As Britain begins the process of leaving the European Union, it is trying to rekindle old trade links with Commonwealth countries. However, the push for new commerce has sparked a debate on the historical legacy of the British Empire, with accusations that ministers are trying to whitewash atrocities committed during …
your ad hereGermany Threatens Social Media Companies with Massive ‘Hate Speech’ Fines
Germany has threatened to slap social media companies with huge fines if they do not act quickly enough to remove “hate speech” from their websites. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet on Wednesday approved a measure that would fine websites like Facebook and Twitter up to $55 million if they do not …
your ad hereEbay’s Founder Pledges $100 Million to Fight Fake News, Hate Speech
Ebay founder Pierre Omidyar’s philanthropy promised $100 million over the next five years to support journalism and fight fake news, the foundation announced Wednesday. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), which broke the story of the controversial Panama Papers, is the first organization to receive funds from the Omidyar …
your ad hereImproved Sleep May Help Elderly Ward Off Diseases
Scientists are investigating poor quality of sleep as the source for many diseases of aging, including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. They are working on ways to improve the amount of restful sleep that elderly people get, which researchers believe could promote much healthier lives. We spend approximately one-third of …
your ad hereTrump Promises $1T Infrastructure Project; Older Cities Badly Need It
America’s infrastructure is crumbling. A report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers gives the country’s roads, bridges and public works a D+, with a large portion of the structures showing significant deterioration. Tuesday, President Donald Trump reiterated his promise to spend one trillion dollars to overhaul the infrastructure. …
your ad hereCash Must Stay, Even in Digital Age, Says German Economy Minister
Cash is crucial, Germany’s economy minister said on Wednesday, defending the role of notes and coins in a debate in Europe about the merits of limiting cash payments to counter terrorism. The European Commission is weighing stricter rules on the use of cash to cut terrorists’ funding, and Germany’s finance …
your ad hereCooperative Board Games Let Everyone Win… or Lose
It’s a game that is deadly serious. In this make-believe world, humanity teeters on the brink of destruction. With each flip of a card, virulent and deadly diseases get a fiendish chance to advance across the globe. In this world, Yaianni and his friends are valiant public health officials, …
your ad hereBorn on Bayou: NYC Ferry Fleet Builds for Summer Launch
The future of public transportation in New York City is taking shape on the bayous of Louisiana and Alabama. Shipyard workers in the two states are scrambling to finish the city’s new ferry fleet in time for a launch this summer, just a little more than a year after it …
your ad hereStudy Says Hitting the Weights, Jumping, Could Help Bone Density
When people think of osteoporosis, they usually think of women, but men can get osteoporosis, too. Osteoporosis literally means “porous bones.” Normal bones look somewhat like honeycombs. But with osteoporosis, the bones become so thin in places that even a simple stretch can result in a bone fracture. Risk factors …
your ad hereStudy: Weight-bearing Exercise May Promote Strong Bones
The number of people with osteoporosis is expected to grow dramatically. Weight lifting, resistance training is part of the answer. VOA’s Carol Pearson reports on a study about men and bone health at the University of Missouri. …
your ad hereKim Dotcom Announces New Bitcoin Venture for Content Uploaders to Earn Money
Controversial New Zealand-based internet mogul Kim Dotcom plans to launch a Bitcoin payments system for users to sell files and video streaming as he fights extradition to the United States for criminal copyright charges. The German-born entrepreneur, who is wanted by U.S. law enforcement on copyright and money laundering allegations …
your ad hereSolar Eclipse Mania Spurs US Festivals, Tours, Sold-out Hotels
Get ready for solar eclipse mania. Destinations in the path of the Aug. 21 eclipse, which will be visible in the U.S. along a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina, are going wild with plans for festivals, concerts and viewing parties. Hotels in Casper, Wyoming, are charging five …
your ad hereOrwell’s ‘1984’ Back in Theaters in Stand Against ‘Alternative Facts’
Nearly 200 independent movie theaters across the United States on Tuesday screened the film version of George Orwell’s “1984” novel about a dystopian future, in what organizers said was a stand against U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. The United State of Cinema, which arranged the screenings in 44 U.S. states …
