The World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday opened the initial meeting of an international review panel established to evaluate the performance of its International Health Regulations (IHR) during the COVID-19 pandemic.The IHR were last revised in 2005 and grew out of the response to deadly epidemics that once overran Europe. They provide a framework by which … continue reading -> “WHO to Review International Health Regulations During Pandemic”
Deirdre Carney suspected she might have COVID-19 when her temperature began to fluctuate above the normal 37 degrees Celsius. “It was a bit of a shock when I was diagnosed. I could not believe that I had got it. I had not mixed with that many people,” Carney, an English teacher from California living in … continue reading -> “Despite Strict Lockdown, Spain Sees Sharp COVID-19 Spike”
China’s foreign minister announced Tuesday the start of a global data security initiative, outlining principles that should be followed in areas ranging from personal information to espionage.Wang Yi announced the initiative in a video as part of conference on international cooperation. The initiative comes as the U.S. continues to put pressure on China’s largest technology … continue reading -> “China Launches Data Security Initiative”
The Lost Summer of 2020 drew to a close Monday with many big Labor Day gatherings canceled across the U.S. and health authorities pleading with people to keep their distance from others so as not to cause another coronavirus surge like the one that followed Memorial Day. Downtown Atlanta was quiet as the 85,000 or … continue reading -> “Summer of COVID-19 Ends With Health Officials Worried”
Many robots are being developed and used these days to maximize speed so factories can efficiently make more products. One robot developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology is celebrated for how slow it is. It’s called a SlothBot and visitors can see it working at the Atlanta Botanical Garden. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the … continue reading -> “Robot Sloths Beat Humans In Race to Save Endangered Plants”
Spain has become the first nation in Western Europe to exceed a half-million COVID-19 total infections, as the total number of cases around the world surged to 27.3 million, including 893,000 deaths.Data from Spain’s Health Ministry showed a total of 525,549 cases as of Tuesday, including 29,516 deaths. In comparison, France has recorded 367,174 total infections and 30,732 deaths, while … continue reading -> “Spain Leads Western Europe with 500k Coronavirus Infections”
In April, during the height of the coronavirus lockdown, Trump administration health experts hailed a test that would confirm if someone had already had the virus and therefore couldn’t get sick again. The antibody test would show who might have “the wonderful, beautiful immunity,” President Donald Trump said was needed to get the nation working again. Months … continue reading -> “Hailed as Route to Return to Normal, Antibody Tests Disappoint”
Researchers in Australia say they have developed a technique to make coal-fired power plants run without coal. They say new thermal energy storage blocks can heat water, which, in turn, produces steam to power turbines using existing power station infrastructure. Researchers at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales say their thermal blocks would allow coal-fired power stations to run coal-free, delivering clean, renewable electricity. The bricks are made … continue reading -> “Australian Researchers Unveil Environmentally Friendly Plan to Power Coal Plants”
Bright green stalks of weeds are sprouting from the ground where planes were supposed to take off at a new Mexico City airport as officials let nature take over in their bid to transform the marshy swath of an ancient lake into a giant park. The ghostly skeletons of a partly built control tower and flight … continue reading -> “Trees, Birds, Ponds: Mexico City’s Ancient Lake Reclaims Scrapped Airport”
Bulked-up, mutant “mighty mice” held onto their muscle during a monthlong stay at the International Space Station, returning to Earth with ripped bodybuilder physiques, scientists reported Monday. The findings hold promise for preventing muscle and bone loss in astronauts on prolonged space trips like Mars missions, as well as people on Earth who are confined … continue reading -> “‘Mighty Mice’ Stay Musclebound in Space, Seen as Boon for Astronauts”
Suellen de Souza could no longer endure the confinement. After six months of precautions, the Brazilian nursing technician decided that Sunday would be her first day at the beach since the pandemic began. “This week it was very hot … the truth is I really wanted to come” to the beach, said the 21-year-old at … continue reading -> “Quarantine-Weary Brazilians Head to Beaches Despite Warnings”
The World Health Organization says it is unlikely a safe, effective vaccine against COVID-19 will be available for widespread use before the middle of next year. Urging people to lower their expectations, health officials say the development of a safe, efficacious vaccine takes time and cannot be rushed. As it is, the WHO reports remarkable … continue reading -> “WHO: Mass COVID Vaccinations Unlikely Before Middle of 2021”
