The World Health Organization on Tuesday warned that reported invasive fungal infections increased significantly among hospitalized patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In a release alongside its recently released list of priority fungal pathogens, the U.N. health agency said emerging evidence indicates that the incidence and geographic range of fungal diseases are expanding around the world due to the increases in travel as well as climate change. 

"Emerging from the shadows of the bacterial antimicrobial resistance pandemic, fungal infections are growing, and are ever more resistant to treatments, becoming a public health concern worldwide," Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO's assistant director-general of antimicrobial resistance, said in a statement. 

The list categorizes the pathogens into three categories, including critical, high and medium priority. 

BIDEN'S COVID BOOSTER PITCH, ROOTED IN FEAR OF DEADLY WINTER SURGE, LIKELY TO FAIL

Candida auris is a yeast responsible for many infections. Resistant to most antifungal drugs, this fungus causes several deaths worldwide. (BSIP/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Of the 19 invasive fungal diseases, four were categorized as "critical priority," including Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans and Candida auris.

The report says that drug-resistant infections are estimated to cause 1.27 million deaths and contribute to nearly 5 million deaths annually.

A recent study published in the journal Nature estimates that of the 150,000 fungal species described, only about 200 of them are infectious to people.

Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungus that can cause invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in immunocompromised individuals. (BSIP/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

EARLY, SURPRISING SURGE OF RSV IN KIDS HAS HOSPITALS, MEDICAL CENTERS CONCERNED

Invasive forms of fungal infections often impact severely ill patients and those with underlying conditions. 

Photomicrograph of the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans. (Image courtesy Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) / Dr Lucille K. Georg) (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

Populations at greatest risk of infection include those with cancer, HIV/AIDS, organ transplants, chronic respiratory disease and post-primary tuberculosis infection.

There are only four classes of antifungal medicines currently available.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE G3 Box News APP

The WHO said its ranking by experts — the first fungal priority pathogens list — marks the first effort to prioritize the issue. 

It calls for more evidence to inform the response to these threats, including preventing the development of antimicrobial resistance, and address the impact of antifungal use on resistance across the One Health spectrum.

Instantly access to your favorite games on Steam, with thousands of games, exclusive deals, automatic game updates and other great perks. With Steam you can also join the Steam Community of PC gamers, join game groups, form clans, chat in-game and more.

Why is Steam so popular?

Steam was originally created by Half-Life developer Valve as a platform to update their games and distribute them digitally. The service had a slow start, then facing competition from brick and mortar stores and physical copies, but it wasn't long until it became the largest digital distribution platform for PC gaming. Over the years Valve has successfully created a platform that hosts games from most other publishers, studios, and game creators in general.

Name a few great free games available on Steam…

We have two dedicated articles highlighting great titles available for free on Steam, but to name a few popular ones: Counter-Strike, Apex Legends, Lost Ark, PUBG, Destiny 2, War Thunder, Dota 2, Warframe, Team Fortress 2, and World of Warships.

Is there anything better than Steam?

Steam remains the biggest PC gaming platform, but there are good alternatives like the Epic Games Store, GOG Galaxy, Uplay, Origin and Itch.io.

Does Steam have Fortnite?

Fortnite is developed by Epic Games, who have their own competing platform, so Fortnite is not on Steam.

Is there a monthly fee for Steam?

Absolutely not. Steam is free and the platform makes money through the sale of games and other digital content.

How do I install Steam Beta?

Opting in to the Steam Client Beta lets you use the latest features before they're released.

Please follow the instructions below to participate in the Steam client beta:

• With Steam running, click on "Steam" in the upper left, then choose the "Settings" menu. (Preferences on Mac)
• On the "Account" tab under "Beta Participation" click the "Change..." button.
• Select the "Steam Beta Update" from the drop down list and click "OK".
• You will be prompted to restart Steam, please select the "Restart Steam" button.

If you are using Big Picture Mode:

• Select 'Settings' then 'System'
• Check the 'Participate in client beta' option
• Follow the prompt to restart Steam

Create and Share Content

Gift your friends, trade items, and even create new content for games in the Steam Workshop. Help shape the future of your favorite games.

