Climate Change Drove Great Ape Species to Extinction, Study Finds
washington — An ancient species of great ape was likely driven to extinction when climate change put their favorite fruits out of reach during dry seasons, scientists reported Wednesday. The species
Read MoreAncient Human DNA Hints At Why Multiple Sclerosis Affects So Many Northern Europeans Now
Washington — Ancient DNA helps explain why northern Europeans have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis than other ancestries: It’s a genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the
Read MoreUN Health Agency: Holiday Gatherings, New Variant Have Driven Up COVID Cases Globally
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
Read More‘Oppenheimer’ Leads Screen Actors Guild Nominations as Gala Moves to Netflix
Los Angeles — Fresh from its wins at the Golden Globes, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” on Wednesday topped the nominations for the influential Screen Actors Guild Awards, which are key to Oscars
Read MoreTaliban Minister Boasts Afghan Anti-Polio Gains While Addressing Global Health Huddle
Islamabad — A senior representative of Afghanistan’s Taliban government told a Pakistan-hosted international health conference Wednesday that his country had recorded an increase in mosquito-borne malaria and dengue fever cases, but
Read MoreAI-Powered Misinformation Is World’s Biggest Short-Term Threat, Davos Report Says
London — False and misleading information supercharged with cutting-edge artificial intelligence that threatens to erode democracy and polarize society is the top immediate risk to the global economy, the World Economic
Read MoreUS Delays Planned Return of Astronauts to Moon Until 2026
washington — The United States is pushing back its planned return of astronauts to the surface of the Moon from 2025 to 2026, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said Tuesday. Artemis, named
Read MoreFuel Leak Forces US Company to Abandon Moon Landing Attempt
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A crippling fuel leak forced a U.S. company on Tuesday to give up on landing a spacecraft on the moon. Astrobotic Technology’s lander began losing fuel soon
Read MoreSinead O’Connor Died of Natural Causes, London Coroner Says
LONDON — Irish singer Sinead O’Connor, who was found unresponsive at an address in London in July last year, died of natural causes, the coroner said on Tuesday. O’Connor, known for
Read MoreTaiwan Unleashes Robots on Dengue-Carrying Mosquitoes
Researchers in Taiwan are using a special robot to hunt mosquitoes that carry the virus that causes dengue fever. From the southern city of Kaohsiung, Shelley Schlender has our story.
Read MoreFranz Beckenbauer, World Cup Champion as Player and Coach for Germany, Dies at 78
Munich — Franz Beckenbauer, who won the World Cup both as player and coach and became one of Germany’s most beloved personalities with his easygoing charm, has died, news agency dpa
Read MoreClimate Change Ruining Farms on El Salvador’s Coast
The impact of climate change is increasingly evident along El Salvador’s coastlines where saltwater is slowly claiming what once was farmland. Veronica Villafañe narrates this report from Claudia Zaldaña …
Read MoreFirst US Lunar Lander In More Than 50 Years Rockets Toward Moon With Commercial Deliveries
Cape Canaveral, Florida — The first U.S. lunar lander in more than 50 years rocketed toward the moon Monday, launching private companies on a space race to make deliveries for NASA
Read More‘Oppenheimer’ Dominates Golden Globes, ‘Poor Things’ Upsets ‘Barbie’ in Comedy
BEVERLY HILLS, California — “Oppenheimer has dominated the Golden Globe Awards, taking home the night’s top honor. Yorgos Lanthimos’ “Poor Things” has won best comedy or musical at the 81st Golden
Read MorePrivate Industry Leads America’s First Moon Landing Since Apollo
Cape Canaveral, Florida — The first American spacecraft to attempt to land on the Moon in more than half a century is poised to blast off early Monday — but this
Read More‘Wonka’ Is No. 1 at Box Office Again as 2024 Gets Off to Slower Start
LOS ANGELES — Timothee Chalamet and “Wonka” topped the box office charts for the third time in its four weekends in theaters. Warner Bros.’ family-oriented musical added $14.4 million in ticket
Read MoreHollywood Festivities Return as ‘Barbie’ Vies for Golden Globes
BEVERLY HILLS, California — Margot Robbie, Oprah Winfrey and Leonardo DiCaprio will mingle with other top stars on Sunday at the Golden Globe awards, Hollywood’s first big celebration since twin strikes
