Free Republic

A new COVID-19 variant, nicknamed Nimbus, is rising around the world — including in California — and known for giving “razor blade throat” symptoms. Officially called NB.1.8.1, the variant was labeled a “variant under monitoring” by the World Health Organization on May 23, according to a recent report. That means it’s not currently a major threat; however, it’s spreading fast enough to raise flags. As of late April, it made up 10.7% of global COVID-19 samples, a jump from 2.5% just a month earlier. The variant was first spotted in January and carries several genetic changes, particularly in the spike...

Klaus Ulvestad (left) greets John Calvert, of Bowling Green, as Ulvestad and his friend Tormod Amlien (back) prepare to drive their 1937 Nimbus motorcycles to Memphis, Tenn., on Thursday. Over the last 11 months, Ulvestad and Amlien, of Norway, have completed about half of their world tour and have traveled more than 18,000 miles. The duo have been chronicling their adventures on their Web site, www.kccd.no, and receive help, donations and places to stay through friends and connections within the motorcycle community. They will be heading to Los Angeles and then to South America.