February 2 News Digest: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and More

Each day brings a multitude of events that are impossible to follow in the news flow. Therefore, we gather the main stories in this digest. Today, we sum up February 2.

Scientists Reveal How Strongly Genes Influence Lifespan

Hereditary factors play a larger role in lifespan than previously thought. According to new estimates, genetics may explain about 50–55% of the differences in how long people live, Science reports.

Early research estimated the contribution of genes to longevity much more modestly — within 10–25%. Scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science believe these figures were underestimated due to methodological limitations, as they did not separate deaths from biological aging from deaths due to external causes, such as accidents or infections.

In the new study, the authors analyzed data from large twin registries in Sweden and Denmark, including a unique database of twins raised apart. To account for the influence of external mortality, the team developed a mathematical model with «virtual twins,» which allowed them to exclude deaths not directly related to aging. After this adjustment, it turned out that the genetic contribution is approximately twice as high as previous estimates.

Scientists emphasize that the high heritability of longevity does not negate the importance of lifestyle factors. However, the new data point to the existence of genetic mechanisms of aging, the study of which could open up prospects for influencing lifespan and quality of life.

Those Who Contacted Monkeypox Case Found in Russia

Individuals who were in contact with a person infected with monkeypox have been identified in Russia, and medical observation has been organized for them. This was reported by the press service of Rospotrebnadzor (the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing).

The agency noted that high-tech test systems have been developed to diagnose the infection, allowing for rapid confirmation of the diagnosis. Final disinfection has been carried out at the site of the infection.

Significant spread of the virus in Russia is not expected. As Dr. Murad Shakhmar danov, a medical sciences doctor, told TASS, the infection is mainly transmitted through prolonged close contact and has pronounced symptoms, which allows for quick isolation of the patient. According to him, the virus has a low basic reproductive index, and without active contacts, one patient on average infects less than one person.

Two Rapists Sentenced in Russia

In Russia, two courts have handed down severe sentences to men who raped the underage daughters of their cohabiting partners. One of the convicted received 15 years in a strict-regime colony in Blagoveshchensk, the other — 14 years in Arkhangelsk.

The Blagoveshchensk City Court sentenced a resident of the village of Chigiri to 15 years of imprisonment in a strict-regime colony. He was found guilty of raping the 13-year-old daughter of his cohabiting partner in the spring of 2025. After release, the convict will be subject to a two-year restriction of freedom. This was reported by the court«s press service in a Telegram channel.

The Isakogorsky District Court of Arkhangelsk sentenced a 37-year-old local resident to 14 years in a strict-regime colony. He was found guilty of raping the underage daughter of his cohabiting partner for several years, threatening her with violence, beating her, and showing her a knife to keep her silent. A psychological and psychiatric examination established that the convict is a pedophile. In addition to imprisonment, the court ordered him to pay the victim 1.5 million rubles (approximately $16,000 at current rates) in moral compensation.

College Graduates May Get Special Rights for University Admission

College and technical school graduates who have worked for at least three years in their acquired specialty will receive special rights for enrollment in universities. The corresponding bill, aimed at increasing the attractiveness of secondary vocational education, is planned to be submitted to the State Duma by July 2026, said Deputy Speaker of the chamber Viktoria Abramchenko in a conversation with Izvestia.

The goal of the initiative is to make secondary vocational education a full-fledged educational stage. «Currently, they have no formal advantages for continuing their studies at a university. It is planned to establish special rights for admission,» Abramchenko explained. Among the measures under consideration are non-competitive enrollment in related correspondence programs, equating them to privileged categories of applicants, and free preparatory courses at universities. To receive the benefit, three years of work under a targeted contract will be required.

The reform is designed to solve the problem of personnel shortages.

«It is important that colleges are not a dead end. If, upon graduating from technical programs, students want to become engineers, they could, without leaving their jobs, study in a part-time format. This would advance their careers,» noted Irina Abankina, a professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE).

You can read more about this initiative and other measures for college students in a separate article.

Unused Bank Accounts Can Create Unexpected Debt for Their Owners

Having unused bank accounts can lead to debt to the credit institution even with a zero balance. Which accounts should be closed was explained in an interview with the Prime agency by lawyer Alexander Khaminsky, head of the Center for Law and Order in Moscow and Moscow Region.

