Sophia Lewis, Author at Hounia

Covid Variant JN.1 Now Accounts for Nearly Half of U.S. Cases

28

Dec

International

Covid Variant JN.1 Now Accounts for Nearly Half of U.S. Cases

As the holiday season winds down and Covid-19 cases start to pick up, a variant called JN.1 has now become the most common strain of the virus spreading across the United States.JN.1, which emerged from the variant BA.2.86 and was first detected in the United States in September, accounted for 44 percent of Covid cases nationwide by mid-December, up from about 7 percent in late November, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To some extent, this jump is to be expected. “Variants take some time to get going,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease…

Surrogacy as a pathway to parenthood in China

28

Dec

By Sophia Lewis

International

Surrogacy as a pathway to parenthood in China

In the desire to start a family in China, infertility stands as an obstacle that affects thousands of people around the world. This complex condition hides a variety of causes that can affect both men and women. But what exactly is infertility? Infertility refers to the inability to conceive naturally after extended efforts to achieve pregnancy. Frequent reasons for infertility The origins of infertility are as varied as the people experiencing it. Some of the most prevalent factors include: Ovulatory problems: in women, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or endometriosis can affect ovulation. Tubal problems: blocked or damaged fallopian tubes make…

First World War Christmas truce: How much football was actually played?

26

Dec

By Sophia Lewis

International

First World War Christmas truce: How much football was actually played?

It’s one of the best-known stories about the First World War: the Christmas truce of 1914, when soldiers from both sides spontaneously laid down their guns and, for a few hours at least, acted as if they weren’t trying to wipe each other out in a cruelly pointless war.Part of the story was the football match that broke out in No Man’s land. The image of the two sides uniting, in a manner of speaking, over the common language of sport became incredibly evocative, a slice of normality amidst the horror.It’s gone down in English mythology, encouraged by appearances in…

Apple’s Newest Headache: An App That Upended Its Control Over Messaging

26

Dec

By Sophia Lewis

Science and Technology

Apple’s Newest Headache: An App That Upended Its Control Over Messaging

For years, Ben Black’s phone annoyed his family. It was the only Android device in a family message group with eight iPhones. Because of him, videos and photos would arrive in low resolution and there would be green bubbles of text amid bubbles of blue.But a new app called Beeper Mini gave him the ability to change that.Mr. Black, 25, used the app to create an account for Apple’s messaging service, iMessage, with his Google Pixel phone number. For the first time, every message the family exchanged had a blue bubble and members were able to use perks like emojis…

Holiday Spending Increased, Defying Fears of a Decline

26

Dec

By Sophia Lewis

Investments and Business

Holiday Spending Increased, Defying Fears of a Decline

Despite lingering inflation, Americans increased their spending this holiday season, early data shows. That comes as a big relief for retailers that had spent much of the year fearing the economy would soon weaken and consumer spending would fall.Retail sales increased 3.1 percent from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to data from Mastercard SpendingPulse, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. The numbers, released Tuesday, are not adjusted for inflation.Spending increased across many categories, with restaurants experiencing one of the largest jumps, 7.8 percent. Apparel increased…

In This Mexican Neighborhood, Locals Say ¡Viva el Beetle!

26

Dec

By Sophia Lewis

International

In This Mexican Neighborhood, Locals Say ¡Viva el Beetle!

Rusted and stripped of their right seat, the cars parked in queues rounding street corners serve as the unofficial taxi in the hillside neighborhoods in Cuautepec in Mexico’s capital. The curvy symbol of the 1960s hippie era is admired — even decorated and named — by residents who say the car represents their resilience and work ethic.They can be spotted throughout Mexico City, but they swarm the vibrant streets in Cuautepec, where Beetles can be heard climbing steep hills past residents relaxing on their roofs and dogs standing guard on balconies. One of the Cuautepec’s many mechanics is usually just…