Common information - Page 154 of 419

Jan142022 by DmediaNo Comments

Masks Rules Get Tighter in Europe in Winter’s COVID-19 Wave

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To mask or not to mask is a question Italy settled early in the COVID-19 outbreak with a vigorous “yes.” Now the onetime epicenter of the pandemic in Europe hopes even stricter mask rules will help it beat the latest infection surge. Other countries are…

Jan142022 by DmediaNo Comments

Drones Spray Holy Water at India Hindu Festival as Crowds Defy COVID Rules

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Drones sprayed holy water from the Ganges on thousands of Hindu pilgrims on Friday to reduce crowding during a massive festival being held despite soaring COVID-19 cases in India. The Gangasagar Mela in the east of the country has drawn comparisons with another "superspreader" Hindu…

Jan142022 by DmediaNo Comments

Australia Rejects Djokovic’s Visa Again

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Australia rejected the visa of Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic for a second time Friday, something that could keep the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player from the Australian Open and likely prompt a second trip to court. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement…

Jan142022 by DmediaNo Comments

US High Court OKs Vaccine Mandate for Health Care Workers, Not Businesses

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The Supreme Court has stopped the Biden administration from enforcing a requirement that employees at large businesses be vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo weekly testing and wear a mask on the job. At the same time, the court is allowing the administration to proceed with…

Jan142022 by DmediaNo Comments

Study Nixes Mars Life in Meteorite Found in Antarctica

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A 4-billion-year-old meteorite from Mars that caused a splash here on Earth decades ago contains no evidence of ancient, primitive Martian life after all, scientists reported Thursday. In 1996, a NASA-led team announced that organic compounds in the rock appeared to have been left by…

Jan132022 by DmediaNo Comments

NASA, NOAA Confirm 2021 Was Sixth Hottest Year Ever

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Two U.S. government agencies - space agency NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said Thursday 2021 was the sixth hottest year on record. In separate reports, the agencies also said their data indicates the last eight years were the eight hottest since…

Jan132022 by TechmanNo Comments

SpaceX Rocket Lifts Off with South African Satellites on Board

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A SpaceX rocket launch Thursday carried three small South African-made satellites that will help with policing South African waters against illegal fishing operations. Produced at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the satellites could also be used to help other African countries to protect their coastal waters. SpaceX’s billionaire boss Elon Musk has given…

Jan132022 by DmediaNo Comments

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Opens its Eye

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NASA scientists rejoice at the continued progress of their next-generation space telescope. Plus, the International Space Station gets presidential backing, and a prank from space resurfaces on social media. More in The Week in Space from VOA’s Arash Arabasadi ...

Jan132022 by DmediaNo Comments

Biden Ramps Up Fight Against Coronavirus

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U.S. President Joe Biden sympathized with coronavirus-weary Americans Thursday while ramping up the government’s effort to combat the surge of the omicron variant across the country. “I know we’re all frustrated as we begin the new year,” Biden said in a short White House speech.…

Jan132022 by DmediaNo Comments

Hong Kong COVID-19 Tracking App Spurs Opposition

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A new Hong Kong mandate that restaurants and other establishments require use of an app aimed at recording people’s locations and telling them if they have been near a COVID-19 patient has spurred opposition from the city’s pro-democracy voices. The LeaveHomeSafe app scans a two-dimensional QR…

Jan122022 by DmediaNo Comments

US Cancer Death Rate Drops by a Third Since 1991

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The risk of dying from cancer in the United States has fallen by nearly a third in three decades, thanks to earlier diagnoses, better treatments and less smoking, an analysis said Wednesday. The cancer death rate for men and women fell 32% from its peak…

Jan122022 by DmediaNo Comments

White House Urges Continued Mitigation Efforts Amid Omicron Surge

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The White House COVID-19 response team on Wednesday reminded Americans of the continued need to slow the omicron variant’s spread despite its decreased severity and announced new efforts to help keep schools open. As the omicron variant sweeps across the U.S., Dr. Rochelle Walensky emphasized…

Jan122022 by TechmanNo Comments

World Economic Forum Warns Cyber Risks Add to Climate Threat

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Cyberthreats and the growing space race are emerging risks to the global economy, adding to existing challenges posed by climate change and the coronavirus pandemic, the World Economic Forum said in a report Tuesday. The Global Risks Report is usually released ahead of the annual…

Jan122022 by DmediaNo Comments

Advances in Space Transportation Systems Transforming Space Coast

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From a seaside perch overlooking the hustle and bustle of ships coming and going at Port Canaveral on Florida’s east coast, Dale Ketcham reflects on decades of history with nostalgia. “I moved here and learned how to walk on Cocoa Beach three years before…

