The U.S. Justice Department on Friday announced charges against four Chinese nationals and six co-conspirators for trafficking large quantities of the synthetic opioid fentanyl into the United States, part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on an abuse epidemic that has killed tens of thousands of Americans. The charges, handed down by a …
your ad hereTop 5 Songs for Week Ending April 28
We’re locking down the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending April 28, 2018. For the second straight week, we welcome a Hot Shot Debut … this time at No. 1. Number 5: BlocBoy JB Featuring Drake “Look Alive” BlocBoy JB …
your ad hereHere We Go Again: ABBA Records First New Songs in 35 Years
Mamma Mia! The members of ABBA announced Friday that they have recorded new material for the first time in 35 years. The Swedish pop supergroup said it had recorded two new songs, including one titled “I Still Have Faith in You.” The news was announced in an Instagram statement from …
your ad hereAnti-harassment Campaign Unrolled for Cannes Film Festival
Participants at the Cannes Film Festival will be given fliers warning “Proper Behavior Required” as part of an anti-sexual harassment campaign at the May 8-19 event. The top women’s rights official for the French government announced Friday that she reached a deal with Cannes organizers for the campaign. It will …
your ad hereAlabama Museum Seeks to Change American Narrative About Race
She had traveled to Alabama all the way from California to be here for this moment. She had managed to stay dry in a torrential downpour that would have forced many others away. Had somehow beat the odds, got in line early, and secured one of the sold-out opening day …
your ad hereBeautycon’s Social Media Stars Redefine Gorgeousness
For the latest beauty and makeup trends, those in the know are ditching fashion magazines and logging onto social media. YouTube and Instagram influencers are redefining beauty standards. And as Tina Trinh reports, the industry is taking notice. …
your ad hereEU Moves to Further Ban Bee-Killing Pesticides
European Union countries backed a proposal Friday to extend a partial ban on the use of insecticides known as neonicotinoids that studies have shown are harmful to bees. The full outdoor ban will be on the use of three active substances: imidacloprid, developed by Bayer CropScience; clothianidin, developed by Takeda …
your ad hereThe Store Where Everything Is Made in America
From T-shirts, socks and toys to knives and lanterns, a store in upstate New York takes pride in only selling goods that are made in America. Olga Loginova from VOA’s Russian service talked to the store owner about his business, which emerged after the 2008 financial crisis. …
your ad hereCosby’s Verdict Provokes Emotions on Both Sides
Accusers and supporters of popular U.S. comic actor Bill Cosby reacted emotionally Thursday after a jury in Pennsylvania found him guilty of sexual assault. His supporters cheered him on arrival to the court. His victims shed tears of relief and celebrated victory for all the women who have been sexually …
your ad hereConsumers Close Wallets, Trim US 1st Quarter Growth
The U.S. economy likely slowed in the first quarter as growth in consumer spending braked sharply, but the setback is expected to be temporary against the backdrop of a tightening labor market and large fiscal stimulus. Gross domestic product probably increased at a 2.0 percent annual rate, according to a …
your ad hereAmazon Delivers Profits, a $20 Prime Hike, NFL Games
Amazon.com Inc. more than doubled its profit Thursday and predicted strong spring results as the world’s biggest online retailer raised the price for U.S. Prime subscribers, added U.S. football games and touted its cloud services for business. The results showed the broad strength of the company, which has been expanding …
your ad hereRacism Concerns Spur Street Name Change in Boston
Boston city officials made the controversial decision Thursday to rename a street named for the late owner of the Red Sox baseball team because of his perceived racism. Yawkey Way runs just outside Fenway Park and will revert to its original name, Jersey Street. It had been renamed for Tom …
your ad hereMexico Economy Minister Says NAFTA Revamp Talks ‘Not Easy’
Much remains to be done before a new North American Free Trade Agreement is reached, Mexican Economy Minister Ildefonso Guajardo said Thursday, tempering hopes for a quick deal as ministers met in Washington for a third successive day. Negotiators from the United States, Mexico and Canada have been working constantly …
