Testing swift responses to chemical terrorism threats
On a seemingly typical day in Semarang, Indonesia, a few train passengers have started to feel nauseous. Others nearby are saying they cannot breathe. Five have fainted. One is not responding. A few minutes in, a miniature car wheezes by…
WHO on alert as mpox cases surge to unprecedented levels in Africa
The continent is witnessing an “unprecedented” spike in mpox cases since January, with 15 countries reporting outbreaks. As of Thursday, 2030 cases and 13 deaths were confirmed this year, compared with 1,145 cases and seven deaths in the whole of…
Upcoming elections in Cameroon mark a ‘key opportunity’ to commit to human rights: UN human rights chief
“Cameroon today faces multiple complex human rights challenges, but also opportunities, particularly given its extremely youthful population, with more than 40 per cent of Cameroonians under the age of 15, as well as a vibrant civil society,” observed Mr. Türk…
Gaza: Thousands on the run again following new evacuation order
The directive affects people located in parts of eastern and central Khan Younis as well as the Al Salqa area of Deir Al-Balah. Initial estimates indicate that more than 15,500 people had been living in those areas, which comprise more…
Russia-Ukraine fighting continues for 3rd day in Russia’s Kursk region
Russian and Ukrainian forces are clashing in Russia’s Kursk region for a third consecutive day, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Thursday. Russia described it as one of the largest cross-border incursions by Ukrainian forces during the war that started 2½ years…
Stranded NASA Starliner pilots may return to Earth on SpaceX
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — What should have been a quick trip to the International Space Station may turn into an eight-month stay for two NASA astronauts if they have to switch from Boeing to SpaceX for a ride home. There’s…
Extreme heat in July debilitates hundreds of millions worldwide
GENEVA — Soaring temperatures in July have had detrimental effects on the well-being of hundreds of millions of people worldwide who have found the monthlong extreme heat too hot to handle, according to the World Meteorological Organization. “The extreme heat,…
Great Barrier Reef waters spike to hottest in 400 years, study finds
WASHINGTON — Ocean temperatures in the Great Barrier Reef hit their highest level in 400 years over the past decade, according to researchers who warned that the reef likely won’t survive if planetary warming isn’t stopped. During that time, between…
WHO calls emergency meeting on mpox spread
Geneva — World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday called an “emergency” meeting of international experts amidst growing worries over the mpox virus. With mpox spreading outside of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tedros said the WHO emergency…
Rural South Africans flock to Chinese classes
China’s Confucius Institutes teach Chinese around the world, but there’s more to them than that. VOA’s Kate Bartlett visited a new one that is hundreds of kilometers outside the capital in rural South Africa that’s also focusing on green technology….