Satellites Detect California Cow Burps, a Major Methane Source, From Space

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Satellites have detected methane emissions from belching cows at a California feedlot, marking the first time emissions from livestock - a major component of agricultural methane - could be measured from space. Environmental data firm GHGSat this month analyzed data from its satellites and pinpointed the methane source from a feedlot in the agricultural Joaquin Valley near Bakersfield, California in February. This is significant, according to GHGSat, because agricultural methane emissions are hard to measure, and accurate measurement is needed to set enforceable reduction targets for the beef-production industry. GHGSat said the amount of methane it detected from that single feedlot would result in 5,116 tons of methane emissions if sustained for a year. If that methane were captured, it could power over 15,000 homes, it said. Agriculture contributes 9.6%…


India, Pakistan Reeling From Pre-Monsoon Season Heat Wave

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Meteorologists warn the extreme heat gripping India and Pakistan is likely to have many cascading effects on human health, ecosystems, agriculture, water, energy, and the economy.  For the past few days, hundreds of millions of people have been sweltering under temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius in widespread areas of India and Pakistan. The intense heat is predicted to continue until May 2 and then subside. The World Meteorological Organization says both India and Pakistan regularly experience excessively high temperatures in the pre-monsoon period, especially in May. While heatwaves do occur in April, it says they are less common. WMO spokeswoman Clare Nullis said national meteorological and hydrological departments in both countries are implementing measures that have been successful in saving lives in the past few years. “A lot…


Beijing Tightens COVID Restrictions as Long Holiday Begins

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Beijing residents will need clear COVID tests to enter public spaces, officials said Saturday, announcing fresh virus controls at the start of a Labor Day holiday muted by creeping infections in the capital. The five-day break is typically one of China's busiest travel periods, but the country's worst COVID resurgence since early in the pandemic is expected to keep people home. Faced with the highly transmissible omicron variant, Chinese officials have doubled down on their zero-COVID policy, quashing virus clusters through mass testing and lockdowns. Despite mounting economic costs and public frustration, the capital city announced it would further restrict access to public spaces after the holiday period. Starting May 5, a negative COVID test taken within the past week will be needed to enter "all kinds of public areas…


Foreign Businesses Consider Leaving China Amid Lockdowns

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Chris Mei has been stuck in his Shanghai flat for a month save for PCR testing and occasional volunteer work delivering food to neighbors. That will change in a couple of days when he boards his flight for a long-scheduled trip home to Portland, Oregon. He uses Zoom to do factory inspections for his 2-year-old import-export firm, Shanghai Fanyi Industry, but he can’t complete all the orders for clients overseas. He’s locked down like most of the 26 million people in the city, along with some of the factories where he normally sources goods, such as artificial plants and solar lights. “In terms of how’s business, it’s definitely affected us,” Mei said. “Clients abroad always have deadlines, especially for some of our products.” He continued, “For example, for a shipment…


For Kenya’s Birds of Prey, Power Lines Are a Deadly Enemy

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A blindfold calms the large black and white augur buzzard as two men glue a prosthetic leg into an insert on her body to replace the one that she lost. The female is one of many injured birds of prey that turn up at Simon Thomsett's Kenyan rehabilitation center, most of which, like her, have been crippled by electrocution. The problem has progressively grown as Kenya has upgraded its electricity network, replacing wooden poles with steel-reinforced concrete, which can be conductive, and hanging inadequately insulated power lines between them, conservationists say. That and the lack of deterrent markers along the cables are pushing Kenya's already dwindling bird of prey populations closer to disappearance. "Thirty years ago, the birds were coming in being hit by cars, diseased... or hitting things like…


California Group Working to Help Ukraine With Low-Cost Incubators 

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A San Francisco area-based nonprofit is working to send easily operated, simply maintained and low-cost incubators to Ukraine.  After learning that 260,000 women in Ukraine are pregnant, with many now giving birth in bomb shelters or without access to modern medical care, Embrace Global is working to send 3,000 of its incubators to war ravaged areas of the country. Co-founder and CEO Jane Chen launched the initiative at the recent TED 2022 conference in Vancouver.  The company was already sending 200 incubators with UNICEF. While traditional incubators require continuous electricity, these devices, which look like small sleeping bags, can be charged like a cellphone with electricity or a heater that works off hot water. The charge lasts up to eight hours. "The core technology is a pouch of a waxlike…


