A test tube labelled with the Vaccine is seen in front of AstraZeneca logo in this illustration taken, September 9, 2020. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/IllustrationAstraZeneca said on Thursday that preliminary data from a trial showed that its COVID-19 shot, Vaxzevria, generated an increase in antibodies against the Omicron and other variants when given as a third booster dose.The increased response, also against the Delta variant, was seen in a blood analysis of people who were previously vaccinated with either Vaxzevria or an mRNA vaccine, the drugmaker said, adding that it would submit this data to regulators worldwide given the urgent need for boosters.AstraZeneca has developed the vaccine with researchers from the University of Oxford, and lab studies conducted by the university last month already found a three-dose course of Vaxzevria boosted antibody levels in the blood against the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.The brief statement on Thursday, which did not include specific data, was the first by AstraZeneca on the protective potential of Vaxzevria as a booster shot following a two shot-course of either an mRNA based vaccine or Vaxzevria. Vaccines base on mRNA technology are made by BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna.The company said the findings “add to the growing body of evidence supporting Vaxzevria as a third dose booster irrespective of the primary vaccination schedules tested”.The data on Vaxzevria’s potential as a booster came from a comparative analysis in a trial testing a redesigned vaccine which uses the vector technology behind Vaxzevria but targeting the now-superseded Beta variant. AstraZeneca is trying to show the Beta-specific vaccine has potential also against other variants and more trial data is expected during the first half of the year.Separately, Oxford University and AstraZeneca last month started work on a vaccine specifically targeting Omicron though Astra – as well as other vaccine makers in similar development projects – have said it was not yet clear whether such an upgrade was needed.A major British trial in December found that AstraZeneca’s shot increased antibodies when given as a booster after initial vaccination with its own shot or Pfizer’s, but that was before the explosive spread of the Omicron variant.However, the study at the time concluded that mRNA vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna gave a biggest boost to antibodies when given as a third dose.AstraZeneca and its contract manufacturing partners have supplied over 2.5 billion doses globally of its vaccine, even though it is not approved in the United States, while BioNTech-Pfizer have shipped about 2.6 billion doses.Source: ARY News

Image Credit:CIPhotos via Getty Images More than half of Europe's population could become infected with omicron within weeks at current transmission speeds, a World Health Organization official said.The fast-spreading variant represents a "west-to-east tsunami sweeping  the region," Hans Kluge, WHO regional director  for Europe, said in a briefing Tuesday. He cited  the Institute for  Metrics and Health Assessment forecast that most Europeans could take it within the next six to eight weeks.The latest Covid  surge has  resulted in fewer symptomatic cases and lower death rates than in previous waves, fueling optimism that the pandemic may subside. However, the WHO has repeatedly warned against underestimating the Omicron strain as mild. Kluge said hospital admission rates are increasing. In Europe, it puts pressure on health systems. On the flip side, another WHO official said it was too early to consider  COVID-19 is entering an endemic phase, an issue the Spanish government has proposed to discuss. An endemic phase would see "stable spread of the virus at a predictable level", but what we are currently seeing for 2022 is nowhere near that, "said Catherine Smallwood,  WHO Europe Chief Emergency Officer." We still have great uncertainty. We still have a virus that evolves pretty quickly and brings new challenges, "he said." We are certainly not at the point where we can call it endemic.

This morning, Microsoft's 365 Defender research team released details of a new macOS "Powerdir"  vulnerability that allows an attacker to bypass transparency, consent, and control technology to gain unauthorized access to protected data. Apple has already fixed vulnerability CVE-2021-30970  in the macOS Monterey 12.1 Update released in December, so users who have upgraded to the latest version of Monterey are protected. Those who haven't should update. Apple in its Security Release Notes for Update 12.1  confirmed the vulnerability of TCC  and attributed its discovery to Microsoft.According to Microsoft, the "Powerdir" security vulnerability could allow the installation of a fake TCC database. TCC is a long-lasting macOS feature that allows users to configure the privacy settings of their apps, and with the fake database, an attacker could hijack an app installed on a Mac or install their own malicious app by gaining access to the microphone and the camera to obtain confidential information. Microsoft has a detailed description of how the vulnerability works, and the company says  its security researchers continue to "monitor the threat landscape" for new vulnerabilities and attack techniques affecting macOS and other non-Windows devices."Software vendors like Apple, security researchers, and the larger security community, need to continuously work together to identify and fix vulnerabilities before attackers can take advantage of them," wrote Microsoft's security team.

