Tokyo, Japan — Japan on Saturday became only the fifth nation to achieve a soft lunar landing, but its Moon Sniper spacecraft was running out of power because of a problem with its solar battery. After a nail-biting 20-minute descent, space agency JAXA said its Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) had touched down and communication … continue reading -> “Japan’s ‘Moon Sniper’ Lands, Makes Contact, But Power Running Low”

TOKYO — Japan landed a spacecraft on the moon Saturday, an attempt at the world’s first “pinpoint lunar landing.” The milestone puts Japan in a club previously occupied by only the United States, the Soviet Union, India and China. A raft of countries and companies are also plotting moon missions. Success means international scientific and diplomatic … continue reading -> “Japan Joins Elite Club by Landing on Moon. What Are Others Doing?”

tokyo — Japan’s spacecraft arrived on the surface of the moon early Saturday, but it wasn’t immediately clear if the landing was a success, because the Japanese space agency said it was still “checking its status.” More details about the spacecraft, which is carrying no astronauts, would be given at a news conference, officials said. If … continue reading -> “Japan’s Lunar Spacecraft Is on the Moon, but Status Unclear”

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — Turkey’s first astronaut and three other crew members representing Europe were launched from Florida on Thursday on a voyage to the International Space Station in the latest commercially arranged mission from Texas startup Axiom Space.  A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying the Axiom quartet lifted off about an hour before sunset from … continue reading -> “Astronauts From Europe Head to Space Station on Chartered Flight “

The American Red Cross has declared a critical blood shortage, with supplies running the lowest in 20 years. The number of donors in the country has declined by 40%, for reasons that include COVID, seasonal infections, and bad weather. Angelina Bagdasaryan visited a blood donation station in Los Angeles and talked with some of the donors. Anna … continue reading -> “American Red Cross Concerned About US Blood Shortage”

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Harare, Zimbabwe — The U.N.’s Children’s Fund expressed alarm this week about a cholera outbreak in Africa that has spread to at least 10 countries, with the situation in Zambia and Zimbabwe “very serious.” Dr. Paul Ngwakum, the regional health adviser for UNICEF in East and Southern Africa, said about 200,000 cases have been reported and … continue reading -> “UN Concerned by Spread of Cholera to 10 African Countries”

nairobi, kenya — Kenya has embarked on its biggest rhino relocation project and began the difficult work Tuesday of tracking, darting and moving 21 of the critically endangered beasts, which can each weigh over a ton, to a new home. A previous attempt at moving rhinos in the East African nation was a disaster in 2018, … continue reading -> “Kenya Embarks on its Biggest Rhino Relocation Project; Previous Attempt Was a Disaster”

geneva — While new data show that smoking globally is on the decline, the World Health Organization warns that this good news is being undercut by an alarming rise in the use of e-cigarette and vaping devices, especially among children. “It is an alarming increase in the last four to five years. That is why we … continue reading -> “Smoking Declines Globally as Vaping, E-Cigarette Use Soars”

NEW YORK — Sixty years ago, the U.S. surgeon general released a report that settled a longstanding public debate about the dangers of cigarettes and led to huge changes in smoking in America.   Today, some public health experts say a similar report could help clear the air about vaping.   Many U.S. adults believe nicotine … continue reading -> “A Surgeon General Report Once Cleared the Air About Smoking. Is it Time for One on Vaping?”

TOKYO — Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Sunday the country’s north-central region of Noto for the first time since the deadly Jan. 1 earthquakes to alleviate growing concern about slow relief work and the spread of diseases in evacuation centers. The magnitude 7.6 earthquake left 220 dead and 26 others still missing while injuring hundreds. … continue reading -> “After Quake, Concerns Rise About Diseases in Japan’s Evacuation Centers”

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — The Tyrannosaurus rex seemingly came out of nowhere tens of millions of years ago, with its monstrous teeth and powerful jaws dominating the end of the age of the dinosaurs.  How it came to be is among the many mysteries that paleontologists have long tried to solve. Researchers from several universities and … continue reading -> “Fossil Unearthed in New Mexico Years Ago Is Identified as T. Rex Relative”

geneva — The head of the U.N. health agency said Wednesday holiday gatherings and the spread of the most prominent variant globally led to increased transmission of COVID-19 last month. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said nearly 10,000 deaths were reported in December, while hospital admissions during the month jumped 42% in nearly 50 countries — mostly in … continue reading -> “Nearly 10,000 Died From COVID-19 Last Month, Fueled by Holiday Gatherings, New Variant, WHO Says”

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Geneva — The World Health Organization is warning that millions of people caught in conflict-driven health emergencies risk dying from traumatic wounds and infectious diseases because life-saving humanitarian aid is not reaching those in need. In one of his most forceful statements to date, the WHO’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, accused the Israeli government of blocking … continue reading -> “WHO: Life-Saving Aid Not Reaching Millions of People Caught in Health Emergencies”

sydney — Australian researchers have found that record heat profoundly affected the global water cycle in 2023, contributing to severe storms, floods and droughts. An Australian National University study published Thursday asserts that rising sea and air temperatures caused by the burning of fossil fuels have intensified monsoons, cyclones and other storm systems. The world’s climate … continue reading -> “Australian Research Highlights Impact of Climate Change on Rainfall”