your ad hereFossil Footprints Capture Prehistoric Sloth Hunt
A prehistoric sloth hunt is frozen in time in footprints preserved in the New Mexico desert, according to new research. It’s an extremely rare find that authors say could revolutionize our understanding of how ancient humans interacted with large animals. It also may shed light on whether our ancestors drove …
your ad hereUS Comedian Bill Cosby Convicted of Sexual Assault
U.S. comedian Bill Cosby was convicted Thursday of drugging and molesting a one-time friend in 2004, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life. The 80-year-old Cosby now faces up to 10 years in prison for each of three counts of aggravated assault after a Pennsylvania …
your ad hereGlobal Study Finds 44 Genetic Risk Factors for Major Depression
International scientists have identified 44 genetic variants that can increase the risk of developing major depression and found that all humans carry at least some of them. The new findings could help explain why not everyone treated with antidepressants sees their condition improve, the scientists said, and point the way …
your ad hereEU Piles Pressure on Social Media Over Fake News
Tech giants such as Facebook and Google must step up efforts to tackle the spread of fake news online in the next few months or potentially face further EU regulation, as concerns mount over election interference. The European Commission said on Thursday it would draw up a Code of Practice …
your ad hereA Possible Malaria Vaccine Poisons the Anopheles Mosquito
Scientists in Kenya believe they have discovered a new way to combat malaria. As Faith Lapidus reports, a common medication, already used to treat a host of illnesses, makes people’s blood poisonous to the anopheles mosquito, which spreads the deadly disease. …
your ad hereMacy Debuts Modest Clothing Line by Muslim Designer
An American German-Catholic woman who converted to Islam decided to design modest clothes after she couldn’t find them in stores. Macy’s, the nationwide department store, is now carrying her designs on its website. But some people’s idea of fashion options is being viewed by others as condoning the repression of …
your ad hereMacy’s Muslim Clothing Line Sparks Ire of Women’s Rights Activists
The freedom to wear whatever you want is taken for granted here in the U.S. But some people’s idea of fashion options is being viewed by others as condoning the repression of women. In her first television interview, a U.S. designer of Muslim clothing explains her why she designed her …
your ad hereFacebook’s Rise in Profits, Users Shows Resilience
Facebook Inc. shares rose Wednesday after the social network reported a surprisingly strong 63 percent rise in profit and an increase in users, with no sign that business was hurt by a scandal over the mishandling of personal data. After easily beating Wall Street expectations, shares traded up 7.1 percent …
your ad hereUS House Moves to Reverse Order to Aid Salmon
The U.S. House approved a bill Wednesday that would reverse a federal judge’s order to spill more water from four Pacific Northwest dams to help migrating salmon reach the Pacific Ocean. The bill, approved 225-189, would prevent any changes in dam operations until 2022. It was sponsored by Republican Reps. …
your ad hereScientists: Uranus Smells Like Rotten Eggs
It’s a punchline that sends every 12-year-old boy into a fit of giggles. Now it has been proven to be true. Uranus stinks! Scientists using a huge telescope on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea volcano found the seventh planet from the sun is surrounded by clouds made up of hydrogen sulfide, the …
your ad hereStudy: Farming Legacy a Factor in Present-Day Behavior
A customer from Beijing and one from Hong Kong walk into Starbucks. A chair blocks the path between the counter and their seats. Who of the two moves the chair? It’s not a joke. It’s a psychology experiment, designed to test the long-lasting imprints of a culture’s agrarian past. A new …
your ad hereYouTube Overhauls Kids’ App
YouTube is overhauling its kid-focused video app to give parents the option of letting humans, not computer algorithms, select what shows their children can watch. The updates that begin rolling out April 26, 2018, are a response to complaints that the YouTube Kids app has repeatedly failed to filter out …
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