Four Killed in Flash Floods in Alabama

^{PHOTO: HEAVY DOWNPOUR IN VESTAVIA, ALABAMA}

INTERNATIONAL: At least four people have been killed in flash floods in the US state of Alabama after torrential rain. Roads have been closed, homes swamped and dizens of people have been evacuated, leaving entire communities under water. The South Alabama town lost its main grocery store when a creek came through the doors of the Piggly Wiggly. Near the coast, heavy rains caused sewage to bubble up from underground pipes. The Marshall County coroner confirms that a four-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman died in separate incidents when flash floods carried away vehicles in northeast Alabama. Bodies of a couple, both 23, were found inside their car that had been swept away in the Birmingham suburb of Hoover. About 20 people were rescued from vehicles and more than 80 were rescued from flooded homes.

WHO Approves Malaria Vaccine for Children

^{PHOTO: WHO DIRECTOR GENERAL, TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, ANNOUNCING RECOMMENDATION OF MALARIA VACCINE FILE FOOTAGE OF MALARIA PATIENTS IN KENYA AND NIGER}

The World Health Organization has recommended a groundbreaking malaria vaccine for children. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, says it is something he has always dreamed about:

“Dear colleagues and friends. As some of you may know, I started my career as a malaria researcher and I longed for the day that we would have an effective vaccine against this ancient and terrible disease. And today is that day. An historic day. Today WHO is recommending the broad use of the world’s first malaria vaccine. This recommendation is based on results from an ongoing pilot program in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi, that has reached more than 800,000 children since 2019. This long-awaited malaria vaccine is a breakthrough for science, child health and malaria control.”

The World Health Organization is recommending widespread use of the RTS-S malaria vaccine among children in sub-Saharan Africa and in other regions with moderate to high malaria transmission. Malaria remains a primary cause of childhood illness and death in sub-Saharan Africa. It kills more than a quarter of a million children in the region every year.

US Nuclear Sub “Safe” After Hitting Mystery Object

^{PHOTO: OF USS CONNECTICUT, SUBMARINE THAT STRUCK OBJECT IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION TWEET FROM U.S. PACIFIC FLEET ABOUT INCIDENT}

And, the US nuclear-powered fast-attack submarine, the USS Connecticut, has collided with an “unknown object" while submerged in waters around the South China Sea. Fifteen sailors were reported injured. Officials say it’s still unclear what caused the collision. A US Navy spokesperson says the submarine is now headed towards the US territory of Guam. The sub's nuclear propulsion plant has not been affected and remains fully operational.