Feb102020 by DmediaNo Comments

Drugs Fail to Slow Decline in Inherited Alzheimer’s Disease

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Two experimental drugs failed to prevent or slow mental decline in a study of people who are virtually destined to develop Alzheimer's disease at a relatively young age because they inherited rare gene flaws.The results announced Monday are another disappointment for the approach that scientists have focused on for years — trying to remove a harmful protein that builds up in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, the leading cause of dementia."We actually don't even know yet what the drugs did" in term of removing that protein because those results are still being analyzed, said study leader Dr. Randall Bateman at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.But after five years on average, the main goal of the study was not met: people on either of the drugs scored about the same…


Feb92020 by DmediaNo Comments

WHO: The Ebola Epidemic in DR Congo May Be Nearing its End

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The World Health Organization reports progress is being made in combating the Ebola epidemic in the conflict-ridden North Kivu and Ituri provinces in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.  The latest number of reported cases stands at 3,429, including 2,251 deaths — a fatality rate of 66%. FILE - Burial workers dressed in protective gear carry the remains of an Ebola victim in Beni, DRC, July 14, 2019.The global fixation on the evolution of the novel coronavirus has knocked the DRC’s Ebola epidemic out of the media's spotlight.  However, health officials working in the shadows have been making steady progress in slowing the transmission of this deadly virus.WHO's regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, tells VOA the situation in the country is very different now than it was a few months…


Feb92020 by DmediaNo Comments

Study: Indonesians Embrace FGM as Religious, Traditional Practice  

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With a knife, a razor blade, scissors or a needle, half of Indonesia’s girls are circumcised, and a new study found that it is a tradition more rooted in family folkways than religion.“Cultural reproduction occurs in the household,” said Sri Purwatiningsih, a researcher of Center for Population and Policy Studies at Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta. “Circumcised grandmothers tend to circumcise their daughter. A mother who was circumcised by the grandmothers will most likely circumcise their daughter.”Purwatiningsih presented her findings Thursday, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, at the university, where the center refers to the procedure as female genital mutilation or cutting.Indonesia ranks third in the world, at 49%, for the rate of prevalence of female circumcision, after Mali, at 83%, and Mauritania, at 51%.…


Feb82020 by DmediaNo Comments

Experience Handling Ebola Epidemic May Help Africa Dodge Coronavirus Bullet

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The World Health Organization is scaling up measures to keep Africa free of the deadly coronavirus by shoring up the continent’s fragile health system and increasing preparedness efforts to tackle the potential spread of the dangerous virus to the continent.    In its latest update on February 8, the WHO reported 34,958 cases, including 724 deaths inside China and 270 cases in 24 countries, including two deaths outside mainland China, in the Philippines and Hong Kong.The novel coronavirus has been moving with breathtaking speed since it was first detected in China’s city of Wuhan in December. While the number of cases of the pneumonia-like illness has been expanding to more countries around the world, so far it has not gained a foothold in the African region.  But that is of little…


Feb82020 by DmediaNo Comments

Ebola Epidemic May Help Africa Dodge the Coronavirus Bullet

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The World Health Organization is scaling up measures to keep Africa free of the deadly coronavirus by shoring up the continent’s fragile health system and by increasing preparedness efforts to tackle the potential spread of the dangerous virus to the continent.    WHO reports 31,211 cases, including 637 deaths inside China, and 270 cases in 24 countries and two deaths outside mainland China.The novel coronavirus has been moving with breathtaking speed since it was first detected in China’s Wuhan city in December.  While this pneumonia-like illness has been expanding to more countries around the world, it so far has not penetrated Africa.  This is of little comfort to WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti.  She tells VOA watching the virus reach other continents around the world is of great concern.…


Feb82020 by TechmanNo Comments

Cyborgs, Trolls and Bots: A Guide to Online Misinformation

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Cyborgs, trolls and bots can fill the internet with lies and half-truths. Understanding them is key to learning how misinformation spreads online.As the 2016 election showed, social media is increasingly used to amplify false claims and divide Americans over hot-button issues including race and immigration. Researchers who study misinformation predict it will get worse leading up to this year’s presidential vote. Here’s a guide to understanding the problem:MISINFORMATION VS. DISINFORMATIONPolitical misinformation has been around since before the printing press, but the internet has allowed falsehoods, conspiracy theories and exaggerations to spread faster and farther than ever.Misinformation is defined as any false information, regardless of intent, including honest mistakes or misunderstandings of the facts. Disinformation, on the other hand, typically refers to misinformation created and spread intentionally as a way to…


