Road deaths have declined globally since 1990 except in poorer countries

NEW YORK (AP) – Road deaths are declining in the U.S. and worldwide, but lower-income countries aren’t experiencing much of the improvement, according to a study published Monday.

Centuries-old festival in Japan brings Shinto traditions to the streets

KYOTO, Japan (AP) – There’s a special moment when Katsushi Horikawa feels closer to the gods. It comes as he rides atop one of the towering floats pulled through the streets in a centuries-old procession in Japan.

Tai Chi practitioners seek balance in fast-paced Beijing

Tai Chi practitioners seek balance in fast-paced Beijing

FDA approves a first-of-its-kind pill to cut cholesterol in high-risk patients

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Food and Drug Administration has approved a first-of-its-kind pill that can drastically reduce cholesterol in a way that’s previously only been available with expensive, injectable drugs.

Blood test can help identify healthy people at high risk for Alzheimer's disease

WASHINGTON (AP) – A blood test may predict if apparently healthy older adults are likely to develop Alzheimer’s symptoms in the next five or 10 years, researchers reported Wednesday.

How an Italian sculptor created the World Cup trophy that became an icon

MILAN (AP) – The Italian sculptor who designed the FIFA World Cup trophy wanted to capture three sporting emotions in a single spiraling form: the athlete’s struggle, the fan’s jubilation and the moment of victory.

2,300-mile Walk for Peace thrust Texas monk into the spotlight

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Chien Le first met the Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara in 2005, a few years before Pannakara became a novice monk at the Texas Buddhist temple where he is now the deputy abbot.

Mount Olympus, home of the ancient Greek gods, vies for World Heritage status

LITOCHORO, Greece (AP) – Snow-capped for much of the year, Mount Olympus, mythological home of ancient Greece’s 12 Olympian gods, has captured the imagination through the millennia. Rising to 2,918 meters (9,573 feet) from a base practically at sea level, the ancient Greeks believed the throne of Zeus, king of the gods, stood on the highest of its craggy, often mist-shrouded peaks.

New malaria vaccine helps in Africa but faces a test

YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) – Rain had turned the dirt road into thick mud, but Mabel Djoumessi kept walking with her 9-month-old son, Kenfack, strapped to her back. His malaria vaccination appointment at a clinic in central Cameroon was too important to miss.