The World Health Organization has declared the COVID-19 pandemic to be over as a global health emergency. “However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said Friday. ‘This virus is here to stay. It is killing, and it is still changing. The risk remains … continue reading -> “WHO Declares End to COVID-19 as Global Health Emergency “
The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions of people worldwide. The announcement, made more than three years after WHO declared the coronavirus an international crisis, offers a coda to … continue reading -> “WHO Downgrades COVID Pandemic, Says It’s No Longer Emergency”
When Greg Brockman, the president and co-founder of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, was recently extolling the capabilities of artificial intelligence, he turned to “Game of Thrones.” Imagine, he said, if you could use AI to rewrite the ending of that not-so-popular finale. Maybe even put yourself into the show. “That is what entertainment will look like,” … continue reading -> “Could AI Pen ‘Casablanca’? Screenwriters Take Aim at ChatGPT”
White House Mulls AI Oversight, Protections with Industry Leaders …
Good news for all the password-haters out there: Google has taken a big step toward making them an afterthought by adding “passkeys” as a more straightforward and secure way to log into its services. Here’s what you need to know: What are passkeys? Passkeys offer a safer alternative to passwords and texted confirmation codes. … continue reading -> “Hate Passwords? You’re in Luck — Google Is Sidelining Them”
Environmental groups sue the U.S. government over SpaceX’s launch license. Plus, a pair of spacewalks outside the International Space Station, and a glimpse at the destruction that scientists say awaits our home planet. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
Global temperatures are likely to reach new highs this year with the predicted onset of El Nino, a natural occurring phenomenon typically associated with the warming of the planet. “The development of an El Nino will most likely lead to a new spike in global heating and increase the chance of breaking temperature records,” said … continue reading -> “El Nino Expected to Raise Global Temperatures “
A panel of global health experts will meet Thursday to decide if COVID-19 is still an emergency under the World Health Organization’s rules, a status that helps maintain international focus on the pandemic. The WHO first gave COVID its highest level of alert on Jan. 30, 2020, and the panel has continued to apply the … continue reading -> “WHO Experts Weigh Whether World Ready to End COVID Emergency”
Providing further proof that U.S. children suffered significant learning loss when schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Assessment Governing Board released a report Wednesday that showed test scores measuring achievement in U.S. history and civics fell significantly between 2018 and 2022. The tests, part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), … continue reading -> “COVID-Related Learning Loss in US Mirrors Global Trend”
The United States approved the first vaccine for RSV on Wednesday, shots to protect older adults against a respiratory virus that’s most notorious for attacking babies but endangers their grandparents, too. The Food and Drug Administration decision makes GSK’s shot, called Arexvy, the first of several potential vaccines in the pipeline for RSV to be … continue reading -> “After Decades of Attempts, US Approves 1st Vaccine for RSV”
Companies with Brazilian forest concessions would be allowed to generate carbon credits under a bill passed by its Congress this week that marks a first step in regulating the country’s voluntary carbon market. Private firms have shown little interest in a government program that leases publicly owned forests for sustainable logging, but the legislation could … continue reading -> “Brazil Forest Bill Aims to Unlock Carbon Credit Market”
For the first time, scientists have caught a star in the act of swallowing a planet — not just a nibble or bite, but one big gulp. Astronomers on Wednesday reported their observations of what appeared to be a gas giant around the size of Jupiter or bigger being eaten by its star. The sun-like … continue reading -> “Star Gobbles Up Planet in One Big Bite”
Eli Lilly and Co. said Wednesday its experimental Alzheimer’s drug appeared to slow worsening of the mind-robbing disease in a large study. In the 18-month trial, people in the early stages of Alzheimer’s who received infusions of donanemab showed 35% less decline in thinking skills compared with those given a dummy drug, Lilly announced in … continue reading -> “Early Results Show Experimental Drug Slows Alzheimer’s, Says Maker”
