By Pramod Thomas
MORE depressing reports are coming from China again, it seems.
Thousands in China tested positive for a new bacteria which will adversely affect men's fertility.
The Brucella bacteria infection was reportedly caused by contact with livestock.
According to reports, the infection can have the side effect of inflamed testicles and can render some men infertile.
The novel coronavirus was first originated in Wuhan, China last year.
Currently, more than 30.35 million people have been reported to be infected by the virus globally and 947,400 have died.
Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in December 2019.
As many as 3,245 people have tested positive for the brucellosis, the disease caused by Brucella bacteria infection, as per the health commission of Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu province.
Several thousand people in northwest China have tested positive for the disease.
The US body centers for disease control and prevention (CDC) said the disease, also known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever, can cause headaches, muscle pain, fever and fatigue.
While these symptoms may subside, some symptoms can become chronic or never go away, like arthritis or swelling in certain organs.
The CDC said human-to-human transmission in this disease is extremely rare and infection spreads mostly through consumption of contaminated food or breathing in the bacteria -- which seems to be the case in Lanzhou.
The infection happened after a leak last year between late July and August at the Zhongmu Lanzhou biological pharmaceutical factory, which produces Brucella vaccines for animal use.
The factory allegedly used expired disinfectants and sanitizers hence not all bacteria were eradicated in the waste.
Though only a few people were infected initially, testing of 21,000 people has showed the number infections to be much higher.
“The number is way larger than expected and raised widespread concern over the disease’s spread and its consequences,” reported China’s state-run Global Times newspaper.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)