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China-Russia cooperation blocks Antarctic conservation proposals

taipei, taiwan —  China and Russia are deepening cooperation in Antarctica in a trend that analysts say could undermine marine conservation efforts and disrupt the long-standing status quo in the resource-rich region. China and Russia were accused of collaborating to…

Militant attacks in Pakistan hinder polio immunization campaigns

washington —  Militant groups have intensified attacks against polio vaccination teams and their police escorts in Pakistan amid a dramatic resurgence of polio cases in the country. Officials say because of the deteriorating security situation, polio vaccination teams cannot reach…

US detects H5N1 bird flu in pig for first time

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS —  H5N1 bird flu had been confirmed in a pig in a backyard farm in Oregon, the first detection of the virus in swine in the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Wednesday. Pigs represent a…

Britain identifies its first case of new mpox variant

LONDON —  Britain has detected its first case of new mpox variant clade Ib, the country’s health security agency (UKHSA) said Wednesday, adding that the risk to the population remained low. The clade Ib variant is a new form of…

Record 8 million people diagnosed with TB in 2023, WHO reports

london —  More than 8 million people were diagnosed with tuberculosis last year, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, the highest number recorded since the U.N. health agency began keeping track. About 1.25 million people died of TB last year,…

One person dead in Iowa from Lassa fever, state health department says

The Iowa Department of Health and Human Services on Monday confirmed the death of a middle-aged eastern Iowa resident from Lassa fever. The individual had recently returned from travel to West Africa, where it is believed the person contracted the…

Pakistan, Afghanistan launch polio vaccination drives as cases resurge

Islamabad —  Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan simultaneously launched fresh vaccination campaigns against polio Monday amid a resurgence in cases in the only two countries globally where the virus continues to be endemic and paralyze children. The World Health Organization reported…

McDonald’s Quarter Pounder returns after E. coli testing rules out beef

LOS ANGELES —  McDonald’s announced Sunday that Quarter Pounders will again be on its menu at hundreds of its restaurants after testing ruled out beef patties as the source of the outbreak of E. coli poisoning tied to the popular…

How to prepare for potential health effects of upcoming end to daylight saving time

The good news: You will get a glorious extra hour of sleep. The bad: It’ll be dark as a pocket by late afternoon for the next few months in the U.S. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time…

NASA astronaut released from hospital after return from space station

washington —  A NASA astronaut who was hospitalized upon return from the International Space Station for an unspecified medical condition was released Saturday in “good health,” the U.S. space agency said. The four-member Crew-8 mission splashed down off the coast…