Some 258 million people needed emergency food aid last year because of conflict, economic shocks and climate disasters, a U.N. report said Wednesday, a sharp rise from 193 million the previous year. “More than a quarter of a billion people are now facing acute levels of hunger, and some are on the brink of starvation. … continue reading -> “258 Million Needed Urgent Food Aid in 2022: UN”
A computer scientist often dubbed “the godfather of artificial intelligence” has quit his job at Google to speak out about the dangers of the technology, U.S. media reported Monday. Geoffrey Hinton, who created a foundation technology for AI systems, told The New York Times that advancements made in the field posed “profound risks to society … continue reading -> “‘Godfather of AI’ Quits Google to Warn of the Technology’s Dangers”
In a massive global crackdown on fentanyl trafficking on the darknet, U.S. law enforcement agencies and their international partners announced Tuesday the arrests of nearly 300 suspects and seizure of a large cache of drugs, cash, virtual currency and weapons. The law enforcement action, part of a two-year-old program known as Operation SpecTor, spanned three … continue reading -> “US Announces Massive Crackdown on Darknet Fentanyl Trafficking”
Widespread loneliness in the U.S. poses health risks as deadly as smoking a dozen cigarettes daily, costing the health industry billions of dollars annually, the U.S. surgeon general said Tuesday in declaring the latest public health epidemic. About half of U.S. adults say they’ve experienced loneliness, Dr. Vivek Murthy said in a report from his … continue reading -> “Loneliness Poses Risks as Deadly as Smoking, US Surgeon General Says”
The president of upcoming U.N. climate talks Sultan Al Jaber on Tuesday called on participants to drastically ramp up their use of renewable energy ahead of the key summit in the United Arab Emirates later this year. The meeting in November needs “ambitious, transparent and accountable commitments from countries and businesses,” Al Jaber said in … continue reading -> “COP28 Chair Urges Tripling of Renewables Capacity by 2030”
Scientists said Monday they have found a way to use brain scans and artificial intelligence modeling to transcribe “the gist” of what people are thinking, in what was described as a step toward mind reading. While the main goal of the language decoder is to help people who have lost the ability to communicate, the … continue reading -> “Scientists Use Brain Scans and AI to ‘Decode’ Thoughts”
Almost a third of the nurses in the United States are considering leaving their profession after the COVID-19 pandemic left them overwhelmed and fatigued, according to a survey. The survey of over 18,000 nurses, conducted in January by AMN Healthcare Services Inc., showed on Monday that 30% of the participants are looking to quit their … continue reading -> “Report: One-Third of US Nurses Plan to Quit Profession”
Babies born to opioid users had shorter hospital stays and needed less medication when their care emphasized parent involvement, skin-to-skin contact and a quiet environment, researchers reported Sunday. Newborns were ready to go home about a week earlier compared to those getting standard care. Fewer received opioid medications to reduce withdrawal symptoms such as tremors … continue reading -> “Study Points to Better Care for Babies Born to Opioid Users”
Chinese authorities were preparing Sunday to release a man who disappeared three years ago after publicizing videos of overcrowded hospitals and bodies during the COVID-19 outbreak, a relative and another person familiar with his case said. Fang Bin and other members of the public who were dubbed citizen journalists posted details of the pandemic in … continue reading -> “Chinese Man Who Reported on COVID to Be Released After 3 Years”
The European Union is likely to reach a political agreement this year that will pave the way for the world’s first major artificial intelligence (AI) law, the bloc’s tech regulation chief, Margrethe Vestager, said on Sunday. This follows a preliminary deal reached on Thursday by members of the European Parliament to push through the draft … continue reading -> “EU Tech Tsar Vestager Sees Political Agreement on AI Law This Year “
Turkey’s first astronaut will travel to the International Space Station by the end of the year, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday. Air force pilot Alper Gezeravci, 43, was selected to be the first Turkish citizen in space. His backup is Tuva Cihangir Atasever, 30, an aviation systems engineer at Turkish defense contractor Roketsan. Erdogan … continue reading -> “Erdogan, Back on Election Trail, Unveils Turkey’s First Astronaut”
A walrus that became a global celebrity last year after it was seen frolicking and basking in a Oslo fjord before it was euthanized by the authorities has been honored with a bronze sculpture in Norway. The life-size sculpture by Norwegian artist Astri Tonoian was unveiled Saturday at the Oslo marina not far from the … continue reading -> “Life-size Sculpture of Euthanized Walrus Unveiled in Norway”