The expert explained that even with no money in the account, the bank can charge a service fee if the conditions for free service are no longer met. Regular deduction of fees leads to a negative balance (technical overdraft), which the client may not know about until they receive an official claim with a significant debt amount.

The lawyer recommends paying attention to three types of accounts:

Those in banks that have scaled back their presence in the client«s region. »If a bank liquidates an office in your city, managing the account, especially if a personal visit is required, will become extremely difficult,« Khaminsky noted. In 2025, Russian banks closed a record 1,700 branches.

Old salary or social accounts that have not been used for more than six months. In the absence of transactions and a zero balance for over six months, the bank has the right to initiate their closure itself.

Any accounts with a zero balance that are not monitored, due to the risk of the deduction of unknown fees to the client.

Drivers Face Hidden Violations in Winter That Can Result in Fines

Snowfall and icy roads create not only difficult conditions for drivers but also the risk of receiving fines for violations that are easy to miss. The main «winter traps» on the roads were listed in a conversation with the Prime agency by lawyer Alexander Shimansky.

The main problem is poor visibility of road markings and signs. This can lead to driving onto a «waffle» marking, stop line, or public transport lane hidden under snow. Cameras only record the position of the car, not taking into account the visibility of the lines. Challenging such a fine is difficult but possible if you prove that the marking was completely hidden and the encroachment was minor. Also, be wary of parking on a snow-covered lawn: courts rarely accept winter conditions as a mitigating circumstance.

In snowy weather, it is necessary to monitor the cleanliness of the car. A fine can be issued for dirty license plates, even if they got covered in snow during the journey, and for a roof not cleared of snow, from which a «cap» can fly off and damage another car. Faulty wipers or a frozen washer fluid system also become grounds for a fine, and an inspector has the right to prohibit further travel.

Problems can also arise in courtyards. Warming up a car for more than five minutes can lead to a fine based on a neighbor«s complaint, and a car blocking snow removal equipment can be towed. The expert also recommends not knocking snow and ice from the car onto the roadway, as this can be considered creating a traffic obstruction.

Plane Crashes in Orenburg Region

A light aircraft crashed on Saturday in the vicinity of Orsk, Orenburg Region. There were three people on board, all of whom died.

«A report of the crash was received at the address: Orsk, Dzhantalap settlement. The plane was on a training flight. Unfortunately, three people died,» the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) reported.

The plane fell during the day in the area of the Dzhantalap settlement. According to preliminary information, it was a Diamond DA model. On board were two cadets from St. Petersburg State University of Civil Aviation and an instructor pilot, writes the Telegram channel 112. As colleagues from 56.RU report, the pilot was 35, and the cadets were 21 and 20.

Two versions of the crash are being considered: pilot error or aircraft malfunction, the Investigative Committee reported.

Deadly Accident Occurs on Highway Near Krasnoyarsk

On the evening of February 2, a deadly accident occurred on the federal highway R-257 «Siberia» in the Rybinsky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai. Five people died, four of them children, and four more injured were hospitalized.

According to preliminary data, the cause of the accident was a «Veka» truck that was moving from Kansk towards Krasnoyarsk and towing a modular house. At the 965th kilometer of the highway, the trailer detached, flew into the oncoming lane, and collided with a passenger «Gazelle.» The minibus was driven by a 52-year-old driver.

Currently, police officers are working at the accident site. Traffic through this section of the highway is temporarily organized via a detour through the village of Rybnoye.

Nine-Year-Old Boy Missing in St. Petersburg for Several Days

A 9-year-old child is missing in St. Petersburg. The boy left home during the day on January 30 and did not return. Surveillance cameras captured him getting into a car near a fast-food restaurant, after which the car drove away.

During the investigation, a man with whom the missing person had contact before disappearing was detained. The child«s whereabouts are currently not established. The Investigative Committee has opened a criminal case under the article on murder.

And in Dagestan, Children in Kindergarten Poisoned by Carbon Monoxide

At a private kindergarten in the Dagestani village of Paraul, ten children were poisoned by carbon monoxide. This was reported to Interfax by the press service of the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) of Russia for the republic.

The children are in a condition of moderate severity, one is in serious condition. All circumstances of the incident are being investigated.

The republic«s prosecutor»s office reported that it has begun a check. Investigators have opened a criminal case on the fact of the children«s poisoning in the Karabudakhkentsky District of Dagestan.