An email sent to customers warning them about the change. Image:PottermoreIf you've purchased Harry Potter eBooks from Pottermore, you may want to re-download your copies before the option is gone for good at the end of the month. The site sends an email to its customers to inform them that the books will no longer be available for a new download after January 31, since it was withdrawn from sale in September of last year.When it launched  in 2012, Pottermore was the only official way to download digital copies of the Harry Potter books. Despite department stores like Amazon running promotions for  titles, which are among the best-selling books of all time, stores would route customers to Pottermore to finalize the sale (retailers like Amazon would have gotten a discount anyway. ).But income of the e-books reportedly declined over the years, and in 2015 they have been made to be had at once from different online shops. Digitally better editions released on Apple’s e-books store in October 2015, and releases on different digital shops like Amazon accompanied later that year. Pottermore subsequently morphed into WizardingWorld.com in 2019. Although the option to redownload current book purchases from Pottermore will disappear for appropriate on the quit of the month, it shouldn’t be too difficult to maintain on in your current virtual copy. On Twitter, Ryan C. Gordon notes that current downloads include a DRM-free .epub document, that you must be capable of switch to any new e-readers withinside the future (aleven though you need to convert the .epub document to make it readable on a Kindle). Just make certain to stash the document someplace secure in case you don’t need to pay once more for books you already very own withinside the future.

Apple-owned Shazam has just released a Chrome Extension that works to identify what’s playing in your “Netflix or YouTube video, that Soundcloud mix or in a Twitch streamed video game,” but it doesn’t work for all users just yet. After installation, Shazam exists in the Chrome Extensions drop-down menu to the right of the address bar and can be pinned like the others to always be handy. Tap the blue icon to open a rectangular pop-up asking for another "Click Shazam". While listening, you are told "do not update or close this tab". Once recognized, there is a shortcut to play the entire song in Apple Music (login required), while you can “get lyrics, music videos and more with just one click”. The plugin's main page  has a drop-down menu to view your “Shazam Browser Song History”.It is not possible to log into your Shazam account and sync the songs you previously identified on your phone. It would be very useful. The extension, according to reviews from the Chrome Web Store, was released in late 2021. Shazam appears to have only announced its existence on the Android app update website and list.One reason why it could be that it does not work anyway for all users.The Shazam extension, after testing on macOS and Chrome OS today, fails to find a match even after a minute. (No fail state is shown.) The same songs on YouTube and Soundcloud are quickly identified using the mobile application. That said, some users in the reviews say they have gotten it to work.This extension compliments the Shazam Mac App, which was last updated in February of 2020. The Chrome offering might be the new desktop strategy moving forward as it offers wider reach.

Image Credit:LetsgodigitalSamsung's launch plans over the past two years have been unusual, but it looks like the company's next flagship could be a return to normal. According to a new rumor, the Galaxy S22 launch date could be February 8.Korean media outlet DDaily.co.kr reports that Samsung is planning a launch event for its Galaxy S22 series on February 8. The outlet claims that Samsung has "confirmed" the date with "Galaxy Unpacked 2022" to be held virtually online. Invitations would be sent out later this month, but it's unclear whether there will be an in-person component for the launch, but MWC 2022 could open the door to in-person screenings later this month. To this day, MWC 2022 is still  to be held in person in Barcelona from February 28 to March 3. Apparently, pre-orders for the Galaxy S22, S22 +, and S22 Ultra will begin on February 9, with sales starting February 24. That's about a month after the Galaxy S21 series debuted - that series arrived on January 29 for general sale. The Galaxy Tab S8 series is expected to arrive alongside the Galaxy S22, with three variants including a large Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra.

