Climate finance to take center stage at COP29
BERLIN, Germany — Close to 200 countries are scheduled to negotiate a new climate finance target for the Global South at the U.N. Climate Change Conference, or COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan,
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Four astronauts return to Earth after being delayed by Boeing’s capsule trouble, Hurricane Milton
Four astronauts returned to Earth on Friday after a nearly eight-month space station stay extended by Boeing’s capsule trouble and Hurricane Milton. A SpaceX capsule carrying the crew parachuted before
Read MoreHow Afghan, Pakistani clerics battle polio vaccine misinformation
Maulana Tayyab Qureshi, the top cleric in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, has seen up close the devastating effects of polio. Two of his own kin were once paralyzed, victims of
Read MoreSnakebite victims in Southern Africa struggle to get antivenom
Snakebites are classified as a neglected tropical disease by the World Health Organization. In South Africa and other countries in the region, there are numerous barriers to getting the antivenom
Read MorePolio strikes as misinformation fuels vaccine refusal in Pakistan and Afghanistan
The naturally occurring form of polio remains active in only two countries in the world: Pakistan and Afghanistan. Over 50 cases of so-called wild polio have been confirmed in the
Read MoreE. coli outbreak tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder kills 1, sickens dozens in US
One person died and dozens fell ill from E. coli infections linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers in 10 states, led by Colorado, where 26 people were sickened, the U.S.
Read MorePolio resurfaces in Ivory Coast, threatening country’s children
Health officials say there have been six cases of polio reported in Ivory Coast in 2023, and one so far this year. It doesn’t seem like many, but any polio
Read MoreNew mpox variant detected in Germany
Berlin — An infection with the new mpox variant clade 1b has been detected in Germany for the first time, the Robert Koch Institute health authority said on Tuesday. The
Read MoreChina unveils first diagnosis guidelines to battle escalating obesity crisis
HONG KONG — China’s National Health Commission (NHC) published its first set of guidelines to standardize the diagnosis and treatment of obesity, with more than half of China’s adults already overweight
Read MoreFrench government takes new blows over deal to sell painkiller maker to US fund
Paris — French drugmaker Sanofi’s confirmation that it will sell a controlling stake in its consumer health unit to a U.S. investment fund sparked a new political backlash Monday, stoked by
Read MoreEnvironmental delegates gather in Colombia for a conference on dwindling global biodiversity
Bogota, Colombia — Global environmental leaders gather Monday in Cali, Colombia to assess the world’s plummeting biodiversity levels and commitments by countries to protect plants, animals and critical habitats. The two-week
Read MoreWHO urges Rwanda to see off Marburg outbreak
Geneva — The WHO chief on Sunday urged Rwanda to keep up its fightback against Marburg, as the country battles an outbreak of one of the world’s deadliest viruses. There have
Read MoreWhooping cough is at a decade-high level in US
MILWAUKEE — Whooping cough is at its highest level in a decade for this time of year, U.S. health officials reported Thursday. There have been 18,506 cases of whooping cough reported
Read MoreKidney transplants are safe between people with HIV, US study shows
People with HIV can safely receive donated kidneys from deceased donors with the virus, according to a large study that comes as the U.S. government moves to expand the practice.
Read MorePolio crisis deepens as Pakistan reports new cases
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan said Saturday that two children in its southern Sindh province had been paralyzed by poliovirus, bringing the total number of cases nationwide to 39 for the year since
Read MoreNigeria rolls out long-anticipated malaria vaccine
ABUJA, NIGERIA — Nigeria officially launched its malaria vaccination campaign this week to protect millions of children from the deadly disease, focusing heavily on high-risk states. The first 846,000 doses of
Read MoreAging farmers face extreme temperatures as they struggle to maintain Japan’s rice crop
KAMIMOMI, Japan — In the remote village of Kamimomi in Japan’s western Okayama prefecture, a small group of rice farmers began their most recent harvest in sweltering heat, two weeks sooner
Read MorePressure grows for nations to deliver on promised biodiversity targets at UN conference
Two years after reaching a historic biodiversity agreement, countries will gather next week to determine whether they are making progress on efforts to save Earth’s plant and animal life. The
Read MoreNamibia hosts workshop on health care access to LGBTQ+ community
WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA — Namibians who are part of the LGBTQ+ community often find it difficult to get decent health care and many report discriminatory practices within the health care system. For
Read MoreMoonlight may hamper views of Orionid meteor shower, debris of Halley’s comet
washington — The Orionids — one of two annual meteor showers from Halley’s comet — peak early Monday. A bright waning moon may make them difficult to spot. The Orionid meteor
Read MoreColombian ranchers aim to prove beef production can be good for planet
Scientists say beef production takes a heavy toll on the environment. Cattle produce methane, a powerful planet-warming gas, and forests get cut down for pastures. But one farm in northern
Read MoreUS Supreme Court declines to pause EPA power plant emissions rule
The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to put on hold a new federal rule targeting carbon pollution from coal- and gas-fired power plants at the request of numerous states
Read MoreListeria recall grows to 5.4 million kilograms of meat and poultry
A nationwide recall of meat and poultry products potentially contaminated with listeria has expanded to nearly 15.4 million kilograms (12 million pounds) and now includes ready-to-eat meals sent to U.S.
