Wu Zunyou, an epidemiologist who helped drive the country’s strict zero-COVID measures in China that suspended access to cities and confined millions to their homes, died on Friday. He was 60. An announcement from China’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention about Wu’s death gave no cause but said that “rescue measures failed.” Wu’s health … continue reading -> “China’s Chief Epidemiologist Who Helped Drive Anti-COVID Fight Dies at Age 60”
Researchers in Brazil have developed a vaccine designed to fight addiction to cocaine and its potent derivative crack — by preventing addicts from feeling the effects of the drugs and helping them stay on track for recovery. The drug, known as Calixcoca, was developed by a team at Brazil’s Federal University of Minas Gerais. Preliminary … continue reading -> “Brazilian Researchers Develop Vaccine to Fight Cocaine Addiction”
The United Nations has begun an effort to help the world manage the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday launched a 39-member advisory body of tech company executives, government officials and academics from countries spanning six continents. The panel aims to issue preliminary recommendations on AI governance by the … continue reading -> “UN Announces Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence “
A month after federal officials recommended new versions of COVID-19 vaccines, 7% of U.S. adults and 2% of children have gotten shots. The numbers, presented Thursday at a meeting held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, come from a national survey of thousands of Americans conducted two weeks ago. The data also indicated … continue reading -> “Survey: 2% of Kids, 7% of Adults Have Received New COVID Shots”
Political leaders in the Mississippi River area are looking to form a multistate compact to manage threats from climate change, water pollution and drought-affected regions elsewhere. “Twenty million people drink from the Mississippi River and its tributaries every day, including me and my family,” said Colin Wellenkamp, executive director of the Mississippi River Cities and … continue reading -> “Divergent States Working to Safeguard America’s Most Important River”
China launched its youngest-ever crew for its orbiting space station on Thursday as it seeks to put astronauts on the moon before 2030. The Shenzhou 17 spacecraft lifted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center on the edge of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China atop a Long March 2-F rocket at 11:14 a.m. (0314 … continue reading -> “China Sends Youngest-Ever Crew to Space as It Seeks to Put Astronauts on Moon”
Malawi is seeing a spike in cholera cases. This, just two months after the government lifted a public health emergency declaration that had been in place since early 2022. Chimwemwe Padatha has this story from Lilongwe, Malawi …
According to a 2023 report by the Global Action for Sustainable Development, Liberia is losing an entire generation to drug abuse, with its capital, Monrovia, alone having more than 800 drug hubs and an estimated 100,000 drug users. An older generation of rehabilitated child soldiers have moved to join the fight against drugs, using a … continue reading -> “Former Child Soldier Program Deployed to Tackle Drug Abuse in Liberia”
Brinc Drones is one of the U.S. companies shipping hundreds of drones to Ukraine. These drones are designed to help first responders survey the impacted areas of Russian shelling and find survivors. Adriy Borys visited the Brink manufacturing facility. Anna Rice narrates his story. Camera — Dmitriy Savchuk. …
Zara-owner Inditex, the world’s biggest clothing retailer, has agreed to buy recycled polyester from a U.S. start-up as it aims for 25% of its fibers to come from “next-generation” materials by 2030. As fast-fashion retailers face pressure to reduce waste and use recycled fabrics, Inditex is spending more than $74 million to secure supply from … continue reading -> “Zara Owner Inditex to Buy Recycled Polyester From US Start-Up”
Japan’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that a law requiring transgender people to undergo sterilization surgery in order to officially change their gender is unconstitutional. The decision by the top court’s 15-judge Grand Bench was its first on the constitutionality of Japan’s 2003 law requiring the removal of sex organs for a state-recognized gender change, … continue reading -> “Japan’s Top Court Strikes Down Required Sterilization Surgery to Officially Change Gender “
The UK Space Agency and a U.S. spaceflight services company have signed an initial agreement as they bid to send British astronauts into orbit for two weeks, the agency said Wednesday. The memorandum of understanding with Houston-based Axiom Space sets out plans for a flight that would see British astronauts conduct a two-week mission in … continue reading -> “UK Plans Space Mission After Striking Deal with US Firm”
