On a recent morning, a handful of young people unloaded potted saplings to plant along the curbside in a program that brings greenery to Los Angeles neighborhoods. The LA Conservation Corps is working to restore trees lost to disease, drought and the kind of construction that leaves little space for …
your ad hereIn Germany, Graffiti Activists Turn Nazi Symbols Into Humorous Art
The Nazi symbol known as the swastika was on display in Charlottesville, Virgina, during a white supremacist rally earlier this month that led to violence and division in the U.S. It sparked a national debate about how to respond. In Germany, where the swastika is banned, a group of graffiti …
your ad hereTrump’s NAFTA Termination Comment Falls Flat in Arizona
President Donald Trump’s comments at a Phoenix rally that he will probably end up terminating the North American Free Trade Agreement brought cheers from the crowd but groans from the state’s top business group. Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Glenn Hamer posted a video calling any termination a …
your ad hereSpaceX Unveils Sleek, White Spacesuit for Astronaut Travel
SpaceX has unveiled a sleek white spacesuit for astronauts on its crewed flights coming up next year. Chief executive Elon Musk made the big reveal via Instagram on Wednesday. He says it’s not him in the new suit, rather a SpaceX engineer. SpaceX is developing a crew version of its …
your ad hereStudy: Few Nations See Beyond Hunger in Fighting Malnutrition
Food alone cannot solve the world’s malnutrition crises but only three countries are looking beyond hunger to the other major driver, according to a global study released Thursday. Water, sanitation and hygiene, usually treated by governments and NGOs as a separate policy area from food and nutrition, make up the …
your ad hereJudge: US Erred in Declining Protections for Remote Grizzly Bears
U.S. wildlife managers erred when they declined to list as endangered a small population of grizzly bears in the remote reaches of Idaho and northwest Montana, a federal judge has ruled in what conservationists on Wednesday hailed as a huge victory. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2014 determined …
your ad hereTaylor Swift Announces New Album in November
Yes, Taylor Swift fans, Wednesday was a lucky one for you. The pop star who whipped her army of Swifties into a frenzy with video snippets of slithery snake parts on social media posted the title of her new album, “Reputation,” and announced online it will be out Nov. …
your ad hereBritain Seeks Close EU Relationship on Data Protection After Brexit
Britain will set out a plan to cooperate closely with Europe on data protection rules after it leaves the European Union, hoping to reassure businesses and law enforcement agencies that there will be no disruption to exchanges of information. Minister for Digital Matt Hancock said Britain was leading the way …
your ad hereUS Federal Spending, Debt Ceiling: What You Need to Know
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he was willing to shut down the government to get funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, complicating two must-pass measures Congress will take up in September: a spending package and raising the debt ceiling. Here is what you need to know about both, and …
your ad hereLab-made ‘Mini Organs’ Helping Doctors Treat Cystic Fibrosis
Els van der Heijden, who has cystic fibrosis, was finding it ever harder to breathe as her lungs filled with thick, sticky mucus. Despite taking more than a dozen pills and inhalers a day, the 53-year-old had to stop working and scale back doing the thing she loved best, horseback …
your ad hereUS Defense Department Invests $17M in Laser Technology
The U.S. Defense Department is making another multimillion-dollar investment in high-energy lasers that have the potential to destroy enemy drones and mortars, disrupt communication systems and provide military forces with other portable, less costly options on the battlefield. U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, a New Mexico Democrat who sits on the …
your ad hereIsraeli Archaeologists Find 1,500-year-old Mosaic
A 1,500-year-old mosaic floor with a Greek inscription has been uncovered during works to install communications cables in Jerusalem’s Old City — a rare discovery of an ancient relic and an historic document in one. The inscription cites sixth-century Roman emperor Justinian as well as Constantine, who served as abbot …
your ad hereLOCKN’ Festival to Bring Positive Vibes to Charlottesville
Though the LOCKN’ Festival had been in the works for more than six months, the event taking place about 40 minutes from Charlottesville, Virginia, will now serve as an uplifting moment for the city following its racially charged rally that left one dead and others injured. Festival co-founder Peter Shapiro …