First US Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in Human Confirmed in Colorado

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A Colorado prison inmate who worked at a poultry farm culling infected birds has become the first person in the U.S. to test positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed the case Thursday. H5N1 has been spreading rapidly among birds in the U.S. since February but does not appear to pose a significant threat to people because humans need to be in close contact with infected birds. The virus has been seen among commercial birds in 29 states and among wild birds in 34 states. More than 35 million chickens and turkeys have been destroyed in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. The infected man, who is younger than 40, reported fatigue for several days and made…


New NASA Spacecraft Nearly Ready for Asteroid Mission

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After years of preparation and testing, a new NASA spacecraft is almost ready for its mission to an asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. Scientists hope the journey will uncover clues into the origins of Earth. For VOA, Villafañe visited NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, to see the spacecraft and speak with mission investigators. ...


Google Adds Ways to Keep Personal Info Private in Searches

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Google has expanded options for keeping personal information private from online searches. The company said Friday it will let people request that more types of content such as personal contact information like phone numbers, email and physical addresses be removed from search results. The new policy also allows the removal of other information that may pose a risk for identity theft, such as confidential log-in credentials. The company said in a statement that open access to information is vital, "but so is empowering people with the tools they need to protect themselves and keep their sensitive, personally identifiable information private." "Privacy and online safety go hand in hand. And when you're using the internet, it's important to have control over how your sensitive, personally identifiable information can be found," it…


China, N.Korea Halt Border Rail Crossing Over COVID Fears

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China has suspended cross-border freight train services with North Korea following consultations after COVID-19 infections in its border city of Dandong, the foreign ministry said Friday. The suspension came within four months after North Korea eased border lockdowns enforced early in 2020 against the coronavirus, measures global aid groups have blamed for its worsening economic woes and risks to food supplies for millions. "Due to the COVID situation in Dandong, after friendly consultation between both sides, China has decided to suspend freight services from Dandong to Sinuiju," foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told a daily briefing in Beijing. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said authorities in Dandong had acted on a request from North Korea, citing unidentified sources. Authorities in Seoul, the capital of neighboring South Korea, said they were…


South Korea to End Outdoor Mask Mandate

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South Korea said Friday it will lift its outdoor mask mandate next week in response to a steady drop in COVID-19 cases after an omicron-fueled surge. The announcement comes after Seoul dropped almost all other social-distancing measures earlier this month, ending two years of strict requirements that put a massive strain on the country's small businesses. From Monday, residents will no longer be required to wear face masks outdoors unless attending an event with more than 50 participants, health authorities said. "As social-distancing measures are lifted and the mask mandate is being adjusted, people are increasingly returning to their normal lives," Jeong Eun-kyeong, director of Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA), told reporters. "This is all thanks to the patience and cooperation of the people over a long period…


US Plan to Ban Menthol Tobacco Products Moves Forward

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Menthol cigarettes and other menthol tobacco products may soon be things of the past, according to an announcement by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday saying authorities are moving forward on a plan to ban them.  It could still be years before the products are removed from stores.  "The proposed rules would help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers and help adult smokers quit," said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.  Advocates for banning menthol tobacco products have long said they disproportionately impact African Americans, among whom they’re popular. It is estimated that 85% of African American smokers use menthol products.  “Black folks die disproportionately of heart disease, lung cancer and stroke,” said Phillip Gardiner of the African American Tobacco Control Leadership Council. “Menthol…