Thirty-three U.S. states are suing Meta Platforms Inc., accusing it of damaging young people’s mental health through the addictive nature of their social media platforms. The suit filed Tuesday in federal court in Oakland, California, alleges Meta knowingly installed addictive features on its social media platforms, Instagram and Facebook, and has collected data on children … continue reading -> “33 US States Sue Meta, Accusing Platform of Harming Children”
Phoenix, Arizona, in America’s Southwest, is the site of a Taiwanese semiconductor chip making facility. One part of President Joe Biden’s cornerstone agenda is to rely less on manufacturing from overseas and boost domestic production of chips that run everything from phones to cars. Many Taiwanese workers who moved to the U.S. to work at … continue reading -> “Taiwan Computer Chip Workers Adjust to Life in American Desert”
Bird flu has been detected in the Antarctica region for the first time, according to British experts, raising concerns the deadly virus could pose a threat to penguins and other local species. Scientists had been fearing that the worst outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in history would reach Antarctica, a key breeding ground … continue reading -> “Bird Flu Detected in Antarctica Region for First Time”
Artificial intelligence companies and governments should allocate at least one third of their AI research and development funding to ensuring the safety and ethical use of the systems, top AI researchers said in a paper on Tuesday. The paper, issued a week before the international AI Safety Summit in London, lists measures that governments and … continue reading -> “Governments, Firms Should Spend More on AI Safety, Top Researchers Say”
The World Health Organization reported Monday that progress was being made in efforts to prevent and respond to cases of sexual misconduct but acknowledged that abuse by WHO staff remained problematic. “For the past two years, WHO has intensified our work to prevent and respond to any form of sexual misconduct, sexual … continue reading -> “WHO: Sexual Misconduct and Exploitation by Staff Remains Problematic”
The world is moving too slowly to meet pledges to end deforestation by 2030, with the destruction worsening in 2022, according to a report by a coalition of environmental organizations released on Monday. More than 140 countries – representing the vast majority of the world’s woodlands – pledged at the 2021 United Nations climate summit … continue reading -> “World Far off Track on Pledges to End Deforestation by 2030 – Report”
Nigeria is ramping up its environmental education efforts as floods and soil erosion increase due to climate change. The latest education initiative is a card game called Play, Learn and Act Now, or PLAN. Gibson Emeka has this story from Abuja, Nigeria. …
The coming election to choose the World Health Organization’s next chief of the South-East Asia Regional Office, or SEARO, has become contentious as the person who takes up that post could influence the health of billions of people. The daughter of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is one of two candidates for the SEARO position. … continue reading -> “WHO Regional Election Sparks Nepotism Concerns in Bangladesh”
Countries are deadlocked over how to design a fund to help countries recover and rebuild from climate change-driven damage, with just over 30 days left before crucial United Nations climate negotiations kick off in Dubai. Two dozen countries involved in a committee tasked with designing a “loss and damage” fund wrapped up the last … continue reading -> “Countries Deadlocked on ‘Loss and Damage’ Fund as UN Climate Summit Nears”
Kenyan developers have designed a mobile phone application that police say is helping to safeguard smartphones from theft, recover stolen cell phones and prevent loss of data. Victoria Amunga reports from Nairobi. Camera: Jimmy Makhulo …
A California research team is conducting a five-year ecological study of six songbird species in northwestern New Mexico oil fields to see how sensory intrusions affect the birds’ survival, reproduction and general health. The Santa Fe New Mexican says the study by avian researchers from California Polytechnic State University will zero in on the specific … continue reading -> “Do Manmade Noise, Light Harm Songbirds in New Mexico’s Oil Fields?”
Researchers in the United States have shown for the first time they can safely and effectively infect human volunteers with Zika virus, a step toward learning more about the disease and developing vaccines and treatments. The study – known as a “controlled human infection model” – has previously been controversial for Zika because of … continue reading -> “Scientists Infect Volunteers With Zika in Hunt for Vaccines, Treatments”
The World Health Organization warns that tens of thousands of survivors of a series of powerful 6.3 magnitude earthquakes that struck western Afghanistan’s Herat province between October 7 and 15 are in desperate need of humanitarian aid and essential health services. “I have personally seen how these multiple earthquakes flattened villages, displaced thousands of people … continue reading -> “Afghan Quake Survivors Face Staggering Health Consequences”