Renders of the OnePlus 10 Pro phone in Emerald Forest and Volcanic Black colors. The phone was officially revealed on January 11, 2022.(Photo:-OnePlus)After giving details on its new flagship phone  last week, OnePlus has finally unveiled the OnePlus 10 Pro in China.Even now, there are still a few things in the mystery, like the introductory price when it goes on sale in China on January 13 or when it is available elsewhere (OnePlus has  said it will only be launched globally. 'in 2022). But what we do know is that with powerful specs and sharp cameras, the OnePlus 10 Pro could be one of the best phones to release in 2022.These details OnePlus dropped up until now confirmed that the OnePlus 10 Pro would pack the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and run on the company's OxygenOS 12 (based on Android 12), which folds in "feature-rich" parts of Oppo's ColorOS for the first time. That's still true and we now know the phone will pack the Snapdragon X65 modem, which supports more 5G networks, frequencies and bandwidths along with increasing the maximum download speeds to 10Gbps. While you probably won't hit that cap with today's carriers, the new X65 should provide faster and more consistent 5G speeds. The OnePlus 10 Pro also will have up to 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage, which are the same specs as last year's OnePlus 9 Pro.The 6.7-inch OLED display is the same size as its predecessor's. It has a maximum 120Hz refresh rate that makes browsing the internet or gaming very smooth, though it adaptively cranks the rate down to even 1Hz (or one frame per second) during low-demand tasks to save battery life. The phone comes in two colors: a seafoamOnePlus has confirmed that its new phone will inherit last year's rear camera setup, too: a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto camera and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera with a maximum 150-degree field of view. The 10 Pro will get an improved 32-megapixel camera, which should take sharper photos than the 16-megapixel selfie camera on its predecessor.As the second generation of OnePlus phones to have Hasselblad-tuned-cameras, the OnePlus 10 Pro's photo capabilities have been refined in a handful of ways. First is an improved Pro Mode that takes photos in 12-bit RAW+, a new format that combines the rich data capture of RAW with on-device image processing to give shots more accurate colors. When taking more casual photos, all three rear cameras have 10-bit color for over 1 billion possible hues.Hasselblad's influence is also visible in Master Mode, which features three filters refined by professional photographers and artists that make shooting fashion, wildlife and urban spaces  more stylized and unique. For videos, the new Movie mode lets you change settings like ISO, shutter speed, and white balance even while recording for precise control over focus and lighting. The 10 Pro's 5,000mAh battery is the largest of a OnePlus flagship phone, but it's the 80-watt wired charging that will set it apart from the competition.The company claims it will bring the phone from 1% up to full charge in a very  32 specific minutes. The phone also supports wireless charging up to 50 watts, which will charge a  nearly dead phone in 47 minutes, OnePlus estimates.  On paper, the OnePlus 10 Pro appears to be a serious contender for the best phones in 2022, although it will have to wait until we can test it at an undetermined later date at a price not yet announced.  

"Zhao Changpeng has become the world's biggest cryptocurrency billionaire(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)A cryptocurrency CEO has become one of the richest people on the planet.Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, who manages the Binance cryptocurrency exchange, has joined the ranks of the world's top billionaires, with an estimated net worth of at least $96 billion, according to new calculations from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index published Monday. Zhao's predicted fortune now rivals that of Oracle founder (ORCL)  Larry Ellison and surpasses that of Mukesh Ambani, the Indian tycoon whose fortune has also skyrocketed in the past two years.The rise of the Canadian-Chinese entrepreneur is emblematic of the rapid creation of wealth in the rapidly evolving world of digital currencies. Last year, other cryptocurrency founders also saw huge gains as the value of virtual coins rallied, with Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin and Coinbase founder Brian Armstrong both becoming billionaires.Sam Bankman-Fried, CEO of FTX, another cryptocurrency exchange  backed by Binance, said on Tuesday  "unprecedented  wealth creation  in the industry in recent years." I think there are a lot of people out there trying to figure out what to do with [that], ”said Friedman, who  is a young billionaire himself, in a live chat on stage at the Asian Financial Forum in Hong Kong. On Twitter Monday, Zhao also appeared to acknowledge  the  distinction "Don't worry about the ranking." Focus on how many people you can help, ”he wrote. A Binance spokesperson told CNN Business that “CZ intends to give up most of its wealth, even 99% of its wealth, along with other entrepreneurs and founders. In recent years, others Famous business leaders, such as Facebook CEO (FB)  Mark Zuckerberg,  signed the Giving Pledge, an initiative started by Warren Buffett, Bill and Melinda Gates to encourage the world's richest to donate the majority of their fortune to charity. Zhao launched Binance in 2017, gradually turning it into one of the  largest cryptocurrency exchanges. According to a  blog post on the company, the executive grew up in an immigrant family in Canada and previously worked at McDonald's to  support his family, and Bloomberg.Zhao continued in another tweet on Tuesday, saying, “Unpopular Opinion: Instead of rankings of wealth, there should be a ranking of charitable and philanthropic efforts."He then learned about bitcoin in 2013 during a game of poker, after which he decided to go all-in on crypto by dedicating his life to it," according to Binance. "He even sold his apartment to buy bitcoin."Like other exchanges, Binance has faced significant regulatory hurdles around the world in recent months, including a ban in the United Kingdom and other restrictions in countries including Canada.Zhao has publicly addressed the setbacks, writing in an open letter last year that "clear regulations are critical for continued growth.""More regulations are, in fact, positive signs that an industry is maturing," he added. "Because this sets the foundation for a broader population to feel safe to participate in crypto."He then learned about bitcoin in 2013 during a game of poker, after which he decided to go all-in on crypto by dedicating his life to it," according to Binance. "He even sold his apartment to buy bitcoin."Like other exchanges, Binance has faced significant regulatory hurdles around the world in recent months, including a ban in the United Kingdom and other restrictions in countries including Canada.Zhao has publicly addressed the setbacks, writing in an open letter last year that "clear regulations are critical for continued growth.""More regulations are, in fact, positive signs that an industry is maturing," he added. "Because this sets the foundation for a broader population to feel safe to participate in crypto."