Seven Rescued Beluga Whales Arrive in Texas

So this is not just another company plan. It is an official step now.

Yes. It matters because the vaccine is for adults 50 and older.

The shot is called mFLUSIVA. It should be ready for 2026 to 2027.

That is a clear target group. What did the company say about the shot?

Moderna said a trial found fewer confirmed flu cases in people 50 to 64.

The new vaccine caused 27% fewer cases than the standard one.

Twenty-seven percent is a strong number. Did the trial say anything about safety?

The safety profile was about the same as the standard vaccine.

But more people getting the mRNA shot said they had side effects.

Those side effects were mostly mild, and they lasted two days or less.

So the picture is mixed, but still positive enough for approval.

That is right. For people 65 and older, doctors still currently recommend a high-dose flu vaccine.

Moderna said it will keep collecting data this winter and send it to the FDA.

And that data could affect whether the shot stays approved for older adults, right?

Yes. The company wants to show how mFLUSIVA compares with the high-dose vaccine.

Earlier this year, the FDA said it would not review the application.

Then it changed course, after Moderna promised another study.

That change of course is a big part of the story.

It is, especially because Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken against the mRNA platform.

He also cut at least $500 million in federal mRNA vaccine funding last year.

So the approval comes in the middle of a bigger health debate.

Exactly. Supporters say mRNA vaccines are faster and may match new strains better.

Critics, including Kennedy, have argued for safer and broader vaccine platforms.

Now the flu shot is approved, but the next winter data will be important.

More beluga whales move to Texas

Now we go to Ethan, our LinguaWire correspondent for society.

Seven more beluga whales have arrived in San Antonio after a long rescue trip from Canada.

That sounds like a huge move. Where did they come from?

They came from Marineland, a shuttered theme park in Canada.

The park has been closed to the public since 2024, but it still had the whales.

And these are not small animals. What did the trip involve?

The whales weighed more than 1,200 pounds each.

They traveled in water-filled transport units, then on flatbed trucks and a cargo plane.

Caretakers went with them the whole way.

That sounds careful, and probably stressful for the animals too.

Yes, but SeaWorld San Antonio said the second transport went well.

The whales are now in a private habitat away from public view.

Staff are watching their health and behavior very closely.

So this is still the beginning of their new life there.

It is. They are getting veterinary care, food, and attention while they settle in.

These seven females were the second group to leave Marineland.

They were also part of the largest beluga transfer ever in the United States.

That is a very unusual record. Were there other whales moved before this?

Yes. Two whales arrived in San Antonio last month, and four went to Chicago.

The two in San Antonio are also adjusting well, according to caretakers.

They are being slowly introduced to the whales already at the park.

And Marineland is still holding other whales today?

Yes, seventeen still remain there.

Officials say they may be moved to aquariums in the United States and Spain.

But no timeline has been announced yet.

So the rescue effort is still going, and the next step is not clear.

Right. The whales need care that one place can no longer give.

That is why this relocation is continuing.

First, three words from the beluga story.

whales: whales are large sea animals. In the story, seven whales arrived in Texas. Example: We saw whales from the boat.

relocation: relocation means moving something or someone to a new place. In the story, the whales were part of a relocation effort. Example: The school is planning a relocation next year.

habitat: a habitat is the place where an animal lives. In the story, the whales are now in a private habitat. Example: This lake is a good habitat for fish.

Now a grammar point: have been approved.

We use have been approved for recent official approval that is still true now.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna's seasonal flu vaccine.

Seven more beluga whales have arrived in San Antonio.

Repeat after me: have been approved