For years, 51-year-old Rodney Stotts says he was living a dead-end life. Today, he is a different person, teaching young people about birds of prey and the importance of protecting the environment. Maxim Moskalkov has the story. Camera: Sergii Dogotar …
The World Health Organization said Wednesday it is calling on China to provide more information about its surge in COVID-19 cases. “WHO still believes that deaths are heavily underreported from China, and this is in relation to the definitions that are used but also to the need for doctors and those reporting in the public … continue reading -> “WHO Wants China to Report More COVID Data”
The race is on to save the ecologically crucial wetlands surrounding the final 160 kilometers of the Mississippi River, America’s most iconic waterway. “We are losing our communities, our culture, our fisheries, and our first line of defense against the hurricanes that threaten us,” said Kim Reyher, executive director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal … continue reading -> “Plan Advanced to Save Louisiana Wetlands”
Concerns linger over Twitter’s stance on free expression and safety since Elon Musk took over the platform in a $44 billion deal. Since taking ownership in late October, Musk has instituted changes including dissolving an oversight review channel, laying off a large portion of the team focused on combating misinformation, and suspending the accounts of … continue reading -> “Journalists Say Elon Musk Needs to Reinstitute Monitoring of Twitter”
Russia said Wednesday that it will send an empty spacecraft to the International Space Station next month to bring home three astronauts whose planned return vehicle was damaged by a strike from a tiny meteorite. The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, made the announcement after examining the flight worthiness of the Soyuz MS-22 crew capsule at … continue reading -> “Russia to Send Spacecraft to Space Station to Bring Home Crew”
Genomic sequencing allowed the world to track new coronavirus variants throughout the pandemic. Now British researchers plan to use it to better understand a host of other respiratory pathogens, from influenza to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The work is aimed at shedding more light on known threats and, potentially, emerging ones, said the team … continue reading -> “British Scientists Plan to Expand Genomic Sequencing from COVID to Flu”
Countries should consider recommending passengers wear masks on long-haul flights to counter the latest Omicron subvariant of COVID-19 given its rapid spread in the United States, World Health Organization (WHO) officials said on Tuesday. In Europe, the XBB.1.5 subvariant is being detected in small but growing numbers, WHO/Europe officials said at a press briefing. Passengers … continue reading -> “WHO Backs Mask Wearing on Long Flights as New Omicron Variant Spreads”
Companies including GM, Ford, Google and solar energy producers said on Tuesday they would work together to establish standards for scaling up the use of virtual power plants (VPPs), systems for easing loads on electricity grids when supply is short. Energy transition nonprofit RMI will host the initiative, the Virtual Power Plant Partnership (VP3), which … continue reading -> “GM, Ford, Google Partner to Promote ‘Virtual’ Power Plants”
Space sector bosses on Tuesday said they were disappointed by the failure of the country’s historic first attempt to launch satellites from UK soil but pledged to investigate and try again. The failure of the mission late on Monday is a blow to the UK’s fledgling space sector. Had it been successful, it would have … continue reading -> “UK Space Chiefs Vow to Try Again After Failed Rocket Launch”
A mission to launch the first satellites into orbit from Western Europe suffered an “anomaly” Tuesday, Virgin Orbit said. The U.S.-based company attempted its first international launch on Monday, using a modified jumbo jet to carry one of its rockets from Cornwall in southwestern England to the Atlantic Ocean where the rocket was released. The … continue reading -> “Virgin Orbit Rocket Carrying Satellites Fails to Reach Orbit”
It’s been six months since the James Webb Space Telescope began transmitting breathtaking pictures of the cosmos back to Earth, transfixing star gazers and scientists alike. The images have led to new discoveries about the universe, including the formation of stars, the evolution of black holes and the composition of planets in other solar systems. … continue reading -> “James Webb Telescope: Six Months of Images”
Children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, including with medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13, according to new guidelines released Monday. The long-standing practice of “watchful waiting,” or delaying treatment to see whether children and teens outgrow or overcome obesity on … continue reading -> “New Guidance: Use Drugs, Surgery Early for Obesity in Kids”