Jan112022 by DmediaNo Comments

Common Cold Infection Can Protect Against Coronavirus, Study Finds

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The common cold can provide some protection from COVID-19, according to new research led by Imperial College London, which says the findings provide a blueprint for future vaccines that could offer immunity to all variants of the coronavirus. Since the start of the pandemic, scientists…

Jan112022 by DmediaNo Comments

Common Cold Can Protect Against Coronavirus, Study Finds

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U.S adults usually catch one or two common colds a year. They’re usually little more than an annoyance, but new research suggests they may offer some protection from a virus that’s much more dangerous. Henry Ridgwell reports from London. ...

Jan112022 by DmediaNo Comments

Advances in Space Transport Transforming US Space Coast

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Space launches are once again a regular feature on the “Space Coast” of Florida, thanks to a boom in commercial space transportation and a NASA initiative to return astronauts to the moon, with the eventual goal of reaching Mars. As VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reports, it’s…

Jan112022 by DmediaNo Comments

‘Flurona,’ Getting Hit With Flu Plus COVID, Comes to California

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Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans have forgotten about that age-old winter sickness: the flu. But it is flu season, and some unlucky people are getting hit with both illnesses. Angelina Bagdasaryan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera - Vazgen Varzhabetian. ...

Jan112022 by TechmanNo Comments

US Cyber Officials Bracing for ‘Log4j’ Vulnerability Fallout

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U.S. cybersecurity officials are still sounding an alarm about the so-called Log4j software vulnerability more than a month after it was first discovered, warning some criminals and nation state adversaries may be waiting to make use of their newfound access to critical systems. The U.S.…

Jan102022 by DmediaNo Comments

Rare Snowy Owl Soars Over Washington, Thrills Observers

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A snowy owl apparently touring iconic buildings of the nation's capital is captivating birdwatchers who manage to get a glimpse of the rare, resplendent visitor from the Arctic. Far from its summer breeding grounds in Canada, the snowy owl was first seen on January 3,…

Jan102022 by DmediaNo Comments

US Insurers to Cover Home COVID-19 Tests Starting January 15

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Starting Saturday, private health insurers will be required to cover as many as eight home COVID-19 tests per month for people on their plans. The Biden administration announced the change Monday as it looks to lower costs and make testing for the virus more convenient…

Jan102022 by DmediaNo Comments

In a First, US Surgeons Transplant Pig Heart into Human Patient

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In a medical first, doctors transplanted a pig heart into a patient in a last-ditch effort to save his life. A Maryland hospital said Monday that the patient is doing well three days after the highly experimental surgery. While it's too soon to know if…

Jan102022 by DmediaNo Comments

EU Scientists: 2021 Was Fifth-Warmest Year on Record

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Satellite measurements show that 2021 was one of the warmest years on record, with the past seven years being the hottest period recorded globally. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said Monday that last year was the fifth-warmest year according to records dating…

Jan102022 by DmediaNo Comments

India Turns to Boosters As it Battles Another COVID-19 Surge

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India began administering booster shots of COVID-19 vaccines to vulnerable groups on Monday, as infections surge to their highest levels in seven months fueled by the omicron variant and crowded cities like New Delhi and Mumbai reimpose restrictions to battle the third wave of the…

Jan102022 by DmediaNo Comments

South African Companies Introduce Vaccine Mandates as Uptake Slows

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Despite having the highest number of COVID infections in Africa, nearly two years into the pandemic, fewer than half of South African adults have been vaccinated. The government has been reluctant to order vaccine mandates, but private companies are to encouraging people to get the…

Jan92022 by DmediaNo Comments

Hong Kong Travel Restrictions Could Have Dire Consequences

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International business groups are urging Hong Kong to restart international flights after a ratings group warned the travel restrictions, imposed last week because of COVID-19 outbreaks, could have dire effects on the territory’s economy. Fitch Ratings said, “A new wave of restrictions on various social…

Jan92022 by DmediaNo Comments

US Economy Shows Strength Entering 2022, but Pandemic Clouds Future

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At the start of 2022 most measures show the U.S. economy is booming, with an unemployment rate that is approaching record lows and a demand for goods that has imports from the rest of the world surging. On Friday, the Labor Department announced that the…

Jan92022 by DmediaNo Comments

EU Under Pressure on ‘Ghost Flights’

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The European Union is under increasing pressure to further ease rules on airport take-off and landing slots to cut the number of "ghost flights" airlines are running to retain them. Carriers say the requirement for them to use 50% of their slots -- down from…