Wildfires in the Arctic have already released more planet-warming carbon dioxide this year than all of last year, with smoke plumes from the fires covering an area more than one-third the size of Canada, according to new data from the FILE – In this July 10, 2020 file image taken from video provided by Russian … continue reading -> “Record-Breaking Fires Scorch Arctic”
Facebook Inc on Friday removed the pages of U.S. right-wing group Patriot Prayer and its founder Joey Gibson, a company spokesman told Reuters.Patriot Prayer has hosted dozens of pro-gun, pro-Trump rallies. Attendees have repeatedly clashed with left-wing groups around Portland, Oregon, where one group supporter was killed this week.The victim, 39-year-old Aaron Danielson, was walking … continue reading -> “Facebook Removes Pages of Right-wing Group Patriot Prayer After Portland Unrest”
New studies by the World Health Organization and the United Nations show people suffering from noncommunicable diseases are more susceptible to becoming severely ill and dying from COVID-19.Noncommunicable diseases kill more than 40 million people a year worldwide. The World Health Organization says seven out of 10 deaths globally are caused by cardiovascular diseases, cancer, … continue reading -> “WHO: Noncommunicable Diseases Increase Risk of Death From COVID-19”
An independent panel appointed by the World Health Organization to review its coordination of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic will have full access to any internal U.N. agency documents, materials and emails necessary, the panel said Thursday as it begins the probe. The panel’s co-chairs, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former … continue reading -> “Members Named to Panel Probing WHO’s Pandemic Response”
New Zealand has recorded its first COVID-19 death since the end of May, health officials say, bringing the country’s total death tally from the virus to 23. In contrast, the United States continues to top the list of COVID-19 deaths with more than 186,000, and more than 6.1 million cases.Brazil follows the U.S. with just over 4 million cases and more than 124,000 deaths. India comes in … continue reading -> “New Zealand Reports First COVID Death Since May”
Two COVID-19 vaccines that could arrive as soon as November use a promising new technique that experts say speeds up the development process. The new vaccines will be the first test to see if vaccines based on genetic code, rather than the germ itself, can be safe and effective. U.S.-based biotech company Moderna is developing … continue reading -> “COVID Vaccines Approaching Finish Line Use New Technology”
The U.N. children’s agency said Thursday it would lead the world’s largest and fastest procurement and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines from dozens of makers in the next two years so that no country lacks access.UNICEF and the World Health Organization co-lead a COVID-19 A workers sanitizes a metro coach in New Delhi, India, Sept. 3, … continue reading -> “UNICEF to Lead Global Initiative to Buy, Distribute COVID-19 Vaccines”
NASA this week moved closer to its next crewed mission to the moon. A successful rocket test means they know how they will get there, while scientists in India have developed eco-friendly bricks for building structures on the lunar surface. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has the week in space.Produced by Arash Arabasadi …
Twitter confirmed on Thursday that an account of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal website was hacked with a series of tweets asking its followers to donate to a relief fund through cryptocurrency. The incident comes after several Twitter accounts of prominent personalities were hacked in July. Twitter said it was aware of the activity … continue reading -> “Twitter Confirms Indian PM Modi’s Personal Website Account Hacked”
The U.S. space agency, NASA and aerospace firm Northrop Grumman Wednesday conducted a full-scale test of a rocket motor, known as a “Flight Support Booster” or “FSB-1,” that will power the first Artemis mission to the moon.During the test at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Promontory, Utah, the 47-meter booster motor was anchored to the ground … continue reading -> “NASA Tests Engine for Next Moon Shot”
Facebook Inc said on Thursday it would stop accepting new political ads in the week before the U.S. presidential election in November, bowing to concern that its loose approach to free speech could once again be exploited to interfere with the vote. The world’s biggest social network also said it was creating a label … continue reading -> “Facebook to Halt New Political Ads Week Before US Election”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that it has informed public health officials in all 50 states and several large cities to be prepared to distribute a coronavirus vaccine by November 1, two days before the presidential election.The McClatchy news service was the first to report Wednesday that the CDC had … continue reading -> “US States Told to Prepare to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine by Nov. 1”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent guidelines on August 27 to all 50 states, U.S. territories and several large cities, telling them to be prepared to distribute a coronavirus vaccine by Nov. 1, two days before the presidential election, according to several media reports Wednesday.In a four-page memo sent to governors in … continue reading -> “Reports: CDC Tells States to be Ready for COVID-19 Vaccines by Nov. 1”