When McDonald’s opened its first Russian restaurant in 1990 in Moscow, it was not unusual to see wedding receptions held there, so strong was the appeal of the quintessential American brand at the end of the Cold War. In recent years, with U.S.-Russia ties increasingly frosty, the fast-food chain has …
your ad hereGovernors Group Sends Trump 428 ‘Shovel-Ready’ Projects
U.S. governors Wednesday sent the Trump administration a list of 428 “shovel-ready” projects they regard as high priorities for President Donald Trump’s plan to fix the nation’s infrastructure. The list of projects covers 49 U.S. states and territories, the bipartisan National Governor’s Association said in an email. The NGA will …
your ad here‘White Helmets’ Filmmakers Say Trump Travel Ban Hurts Syrian Subjects
The makers of Oscar-nominated “The White Helmets,” a film about Syria’s rescue workers, said the documentary’s subjects had been directly affected by U.S. President Donald Trump’s travel ban and that their absence at the Oscars would be a “lost opportunity.” “The White Helmets,” nominated in the Oscars short subject documentary …
your ad hereWith ‘Love and Joy,’ Jake Gyllenhaal Opens Broadway Theater
Broadway welcomed a new theater Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Jake Gyllenhaal. The “Brokeback Mountain” and “Nightcrawler” star was on hand with a pair of oversize golden scissors to reopen the Hudson Theatre with “Sunday in the Park with George,” the venue’s first theatrical production in nearly …
your ad hereUS Conservatives Propose Carbon Tax to Fight Climate Change
A group of conservative thinkers led by leaders from the Reagan and Bush administrations have proposed what they are calling a “Conservative Answer to Climate Change.” The group, including two former U.S. secretaries of state – James Baker and George Shultz – held a press conference Wednesday in Washington to …
your ad hereDiversity to Rock the Runway at NY Fashion Week
From faux furs and statement outerwear to floral prints and pants suits for warmer weather, a diversity of styles for all seasons will hit the runway at New York Fashion Week. Many designers at the semi-annual event, which begins on Thursday, will preview 2017 fall/winter apparel that will land in …
your ad hereDiversity to Rock Runway at NY Fashion Week
From faux furs and statement outerwear to floral prints and pants suits for warmer weather, a diversity of styles for all seasons will hit the runway at New York Fashion Week. Many designers at the semi-annual event, which begins on Thursday, will preview 2017 fall/winter apparel that will land in …
your ad hereHow ‘Madam Walker’ Became One of America’s First African American Millionaires
Madam C.J. Walker embodies the quintessential American success story, as someone who fought seemingly insurmountable odds to become one of the 20th century’s most successful self-made woman entrepreneurs. The daughter of former slaves, Walker built a cosmetics empire selling hair care and beauty products for African American women. By the …
your ad hereHow ‘Madam Walker’ Became One of America’s First African-American Millionaires
Madam C.J. Walker embodies the quintessential American success story, as someone who fought seemingly insurmountable odds to become one of the 20th century’s most successful self-made woman entrepreneurs. The daughter of former slaves, Walker built a cosmetics empire selling hair care and beauty products for African-American women. By the time …
your ad hereColombia’s Santos May Have Received Odebrecht Contributions
Colombia’s chief prosecutor said Wednesday that suspicions of illegal campaign contributions to President Juan Manuel Santos are based on testimony of a rancher connected to the leader’s opponents. The allegations have drawn the winner of last year’s Nobel Peace Prize into a widening corruption scandal rocking politicians across Latin …
your ad hereVoters Await Economic Revival in a Part of Pro-Trump America
She tugged 13 envelopes from a cabinet above the stove, each one labeled with a different debt: the house payment, the student loans, the vacuum cleaner she bought on credit. Lydia Holt and her husband tuck money into these envelopes with each paycheck to whittle away at what they owe. …
your ad hereAIIB Helps Silk Road Plan, But May Fail to Protect China Against Trump
Multilateral banks based in China have defied critics over the past year with strong performances that include financing projects across a dozen countries. The new banks, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and New Development Bank (NDB), have given added political legitimacy to China, and helped to push forward Beijing’s geopolitical interests …
your ad hereLawmakers Propose Paid Family Leave for Workers in US