A modified jumbo jet carrying a Virgin Orbit rocket took off from southwestern England Monday, marking the first attempt to launch satellites into orbit from Western Europe. Hundreds gathered for the launch cheered as the repurposed Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 aircraft, named “Cosmic Girl,” took off from Cornwall late Monday. Around an hour into the … continue reading -> “Plane Carrying Rocket Takes Off for First UK Satellite Launch”
One year after Australia deported Serbian tennis champion Novak Djokovic for refusing to get vaccinated, Australian Open tournament officials say players this year will not be tested for COVID-19 and would even be allowed to compete even if they had the virus. Tournament director Craig Tiley told reporters Monday they are telling players and tournament … continue reading -> “ Australian Open Tennis Tournament Not Testing for COVID-19”
China will not include Pfizer Inc’s Paxlovid in an update to its list of medicines covered by basic medical insurance schemes as the U.S. firm quoted a high price for the COVID-19 drug, China’s Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA) said Sunday. The COVID-19 antiviral drug is currently covered by the country’s broad health care insurance scheme … continue reading -> “Paxlovid Not on ‘Approved Drug List’ for China’s Health Insurance”
The public school district in Seattle has filed a novel lawsuit against the tech giants behind TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat, seeking to hold them accountable for the mental health crisis among youth. Seattle Public Schools filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court. The 91-page complaint says the social media companies have created … continue reading -> “Seattle Schools Sue Tech Giants Over Social Media Harm”
Is the metaverse closer than we think? It depends on whom you ask at CES, where companies are showing off innovations that could immerse us deeper into virtual reality, otherwise known as VR. The metaverse — essentially a buzzword for three-dimensional virtual communities where people can meet, work and play — was a key theme … continue reading -> “CES 2023: Smelling, Touching Take Center Stage in Metaverse “
China lifted quarantine requirements for inbound travelers Sunday, ending almost three years of self-imposed isolation even as the country battles a surge in COVID cases. The first people to arrive expressed relief at not having to undergo the grueling quarantines that were a fixture of life in zero-COVID China. And in Hong Kong, where the … continue reading -> “China Ends Quarantine for Overseas Travelers”
Thailand will require international travelers to show proof they are fully vaccinated for COVID before flying to Thailand, according to the country’s aviation regulator, as it prepares for more tourists after China reopened its border on Sunday. The Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand said in a statement Saturday that starting early Monday, all foreign arrivals … continue reading -> “Thailand Introduces New Entry Regulations as China Reopens Border”
The past year has been difficult for startups everywhere, but running a company in Ukraine during the Russian invasion comes with a whole different set of challenges. Clinical psychologist Ivan Osadchyy brought his medical device, called Knopka, to this year’s consumer technology show known as CES in Las Vegas in hopes of getting it into … continue reading -> “Ukrainian Startups Bring Tech Innovation to CES 2023”
A 38-year-old retired NASA satellite is about to fall from the sky. NASA said Friday the chance of wreckage falling on anybody is “very low.” Most of the 5,400-pound (2,450-kilogram) satellite will burn up upon reentry, according to NASA. But some pieces are expected to survive. The space agency put the odds of injury from … continue reading -> “NASA Satellite Falling From the Sky Soon”
U.S. health officials on Friday approved a closely watched Alzheimer’s drug that’s been shown to modestly slow the early stages of the brain-robbing disease, albeit with potential safety risks that doctors and patients will have to weigh carefully. The drug, Leqembi, is the first that’s been convincingly shown to slow the decline in memory and … continue reading -> “US Approves Alzheimer’s Drug That Modestly Slows Disease”
The Biden administration is proposing tougher standards for a deadly air pollutant, saying that reducing soot from tailpipes, smokestacks and wildfires could prevent thousands of premature deaths a year. A proposal released Friday by the Environmental Protection Agency would set maximum levels of 9 to 10 micrograms of fine particle pollution per cubic meter of … continue reading -> “EPA Moves to Toughen Standards for Deadly Soot Pollution”
Major tech companies are appealing to consumers’ evolving lifestyles, tastes and personal values with connected devices that touch on nearly every aspect of daily life. From the CES 2023 consumer technology show in Las Vegas, VOA’s Tina Trinh has the story. Video editor: Matt Dibble …
India has announced a $2.3 billion plan to promote “green hydrogen” — hydrogen produced with renewable energy — which experts say could be the clean fuel of the future. The initiative could help the world’s third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2070. A series of incentives are … continue reading -> “India Makes $2.3 Billion Green Hydrogen Push to Meet Climate Goals”