The first all-private astronaut team ever flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) safely splashed down in the Atlantic off Florida’s coast on Monday, concluding a two-week science mission hailed as a landmark in commercialized human spaceflight.   The SpaceX crew capsule carrying the four-man team, led by a retired NASA astronaut who is now vice … continue reading -> “All-Private Astronaut Team Returns Safely From Landmark Space Station Visit”

One in four children in Latin America and the Caribbean does not have vaccine protection against three potentially deadly diseases, a U.N. report said Monday, warning of plummeting inoculation rates.  While 90% of children in the region in 2015 had received the vaccine for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (DTP3), by 2020 coverage had dropped … continue reading -> “Drop in Vaccines Exposes Latin American Children to Disease, Report Shows”

In advance of World Malaria Day, the World Health Organization recommends the expanded use of the first malaria vaccine, calling it a potential game changer in the fight against malaria. Malaria is a preventable, treatable disease.  Yet, every year, malaria sickens more than 200 million people and kills more than 600,000.  Most of these deaths, … continue reading -> “Vaccine Potential Game Changer in Fight Against Malaria”

Climate change and habitat loss from big agriculture are combining to swat down global insect populations, with each problem making the other worse, a new study finds. While insects may bug people at times, they also are key in pollinating plants to feed people, making soil more fertile and they include beautiful butterflies and fireflies. … continue reading -> “Climate Change, Big Agriculture Combine to Threaten Insects”

The World Health Organization said on Saturday that at least one child death had been reported following an increase of acute hepatitis of unknown origin in children, and that at least 169 cases had been reported in children in 12 countries. The WHO issued the figures as health authorities around the world investigate a mysterious … continue reading -> “WHO Says at Least 1 Has Died After Increase of Acute Hepatitis Cases in Children”

Maggie Mulligan said her dogs could sense the panic while she and her husband packed them up, agonized over having to leave horses behind and fled a fast-moving wildfire barreling toward their home in northeast New Mexico. “We don’t know what’s next,” she said. “We don’t know if we can go back to the horses.” … continue reading -> “Wildfires Merge in New Mexico, Threatening Rural Villages”

The number of women in Lebanon dying from pregnancy-related complications has nearly tripled amid a crushing three-year economic crisis that has seen doctors and midwives leave the country, the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF said Wednesday. The crisis is also affecting children, especially among Syrian refugees who have fled over the border into Lebanon. UNICEF said … continue reading -> “UNICEF: Lebanon Maternal Deaths Triple, Children’s Health at Risk Amid Crisis”

Authorities in Pakistan have confirmed the first case of wild polio virus in more than a year, dealing a setback to the country’s progress against the highly infectious disease. A 15-month-old boy was paralyzed by the virus in the turbulent North Waziristan district, which borders Afghanistan, according to an official announcement Friday. “This is, of … continue reading -> “Pakistan Detects First Polio Case in 15 Months”

The World Health Organization warns the health system in eastern Ukraine has all but collapsed, putting the lives of thousands of people trapped in Mariupol and other besieged areas at risk.    U.N. health officials say it is critical they be granted immediate access to Mariupol and other areas hardest hit by fighting in eastern Ukraine. … continue reading -> “WHO: Health Care System in Eastern Ukraine Nearing Collapse”

Devastating floods in South Africa this week, as well as other extreme weather events across the continent linked to human-caused climate change, are putting marine and terrestrial wildlife species at risk, according to biodiversity experts.  Africa has already faced several climate-related woes in the past year: the ongoing fatal floods follow unrelenting cyclones in the … continue reading -> “African Wildlife, Coasts Suffer Effects of Flooding, Drought”

Most Americans support a flexible approach to the lingering COVID-19 pandemic, with cities reimposing mask mandates when cases surge, even as a growing number are eager to get on with their lives, a Reuters/Ipsos poll completed Friday found. The results of the two-day poll illustrate the balancing act facing U.S. officials as they navigate a … continue reading -> “Poll: Americans Back Flexibility on Masks, Want to Move on From COVID-19”

Environmentally, the planet was on a downward slide well before the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution designating April 22 in 2009 as International Mother Earth Day. The aim of this day is to celebrate the wonders of Mother Earth. The day also is meant to shed light on the issues threatening the health of … continue reading -> “Guterres: Mother Earth Is in Trouble and Action Is Needed”

U.S. President Joe Biden has chosen Earth Day on Friday to sign an executive order to protect some of the country’s largest and oldest trees. The order the president is scheduled to sign in Washington State will require the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service to identify threats to … continue reading -> “Biden to Sign Executive Order on Earth Day to Protect Country’s Oldest Trees”

Australia’s most populous states will on Friday abolish a raft of coronavirus rules, including compulsory isolation for close contacts. Some vaccine mandates for key workers will also be scrapped.  Health officials in New South Wales and Victoria say the overhaul to the rules is a “big step” and is part of a plan to “co-exist … continue reading -> “COVID-19 Restrictions Ease For Millions of Australians”

Every year on Earth Day — April 22 — people come together to raise awareness about environmental problems. And this year they will focus on accelerating the transition to a prosperous green economy.     During the event, also known as International Mother Earth Day, some 1 billion people in 190 countries take part in … continue reading -> “Earth Day Prompts Calls for Businesses to Go Green”

A U.K. patient with a severely weakened immune system had COVID-19 for almost a year and a half, scientists reported, underscoring the importance of protecting vulnerable people from the coronavirus. There’s no way to know for sure whether it was the longest-lasting COVID-19 infection because not everyone gets tested, especially on a regular basis like … continue reading -> “UK Patient Had COVID-19 for 505 Days Straight, Study Shows”

Scientists have successfully bred a threatened species of coral as part of a project that hopes to restore damaged reefs off the coast of Florida that are under threat by a relatively new disease, a coral rescue organization said on Thursday. Reefs in Florida and the Caribbean are facing growing threat of destruction by the … continue reading -> “Scientists Breed Threatened Florida Coral Species in Step Toward Reef Restoration”

Also, Russian cosmonauts put in work at the International Space Station. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi wraps up The Week in Space. …

Farmers across the country and around the world might one day leave the confines of their tractor cabs and operate autonomous tractors remotely through an app. But will farmers, big and small, be willing to trust the technology? VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …

Palestinian militants fired a rocket into southern Israel for the first time in months on Monday, in another escalation after clashes at a sensitive holy site in Jerusalem, a series of deadly attacks inside Israel and military raids across the occupied West Bank. Israel said it intercepted the rocket, and there were no immediate reports … continue reading -> “As Tensions Soar, Gaza Militants Fire Rocket Into Israel”

The flight debut of NASA’s mega moon rocket faces additional delays following a string of failed fueling tests.  Officials said Monday it will be challenging to meet a launch window in early to mid-June. The next opportunity to send an empty capsule to the moon on a test flight would be at the end of … continue reading -> “NASA Moon Rocket Faces More Flight Delays as Repairs Mount”