Name: Flesh-eating bacteria spreads off Florida
Uploaded: 2023-06-04T20:16:34.334Z
Duration: 2 min 43 s
Description: Each year, a bloom of seaweed develops off the central coast of Africa and surges westward. Fuelled by river runoff, it eventually makes its way to the Caribbean and the coast of the Americas. But scientists say piles of the decomposing algae has high levels of flesh-eating bacteria.

Each year, a bloom of seaweed develops off the central coast of Africa and surges westward. Fuelled by river runoff, it eventually makes its way to the Caribbean and the coast of the Americas. But scientists say piles of the decomposing algae has high levels of flesh-eating bacteria.

Key West

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently amid rising sea-levels and increasing temperatures.

Climate Crisis

Flesh-eating bacteria spreads off Florida

A continent-sized mass of green is increasingly harassing the eastern coast of the Americas. The Sargassum Belt, a floating bed of seaweed nearly 8,000 kilometers long and 500 kilometers wide, is so massive it's easily visible from space. The Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt is the largest algae bloom on the planet, and it is a whole new oceanographic phenomenon that developed in 2011. It began really impacting the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico and South Florida in 2014. At sea, it's an ecosystem all its own, home to fish, turtles, crabs and other species that make it home, and it stores carbon like a floating forest. But on the beaches of the North Atlantic, the smelly, decomposing mass can smother coral and seagrass and wreak havoc on tourism. It's not something we've seen before. It seems to be a recent phenomenon. When the material makes it on the shore, it's not pleasant to see, but also as it decomposes, it could release some potential unhealthy chemicals such as hydrogen sulfide, which is like the rotten egg smell. It also releases potentially toxic levels of arsenic that can damage the nervous system. These researchers say human activity is likely fueling the massive plume's growth. Over the past 40 years, they've detected rising levels of nitrogen that have doubled since 1984, apparently from farm runoff, fertilizer, human and industrial waste. Sargassum has been around for centuries. Christopher Columbus wrote about it in 1492. What's changed is that the amount in the Atlantic has at least tripled in mass since the 1930s, and over the past dozen years or so, it has formed into this loosely connected sargassum belt stretching from Africa to the Florida coast. Some entrepreneurs hope to mine the coastal menace for profit, human food, animal food, even fertilizer. But for now, the seaborne seaweed is growing year after year. It's been going up, up, up, and last year, 2022, we set a new record, 24 million tons of sargassum in the great Atlantic sargassum belt. And we think this year we might be on course to set an even new record. For coastal communities spending millions of dollars cleaning sargassum off their beaches, that floral bounty is an unwelcome one. John Hendren, Al Jazeera, in the Florida Straits.

Seized overnight from their home on a military base on Saturday, Venezuela's toppled leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife are now being held in a New York detention centre. The apprehension is the U.S.'s most controversial in Latin America since the invasion of Panama 36 years ago.

Washington

Venezuela Strikes

U.S justifies Venezuela operation to capture Nicolás Maduro

As Venezuela grapples with the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the country’s top court has named Delcy Rodríguez as the acting president. The 56-year-old has served as Venezuela’s vice-president since 2018.

Caracas

Venezuela’s top court names new president after Maduro’s ouster

Sunday's launches came hours before South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed for China for a summit with President Xi Jinping, for talks expected to cover North Korea's nuclear program.

Pyongyang

North Korea carries out new ballistic missiles test

The strikes occurred Saturday evening on an underground facility in the mountains just north of the historic town of Palmyra in Homs province.

Palmyra

British, French warplanes strike suspected IS facility in Syria

At least 30 people have been killed and several others abducted after gunmen attacked a market in Nigeria’s Niger State, according to police. The attackers stormed Kasuwan Daji market in Demo village on Saturday afternoon, setting stalls on fire and looting food.

Niger

At least 30 killed in market attack in Nigeria’s Niger State

Pope Leo has expressed deep concern over the recent U.S. raid in Venezuela, urging that the well-being of the Venezuelan people must take precedence over all other considerations.

Rome

Pope voices concern over U.S. raid in Venezuela, calls for peace

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was in a New York jail Saturday, hours after American special forces seized and flew him out of his country — which President Donald Trump said would come under effective U.S. control.

Venezuela's Maduro arrives in New York after being abducted by U.S.

President Donald Trump says the people of Venezuela are now free of Maduro's dictatorship. But Venezuela's vice president has demanded the US send Maduro back, calling him the rightful president.

Trump says U.S will ‘run’ Venezuela after Maduro seized

After their capture, former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife were flown to Stewart International Airport, 60 miles north of New York City, then will be helicoptered to Manhattan. They will be processed at the headquarters of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Ali Bauman reports.

U.S. treating Nicolás Maduro like a drug kingpin, federal authorities say

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is in New York after he was captured by U.S forces during a daring raid. President Trump said the U.S. will be running the Latin American country, for now.

New York

First images emerge of Nicolás Maduro after capture by U.S.

