Taylor Swift Named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year
Is the year of Taylor Swift over now? Not yet. Time magazine named Swift its person of the year on Wednesday, a week after Spotify announced she was the most-played
Read MoreEmmy-Winning TV Producer-Writer Norman Lear Dead at Age 101
Television producer-writer Norman Lear, whose ground-breaking hit comedy shows such as “All in the Family” and “Maude” addressed social issues such as race and abortion that had rarely been seen
Read MoreRussian Artist Explores Migration Caused by War
The plight of fugitives and refugees has been part of the artist Dima Alekseevs’ work since he left Russia in 2016. He now lives in the U.S. Nina Vishneva visited the artist and has this report narrated
Read MoreFormer UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson Admits to Making Mistakes But Defends COVID Record
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended his handling of COVID-19 on Wednesday at a public inquiry into the pandemic, saying his government “got some things wrong” but did its
Read MoreHere Are Wikipedia’s Most Searched Topics in 2023
Millions around the world turn to Wikipedia when they want to better understand the world around them, and that apparently includes artificial intelligence — the most searched topic on the
Read MoreWHO: Time to Hike Alcohol, Sugary Drinks Tax
Countries need to increase their taxes on alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, saying too few states were using tax to incentivize healthier behaviors. After studying
Read MoreDraft COP28 Text Includes Fossil Fuel Phase-Out
Countries at the COP28 climate conference are considering calling for a formal phase-out of fossil fuels as part of the U.N. summit’s final deal to tackle global warming, a draft
Read MoreNetherlands Returns Colonial-Era Artefacts to Sri Lanka
The Netherlands returned six artefacts including a cannon, a ceremonial sword and two guns taken from Sri Lanka more than 250 years ago on Tuesday, as part of efforts by
Read MoreLacking Counselors, US Schools Turn to Booming Business of Online Therapy
Trouble with playground bullies started for Maria Ishoo’s daughter in elementary school. Girls ganged up, calling her “fat” and “ugly.” Boys tripped and pushed her. The California mother watched her
Read MoreQueen Latifah, Billy Crystal, Dionne Warwick Among 2023 Kennedy Center Honorees
The newest group of Kennedy Center honorees, including comedian Billy Crystal and actor Queen Latifah, are being feted Sunday night at a star-studded event marking their lifetime achievement in arts
Read MoreBeyoncé’s ‘Renaissance’ Tops Box Office With $21 Million Debut
Beyoncé ruled the box office this weekend. Her concert picture, “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé,” opened in first place with $21 million in North American ticket sales, according to estimates
Read MoreKiss Say Farewell to Live Touring, Become First US Band To Go Virtual and Become Digital Avatars
On Saturday night, Kiss closed out the final performance of their “The End of the Road” farewell tour at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden. But as dedicated
Read MoreMaghreb Farmers Embrace Drones to Fight Climate Change
A drone buzzed back and forth above rows of verdant orange trees planted near Nabeul, eastern Tunisia. The black unmanned aircraft, equipped with a multi-lens camera and sensors, has been
Read MoreUS Ill-Prepared to House Growing Number of Older People, Study Says
Michael Genaldi’s road to homelessness began early this year when a car slammed into the rear of his motorcycle, crushed three of his ribs, and left him in a coma
Read MoreFlu on Rise, RSV Infections May Be Peaking, US Says
Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking, U.S. health officials said Friday. COVID-19, though, continues to cause
Read MoreKnown Pathogens Cause Rise in China’s Respiratory Illness, Official Says
China’s surge in respiratory illness is caused by known pathogens and there is no sign of new infectious diseases, a health official said Saturday as the country faces its first
Read MoreUS Issues New Rule on Methane Emissions
The Biden administration on Saturday issued a final rule aimed at reducing methane emissions, targeting the U.S. oil and natural gas industry for its role in global warming, as President
Read MoreUS VP Harris Announces $3 Billion Pledge to Green Climate Fund
U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris announced Saturday in Dubai at the U.N. COP28 Climate Conference that the United States is pledging $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund — the
Read MoreGolden Mole Presumed Extinct Found Again in South Africa
Researchers in South Africa say they have rediscovered a species of mole with an iridescent golden coat and the ability to almost “swim” through sand dunes after it hadn’t been
Read MoreUS Agency Predicts Strong Geomagnetic Storm on Saturday
The U.S. Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a warning for a strong geomagnetic storm Saturday, saying power and communications systems could be affected in the Northern Hemisphere after a
Read MoreOn World AIDS Day, Biden Vows to Stop Spread of HIV Worldwide by 2030
Friday is the 35th annual World AIDS Day, a time to remember the estimated 40.4 million lives lost to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, since the epidemic began in
Read MoreVirtual Reality Holograms Could Transform Learning, Arts
Developers at the University of Maryland are using a holographic camera to capture people’s movements in three dimensions for what could be high-impact training, education and entertainment. It is technology
Read MoreWomen Living with HIV Get Support in Mozambique
In Mozambique, one in four women between the ages of 35 and 39 live with the HIV virus, according to a 2021 national HIV assessment report. To combat the stigma
Read MoreTattoo Campaign Seeks to Help Displaced in Myanmar
