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This week the folks at the independent testing organization ECRI published Medical Device Hazard Report on certain N95-style masks. A wide variety of imported (into USA) N95-style respirators (face-filtering respirators [FFRs]) that lack NIOSH certification were shown in testing to be less than acceptable for filtration of airborn materials, here more specifically COVID-19 and related materials. To be clear, here, this does not mean that ALL MASKS are bad, but that some masks aren't as good as they should be for healthcare workers and patients at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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California will ban the sale of new gas-powered passenger cars and trucks from 2035, it's been announced, as the US state escalates its war on emissions that stoke climate change. Governor Gavin Newsom announced the new policy today, in a move that is likely to lead to furious debate about the continuing place of internal combustion in modern transportation.

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Bottles of hand sanitizer were voluntarily recalled this month because of a major label mistake. At some point in the design / pre-press process, the latest batch of Leafree Instant Hand Sanitizer Aloe Vera was labeled as "EDIBLE ALCOHOL." This substance should not have been labeled as edible, as it is not safe to ingest.

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The Trump government will force the removal of TikTok and WeChat from app stores in the US as of this weekend, unless a deal divorcing the popular services from the Chinese ownership is finalized. It's the latest in a series of high-profile escalations done, the US Department of Commerce insisted today, to stop "malicious collection of American citizens' personal data," though critics have accused the policies of being the result of xenophobia and political maneuvering.

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The FCC makes the rules for the government's Lifeline program, a program in which millions of Americans receive subsidized phone and internet service. Each person receiving a subsidy for phone/internet service must subscribe to a specific minimum plan with a local phone/data carrier. Over the past couple of years, the amount of cash in this subsidy has decreased, while the minimum data plan has increased - toward the inevitable breaking point we're approaching now.

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Today Fitbit was announced to gain FDA clearance for their new ECG app. Fitbit also received a CE mark in the European Union for their ECG app. This app will work with the Fitbit Sense, a wrist-bound smart fitness device that looks a lot like a watch but provides fitness tracking and health features aplenty.

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BAE Systems has announced the completion of the first Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) built for the United States Army, ones that will, over time, replace the Army's M113s from the Vietnam War era. According to BAE Systems, the first of its AMPV production models has left the line and was, as of September 1, scheduled to be delivered to the military. The company has developed five different variants of the vehicle.

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Earlier this month we reported an onion recall that was part of an investigation into a potential Salmonella outbreak. Here on the 18th of August, 2020, the FDA, CDC, and public health and regulatory officials in the USA and Canada have expanded their investigation and confirmed an additional 229 ill people reported in this outbreak, 9 of whom were from states new to this investigation.

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The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released an amendment to the PREP Act that allows pharmacists to administer vaccines to children in all 50 states. This update to the PREP Act (Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act) was a third amendment made on August 19, 2020. This authority has several requirements which must be met before vaccinations can be ordered and/or administered.

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The United States Department of Defense has announced the official formation of a task force dedicated to investigating unknown aerial phenomena (UAPs), historically referred to as UFOs. The announcement comes only weeks after the government confirmed the validity of and officially released multiple videos from fighter jets showcasing UFOs. In more recent days, interest in the topic was also spurred by a comment about 'off-world vehicles not made on this Earth.'

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As the US presidential election nears, many companies are detailing the measures they've taken to prevent their platforms from being used as a tool to manipulate the public and interfere in politics. YouTube is the latest among them, revealing the steps it is taking to address the potential abuse of its streaming platform as a means for election interference. Which videos are facing the banhammer?

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This week remarks from the World Health Organization (WHO) pointed to two "essential elements" in fighting COVID-19 effectively. "Leaders must step up to take action and citizens need to embrace new measures." The WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's remarks this week pointed to a pair of regions where progress has been made both efficiently and effectively: Rwanda and New Zealand.

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