Vaccine-Preventable Diseases Surging in Africa Due to COVID-19 Disruptions

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The World Health Organization warns that vaccine-preventable diseases are spreading across the African continent because routine immunizations against killer diseases have been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  Tens of millions of people have missed out on routine immunization services. That not only puts their lives at risk from potentially deadly diseases but creates an environment in which killer diseases can thrive and spread.  Benido Impouma, director for communicable and noncommunicable diseases in the World Health Organization's regional office for Africa, said the pandemic has put a huge strain on health systems. It has impaired routine immunization services in many African countries and forced the suspension of vaccination drives.  Over the past year, he said, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases have increased across the continent.  "For instance, between January and March of…


New Kenyan Fish Marketing App Aims to Reduce Sexual Exploitation of Women Fishmongers

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An application developed in Kenya to improve the marketing of fish caught in Lake Victoria is helping women fishmongers fend off sex-for-fish exploitation by fishermen. The Aquarech app allows traders to buy fish without having to negotiate with fishermen – as Ruud Elmendorp reports from Kisumu, Kenya. Videographer: Ruud Elmendorp Produced by: Henry Hernandez ...


‘Pandemic Phase’ Over for US, but COVID-19 Still Here, Fauci Says

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Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying the country is "out of the pandemic phase" with regard to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, and that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease — occurring regularly in certain areas.  Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, said on the PBS NewsHour on Tuesday that the coronavirus remains a pandemic for much of the world. The threat is not over for the United States, he said, adding that he was speaking about the worst phase of the pandemic.  "Namely, we don't have 900,000 new infections a day and tens and tens and tens of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands of deaths. We are at…


Major Japan Railway Now Powered Only by Renewable Energy

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Tokyo's Shibuya is famed for its Scramble Crossing, where crowds of people crisscross the intersection in a scene symbolizing urban Japan's congestion and anonymity. It may have added another boasting right. Tokyu Railways' trains running through Shibuya and other stations were switched to power generated only by solar and other renewable sources starting April 1. That means the carbon dioxide emissions of Tokyu's sprawling network of seven train lines and one tram service now stand at zero, with green energy being used at all its stations, including for vending machines for drinks, security camera screens and lighting. Tokyu, which employs 3,855 people and connects Tokyo with nearby Yokohama, is the first railroad operator in Japan to have achieved that goal. It says the carbon dioxide reduction is equivalent to the…


Musk’s Twitter Ambitions Likely to Collide with Europe’s Tech Rules 

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A hands-off approach to moderating content at Elon Musk's Twitter could clash with ambitious new laws in Europe meant to protect users from disinformation, hate speech and other harmful material.  Musk, who describes himself as a "free speech absolutist," pledged to buy Twitter for $44 billion this week, with European Union officials and digital campaigners quick to say that any focus on free speech to the detriment of online safety would not fly after the 27-nation bloc solidified its status as a global leader in the effort to rein in the power of tech giants. "If his approach will be 'just stop moderating it,' he will likely find himself in a lot of legal trouble in the EU," said Jan Penfrat, senior policy adviser at digital rights group EDRi. Musk…


Elon Musk Quest to Scrap Deal Over 2018 Tweets is Rejected

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Elon Musk's request to scrap a settlement with securities regulators over 2018 tweets claiming he had the funding to take Tesla private was denied by a federal judge in New York. Judge Lewis Liman on Wednesday also denied a motion to nullify subpoenas of Musk seeking information about possible violations of his settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Musk had asked the court to throw out the settlement, which required that his tweets be approved by a Tesla attorney. The SEC is investigating whether the Tesla CEO violated the settlement with tweets last November asking Twitter followers if he should sell 10% of his Tesla stock. The whole dispute stems from an October 2018 agreement with the SEC in which Musk and Tesla each agreed to pay $20 million…


Google Investment to Help Solve Africa’s Tech Problems

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California-based Google wants to get a bigger share of Africa's growing online population, which is expected to top 800 million by 2030.    The internet search giant announced this month it is setting up its first product development center on the continent, to be based in Kenya's capital, Nairobi. It is scheduled to open next year and will employ more than 100 people.  Charles Murito, head of government affairs and public policy for sub-Saharan Africa at Google, said the investment will create many opportunities within Africa's tech sector.    "The product development center is going to be one that works to create transformative products and services for people right here on the continent, as well as creating a product for the rest of the world," he said. "So the announcement…