A new campaign for Myanmar led by the son of imprisoned democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Kim Aris, is using tattoos as a publicity tool to raise humanitarian aid
Read MoreAncient Asteroid May Hold Clues on Water’s Origin on Earth
NASA collected samples of an ancient asteroid in space that took years to reach us back on Earth. Scientists expect this to be a long research process, but some theories
Read MoreScientists Say 2023 Amazon Drought Most Severe in Recorded History
Scientists say that in 2023, the Amazon region experienced the most severe drought in its recorded history. Rivers and lakes reached record low levels before rising in recent weeks. Thousands
Read MoreCOP28 Begins With Breakthrough Climate Fund Agreement
Nearly all the countries attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP28, agreed Thursday to create a fund that would help poor nations deal with the effects of climate
Read MoreShane MacGowan, Lead Singer of The Pogues, Dies at 65
Shane MacGowan, the boozy, rabble-rousing singer and chief songwriter of The Pogues, who infused traditional Irish music with the energy and spirit of punk, died Thursday, his family said. He
Read MoreIranian Rapper Toomaj Salehi Arrested Again
Iranian rapper Toomaj Salehi, who had been previously detained for showing support to anti-government protests and was released on bail earlier this month, was arrested again, Iran’s state media reported
Read MoreUN Weather Agency: 2023 Is Hottest Year on Record, More Climate Extremes Ahead
The U.N. weather agency said Thursday that 2023 is all but certain to be the hottest year on record, and warning of worrying trends that suggest increasing floods, wildfires, glacier
Read MoreSouth African Company to Start Making Vaginal Rings That Protect Against HIV
A South African company will make vaginal rings that protect against HIV, which AIDS experts say should eventually make them cheaper and more readily available. The Population Council announced Thursday
Read MoreVice President Harris to Lead US Delegation to Major Climate Summit
Vice President Kamala Harris will lead the U.S. delegation to the world’s premier climate summit, the White House said Wednesday. The White House stressed that President Joe Biden considers the
Read MoreUS Life Expectancy Climbs, but Remains Below Pre-Pandemic Levels
Life expectancy in the United States is on the rise but remains lower than it was in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic, as a host of other factors contributing
Read MoreBritish PM Accuses Greek Leader of ‘Grandstanding’ Over Parthenon Marbles
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has accused his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis of public “grandstanding” over the ownership of Parthenon sculptures. The two leaders have been at odds with one
Read MoreAs COP28 Gets Underway, Scientists Warn of Irreversible, Catastrophic Climate Change
The COP28 climate summit gets underway Thursday in Dubai, as scientists warn the world is heading for irreversible and potentially catastrophic climate change. 2023 is on course to be the
Read MoreDubai Hosts COP28 Summit Amid Intensifying Climate Emergency
The COP28 climate summit gets under way in Dubai Thursday. As Henry Ridgwell reports, the meeting comes at what scientists say is a crucial moment in the fight against global
Read MoreUS Life Expectancy Rose Last Year, But it Remains Below its Pre-Pandemic Level
U.S. life expectancy rose last year — by more than a year — but still isn’t close to what it was before the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 rise was mainly
Read MoreUS Wolverines Threatened With Extinction as Climate Change Melts Refuges
The North American wolverine will receive long-delayed federal protections under a Biden administration proposal released Wednesday in response to scientists warning that climate change will likely melt away the rare
Read MoreClimate Crises Drastically Increase Child Hunger, UK-Based Charity Says
Children made up nearly half of the people driven into hunger and malnutrition by extreme weather events in countries heavily impacted by the climate crisis in 2022, according to a
Read MoreWorld Health Organization Warns of Disease Threat in Gaza
Disease could pose a bigger threat to human life than bombings in Gaza, the World Health Organization said. Overcrowding and a lack of access to clean drinking water or sanitation
Read MoreAmerica House Opens in Odesa Despite Ongoing War in Ukraine
A new America House is celebrating its opening in Odesa, making it the third major cultural and educational center in Ukraine supported and financed by the U.S. Embassy. America House Odesa was supposed to open in early 2022, but
Read MoreCOP28 Has Big Agenda but Won’t Have Biden, Xi
When world leaders gather in Dubai beginning Thursday for COP28, this year’s U.N. climate summit, the heads of the world’s two largest economies will be notably absent. U.S. President Joe
Read MorePakistan: Nationwide Polio Campaign Targets Over 4 Million Children
Pakistan launched a week-long nationwide polio vaccination campaign Monday, as the country remains one of only two around the world where the paralyzing virus still exists. This year, so far,
Read MoreSpain to Invest 1.4 Billion Euros to Protect Threatened Donana Wetland
National and regional authorities in Spain signed an agreement Monday to invest 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in areas around the treasured national park of Donana in a bid to
Read MoreChina Says Surge in Respiratory Illnesses Caused by Flu, Other Known Pathogens
A surge in respiratory illnesses across China that has drawn the attention of the World Health Organization is caused by the flu and other known pathogens and not by a
Read More‘Hunger Games’ Feasts, ‘Napoleon’ Conquers, ‘Wish’ Disappoints at Box Office
The Walt Disney Co.’s “Wish” had been expected to rule the Thanksgiving weekend box office, but moviegoers instead feasted on leftovers, as “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and
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