Read MoreIndia’s First Solar Observatory Reaches Destination
New Delhi — India has achieved another milestone in space exploration by successfully placing a spacecraft in an orbit from which it will study the sun for five years. India joined
Read MoreUS Coal Miners Unearth Mammoth Tusk Buried for Thousands of Years
BISMARCK, ND — The first person to spot it was a shovel operator working the overnight shift, eyeing a glint of white as he scooped up a giant mound of dirt
Read MoreCalifornia Legalizes Most Lowrider Cruising
Customized cars that ride low and slow have been part of Mexican American culture since the 1940s. But in California, cruising in these modified vehicles was mostly illegal — until
Read MoreAsian Restaurant in US Battles Racist Stereotype of Dog-Eating
FRESNO, Calif. — David Rasavong’s cultural pride is evident all throughout his restaurant. It’s on the wall of family portraits and where a stunning mural depicts his family’s journey from Laos
Read MorePope Francis Warns Against Ideological Splits in Catholic Church
VATICAN CITY — Amid resistance to some Vatican policy by more conservative factions of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis on Saturday cautioned the faithful against fracturing into groups “based on our
Read MoreLargest Male Specimen of the World’s Most Venomous Spider Found in Australia
sydney — With fangs that could pierce a human fingernail, the largest male specimen of the world’s most venomous arachnid has found a new home at the Australian Reptile Park where
Read MoreUS Flu, COVID Infections Worsen Over Holidays
NEW YORK — The flu season in the U.S. is getting worse but it’s too soon to tell how much holiday gatherings contributed to a likely spike in illnesses. New government
Read MoreGlynis Johns, ‘Mary Poppins’ Star, Dies at 100
NEW YORK — Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning stage and screen star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie Mary Poppins and introduced the world to the
Read MoreSouth African Athlete Oscar Pistorius Released from Prison
PRETORIA, South Africa — Officials say South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released from prison on parole and is now at home. The Department of Corrections gave no more details
Read MoreHow Media Help Change Conversation on Mental Health
WASHINGTON — At a time when growing numbers of young Americans are diagnosed with mental health conditions, media are looking at ways to cover the issue more responsibly. Data shows a
Read MoreBusy Week for SpaceX; Wild Buffaloes Get a Tech Upgrade
A busy week for SpaceX launches. NASA eyes an upcoming moon mission. And Australian buffaloes get a high-tech upgrade. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
Read MoreMore US Hospitals Requiring Masks as Flu, COVID-19 Cases Surge
NEW YORK — More U.S. hospitals are requiring masks and limiting visitors as health officials face an expected but still nasty post-holiday spike in flu, COVID-19 and other illnesses. While many
Read MoreAlzheimer’s Drugs Might Get Into the Brain Faster With New Ultrasound Tool
washington — Scientists have found a way to help Alzheimer’s drugs seep inside the brain faster — by temporarily breaching its protective shield. The novel experiment was a first attempt in
Read MoreCalifornia Rose Parade Features Float for Armenian Mothers
Armenian Americans in Southern California celebrated their culture with a flowered float in the annual Rose Parade, moving on from a turbulent year that included Armenians’ exodus from their former
Read MoreNew Women’s North American Hockey League Launches
Montreal — Women’s ice hockey kicked off 2024 with the launch of a new professional league that debuted Monday with a match between the Toronto and New York teams. The Professional
Read More‘Wonka’ Back Atop North America Box Office in Weak Film Year
Los Angeles — Fantasy musical “Wonka” bounced back to the top of the North American box office this New Year’s weekend as an otherwise pallid film year came to an end,
Read MoreUS Seizes Illegal E-Cigarettes, as Thousands of New Ones Are Launching
WASHINGTON — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government
Read MoreOscar-Nominated Actor Tom Wilkinson Dies at 75
london — Two-time Oscar-nominated actor Tom Wilkinson, who starred in “The Full Monty” — a movie about a group of unemployed steel workers who launched new careers as strippers — died
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