The U.S. state of California is experiencing its largest person-to-person outbreak of hepatitis A in the United States since a vaccine to prevent the liver disease became available in 1996. More than 600 cases have been reported in the state and 21 people have died. According to the California Department …
your ad hereSouth African Court Doubles Pistorius Sentence
Oscar Pistorius’ prison sentence was increased to 13 years and five months by South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal on Friday, a decision that more than doubled the Olympic runner’s jail term for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. In an announcement that took a matter of minutes, Supreme Court …
your ad hereBlack Friday Kicks Off Holiday Shopping Season
Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, traditionally has started the holiday shopping season in the United States. It refers to the day when retailers hope to turn a profit — go from “being in the red,” or being in debt, to being “in the black,” or making money. Many stores …
your ad hereDogs Learn While They Sleep
Scientists in Hungary have measured brain activity in dogs, which they say shows the animals learn while they sleep. The study is part of broader research to understand how dogs’ cognitive ability and memory change with age. As we hear from VOA’s Deborah Block, the research may have implications for …
your ad hereSeeing Microscopic Creatures from Space
The oceans and lakes are full of life, and most of it is not visible to the naked eye. In most bodies of water, every cubic centimeter contains many microorganisms — bacteria, zooplankton as well as single-cell plants called phytoplankton — all of them important links in the natural food …
your ad hereGeorgia Lays Claim to the Origins of Wine
There is a certain power in being the first to do something. When it comes to wine, that distinction has been a bit up for grabs. But a recent archaeological discovery may have pinpointed the origins of the simple, but incredibly complicated, origins of wine. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …
your ad hereChinese Theme Park Seeks to Ride Boom in Demand for Virtual Entertainment
Giant robots and futuristic cyberpunk castles rise out of lush mountain slopes on the outskirts of Guiyang, the capital of one of China’s poorest provinces. Welcome to China’s first virtual reality theme park, which aims to ride a boom in demand for virtual entertainment that is set to propel tenfold …
your ad hereRussian Tech Firm Wins US Intel Prize
Amid concerns about Russian hacking and online influence, Russian technology firm NtechLab has won a prize awarded by the United States intelligence community. VOA’s Moscow Bureau visited NtechLab to ask its general director about the award, the technology, and concerns about privacy. …
your ad hereSmooth Sailing So Far on $7.5M Makeover of Pilgrim Ship
If you’re a fan of the Mayflower II, here’s something that will float your boat. A year after craftsmen embarked on an ambitious effort to restore the rotting replica of the ship that carried the Pilgrims to the New World in 1620, the work “is going really great,” project manager …
your ad hereTech Firms Scrounging for Skilled Workers Training Their Own
Some information technology companies are growing so concerned about not find enough digital talent that they’re training their own. IBM, Amazon and Microsoft all now have apprenticeship programs that pay workers learning on-the-job while they build IT skills. The programs cost companies tens of thousands of dollars per trainee. …
your ad hereTrappers ask Court to Throw out Lawsuit Over US fur Exports
Fur trappers are asking a federal judge to throw out a lawsuit from wildlife advocates who want to block the export of bobcat pelts from the United States. Attorneys for trapping organizations said in recent court filings that the lawsuit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service infringes on the …
your ad hereMacy’s Parade Begins With Balloons, Bands and Security
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marched, rolled and soared in traditional style Thursday as police went all-out to secure it in a year marked by attacks on outdoor gathering spots. With new faces and old favorites in the lineup, the Americana extravaganza made its way through 2 ½ miles (3.22 …
your ad hereGeorge Avakian, Jazz Producer and Scholar, Dies at 98
George Avakian, a Russian-born jazz scholar and architect of the American music industry who produced essential recordings by Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis and other stars has died at age 98. Avakian’s daughter, Anahid Avakian Gregg, confirmed that her father died Wednesday morning at his home in Manhattan. No further …
your ad hereBollywood Film about Legendary Hindu Queen Embroiled in Controversy
The Bollywood film Padmavati, a period epic depicting the story of a 14th century Hindu queen and a Muslim ruler, was one of the year’s most awaited movies. But the film’s producers have indefinitely delayed its release amid fierce protests and violent threats by right-wing Hindu groups who charge the …
your ad hereThree Coffees a Day Linked to More Health Than Harm: Study
People who drink three to four cups of coffee a day are more likely to see health benefits than harm, experiencing lower risks of premature death and heart disease than those who abstain, scientists said on Wednesday. The research, which collated evidence from more than 200 previous studies, also found …
your ad hereWolves’ Return to Oregon Brings Conflict, Opportunity
Wolves were once so plentiful in the abundant forests that would become Oregon that the earliest settlers gathered from far and wide to discuss how to kill them. Those “wolf meetings”in the 1840s, spawned by a common interest, eventually led to the formation of the Oregon territory, the precursor …
your ad hereWhat Happens Once ‘Net Neutrality’ Rules Bite the Dust?
The Federal Communications Commission formally released a draft of its plan to kill net-neutrality rules, which equalized access to the internet and prevented broadband providers from favoring their own apps and services. Now the question is: What comes next? ‘Radical departure’ The FCC’s move will allow companies like Comcast, AT&T …
your ad hereFall of China’s Former Internet Censor Highlights Frustrations Over Controls
The former face of China’s “Great Firewall,” Lu Wei, has become the first “tiger” to come under the Communist Party’s corruption investigation since President Xi Jinping began his second term last month. Analysts say the graft probe into Lu’s corruption practices is widely believed to be legitimate and long overdue. …
your ad hereCoffee-Based Fuel to Power London Buses
A startup is making fuel from waste coffee grounds to power some of London’s buses. VOA’s Steve Baragona reports. …
your ad hereAnti-Smoking Ads to Air on American TV
This weekend, TV viewers across America will again be watching advertisements sponsored by major tobacco companies, but quite different from the ones pulled from the airwaves nearly 50 years ago. Instead of attractive people enjoying a smoke, these ads will lay out in plain text and narration the dangers of …
your ad hereStudy: Earth’s Night Skies Getting Brighter
Goodbye, Moon. We don’t need you anymore. The Earth’s night skies are getting brighter. A study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, finds the Earth’s artificially lit outdoor areas grew by 2.2 percent per year from 2012 to 2016. Light pollution is actually worse than that, according to the …
your ad hereFormer Gymnastics Doctor Accused of Sexual Abuse Pleads Guilty
A former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor pleaded guilty Wednesday to seven counts of sexual assault. He has been accused of molesting and sexually abusing more than 100 women and girls, including three Olympic gold medalists. The case of former doctor Larry Nassar reveals serious failings on the …
your ad hereFacebook to Let Users See Whether They ‘Liked’ Russian Accounts
Facebook Inc. said Wednesday that it would build a web page to allow users to see which Russian propaganda accounts they have liked or followed, after U.S. lawmakers demanded that the social network be more open about the reach of the accounts. U.S. lawmakers called the announcement a positive step. …
your ad hereHindu Politician Offers $1.5M for Beheading of Bollywood Actress, Director
A leader of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced that he would pay a reward roughly equivalent to $1.5 million to anyone who would behead an Indian actress and a film director. Surajpal Singh Amu, a member of the BJP in northern Haryana state, is apparently upset about …
your ad hereSoup Restaurant Teams With Family Farm to Serve Farm-to-table Freshness
Pumpkins, squash, beets and collard greens are just a few of the more than 50 different crops that Garner’s Produce in Virginia grows and sells at farmers markets about two hours away in Washington, D.C. At a small soup shop in the northwest section of the District of Columbia, cooks …
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