World News – AU – Bleaching threat to spawning Great Barrier Reef

Hard coral spawning in Lizard Island National Park, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia. Photo: Auscape / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Why It Matters: Scientists fear the recent heavy bleaching on the world’s largest coral reef could limit the size of the phenomenon, reports the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. According to a new report, the state of health of the ecosystem, which is part of the world cultural heritage, has deteriorated for the first time from « serious concerns » to « critical ».

What To Look For: James Cook University researcher Katie Chartrand told the news agency that she and her colleagues have « done large-scale larval seeding with these inflatable nursery systems » and will review their progress in January.

Staff at the U. . S.. . Embassy to Cuba in Havana in 2017 after the Foreign Ministry announced plans to cut embassy staff in half following mysterious health problems affecting more than 20 people related to the U.. S.. . Embassy. Photo: Sven Creutzmann / Mambo Photo / Getty Images

High-frequency energy from the radiation containing microwaves has likely caused American diplomats in China and Cuba to develop neurological symptoms for the past four years, a report released on Saturday found.

Why It Matters: The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine report attributes no blame to the alleged attacks, but notes that « there has been significant research into the effects of pulsed rather than continuous waves in Russia / USSR [Radio frequency] exposures. « 

Georgia Gov. . Brian Kemp pushed back on Saturday after President Trump urged him to scrap the state’s election results.

Driving the News: Trump called the Republican governor on Saturday to call a special legislative session aimed at reversing the results of the Georgia presidential election, according to the Washington Post. Kemp refused.

Great Barrier Reef, Coral Reef, Climate Change, Australia