Entertainment Anywhere

Whether you're on a PC, Mac, Linux box, mobile device, or even your television, you can enjoy the benefits of Steam. Take the fun with you.

Available on PC, Mac, and Linux

We offer a catalog of PC, Mac, and Linux games, many of which support Steam Play so you can buy once and play anywhere, and Cross-Platform Multiplayer so you can play with all your friends, no matter where they log in.

What's New

Beta

Updated Big Picture is now available for testing

We are preparing to update Big Picture mode with the new interface we designed for Steam Deck, and today we're making it available for testing. This update has been a long time coming, and we're very excited to start gathering community feedback.

This controller-first interface was designed for Steam Deck in handheld and docked mode, and is perfect for all the scenarios Big Picture mode currently handles. The updated Big Picture mode includes features like:

• New Home Screen, where you can continue playing recent games, and see what's new with the games in your library.
• New Universal Search, that searches across Library, Store, and your friends
• New controller configurator, designed for ease-of-use of picking, adjusting, or creating custom controller configurations
• Optimized Steam Store for controller navigation
• Updated in-game overlay, with access to achievements and guides
  • Press Steam / Guide / PS button while in game
• New system menu, for quick navigation to different parts of the interface
  • Access this with the Steam / Guide / PS button
• New quick access menu, for access to notifications, friends list, quick settings, and more.
  • Access this with Steam / Guide / PS button + A

Stable

A new Steam client has been released and will be automatically downloaded.

Library

• Added a section to display a rollup of new DLC and other game content that has been released since you last visited a game's library page. Once visible, this section will automatically hide after a short period of time.
• Rebuilt how featured game news is displayed on library game pages. It is now displayed as a featured post at the top of the activity feed to improve readability and reduce the required work for game devs. The entry is shown for a short period of time before returning to its chronological spot in the activity feed.
• Updated the presentation of the new DLC added to your account section on library game pages.
• Changed how major updates are displayed in the library activity section to make them easier to find.

Previous release notes

• Steam Android App updated to 3.0
• New Steam Sign In UI
• Now enabled for all users
• QR Code sign in now available
• Read this announcement for more details

Sign In UI

• Fixed username and password fields flashing briefly at the end of a successful sign in
• Fixed automated login with credentials provided on the command line
• Fixed Steam Guard code input accepting and potentially submitting with invalid characters
• Fixed confirmation-based mobile sign-ins not successfully approving login when client asked for Steam Guard code instead
• Added explicit messaging for failures related to too many retries

Previous release notes

A new Steam client has been released and will be automatically downloaded.

Sign In UI

• Updated sign in UI look and feel

Games to Play Together

• Allow friend search by nickname or persona name
• Include free to play games that have been played by the friend in Games to Play Together filters
• Fixed issue with "Find Games to Play with Friends" showing games that your friend is sharing with you

Library

• Fixed text display cropping issue with library filter tags

Steam Cloud

• Fixed showing "Cloud Sync Failure" dialog on game launch when in Offline mode

In-Game Overlay

• Improve overlay responsiveness in some edge cases for users with large friends lists or large numbers of incoming friends requests.

Remote Play

• Fixed rare cases of keyboard input arriving out of order

A real-estate investor who calls himself the "Wolf of Airbnb" was indicted for defrauding New York City landlords while neglecting to pay rent, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.

Konrad Bicher, 31, is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The Hialeah, Fla., resident is also accused of fraudulently obtaining over $565,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, which were intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Officials with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York allege that Bicher "brazenly" leased at least 18 apartments with no intent of paying rent, operating the properties as "mini-hotels."

"When landlords sought to recover rental payments from Bicher, he lied and claimed that he could not make payments during the pendency of the COVID-19 pandemic," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. "At the same time, Bicher obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in PPP money based on multiple fraudulent applications."

WISCONSIN MAN CHARGED WITH ELECTION FRAUD, IDENTITY THEFT

People walk past the Criminal Courts building and District Attorney's office in Manhattan in 2021.

Bicher and his associates refused to pay over $1 million in outstanding fair market charges between July 2019 and April 2022. The investor continued to rent out the properties after his leases expired, making at least $1.17 million in income by listing the rentals on Airbnb. 