Efforts to pay employees staying home to care for family in the United States got a boost on Tuesday with a legislative proposal that would benefit workers, especially women tending to children and aging parents. The United States stands alone among developed nations with its lack of paid family leave, …
your ad hereFactory Boss Says Fishing Technology Could Improve Controversial US Border Wall
A manufacturing company says skills and technology it developed making lobster traps could help save money on U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Riverdale Mills’ super-tough steel fence already guards 43 kilometers of the border, and the company says its technology …
your ad hereSome Relationship Advice: Get Off Your Phone
Forget the chocolates, roses and jewelry. This Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14), perhaps the best gift we can give our significant other is our undivided attention. Unfortunately for many, it’s easier said than done. A recent international survey of more than 13,000 adults found that in the company of their partner, …
your ad hereHyperloops May One Day Make Traffic Jams a Thing of the Past
Many urban areas in the U.S. experience large traffic jams that extend well beyond the usual rush hours. While rapid mass transportation has developed considerably in other parts of the world, such as Japan, China and Western Europe, the idea has not caught on as enthusiastically among Americans. Some entrepreneurs …
your ad hereZeeMee App Helps Students Show Colleges a Personal Side
The college application process is complex and stressful for many students. Colleges not only look for students who do well academically, but also pursue passions and interests outside of school. A new app now allows students to present themselves to colleges in a creative and personal way. VOA’s Helena Djordjevic …
your ad hereRepublican Senior Statesmen Promote Carbon Tax Plan
A group of Republican senior statesmen are pushing for a carbon tax to combat the effects of climate change and hoping to sell their plan to the White House. Former Secretary of State Jim Baker is leading the effort, which also includes former Secretary of State George Shultz. In an …
your ad hereBeijing Residents See Opportunity in Polluted Air
Gray, smoky skies are a familiar sight in Beijing, and authorities promising to spend billions of dollars to fix the ongoing air quality issues. But with no quick fix for the capital’s air, its residents are finding ways to cope and adapt to it, and some have turned dealing with …
your ad hereFactory Boss: Fishing Technology Could Improve Controversial US Border Wall
A manufacturing company says the skills and technology it developed making lobster traps could help save money on President Donald Trump’s controversial plan to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Riverdale Mills’ super-tough steel fence already guards 43 kilometers of the border, and the plant’s owner says its technology …
your ad hereLittle League Baseball Gains Ground in Kenya
Baseball may be known as the American pastime, but it has gained considerable popularity in parts of Latin America and Asia. Now the sport is gaining ground on another continent, Africa. Four organizations in Kenya run baseball programs. The largest Little League organization is in Kikuyu, outside Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. …
your ad hereArmy to Allow Completion of Dakota Access Oil Pipeline
The Army told Congress on Tuesday that it will allow the $3.8 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline to cross under a Missouri River reservoir in North Dakota, completing the disputed four-state project. The Army intends to allow the Lake Oahe crossing as early as Wednesday, according to court documents the …
your ad hereChina Seen as Key to Financial Sanctions on North Korea
China’s willingness to implement existing sanctions is vital to financial pressure on the development of nuclear arms by North Korea, a former senior U.S. official said Tuesday. Since early 2015, Washington has been applying incremental pressure on Pyongyang as it appears to be making strides in its nuclear and missile …
your ad hereSnow, Confetti Mix as Boston Celebrates Patriots Super Bowl Win
Hundreds of thousands of New England Patriots fans lined Boston’s streets on Tuesday, defying a driving snowstorm to cheer the team’s players in a parade celebrating their latest Super Bowl victory. Stars including quarterback Tom Brady and wide receiver Julian Edelman waved from the cavalcade of flatbed trucks and amphibious …
your ad hereUkraine Central Bank Presses for Exit of Kremlin-owned Banks
The Ukrainian central bank is stepping up efforts to edge Russian state-owned commercial banks out of the local market, though that process should be gradual to avoid disruptions, one of its deputy chiefs said Tuesday. Five Russian state-owned banks operate in Ukraine, including three in the top 20, and they …
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