Fewer US overdose deaths reported last year, but experts still cautious
NEW YORK — The number of fatal overdoses in the U.S. fell last year, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data posted Wednesday. Agency officials noted that the data is provisional and could change after more analysis, and…
Shrinking Caspian Sea worries environmental activists
Residents of Aqtau, a Kazakhstani port city located on the northeastern shore of the Caspian Sea, are on edge these days. For more than two decades, they have watched the Caspian Sea shrink and the local economy wither. As the…
New TB vaccine being tested in South Africa holds hope for millions
A groundbreaking clinical trial is underway in South Africa, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against tuberculosis. The new vaccine could become the first to help prevent pulmonary TB, the most common form of the disease, in adolescents and…
Dazzling auroras fade from skies as sunspot turns away
Washington — The spectacular auroras that danced across the sky in many parts of the world over the weekend are fading, scientists said Monday, as the massive sunspot that caused them turns its ferocious gaze away from Earth. Since Friday,…
UN report: Illegal wildlife trafficking is stubbornly prevalent
Illegal trafficking of plant and animal wildlife remains stubbornly prevalent, according to a U.N. report on Monday, and it is critical governments focus on more than just “iconic” species like elephants, where progress had been made. While seizures reported in…
In photos: stunning displays of aurora borealis
A solar storm hitting Earth produced stunning displays of color across the sky this weekend. Brilliant purple, green, yellow and pink were seen in Germany, Switzerland, London, Canada, Russia, and the U.S. Here are a few images showing what the…
First patient to get gene-edited pig kidney transplant dies
Washington — The first living patient to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died two months after the procedure, the US hospital that carried it out said. “Mass General is deeply saddened at the sudden passing of Mr….
Dogs entering US must be 6 months old, microchipped to prevent rabies spread
New York — All dogs coming into the U.S. from other countries must be at least 6 months old and microchipped to help prevent the spread of rabies, according to new government rules published Wednesday. The new rules require vaccination…
US dedicates $60 million to saving water along the Rio Grande
ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico — The U.S. government is dedicating $60 million over the next few years to projects along the Rio Grande in southern New Mexico and West Texas to make the river more resilient in the face of climate…
It’s not a matter of if a hurricane will hit Florida, but when, forecasters say
SANFORD, Florida — With the start of hurricane season less than a month away, U.S. officials who predict, prepare for and respond to natural disasters had a message for Floridians on Friday: It’s not a matter of if a hurricane…