The U.S. economy expanded at a slightly faster pace than first estimated during the first quarter of this year. The Commerce Department’s Friday report shows expansion at a 1.2 percent annual rate in January, February and March. That is nearly twice as fast as the preliminary estimate, but slower than …
your ad hereExperts: Africa ‘Hemorrhaging’ Billions in Illicit Financial Flows
Africa loses an estimated $50 billion a year to illicit financial flows, leaving governments strapped for cash and dependent on development aid. The continent is “hemorrhaging” money because of the failure of countries to enact strong legislation to check money flows, says Rose Acha, Cameroon’s supreme state audit minister and …
your ad hereItalian Designer Laura Biagiotti Dies at 73
Laura Biagiotti, an Italian fashion designer who conquered global markets with her soft, loose women’s clothes and luxurious knits that won her the nickname “Queen of Cashmere,” died Friday following a heart attack. She was 73. Biagiotti suffered the heart attack Wednesday evening at her estate outside of Rome. …
your ad hereExpert: Empowering Women Would Help End World Hunger
Sunday is World Hunger Day, an annual reminder that millions of people around the world suffer from chronic hunger, despite abundant global food production. Persistent shortages of food in some regions are linked to deep-seated social inequities and long-term mismanagement. An expert tells VOA’s Zlatica Hoke that empowering women is …
your ad hereCassini Spacecraft Facing Glorious Death
It took seven years for the deep-space probe Cassini to reach Saturn. Since 2005 it has been studying the planet and its moons, sending troves of photos and information. As the spacecraft reaches the end of its useful life, scientists will soon send it into Saturn’s atmosphere until it burns …
your ad hereIllinois Company Among Hundreds Supporting NASA Mission to Mars
A budget proposal by the Trump administration in March outlines a commitment to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) effort to send astronauts to Mars. About $3.7 billion is earmarked for development of the Space Launch System and the Orion capsule, crucial parts of NASA’s effort to send humans …
your ad hereImages from NASA Probe Show Huge Cyclones on Jupiter
Scientists looking at the first pictures of the planet Jupiter sent by the NASA probe Juno were shocked at what they saw: monster cyclones, hundreds of kilometers wide, tearing across the planet’s north and south poles. The scientists said the poles are nothing like the planet’s familiar placid and colorful …
your ad herePowdery White Dunes Attract Fun-loving Parks Traveler
National parks traveler Mikah Meyer had plenty of fun among giant powdery dunes recently, as he celebrated a milestone. He’s exactly one-third of the way through his 3-year journey to visit all 417 sites within the U.S. National Park Service. The young adventurer shared highlights of his 139th site visit …
your ad hereUS-China Ties in Arts and Education Deepen
On the political and military front, U.S.-China relations have been an often-tense dance between governments. However, in arts and education, many say the relationship is deepening. There is debate among Americans as to whether the ties are positive or negative. Some say this is progress that is reaping economic and …
your ad hereFitness Trackers Bad at Measuring Calories Burned, Study Says
It’s probably not a good idea to decide what to eat based on how many calories your wearable fitness tracker says you’ve burned, according to a new study. Researchers at Stanford University in California, who tested several popular fitness trackers on 60 volunteers, say the fitness trackers are good for …
your ad hereHypersonic Space Plane May Soon Be a Reality
The next generation hypersonic space plane just took a big step toward reality as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced Boeing will “complete advanced design work” for the Experimental Spaceplane, XS-1. The goal of the project is to offer quicker access to low Earth orbit, decreasing the preparation …
your ad hereNobel Laureate Toni Morrison Honored by Authors Guild
Toni Morrison praised the power of literature and the “community” of writers. James Patterson told some jokes, and even sang. Both received Distinguished Service Awards Wednesday night at the 25th annual Authors Guild dinner gala, held in Manhattan. The Guild, which represents thousands of published writers, also gave a service …
your ad hereGold Star Father Khizr Khan Plans Book for Young People
Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father who became a national celebrity after speaking at last year’s Democratic National Convention, has a book planned for young readers. Khan’s “This Is Our Constitution” comes out Nov. 14, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers told The Associated Press on Thursday. The book …
your ad hereAttempt to Rebrand Harlem as ‘SoHa’ Leaves Residents Fuming
Community activists in New York City say an attempt to rebrand a section of Harlem as “SoHa” – short for Harlem – is insulting and another sign of gentrification run amok. NY1 reports that community board member Danni Tyson says no real estate company, coffee shop or business should be …
your ad hereOPEC, Non-OPEC Nations Poised to Extend Output Cuts
OPEC and other oil nations meeting Thursday appeared set to extend their production cuts in an effort to shore up prices. But the intended impact could be short-lived. That’s due to U.S. shale producers. With crude prices above $50 a barrel from lows of last year, they are increasingly moving …
your ad hereComputer Wins 2nd Game Against Chinese Go Champion
A computer beat China’s top player of go, one of the last games machines have yet to master, for a second time Thursday in a competition authorities limited the Chinese public’s ability to see. Ke Jie lost despite playing what Google’s AlphaGo indicated was the best game any opponent has …
your ad hereSearch for Kidney Cements Personal Cambodian-American Bond
Tony Chhim, a first-generation Cambodian-American, needs a kidney. Until a few weeks ago, his family thought a yearlong search among relatives in Cambodia and in Khmer communities throughout the United States had been fruitless. Then Taylor Tagg, an American friend of Tony’s dad, Tim, surprised everyone by turning out to …
your ad hereNew Zealand-Launched Rocket Reaches Space, Not Orbit
California-based company Rocket Lab said Thursday it had launched a test rocket into space from its New Zealand launch pad, although the rocket didn’t reach orbit as hoped. The company said its Electron rocket lifted off at 4:20 p.m. Thursday and reached space three minutes later. “It has …
your ad hereProbiotics Show Promise as Mood Elevator
A new study suggests that probiotics, so-called “good” bacteria that aid in digestion, may also ease symptoms of depression. The finding adds to a growing body of evidence that what happens in the gut affects the brain. Some 300 to 500 bacterial species inhabit the human gut, many aiding in …
your ad hereChina Expands Globally Amid Concerns Over its Mercantilist Policies
China recently rolled out a global economic initiative known as One Belt, One Road, named after the ancient Silk Road. Chinese President Xi Jinping says the initiative is aimed at promoting international cooperation, but former U.S. officials and some business executives are concerned that China is not keeping its doors …
your ad hereNew Generation of Companies Looks to Create New Kind of Plant-based Food
In a San Francisco kitchen, chefs are re-creating everyday foods, such as eggs, mayonnaise, salad dressings and cookies from unconventional sources. “Playing with ingredients that are totally different in the food system is a lot like walking on the moon. We’re doing things no one has ever done before so …
your ad hereOn Memorial Day, Military Monuments Have Special Meaning
Cities across the United States have erected memorials to the hometown heroes who fought and died in America’s wars, from the American Revolution of 1776 to the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Washington, DC, is no exception. The capital city area is home to some of the …
your ad hereUsing the Internet to Monitor the Elderly at Home
According to the National Institutes of Health, 17 percent of people around the world will be 65 or older by 2050. Currently it is just more than 8 percent. That expected flood of elderly people is prompting authorities to think about new ways to care for them, and no surprise, …
your ad hereVirtual Reality Lets Us Travel in Space and Time
An increasing number of museums and exhibition halls around the world use virtual reality technology to transport visitors to different spaces and different time. London’s Somerset House recently opened a virtually recreated exhibition staged 178 years ago, showing some of the earliest photographs, transporting users to the birth of the …
your ad hereAfrica Day 2017: Harnessing Demographic Dividend Through Investment in Youth
Africa is now the continent with the largest percentage of people under 35 years-old. Experts say that presents both opportunities and challenges. Harnessing the demographic dividend through investments in youth is the theme of this year’s Africa Day celebrations. VOA’s Mariama Diallo has more. …
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