California marine sanctuary protects waters from oil drilling
After President Joe Biden announced a ban on oil and gas drilling off most of the U.S. coastline in early January, President-elect Donald Trump quickly vowed to reverse it after he takes office on January 20. But there is one…
Proposed rules would require nutrition info, allergen warnings on US alcohol labels
Labels on wine, distilled spirits and malt beverages in the United States would be required to list alcohol content and nutritional information per serving, plus notification of potential allergens, under two new rules proposed Thursday by the Treasury Department. The…
Thai resort island Phuket grapples with growing garbage crisis
PHUKET, THAILAND — Plastic bottles and empty beer cans roll on the sea floor in the waters around Phuket in southern Thailand, while ever more garbage piles up on the island itself, a tourist hotspot better known for its pristine…
Malawi takes steps to end cholera outbreaks by 2030
BLANTYRE, MALAWI — Malawi’s government launched a plan Thursday to stop cholera outbreaks by 2030. Officials say that if the government and international partners can effectively cooperate, they can greatly reduce the prevalence of cholera in the southern African country,…
SpaceX catches Starship booster again, but upper stage explodes
WASHINGTON — Hours after Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin nailed its first-ever orbital mission, SpaceX seized back the spotlight on Thursday as its latest test of Starship, its gargantuan next-generation mega rocket, ended with the upper stage dramatically disintegrating over the…
US CDC recommends faster testing for bird flu in hospitalized patients
People hospitalized for flu should be tested for bird flu within 24 hours, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, in an expansion of the agency’s efforts to tackle increasing infections in humans. The advisory is…
WHO appeals for $1.5 billion to tackle ‘unprecedented’ global health crisis
GENEVA — The World Health Organization appealed Thursday for $1.5 billion for emergency operations this year, warning that conflict, climate change, epidemics and displacement had converged to create an “unprecedented global health crisis.” The U.N. health agency estimated that health…
WHO says suspected outbreak of Marburg disease kills 8 in remote part of Tanzania
ARUSHA, Tanzania — The World Health Organization said Wednesday an outbreak of suspected Marburg disease has killed eight people in a remote part of northern Tanzania. “We are aware of 9 cases so far, including 8 people who have died,”…
Despite international concerns, doctors say China flu-like virus is no COVID-19
Reports of rising cases of a flu-like illness in China, where COVID-19 was first detected five years ago, sparked international concerns about the potential for another worldwide pandemic. But medical experts say the human metapneumovirus, known as HMPV, is no…
Despite international concerns, doctors say China flu-like virus is no COVID-19
China says HMPV infections in the northern part of the country are declining. News of increased respiratory illnesses in China kindled international concerns about another potential pandemic. But, as VOA’s Dora Mekouar reports, medical experts say HMPV is nothing like…