your ad hereGermany Draws Up Rules of the Road for Driverless Cars
Protecting people rather than property or animals will be the priority under pioneering new German legal guidelines for the operation of driverless cars, the transport ministry said on Wednesday. Germany is home to some of the world’s largest car companies, including Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW, all of which are investing …
your ad hereBruno Mars Meets Source of Nickname: Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Mars has met the man he’s nicknamed after: former pro wrestling champion Bruno Sammartino. The two met Tuesday night when the pop singing sensation’s 24K Magic World Tour stopped in Pittsburgh. Sammartino heard through friends that Mars, born Peter Gene Hernandez, was nicknamed “Bruno” by his father …
your ad hereEgypt Pins Export Hopes on New Leather Production City
Just beyond the outskirts of Cairo on a desert road to the Suez Canal, a sprawling industrial zone is coming to life as Egypt’s leather industry leaves behind its ancient tanning quarters for modern workshops of Robiki Leather City. The new complex is part of a major expansion drive of …
your ad hereSamsung Seeks to Bury Fiery Past with Galaxy Note 8 Launch
Samsung Electronics set out to wipe the slate clean in New York on Wednesday with a new Galaxy Note 8 phablet, hoping features such as dual rear cameras and its biggest-ever screen will extinguish memories of its fire-prone predecessor. The world’s largest smartphone maker by market share has put safety …
your ad hereConnecticut Farm Mark Twain Bought for his Daughter on Market for $1.8 Million
A Connecticut farm once owned by Mark Twain is for sale for $1.8 million. The Connecticut Post reports the 18.7-acre property in Redding is next to Twain’s country home, known as “Stormfield.” He bought it for his daughter, Jean Clemens, in 1909 and named it “Jean’s Farm.” But Clemens died …
your ad herePraise Keeps Pouring in for Muslim Model in Miss Universe
Praise keeps pouring in for a Muslim model, who earlier this month became the first contestant in the Miss Universe Great Britain pageant’s history not to wear a bikini in the swimsuit round. The model, Muna Jama, spoke about her decision with VOA’s Jon Spier. …
your ad hereWalmart Teams Up With Google for Voice-activated Shopping
Walmart is diving into voice-activated shopping. But unlike online leader Amazon, it’s not doing it alone. The world’s largest retailer said Wednesday it’s working with Google to offer hundreds of thousands of items from laundry detergent to Legos for voice shopping through Google Assistant. The capability will be available in …
your ad hereValerie Plame Wilson Wants to Buy Twitter to Kick Trump Off
Former undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson is looking to crowdfund enough money to buy Twitter so President Donald Trump can’t use it. Wilson launched the fundraiser last week, tweeting: “If @Twitter executives won’t shut down Trump’s violence and hate, then it’s up to us. #BuyTwitter #BanTrump.” The GoFundMe page …
your ad hereAfter US Cuts, Delays Aid to Egypt, Kushner Snubbed in Cairo
White House adviser Jared Kushner and visiting U.S. officials were snubbed by the Foreign Ministry in Cairo on Wednesday in apparent protest over the Trump administration’s move to cut and delay aid to Egypt. Egypt’s top diplomat, Sameh Shoukry, was to meet with the U.S. delegation headed by Kushner, …
your ad hereChina Objects to New US Sanctions Linked to North Korea
China has objected to new sanctions the United States imposed against a group of Chinese and Russian companies for allegedly supporting North Korea’s nuclear program. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a news briefing that the sanctions are not helping U.S.-China cooperation on efforts to rein in North …
your ad hereSynchronized Fireflies Light Up Mountain Skies
Fireflies can be found around the world. But only in a handful of places on earth will you find the species of fireflies that synchronize their light. VOA’s Masha Mason went to one of those special places, in the mountains of Tennessee, to brings us a dazzling light show. …
your ad hereSouth Korea Wants Study Before Renegotiating US Trade Agreement
South Korea’s top trade negotiator said Tuesday that Seoul will not discuss renegotiation of the free trade agreement with the U.S. without first looking into what is really causing the U.S. trade imbalance. Speaking after a video conference with U.S. trade representative Robert Lighthizer, South Korean Trade Minister Kim Hyung-chong …
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