your ad hereAgency Chief: Russia Open to Extending International Space Station Partnership
Russia is open to extending its partnership in the International Space Station with the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada beyond the currently planned end of the program in 2024, the head of the Russian space agency said on Tuesday. “We are ready to discuss it,” Igor Komarov, general director …
your ad hereTanzania Struggles to End Child Labor
Three years ago, 14-year-old Julius left his family near the lakeside city of Mwanza, Tanzania, to try his luck mining gold. Today, Julius is in no hurry to leave, despite having one of the riskiest jobs on a chaotic mine site — handling mercury each day with his bare hands. …
your ad hereIce Hockey World Body Still Works for Olympic Deal With NHL
Like Russia’s star Alex Ovechkin, the International Ice Hockey Federation thinks NHL players need not miss the 2018 Winter Olympics — though team owners likely now need a “game-changer” offer on the table. “We are continuing to try to find solutions,” the governing body’s general secretary Horst Lichtner told The …
your ad hereResearchers: How to Protect Peru’s Rainforest? Indigenous Land Titles
Providing formal land ownership titles to indigenous communities is one of the most effective ways to preserve endangered rainforest in Peru’s Amazon, said a study published on Monday. Forest destruction dropped 75 percent on land once it was formally granted to indigenous communities, said the study by American researchers published …
your ad hereMercedes, Bosch to Co-develop Self-driving Taxis
Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler and supplier Robert Bosch are teaming up to develop self-driving cars in an alliance aimed at accelerating the production of “robo-taxis.” The pact between the world’s largest maker of premium cars and the world’s largest automotive supplier forms a powerful counterweight to new auto industry players like …
your ad hereStudy: 1-in-10 Zika-infected US Moms Have Babies With Birth Defects
About one in 10 pregnant women with confirmed Zika infections had a fetus or baby with birth defects, offering the clearest picture yet of the risk of Zika infection during pregnancy, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday. The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the first to …
your ad hereUS Coal Companies Ask Trump to Stick With Paris Climate Deal
Some big American coal companies have advised President Donald Trump’s administration to break his promise to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement — arguing that the accord could provide their best forum for protecting their global interests. Remaining in the global deal to combat climate change …
your ad hereNew US Spelling Bee Rules Seek to Prevent Ties
Scripps National Spelling Bee winners aced “gesellschaft” and “feldenkrais” to be named co-champions of last year’s competition, but it was the word “tie” that gave organizers a headache. On Tuesday, the contest revealed new rules aimed at preventing ties after the annual competition ended in a dead heat three years …
your ad herePoll: Most Young People Say Government Should Pay for Health Care
Most young Americans want any health care overhaul under President Donald Trump to look a lot like the Affordable Care Act signed into law by his predecessor, President Barack Obama. But there’s one big exception: A majority of young Americans dislike “Obamacare’s” requirement that all Americans buy insurance or pay …
your ad hereNOAA’s Biggest Ship Comes Home After Longest Voyage
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s largest oceanographic research vessel has returned to its home port after the longest deployment of any ship in the agency’s history. NOAA Ship Robert H. Brown spent almost 800 days at sea during the three-year deployment. NOAA says the ship traveled almost 130,000 …
your ad hereBidders on US-Mexico Border Wall Offer Different Ideas
Michael Evangelista-Ysasaga wants to build a humane wall on the border between the U.S. and Mexico. That is one reason the Mexican-American answered a call from U.S. Customs and Border Protection for proposals on sections of the wall to be built on the Southwestern border. Evangelista-Ysasaga said his company, the …
your ad hereTrump Tells CEOs He’ll Only Back Shovel-ready Infrastructure
With legislation overhauling taxes and health care on an uncertain path, President Donald Trump returned to the familiar. Trump brought 52 business leaders from New York City to the White House Tuesday to talk about another favorite campaign issue — infrastructure and economic growth. The U.S. economy has so …
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