Author: Dmedia

RIO DE JANEIRO — The small team of state public health workers slalomed between auto parts strewn across a Rio de Janeiro junkyard, looking for standing water where mosquitoes might have laid their eggs. They were part of nationwide efforts to curtail a surge in Brazil of the mosquito-borne illness of dengue fever during the country's key tourist season that runs through the end of February. Paulo Cesar Gomes, a 56-year-old entomologist, found some mosquito larvae swimming in shallow rainwater inside a car bumper. "We call this type of location a strategic point" because of the high turnover in items converging from all over, he said. "It's difficult not to have mosquitoes here." Earlier in the month, just days before Rio kicked off its world-famous Carnival festivities, the city joined several…

SINGAPORE — Singapore will play host to Asia's biggest air show next week for the first time since the end of COVID border restrictions, with regional travel rebounding and the military side of the show bristling with defensive systems and nervous arms buyers. An expected full return of civil demand in Asia is being tested by an industry-wide supply crunch and macroeconomic headwinds, however — especially in the world's second-largest aviation market, China — while geopolitical tensions have put weapons in the spotlight. "Supply chain issues are limiting the ability of many airlines to upgrade their fleets and service their aircraft," said Association of Asia Pacific Airlines head Subhas Menon. The biennial show will feature the first trip outside Chinese territory for China's first homegrown passenger jet, COMAC's narrow-body C919. With…

Jet fuel made from plants, not crude oil, is set to take off. Airlines, plane makers and governments are pledging support for what's called "sustainable aviation fuel." The aim is to lower the airline industry's impact on climate change. But if done wrong, experts say, it could make matters worse. VOA's Steve Baragona has more. ...

TAIPEI, TAIWAN — China’s inauguration of a new scientific research station in Antarctica last week has renewed debate about the purpose and impact of the rapid expansion of Chinese presence on the continent.  Situated on Inexpressible Island near the Ross Sea, Qinling Station is China’s fifth scientific outpost and third research station on the continent that can operate year around. The station covers 5,244 square meters and can house up to 80 people during summer months, according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN. Qinling Station is near the U.S. McMurdo Station and just south of Australia and a  Center for Strategic and International Studies report published last April said its position could allow China to “collect signals intelligence from U.S.-allied Australia and New Zealand” as well as gather “telemetry data on rockets…

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Patients all around the world are still experiencing drug shortages long after COVID-19 supply-chain jams have cleared. The U.S. Senate is looking at solutions as a nonprofit steps in to find these drugs. VOA Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti tells one woman's story. ...

Russia is developing an anti-satellite weapon, the White House confirmed Thursday, after a lawmaker sounded an alarm over what he described as a serious national security threat. While White House officials say it could land Moscow in violation of a treaty banning weapons of mass destruction in space. They said it is not an urgent threat, and urged Americans not to panic, as lawmakers met behind closed doors to discuss the issue. Anita Powell reports from Washington. ...

GENEVA — Health agencies are urging governments and civil society to step up action to eliminate cervical cancer, a vaccine-preventable disease that kills a woman every two minutes, mostly in low- and middle-income countries.   “It is the fourth-most common cancer among women worldwide. It is also one of the few types of cancer that can be prevented by a vaccine,” said Herve Verhoosel, spokesperson for Unitaid, an organization that provides affordable lifesaving health products for people in low- and middle-income countries.  “Vaccination against human papillomavirus, the leading cause of cervical cancer, together with HPV screening and treatment, is a proven path to elimination,” Verhoosel said Tuesday in advance of the first global forum on elimination of cervical cancer.  The forum, which takes place from March 5 to 7 in Cartagena,…

Bangkok — Bangkok city employees have been told to work from home to avoid harmful air pollution, as a layer of noxious haze blanketed the Thai capital Thursday. City authorities asked for cooperation from employers to help workers in the city of some 11 million people avoid the pollution, which is expected to last into Friday. The air monitoring website IQAir ranked Bangkok among the 10 most polluted cities in the world Thursday morning. Levels of the most dangerous PM2.5 particles -- so tiny they can enter the bloodstream -- were more than 15 times the World Health Organization's annual guideline, according to IQAir. Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt said late Wednesday that all city employees would work from home Thursday and Friday. "I would like to ask for cooperation from the…

SYDNEY — Using satellite technology and sophisticated machine learning, a team led by marine experts in Australia have created new maps of the world’s coral reefs. The scientists discovered there are more coral reefs around the world than previously documented, with Indonesia, Australia and the Philippines having the most coral reefs.  Over 100 trillion pixels of data were examined. The result is a high-resolution map that gives fresh insight into the distribution of reefs. The Allen Coral Atlas initiative has identified approximately 348,000 square kilometers of shallow coral reefs globally to depths of up to 30 meters, an increase from previous estimates. Experts hope the study will allow politicians, scientists and environmentalists to better understand and manage coral reef systems. Coral reefs face a range of threats, including climate change, overfishing…

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A moon lander built by Houston-based aerospace company Intuitive Machines was launched from Florida early Thursday on a mission to conduct the first U.S. lunar touchdown in more than a half century and the first by a privately owned spacecraft. The company's Nova-C lander, dubbed Odysseus, lifted off shortly after 1 a.m. EST (0600 GMT) atop a Falcon 9 rocket flown by Elon Musk' SpaceX from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. A live NASA-SpaceX online video feed showed the two-stage, 25-story rocket roaring off the launch pad and streaking into the dark sky over Florida's Atlantic coast, trailed by a fiery yellowish plume of exhaust. The launch, previously set for Wednesday morning, was postponed for 24 hours because of irregular temperatures detected in liquid methane…

Many, especially those with young children are relocating to the western coastal city of Goa ...