No U.S. service members were killed in the military operation in Venezuela, the Trump administration said. CBS News national security correspondent Charlie D'Agata has more details.

No U.S. service members killed in Venezuela operation, Trump administration says

The United Nations, along with a host of countries including France, China and Russia have criticized U.S strikes on Venezuela and capture of Nicolás Maduro as a violation of international law.

World reacts to U.S. strikes on Venezuela, capture of Nicolás Maduro

Initial investigations suggest the fire that tore through a Swiss ski resort bar New Year's Eve, killing at least 40 and injuring dozens of others, started when 'fountain candles' attached to champagne bottles were carried too close to the ceiling.

Sion

Deadly Swiss fire likely caused by champagne sparklers

BYD is now the world's top seller of electric cars, overtaking Tesla after a decade of dominance by Elon Musk's company. Bloomberg's Ed Ludlow breaks down how the world's richest man came in second.

Austin

BYD topples Tesla as world's biggest EV brand

In a surprise attack overnight on Saturday, the United States launched strikes against Venezuelan capital Caracas and other cities. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that Nicolas Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of the country". Follow for live updates.

Trump says U.S. 'will run' Venezuela until 'safe' transition

In a surprise attack overnight on Saturday, the United States launched strikes against Venezuelan capital Caracas and other cities. US President Donald Trump stated that Nicolas Maduro and his wife were "captured and flown out of the country".

Maduro to be brought to New York after Venezuela capture, Trump says

US strikes rocked Venezuela's capital early Saturday after months of threats by Donald Trump against Nicolas Maduro. Trump later confirmed the United States had carried out the strikes and captured the Venezuelan leader.

Venezuela says 'rejects with all our strength presence of foreign troops'

Separatist forces in Yemen say at least seven people were killed in Saudi airstrikes on Friday, as tensions deepen between regional allies. The strikes come while the Saudi-backed governor of Hadramout province says “peaceful” efforts are underway to retake military bases abandoned by Emirati-backed separatists, highlighting the latest escalation in the rift between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi.

Seiyun

Saudi airstrikes kill seven in Yemen as tensions deepen between allies

Venezuela slams U.S. strikes amid Maduro's ouster

Venezuela said it rejected "military aggression" by the United States after multiple explosions rocked capital Caracas and other areas early on Saturday. Attacks took place in the capital of Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

Trump says Venezuela's Maduro captured after U.S. strikes

Ukraine's President Zelenskyy has appointed Gen. Kyrylo Budanov as the new chief of staff. At a pivotal moment in Moscow's nearly four-year invasion, Budanov will be central to Ukraine’s wartime decision-making.

Kyiv

Zelenskyy taps military intelligence chief as top aide

President Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities, as the administration early Saturday ratcheted up its campaign against the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

U.S. launches military strikes on Venezuela

A potential New Year's Eve terror attack inspired by ISIS was thwarted in North Carolina, authorities announced. A suspect is in custody, accused of planning to attack a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in the town of Mint Hill, which is located near Charlotte. Scott MacFarlane has the latest.

Charlotte

Potential terror attack thwarted in North Carolina, officials say

The blaze at Le Constellation, killing at least 40 people and injuring about 115 others, many seriously, was likely started by sparklers in champagne bottles, authorities said on Friday afternoon, as identification of those killed and injured continued.

Crans-Montana

Deadly Swiss Alps bar fire likely started by sparklers

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro says he is open to talks with President Trump on several issues, including drug trafficking, oil and migration.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro open to talks with Trump

Whenever, wherever, however - that's the Venezuelan President's offer to sell more oil to the U.S., as he pleads for diplomacy, not conflict. It comes after Washington hit five more alleged drug boats with airstrikes and reportedly struck Venezuelan soil for the first time. Meanwhile, the U.S. Coast Guard is in hot pursuit of an oil tanker which is suddenly claiming to be Russian.

Maduro open to talks with Trump over fight against drug trafficking

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened on Friday (January 2) to come to the aid of protesters in Iran if security forces fire on them, days into unrest that has left several dead and posed the biggest internal threat to Iranian authorities in years.

Trump threatens Iran over protest deaths as unrest flares

Israel says more than 30 aid groups have failed to comply with new rules to register their workers and will have access to Gaza suspended. The banned organizations say the rules will have horrific consequences during deadly floods as it tries to rebuild just months into a fragile ceasefire.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Israel’s ban on dozens of aid groups from Gaza begins

A U.S. intelligence assessment has determined that Ukraine is not responsible for what Russia claims was a drone strike targeting Vladimir Putin’s residence. Both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave year-end news conferences amid continuing discussions about a peace deal held up by key unsettled issues.

Moscow

CIA rejects Russia’s claim Ukraine tried to hit Putin’s residence

Zohran Mamdani was officially inaugurated as the mayor of New York City, becoming the first Muslim and first immigrant in half a century to hold the position. The public ceremony at City Hall featured Senator Bernie Sanders administering the oath of office, followed by a community celebration on Broadway.

See The Full Story

Climate Crisis