WHO: Congo Starts Ebola Vaccinations to Stem Outbreak in Northwest

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The Democratic Republic of Congo has kicked off Ebola vaccinations to stem an outbreak in the northwest city of Mbandaka, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday.  Two people are known to have died so far in the city of over one million inhabitants where people live in close proximity to road, water and air links to the capital Kinshasa.  The first death occurred on April 21 and the second on Tuesday, marking the central African country's 14th Ebola outbreak.   Around 200 doses of the rVSV-ZEBOV Ebola vaccine have been shipped to Mbandaka from the eastern city of Goma, with more to be delivered in coming days, the WHO said in a statement.  So far 233 contacts have been identified and are being monitored, it added.  Three vaccination…


US Laboratory Innovating Electronic Vehicle Technology 

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Many of the technological advances in lithium ion batteries that now power many electric vehicles began in a laboratory just outside Chicago’s city limits decades ago.  VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reports on new innovations at Argonne National Laboratory preparing for the next-generation needs of drivers. Camera: Kane Farabaugh, Mike Burke    Produced by: Kane Farabaugh    ...


UN: Climate Change and Poor Risk Management Increase the Risk of Natural Disasters

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The United Nations is calling for better management to reduce the risks from rapidly increasing natural disasters largely triggered by climate change.  The U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction has issued its 2022 Global Assessment Report, which prescribes solutions to lessen the threatened risks.   The report warns the world is set to face more frequent and extreme disasters and nations are ill-prepared to tackle the dangers.   It says the number of natural disasters experienced over the last two decades is five times higher than in the previous three decades.   Based on current trends, says Director of the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction Ricardo Mena, the world will face some 560 disasters per year. “Disasters have forced over a quarter-of-a-billion people into internal displacement," said Mena. "So, that is much…


More Free Speech or More Misinformation? Reactions Mixed to Twitter Sale 

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s $44 billion deal to buy Twitter Monday met mixed reactions as observers speculated how digital speech on the service might change under his leadership.  Musk, a prolific Twitter user who has criticized Twitter's management in tweets, said in the press release Monday announcing the deal that "Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated."    Musk’s takeover of Twitter was applauded by some U.S. conservatives who have alleged that internet firms — including Twitter — promote a liberal political agenda and suppress conservative voices.  Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, tweeted that it’s "amazing to watch the Left panic at the prospect of free speech on Twitter."      But others expressed concern that Musk’s takeover would mean less…


 Twitter CEO Says Company Direction Uncertain After Musk Deal 

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Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal told employees Monday that he is uncertain of the direction the company will go after Tesla CEO Elon Musk takes over.     Musk reached an agreement Monday to buy Twitter for $44 billion, promising to make the platform more supportive of free speech. The move has raised questions about how far Twitter will go to relax restrictions on users' speech and led critics to fear new policies would make it easier for people to spread disinformation and hate speech.  Agrawal answered employee questions Monday in a town hall that was heard by Reuters.     The news agency reported that Agrawal told employees, "Once the deal closes, we don't know which direction the platform will go." The CEO was answering a question about whether former President Donald…


All-Private Astronaut Team Returns Safely From Landmark Space Station Visit

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The first all-private astronaut team ever flown aboard the International Space Station (ISS) safely splashed down in the Atlantic off Florida's coast on Monday, concluding a two-week science mission hailed as a landmark in commercialized human spaceflight.   The SpaceX crew capsule carrying the four-man team, led by a retired NASA astronaut who is now vice president of the Texas company behind the mission, Axiom Space, parachuted into the sea after a 16-hour descent from orbit.  The splashdown capped the latest, and most ambitious, in a recent series of rocket-powered expeditions bankrolled by private investment capital and wealthy passengers rather than taxpayer dollars six decades after the dawn of the space age.  The mission's crew was assembled, equipped and trained entirely at private expense by Axiom, a five-year-old venture based in…