Dec 02 Omicron and delta spell return of unpopular restrictions By Lori Hinnant, Associated Press Governments face a thorny calculus made more difficult by the prospect of backlash, increased social divisions and the fear of being voted out of office. Continue reading
Dec 01 LISTEN: Supreme Court hears oral arguments on Mississippi law banning abortions after 15 weeks After nearly two hours of arguments on Wednesday, all six conservative justices, including three appointed by former President Donald Trump, indicated they would uphold the Mississippi law. Continue reading
Nov 29 New omicron variant brings COVID-19 vaccine inequity 'home to roost' By Maria Cheng, Lori Hinnant, Associated Press The emergence of the new omicron variant and the world's desperate and likely futile attempts to keep it at bay are reminders of what scientists have warned for months: The coronavirus will thrive as long as vast parts of the… Continue reading
Nov 28 WHO criticizes travel bans on southern African countries By Andrew Meldrum, Associated Press The World Health Organization on Sunday urged countries around the world not to impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concerns over the new omicron variant. WHO’s regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, called on countries to follow… Continue reading
Nov 26 Watch 7:21 Unrelenting drought leaves millions who rely on Colorado River facing an uncertain future By Miles O'Brien, Kate Tobin The Colorado River is a critical resource for the western U.S. But a megadrought, one significantly exacerbated by climate change, is jeopardizing the river's future and threatening to upend how its water is used and longstanding agreements between states. Miles… Continue watching
Nov 25 Why do frozen turkeys explode when deep-fried? By Kristine Nolin, The Conversation Deep-fried turkeys are delicious, but making one can be dangerous. The scientific reason for fiery Thanksgiving mishaps? A difference in the densities of ice, water and oil. Continue reading
Nov 24 Watch 5:26 Can asteroids be veered away from Earth? New NASA spacecraft aims to find out By Miles O'Brien, Ryan Connelly Holmes NASA has launched a satellite into orbit on a mission to smash itself into an asteroid, in a test to see whether it is possible to knock a speeding space rock off course — if one were on a collision… Continue watching
Nov 24 5 global climate actions to watch for in 2022 By Rachel Kyte, The Conversation The world promised progress at the COP26 Glasgow climate conference. Now, it has to turn those promises into reality. A former senior UN official describes what to watch for in the coming year. Continue reading
Nov 24 Biden's move to tap oil reserve gains support of many environmentalists By Matthew Daly, Associated Press Biden and his administration insist tapping more oil from the reserve does not conflict with his climate goals — including a 50 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Continue reading
Nov 20 Protests erupt over virus rules in Austria, Italy, Croatia By Associated Press Tens of thousands of protesters, many from far-right groups, marched through Vienna on Saturday after the Austrian government announced a nationwide lockdown beginning Monday to contain skyrocketing coronavirus infections. Continue reading