Author: Lester Holt

WASHINGTON, Sept 9 — A tropical disease carried by so-called “kissing bugs” is now considered endemic in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, has historically been associated with Latin America, but health officials say it is increasingly appearing in parts of the U.S. The parasite is primarily transmitted through triatomine insects, commonly called kissing bugs, which feed on human blood, often biting the face. The disease spreads when the bugs defecate near the bite site and the parasite enters the body through the skin or mucous…

The debate on child poverty in the UK continues to spark strong reactions, particularly around the controversial two-child benefit cap. While some families and campaigners stress the need for compassion, others argue for fairness to taxpayers and personal accountability. The issue has become a focal point in discussions about how government policy affects millions of households. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell recently urged the government to reconsider the two-child benefit cap, highlighting the impact on children growing up in hardship. His comments drew mixed responses, reflecting the complexity of balancing compassion with financial responsibility. For many working families, the rising cost of…

Forum Addresses Handling of Radioactive Soil Japan’s Ministry of the Environment has convened a series of discussions focused on the management of soil decontaminated after the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.The initiative aims to ensure safe handling, proper disposal, and potential reuse of approximately 14 million cubic meters of soil that were temporarily stored near the plant. Public Demonstrations and Safety Measures In July 2025, the government showcased slightly radioactive soil at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo, using it as a base for flower beds.The soil, containing radiation levels below 8,000 becquerels per kilogram, was intended to demonstrate its…

Massive iceberg rapidly breaking apart in warmer waters After almost four decades drifting since detaching from Antarctica, the enormous iceberg A23a, one of the largest and oldest ever recorded, is now disintegrating and could vanish completely within weeks. Earlier this year, the iceberg weighed just under a trillion tonnes and was over twice the size of Greater London, making it one of the most formidable ice formations of modern times. At one point, the massive iceberg threatened to interfere with penguin feeding grounds on a remote South Atlantic island, though it eventually moved away without causing long-term disruption. Fragmentation accelerates…

Human-driven warming linked to surge in extreme temperatures Britain has just experienced its warmest summer since national weather records began in 1884, according to new data from the Met Office. Scientists say the unprecedented heat is closely tied to the long-term influence of climate change, which is making severe heat events more frequent and more intense. Globally, 2024 has already been confirmed as the hottest summer ever recorded, with large parts of Europe facing dangerous temperatures that fueled devastating wildfires in Spain, Portugal, and other regions. Average temperatures set new benchmark Between June and August, the UK registered an average…

Kemi Badenoch vows to remove net zero rules for North Sea drilling The Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, has announced plans to eliminate all net zero obligations for oil and gas companies operating in the North Sea if her party is elected. Speaking ahead of a formal address in Aberdeen on Tuesday, she said the party would focus on “maximising extraction” and getting “all our oil and gas out of the North Sea.” Badenoch argued that current net zero policies are driving up energy costs for households. “These rules end up making families pay the price through higher bills,” she claimed.…

Rare Find Off Costa Rica Sport fishermen off the coast of Costa Rica were stunned when they caught a bright orange nurse shark—a discovery never before documented. Sharing photos of the unusual catch, the anglers described it as “a once-in-a-lifetime event in marine history that astonishes biologists, fishers, and ocean enthusiasts alike.” Identification of the Shark The approximately two-meter-long shark is a nurse shark, recognizable by the distinctive “whisker-like” barbels on its snout. This marks the first documented case of a nurse shark displaying such a vivid orange coloration. Cause of the Orange Color A recent article in Marine Biodiversity…

A Moose Captivates the Nation Emil, a young moose, has been wandering through Lower Austria, capturing the attention and affection of locals. As a wild animal, he is entitled to roam freely, and the public has been following his journey closely. On Wednesday night, Emil was spotted in St. Andrä-Wördern, a small town between Tulln and Vienna along a side arm of the Danube. Social media quickly picked up the story, with videos showing Emil strolling along streets lit only by streetlamps. The moose has even gained his own Facebook fan page. Safety Measures and Expert Advice Over the past…

Washington, D.C. — In a move that has sparked widespread criticism from environmental groups, scientists, and conservationists, the Trump administration announced a major rollback of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), a landmark piece of legislation that has safeguarded vulnerable wildlife for nearly five decades. The new rules, unveiled by the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, weaken key provisions of the ESA by allowing federal agencies to consider economic impacts when deciding whether to list a species as endangered. They also limit protections for species that are classified as “threatened” and make it more difficult…

Rising Temperatures Linked to Faster Biological AgeingNew research suggests that repeated exposure to heatwaves can accelerate ageing in people, with effects comparable to those caused by smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet, or lack of exercise. Scientists warn that increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves driven by the climate crisis could cause long-term health damage for billions of people worldwide. Study Tracks Heat Exposure and Biological AgeResearchers followed 25,000 adults in Taiwan over 15 years, comparing their exposure to heatwaves with their biological age, a measure of overall health. The study found that experiencing just four additional heatwave days over two years…