Russia tested an anti-satellite missile on Monday, the State Department and the Pentagon said, creating a large cloud of debris that, according to NASA, endangered the International Space Station, its crew and could go on to threaten other satellites.
Why it matters: Weapon tests in space can generate thousands of pieces of debris that may stay in orbit and pose a risk for space-based technologies and people for years, and even decades.
The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) has received several reports of outbreaks of bird flu in Europe and Asia in recent days, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious strain of influenza that affects food-producing birds, pet birds and wild birds. Previous outbreaks have prompted the mass culling of birds and trade restrictions in some regions, Reuters notes.