Feb82020 by DmediaNo Comments

Solar Probe to Launch Sunday on Mission to Map Sun’s Polar Regions

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A new spacecraft built jointly by U.S. and European space agencies is ready for a blazing journey to the sun to capture an unprecedented view of its two poles, an angle that could help researchers understand how the star’s vast bubble of magnetic energy affects Earth.The Solar Orbiter spacecraft will lift off from a Florida launch pad Sunday at 11:03 p.m. EST (0400 GMT Monday) and autonomously unfold an array of solar panels and antennas before carrying on toward the sun for a 10-year mission mapping its polar regions.Mapping the sun’s poles could allow scientists for the first time to observe the concentrated source of solar wind — a stream of plasma and charged particles that beam outward and sustains the solar system’s protective outer bubble that breathes in and…


Feb72020 by DmediaNo Comments

Research Base in Antarctica Records Hottest Temperature on Record

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Researchers at a base in the Antarctic say they have recorded the hottest temperature there since readings began more than 60 years ago.The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Friday the Argentine research base recorded a high of 18.3 C (64.9 F) on Thursday. The agency said that tops a former record of 17.5 C in March 2015.A WMO official, Randal Cerveny, said Friday the agency still must verify the recording taken at the base but said, “Everything we have seen thus far indicates a likely legitimate record.”He said the high temperature appears to have been caused by a rapid warming of air coming down a mountain slope.Researchers at Argentina’s Esperanza base on the northern tip of Antarctica, near South America, have been recording temperatures there since 1961.The WMO says the Antarctic…


Feb72020 by TechmanNo Comments

Students Explore Virtual Reality

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Virtual Reality, which immerses viewers in three-dimensional computer-generated worlds, is transforming many fields, from entertainment to education. Mike O'Sullivan reports from a California college, where students are exploring some new applications for so-called VR technology. ...


Feb72020 by DmediaNo Comments

UN Aims to End Female Genital Mutilation by 2030

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U.N. agencies warn that the widespread prevalence of female genital mutilation is exacting a heavy toll in both human and economic terms. The U.N. is calling for an end to the practice by 2030. Around 200 million girls and women alive today are suffering the physical and psychological effects of female genital mutilation. The practice mainly occurs in Africa and the Middle East.The director of the U.N. Population Fund's Geneva office, Monica Ferro, said FGM has no medical benefits, only devastating consequences. She told VOA that women and girls who have undergone the procedure suffer long-term physical and psychological harm."It often leads to bleeding, to infections, to infertility and to complications that will endure a lifetime, be it by urinal infections, by complications while delivering, while giving birth … sometimes it…


Feb62020 by TechmanNo Comments

US Prosecutors Eye Uptick In Chinese Economic Espionage Cases 

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The FBI is conducting about 1,000 investigations into suspected Chinese theft of U.S. intellectual property, with many expected to lead to criminal charges against individuals and companies later in the year, U.S. law enforcement officials said Thursday.The investigations involve all 56 FBI field offices across the country and span nearly every industry and sector of the U.S. economy, from large Fortune 100 companies to Silicon Valley startups, FBI Director Christopher Wray said."They're not just targeting defense sector companies," Wray said at a conference on the Justice Department's China Initiative. "They're also targeting cutting-edge research at our universities."FBI Director Christopher Wray testifies during an oversight hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, on Capitol Hill, Feb. 5, 2020 in Washington.The China Initiative, unveiled in November 2018, combines DOJ and FBI resources into…


Feb62020 by DmediaNo Comments

Walter Reed Prosthetics Chief Allegedly Took Sports Tickets

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A federal grand jury has indicted the former chief of prosthetics and orthotics at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.      Court records show David Laufer pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to five counts of making a false statement. The office of the U.S. Attorney in Maryland said Wednesday that the 63-year-old Pittsburgh resident failed to report financial benefits, including travel and tickets to sporting events, he received from an unidentified company that supplied prosthetics and orthotics materials to the hospital in Bethesda.      Authorities say Laufer was the facility's chief of prosthetics until May and was required to disclose to the government outside income sources greater than $200, travel-related reimbursements or other gifts worth more than $350.      The charging document alleges that the owner of…


