and "so easy even a child can use it" — and invited software developers to begin imagining different ways the technology could be employed.


Read more: http://www.canada.com/technology/Mint+p ... z1rsUnZ1MC

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North Korea’s $850 million rocket failure



(CNN) – The cost of Friday’s failed rocket launch by North Korea is estimated by South Korean intelligence officials at $850 million – nearly enough to feed about 80% of the population of the impoverished nation for a year.

The launch site cost $400 million and the rocket and payload cost an additional $450 million, a military official told Yonhap, South Korea’s state-affiliated news agency. Yonhap says the cash could feed 19 million for a year. North Korea has a population of 24.3 million in 2010, according to the World Bank.

"North Korea has suffered a deficit of 400,000 tons of food every year. So, the money could resolve the problem of food shortages for six years," the official said

http://business.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/1 ... t-failure/

H1N1 returns H1N1 influenza has once again raised its head. After reports of people testing positive for the deadly virus in various parts of the country, the Delhi government has put all hospitals on alert and directed them to follow the H1N1 protocol.


Swine flu virus has mutated: Vyas



AHMEDABAD: With reports from the National Institute of Virology in Pune confirming that the transmission rate of swine flu has dropped, Gujarat health minister Jay Narayan Vyas said that the virus was a bigger challenge this time because of its partially mutated nature.

"In cases of diseases like these, the virus becomes more dangerous during the cold season. However, if the temperature falls below 18 degrees or rises above 35 degrees, the virus has a tendency to die. It was surprising to note that in spite of the temperature rising above 35 degrees, the virus survived and there were cases of swine flu," Vyas said.

The report from the institute says that the virus has become mildly mutated, thus vaccines becoming ineffective, the minister said, adding, "We are not relying on vaccines and are administering Tamiflu this time as the vaccines may not be as effective as last time due to the mutation," Vyas said.

He added that Gujarat is prepared to counter the virus with ready isolation wards and stock of medicines. "It takes time to treat diseases like swine flu. The situation is under control in Gujarat," he said.

Cadila Healthcare, which launched India's first indigenously made H1N1 swine flu virus vaccine, however, said that its vaccine is still effective.

Chairman and managing director, Cadila Healthcare, Pankaj Patel, said, "We had some emergency stock from last year ready and the vaccines are effective. The virus has a tendency to change and this year it may have turned out to be different."

Patel said that World Health Organization (WHO) asks pharma companies to make vaccines to fight new forms of virus at the beginning of every calender year.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 643086.cms


U.K. officials boost health measures before Olympics

U.K. health officials are increasing their surveillance for any potential disease outbreaks that could disrupt the London Olympics this summer.

An estimated 3 million visitors are expected to descend on the city during July and August, bringing with them viruses and bacteria from around the world.

At a meeting Tuesday of international disease experts, some said even though an outbreak was unlikely, officials couldn't take the risk of not being prepared for the Olympics, which are taking place from July 27 to Aug. 12.

"No news will be good news," said John McConnell, editor of the Lancet Infectious Diseases, which co-sponsored the meeting on health in mass gatherings.

He said large sports events like the Olympics typically have not had major outbreaks in the past.



Read more: http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Health/201204 ... z1ruRgS61l