"Bicher abused government programs and tenant protections intended to benefit New Yorkers in crisis, and he will have to answer for his conduct.," U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said.

"As alleged, the defendant proudly executed multiple schemes to defraud both private entities and the United States government for his own personal benefit," FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll said.

FBI RAISES FLAG ON ELDER FRAUD AFTER THOUSANDS OF RETIREES ARE SCAMMED OUT OF $1.7 BILLION

Damian Williams, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, speaks during a news conference in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, April 27, 2022. (Mark Kauzlarich via Getty Images)

Bicher's website calls him a "real estate mogul" and "New York-based millionaire." During the scheme, Bicher referred to himself as the "Wolf of Airbnb" to media outlets, explaining that he was "hungry and ruthless enough to get on top of the financial ladder."

"Konrad Bicher formulated Nomad Enterprise in 2013 and ventured into the Airbnb rental market with the vision to revolutionize the industry," his website says, along with a claim that he has "secured over $12 million through Airbnb properties."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE G3 Box News APP

A bipartisan group of Democrat and Republican members of Congress as they announce a proposal for a Covid-19 relief bill on Capitol Hill on Dec. 01, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Getty Images)

If convicted, Bicher faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for each of his wire fraud charges, with an additional two-year sentence for his aggravated identity theft charge.

WWE legend Kevin Nash suffered tragic heartbreak last week when he revealed his 26-year-old son, Tristen, had died. On Monday, the former pro wrestler spoke about his son’s death.

Nash, 63, said on the latest episode of the "Kliq THIS" podcast his son suffered a seizure that caused him to go into cardiac arrest. Nash said he and his son had quit drinking "cold turkey" just days before.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON G3 Box News

2020 WWE Hall of Fame inductees Scott Hall and Hollywood Hulk Hogan and Kevin Nash and Sean Waltman, aka NWO, greet fans during WrestleMania 37 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, April 10, 2021. (Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports)

"The seizure caused the cardiac arrest. He was basically dead in his room on the floor with the EMT working on him. They got him back and got him in the ambulance and they tried to save his life. So to the people at Halifax hospital, doctors and nurses, I thank you," Nash explained.

"We both decided that we were going to stop drinking so it was a situation where you know we both went cold turkey. I don’t think either of us felt great because you stop drinking coffee for a day and you get a headache. I think we were both dealing with it."

SARA LEE, WWE 'TOUGH ENOUGH' WINNER AND FORMER NXT WRESTLER, DEAD AT 30

Nash went on to explain the reasoning why they decided to stop drinking. The legendary NWO stablemate said his son, a producer on the show, had a few incidents in the past, including drinking a few beers last week. Nash said his son had been hospitalized for nearly two months over a situation.

Nash talked about the alcoholism in his family and how it took a few of his friends. One of his best friends, Scott Hall, died in March. Hall was with Nash in the NWO faction when they moved from then-WWF to WCW to ignite pro wrestling’s "Monday Night Wars."

Actor and former professional wrestler Kevin Nash attends Unicon 2021 at the World Market Center on Oct. 1, 2021 in Las Vegas. (Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images)

He later added: "Alcohol is the nastiest … it's a nasty drug. Anybody out there, if you haven't drank, you've probably done yourself an incredible service. If you do drink and you're having problems and know it's affecting your life and you know it's affecting your health, you can't see the damage it's doing."

The former wrestler spoke glowingly about his son.

"He’s definitely my kid, man," he told co-host Sean Oliver. "I’ll say it present tense, he is f---ing strung tight. Wherever he is, he’s strung tight. He’s the sweetest, kindest, gentle-est human being on Earth. He is like I am, it’s internal. It’s here (Nash points to his head). You can’t shut this motherf---er off. And T was the same way."

Wrestler Kevin Nash and actor Matt Bomer greet each other backstage during Matt Bomer Spotlight Award Tribute at Trustees Theater on Day Two of the 17th Annual Savannah Film Festival presented by SCAD on Oct. 26, 2014 in Savannah, Georgia. (Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images for SCAD)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE G3 Box News APP

Nash said Ric Flair was among those who reached out to him. Flair’s son, Reid, died of an overdose in June 2013.