The Indian capital’s severe air pollution, which has failed to improve despite efforts, is prompting a small but growing number of people to leave New Delhi to escape the health hazards posed by dirty air. Many are relocating to the western coastal city of Goa, which has witnessed an influx of what are being called pollution migrants. Anjana Pasricha spoke to two families on why they decided to quit the capital. Video: P. Pallavi ...

The World Health Organization says that in Zambia over 70% of men and over 30% of women are drinking too much, too often. Some nonprofit organizations are intervening to help those on the path to recovery from alcohol addiction. Kathy Short reports from Lusaka, Zambia. Video editor: Elias Chulu ...

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A secondary school dropout from rural Malawi has brought electricity to his community using what he says is a groundbreaking air-powered generator, bypassing use of fuel, oil or batteries. Experts have questions about how the system works, but Malawi’s government is pledging support. Lameck Masina reports from Dowa District. ...

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SAVANNAH, Ga. — A company's plan to mine minerals near the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp and its federally protected wildlife refuge neared final approval Friday as regulators in the U.S. state of Georgia released draft permits for the project, which opponents say could irreparably harm a natural treasure. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division said it will take public comments on the draft permits for 30 days before working up final versions to send to the agency's director for approval. Twin Pines Minerals of Birmingham, Alabama, has worked since 2019 to obtain government permits to mine titanium dioxide less than 4.8 kilometers from the southeastern boundary of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, the largest U.S. refuge east of the Mississippi River. Federal scientists have warned that mining near the Okefenokee's bowl-like…

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SAN FRANCISCO — A bounty of 10 African penguin chicks has hatched in just over a year at a San Francisco science museum as part of an effort to conserve the endangered bird. The penguins began hatching in November 2022, ending a four-year period without any new chicks, and continued through January of this year, the California Academy of Sciences announced Wednesday. African penguins have dwindled to 9,000 breeding pairs in the wild, the academy said in a statement. Threats such as overfishing, habitat degradation and oil spills have reduced colonies of the charismatic black-and-white birds, said Brenda Melton, director of animal care and well-being at the museum's Steinhart Aquarium. "Every chick we welcome strengthens the genetics and overall population of the species in human care," she said. Chicks spend their…

vancouver, british columbia — The Canadian government is delaying access to medically assisted death for people with mental illness. Those suffering from mental illness were supposed to be able to access Medical Assistance in Dying — also known as MAID — starting March 17. The recent announcement by the government of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was the second delay after original legislation authorizing the practice passed in 2021. The delay came in response to a recommendation by a majority of the members of a committee made up of senators and members of Parliament. One of the most high-profile proponents of MAID is British Columbia-based lawyer Chris Considine. In the mid-1990s, he represented Sue Rodriguez, who was dying from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS. Their bid for approval of…

Two titans of space travel team up to study our planet's health. Plus, a Russian cosmonaut breaks the record for the most time in space, and sky gazers in North America will get a treat in coming months. VOA's Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. ...

Brazil is set to launch a public mass vaccination campaign against dengue fever, amid a surge of cases nationwide. According to the country's Health Ministry, Brazil has seen nearly five times more cases in the first five weeks of this year than in the same period in 2023. From Sao Paulo, Yan Boechat has the story. ...

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SYDNEY — A new study finds that marine heatwaves are changing the base of the marine food chain, disrupting ecosystems and potentially global food supplies. Researchers in the investigation led by Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, say their work has global implications. The study monitored the health of microorganisms that lie at the base of the marine food chain. The survey is part of a long-term project spanning 12 years. Tiny phytoplankton species developed smaller cells that are not easily consumed by larger animals. Researchers believe this could potentially have “profound changes all the way up the food chain.” There could also be impacts on the ability of marine ecosystems to absorb - or sequester - carbon and the size of fish stocks. The study’s lead author Mark Brown tells VOA…

Mosocw — Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko on Sunday set a world record for total time spent in space, surpassing his compatriot Gennady Padalka who logged more than 878 days in orbit, Russia's space corporation said. At 0830 GMT Kononenko broke the record, Roscosmos said. Kononenko is expected to reach a total of 1,000 days in space on June 5 and by late September he will have clocked 1,110 days. "I fly into space to do my favorite thing, not to set records," Kononenko told TASS in an interview from the International Space Station (ISS) where he is orbiting about 263 miles (423 km) from Earth. "I am proud of all my achievements, but I am more proud that the record for the total duration of human stay in space is still…