Read MoreGrowing number of young women say abortion rights top election issue
Since the U.S. Supreme Court sent the issue of abortion back to the states in 2022, Democrats have mobilized to protect abortion rights while Republicans have worked to restrict the
Read MoreWHO: Gaza polio campaign starts well, despite Israeli strikes
Geneva — The World Health Organization said on Tuesday it had been able to start its polio campaign in central Gaza and vaccinate tens of thousands of children despite Israeli strikes
Read MoreAfrica’s farming future could include more digital solutions
NAIROBI, KENYA — More than 400 delegates and organizations working in Africa’s farming sector are in Nairobi, Kenya, this week to discuss how digital agriculture can improve the lives of farmers
Read MoreNASA spacecraft rockets toward Jupiter’s moon Europa, searching for keys to life
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A NASA spacecraft rocketed away Monday on a quest to explore Jupiter’s tantalizing moon Europa and reveal whether its vast hidden ocean might hold the keys to
Read MoreNASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will scour Jupiter moon for ingredients for life
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A NASA spacecraft is ready to set sail for Jupiter and its moon Europa, one of the best bets for finding life beyond Earth. Europa Clipper will
Read MoreScientists recreate head of ancient 2.7-meter-long bug
WASHINGTON — As if the largest bug to ever live – a monster about 2.7 meters long with several dozen legs – wasn’t terrifying enough, scientists could only just imagine what
Read MoreHot days and methamphetamine are now a deadlier mix in US
PHOENIX — On just one sweltering day during the hottest June on record in Phoenix, a 38-year-old man collapsed under a freeway bridge and a 41-year-old woman was found slumped outside
Read MorePregnant Philippine women arrested in Cambodia for surrogacy could be prosecuted
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Thirteen pregnant Philippine women accused of illegally acting as surrogate mothers in Cambodia after being recruited online could face prison terms after giving birth, a senior Interior
Read MoreUS aviation authority approves SpaceX Starship 5 flight for Sunday
washington — The Federal Aviation Administration approved a license Saturday for the launch of SpaceX’s Starship 5 on Sunday after earlier saying it did not expect to make a decision until
Read MoreElection stress disorder is a real thing ahead of November voting
The American Psychiatric Association says that as elections approach, stress levels go up, regardless of political affiliation. The constant stream of news, stressful arguments and concerns about the country’s future all put pressure
Read MoreCameroon urges awareness of breast cancer’s early stages
YAOUNDE, CAMEROON — Humanitarian groups in Cameroon are visiting homes and villages in remote areas this week to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, advising women to go to hospitals for free
Read MoreAnimal lovers try to counter the deadly risk of Chicago high-rises for migrating birds
chicago — With a neon-green net in hand, Annette Prince briskly walks a downtown Chicago plaza at dawn, looking left and right as she goes. It’s not long before she spots
Read MoreSmithsonian and NASA present exhibit that explores ever-changing Earth
This month, [October 8] the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History opened “NASA’s Earth Information Center” an exhibition that gives visitors a firsthand look at the forces shaping our planet.
Read MorePrayer camps in Nigeria attract ‘miracle seekers’
The power of simple prayer to heal illness is not clear, according to scientists, and is difficult to study. Whatever your faith, when you’re sick, you should seek treatment from
Read MoreA rare comet brightens the night skies in October
NEW YORK — Prepare to spot a rare, bright comet. The space rock is slinging toward Earth from the outer reaches of the solar system and will make its closest pass
Read MoreOne in 8 girls and women raped or sexually assaulted before age 18, UNICEF says
UNITED NATIONS — More than 370 million girls and women alive today, or one in every eight worldwide, experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18, the United Nations
Read MoreColombia’s Caribbean islands on front line of war on climate change
As representatives of the signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity prepare to meet in Cali, Colombia, this month, residents of some Colombian islands in the Caribbean are calling for
Read MoreBaker, Hassabis, Jumper win 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
STOCKHOLM — Scientists David Baker, Demis Hassabis and John Jumper won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, the award-giving body said on Wednesday, for their work on the structure of proteins.
Read MoreCholera cases, deaths surge more than 200% in Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria — Cholera is surging in Nigeria, health officials said this week, with the number of cases and deaths increasing by more than 200% this year. The Nigerian Center for
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