US Issues New Rule on Methane Emissions

US Issues New Rule on Methane Emissions

WASHINGTON —  The Biden administration on Saturday issued a final rule aimed at reducing methane emissions, targeting the U.S. oil and natural gas industry for its role in global warming, as President Joe Biden seeks to advance his climate legacy. The Environmental Protection Agency said the rule will sharply reduce methane and other harmful air … Read more

Mortality Rate Higher for Black Moms Than White Moms in Mississippi, Study Says

Mortality Rate Higher for Black Moms Than White Moms in Mississippi, Study Says

JACKSON, Miss. —  Black people make up about 38% of Mississippi’s population, but a new study shows that Black women were four times more likely to die of causes directly related to pregnancy than white women in the state in 2020. “It is imperative that this racial inequity is not only recognized, but that concerted … Read more

Flu on Rise, RSV Infections May Be Peaking, US Says

Flu on Rise, RSV Infections May Be Peaking, US Says

NEW YORK —  Flu is picking up steam while RSV lung infections that can hit kids and older people hard may be peaking, U.S. health officials said Friday. COVID-19, though, continues to cause the most hospitalizations and deaths among respiratory illnesses — about 15,000 hospitalizations and about 1,000 deaths every week, said Dr. Mandy Cohen, … Read more

Taylor Swift Named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year

Taylor Swift Named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year

NEW YORK —  Is the year of Taylor Swift over now? Not yet. Time magazine named Swift its person of the year on Wednesday, a week after Spotify announced she was the most-played artist on the streaming platform. Swift was picked from a group of nine finalists that included Barbie, King Charles III and OpenAI … Read more

Lacking Counselors, US Schools Turn to Booming Business of Online Therapy

Lacking Counselors, US Schools Turn to Booming Business of Online Therapy

Trouble with playground bullies started for Maria Ishoo’s daughter in elementary school. Girls ganged up, calling her “fat” and “ugly.” Boys tripped and pushed her. The California mother watched her typically bubbly second-grader retreat into her bedroom and spend afternoons curled up in bed. For Valerie Aguirre’s daughter in Hawaii, a spate of middle school … Read more

Australian Laser Technology to Help Future NASA Missions to Mars

Australian Laser Technology to Help Future NASA Missions to Mars

SYDNEY —  A new optical ground station has been built by the Australian National University to help the U.S. space agency, NASA, and others explore space and safely reach Mars. The Australian team has developed a new type of space communication using lasers. Researchers say the system will allow them to connect with satellites and … Read more