Feb62020 by DmediaNo Comments

Female Genital Mutilation Still Prevalent in West Africa

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February 6 is the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation. The practice, also known as female circumcision or cutting, poses serious health risks but remains common in many countries, particularly in West Africa.More than 200 million women and girls who are alive today have been cut, according to the World Health Organization, putting them in danger of excessive bleeding, infection and death.As circumcised girls enter adulthood, they are at risk of chronic problems such as mental health disorders and pain during urination or sex. FGM also may cause life-threatening complications during childbirth.Despite these risks, the practice has continued largely in the name of culture and tradition. Some communities believe FGM helps prevent premarital sex and helps ensure a wife's fidelity by reducing her libido.FGM is practiced in…


Feb62020 by DmediaNo Comments

NASA’s Record-Setting Koch, Crewmates Safely Back From Space

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NASA astronaut Christina Koch, who has spent nearly 11 months in orbit on the longest spaceflight by a woman, landed safely in Kazakhstan on Thursday along with two of her International Space Station crewmates.      The Soyuz capsule carrying Koch, along with station Commander Luca Parmitano of the European Space Agency and the Russian space agency Roscosmos' Alexander Skvortsov, touched down southeast of Dzhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, at 3:12 p.m. (0912 GMT).      Koch wrapped up a 328-day mission on her first flight into space, providing researchers the opportunity to observe the effects of long-duration spaceflight on a woman. The study is important since NASA plans to return to the moon under the Artemis program and prepare for the human exploration of Mars.      Koch smiled and gave a…


Feb62020 by DmediaNo Comments

Ten More Japanese Cruise Ship Passengers Diagnosed with New Coronavirus

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Japanese health authorities say 10 more people aboard a cruise ship have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus that has killed hundreds of people in China and triggered a global health emergency.A total of 20 people aboard Carnival Japan’s Diamond Princess have been diagnosed with the virus since it arrived at the port city of Yokohama earlier this week. The vessel and its 3,700 passengers and crew members have been quarantined after a passenger who disembarked after the ship docked in Hong Kong late last month tested positive for the virus.Off the waters of Hong Kong, more than 3,600 passengers and crew are under quarantine after three passengers from a previous voyage tested positive for the virus. The Chinese territory has shut down nearly all land and sea border crossings…


Feb62020 by DmediaNo Comments

Coronavirus Cases, Deaths and Global Concerns Rising

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The World Health Organization on Wednesday called for $675 million to fight the novel coronavirus, mainly through investment in countries considered particularly at risk. This comes as the number of deaths nears 500 with more than 24,300 confirmed cases in China. Outside of China there are 191 confirmed cases in 24 countries. VOA correspondent Mariama Diallo reports.   ...


Feb62020 by DmediaNo Comments

Common Sense Goes a Long Way in Ending an Outbreak

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The World Health Organization is not yet calling the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic, although some infectious disease experts are saying it could lead to one. The virus has spread to more than two dozen countries, although the vast majority of cases – and deaths – have been in China. VOA’s Carol Pearson asked experts experienced on disease outbreaks what they would do to stop this one.   ...


Feb52020 by DmediaNo Comments

China Coronavirus Lockdown Complicates North Korea Refugee Journeys

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A vast transportation lockdown meant to contain the spread of a new coronavirus in central China is complicating the already grueling journey of North Korean refugees, according to two sources who help arrange North Korean defector trips.Chinese authorities have implemented what one World Health Organization official called an “unprecedented” lockdown to contain the viral outbreak, which has infected over 24,000 people and killed nearly 500 worldwide.China has closed public transportation links, restricted access to major highways, and imposed strict  ID and temperature checks - effectively placing tens of millions under quarantine in an expanding circle around Hubei province, where the outbreak began.The lockdown is disrupting the main path through which North Koreans escape, forcing at least dozens of refugees to indefinitely pause their journeys, and leaving them vulnerable in a…


