#5Things: US elections update, Gareth Cliff's show fined, mutated version of COVID-19, and more
It's FriYAY and these five stories are what you need to know as you wake up.
1. US elections update
President Donald Trump questioned the credibility of the process, complaining that public polls had overstated Joe Biden’s lead in many battleground states and the ongoing count of mail-in votes was eroding his lead in Pennsylvania and Georgia. Biden, meanwhile, asked Americans to be patient while states finished counting votes
2. BCCSA gives R10,000 fine to e.tv and Gareth Cliff
Gareth Cliff and his e.tv show have been fined R10,000 by the BCCSA for spreading “dangerous misinformation” about COVID-19. On the July 22nd episode of Cliff’s show, 'So What Now?', he interviewed conspiracy theorist David Icke who claimed COVID-19 didn't exist. The conspiracy theorist claimed that the “concerns” about COVID-19 were a scam, and he described it as a hoax.
3. Man tries to pass off underwear as mask
Just recently, an updated list of COVID-19 guidelines revealed that buffs and valve masks are not safe to wear, but no one mentioned underwear. According to a Tweet by popular parody account @AdvoBarryRoux, a man desperately wanted to enter a gym when the receptionist realised he had a pair of underpants as a mask.
Read the full story here.
4. Study reveals mice in space can slow down aging
According to a new study, a team of mice that spent a month in space may have uncovered the key to slowing down ageing. The 12 space mice were sent aboard the International Space Station in 2018, and since returning to Earth, scientists have discovered that some of the mice not only coped better with the stresses of being in space, but also showed fewer signs of ageing.
5. Mutated version of COVID-19 detected
As many as 17-million mink are to be culled in Denmark after a mutated version of the coronavirus that can spread to humans was detected on farms. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said the mutated virus posed a "risk to the effectiveness" of a future COVID-19 vaccine, calling the situation "very, very serious". A government report said the mutated virus had been found to weaken the body's ability to form antibodies.
IMAGE CREDIT: Gregg Newton / AFP