US flu-shot coverage deadline, storm power restoration, Lake Sevan funding

US vaccine panel has no new recommendations after court halts changes

With the US vaccine panel making no new recommendations after a judge halted changes to it, the usual insurance-coverage deadline for the new flu shot remains unset. A patient’s $40 co-pay does not by itself establish a loss of coverage: such charges can occur in the first year under normal rules.

Four medical societies recommend connected heart care for women

Four medical societies recommend coordinating women’s heart care from adolescence onward. Their framework identifies menstrual changes, the transition after childbirth and perimenopause as opportunities to assess risk and plan continuing preventive care.

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Storm Austen left hundreds of UK homes without power on 24 October

Hundreds of UK homes remained without electricity after Storm Austen on the morning of 24 October. Enedis said about 59,000 French homes remained disconnected at midday on 25 October, while Freiburg-Breisgau’s main hospital in Germany said a blackout had forced it to accept emergency cases only.

EU pledges €1.53m for Lake Sevan as global fund approves $1.4m

The EU has pledged €1.53 million and the Global Environment Facility has approved a separate $1.4 million grant for Lake Sevan conservation. The programmes plan habitat restoration and better monitoring, with about $300,000 allocated within the funding framework for community initiatives intended to support incomes linked to nature protection.

Armenia launches initiative to reform subsidies that harm biodiversity

Armenia launched an initiative to reform subsidies harmful to biodiversity. Its voluntary platform invites countries to exchange experience, while a finance challenge is intended to help governments assess incentives and include biodiversity in budget decisions.

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Northern Ireland’s grid operator reconnects about 12,500 storm-hit homes

NIE Networks says all approximately 12,500 storm-hit households in Northern Ireland had regained electricity by 26 October. SSEN said on 27 October that about 5,700 homes in northern Scotland still awaited reconnection. School closures continued, while NorthLink Ferries warned passengers of possible disruption until 29 October.

Mexico’s archaeology institute identifies possible solar observatory

Mexico’s archaeology institute identifies a 2,500-year-old structure at Teteles as a solar observatory. An independent specialist cautions that astronomical alignments do not establish a building’s main function. The project director says plans are underway to open the site and a museum to the public.

Researchers make a stiff film that conducts very little heat

Researchers measured thermal conductivity of 0.04 W/m/K and an elastic modulus of 7.7 GPa in a dense experimental film. The team is testing coating uses and plans to replace the film’s lead with non-toxic metals.

SpaceX proposes larger Kennedy campus for Starship testing

SpaceX proposes expanding its Kennedy Space Center campus to add Starship testing and payload preparation facilities. Kennedy currently lacks ship static-fire capability, requiring that testing in Texas before shipment. The proposal awaits public comment, final approvals and water permits before construction can proceed.