Feb52020 by DmediaNo Comments

Weight Loss Movement Tries to Combat Malaysia’s Obesity Crisis

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“1-2-3,” shouts Dr. Noradhiah Tumirin, a physician and fitness trainer. “You can do it,” she enthusiastically says as her client Sarah Baharudin is lying flat on her back and struggling to lift her legs from the ground to a 90-degree angle.Baharudin, age 35, is breathing heavily throughout the workout. She’s 165 centimeters tall and weighs 110 kilograms.“I eat traditional Malay food, yes and it’s high in fat and calorie,” Baharudin says while explaining how she became obese. “On top of that I was not active, not living an active lifestyle, did not exercise. So years after years of doing that it becomes obesity.”Sorry, but your player cannot support embedded video of this type, you can Dr. Noradhiah Tumirin, right, a physician and fitness trainer, says Malaysia’s obesity crisis is behind…


Feb52020 by DmediaNo Comments

Kenya Fighting to End Female Genital Mutilation by 2023

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Despite Kenya banning female genital mutilation in 2011, the tradition of circumcising girls has continued in some ethnic communities. President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed to end FGM by 2023, but activists say more needs to be done as millions of girls are still at risk of undergoing the cut.At just seven years old, Sylvia Keis' family told her she would be circumcised.One day before the ceremony, Keis ran away from her home village of Ewaso Ngiro to the town of Narok — a three-hour walk.    "I just decided I better ran away even if I was going to die, because I had that emotion," Keis said. "My father never took me to school and now he wants to circumcise me. After circumcision and you are not in school, what next?…


Feb52020 by TechmanNo Comments

Iran-Linked Hackers Pose as Journalists in Email Scam

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When Iranian-born German academic Erfan Kasraie received an email from The Wall Street Journal requesting an interview, he sensed something was amiss.The Nov. 12 note purportedly came from Farnaz Fassihi, a veteran Iranian-American journalist who covers the Middle East. Yet it read more like a fan letter, asking Kasraie to share his "important achievements" to "motivate the youth of our beloved country.""This interview is a great honor for me," the note gushed.Another red flag: the follow-up email that instructed Kasraie to enter his Google password to see the interview questions.The phony request was, in reality, an attempt to break into Kasraie's email account. The incident is part of a wider effort to impersonate journalists in hacking attempts that three cybersecurity firms said they have tied to the Iranian government, which…


Feb52020 by DmediaNo Comments

Vietnam Goes Big on Solar Power

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Solar power is making a strong showing in Vietnam after years of shuttling from one extreme to the other, with the nation looking sometimes like it would revert to coal, and other times like it would invest in renewable energy.By the end of last year Vietnam had surpassed Malaysia and Thailand to reach the largest installed capacity of solar power in Southeast Asia, with 44% of the total capacity, according to figures from Wood Mackenzie, a firm that sells consulting services in the energy industry.The figures show that Vietnam is serious about solar power, an issue that had been up for debate for years. Solar supporters were encouraged to see the government offer a high feed in tariff (FIT), a fee pioneered in Germany to let solar panel owners sell…


Feb52020 by DmediaNo Comments

Coronavirus’ Impact on Global Economy Becoming a Worry

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With many Chinese cities on a virtual lockdown and businesses closed until next week at the earliest, there are growing concerns about coronavirus's impact on the global economy. On Tuesday, automaker Hyundai Motor said  it will suspend production in South Korea, its biggest manufacturing base, becoming the first major automaker to do so outside China due to disruption in the supply of parts resulting from the coronavirus outbreak. VOA correspondent Mariama Diallo reports. ...


Feb42020 by DmediaNo Comments

Hong Kong Medical Workers Still On Strike as Territory Confirms 1st Coronavirus Death

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Medical workers in Hong Kong are staging a second consecutive day of strikes Tuesday as the Chinese territory reports its first death from a coronavirus that has killed 425 people in mainland China.Hong Kong shut down nearly all land and sea border crossings with the mainland at midnight local time after more than 2,000 medical workers walked off the job Monday demanding that all border crossings be closed completely.  Hong Kong was hit hard by severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2002-03.Hong Kong health authorities have identified the victim as a 39-year-old male with a pre-existing illness who had recently visited Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.  Meanwhile, the Chinese gambling territory of Macau announced Tuesday that it will temporarily shut down all casino operations for two weeks to help…