Month: January 2020

Pollution kills three times more people than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined, according to new estimates. It's one of the leading causes of death. But it's a neglected issue in most of the world, despite the enormous toll. VOA's Steve Baragona has more. ...

The World Health Organization confirmed Monday the first case in Thailand of a new virus from the same family as SARS that is behind a Chinese pneumonia outbreak.The U.N. health agency said a person traveling from Wuhan, China, had been hospitalized in Thailand on January…

China's health officials say there is no danger that a new strain of coronavirus could cause a worldwide spread of pneumonia-like illness similar to the 2003 SARS  (Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus) pandemic. More than 40 people have been diagnosed with the new virus in…

World health officials say an outbreak of pneumonia in the central Chinese city of Wuhan is being caused by a new strain of the virus that led to the deadly SARS outbreak over a decade ago. VOA's Jeff Custer reports from Washington. ...

President Donald Trump Thursday announced changes to a 50-year-old environmental law that he calls "broken and outdated," but that critics say will now give developers a green light to pollute.Trump said the National Environmental Policy Act "ties up and bogs down" infrastructure projects by an…

The agency that oversees the United States' nuclear arsenal says it doesn't need to do any broad environmental reviews of a proposal that calls for ramping up production of plutonium triggers at federal installations in New Mexico and South Carolina.The National Nuclear Security Administration on…

Health officials in China say an outbreak of pneumonia in the central city of Wuhan has been caused by a new strain of the virus that led to the deadly SARS outbreak over a decade ago.State-run Xinhua news agency says a team of scientists identified…

The Trump administration on Thursday proposed greatly narrowing the use of one of the country″s landmark environmental laws, calling for changes that could allow projects ranging from oil pipelines to mines to move forward with far less federal review of their impact on the environment.President…

A preliminary investigation into viral pneumonia illnesses sickening dozens of people in and around China has identified the possible cause as a new type of coronavirus, state media said Thursday.Chinese health authorities did not immediately confirm the report from state broadcaster CCTV.Coronaviruses are spread through…

Volcanoes can be among earth's deadliest natural phenomena, challenging researchers tasked with monitoring surface pressure and other conditions to, ultimately, save lives.  VOA's Arash Arabasadi reports on one scientist who hikes off-the-grid to keep tabs on an active volcano in Ecuador. ...

The World Meteorological Organization warns Australians should brace for a protracted summer of catastrophic bush fires, blaming climate change for record-breaking heat waves and persistent drought.Australia's summer fire season usually begins in late January or early February, but got off to an early and catastrophic…

Virgin Galactic's next passenger spaceship has reached a major construction milestone, the company said Wednesday.All major structural elements have been assembled and the rocket plane is standing on its own landing gear at Mojave Air & Space Port in California, Virgin Galactic said in a…

What can Malaysia teach Southeast Asia about water resources? A new study shows that Malaysia has been able to spread access to toilets and safe  sanitation to nearly 100% of the partial island nation. After some trial and error, its experience offers some lessons for…

Hong Kong’s health chief said Tuesday that a respiratory illness whose cause remains unknown will be added to an official list of diseases that medical practitioners are required to report to the government.The disease — an unidentified form of viral pneumonia — has sent 59…