A little-known dispute over 3D-printed guns has morphed into a national legal debate in the last week, drawing attention to a technology that seems a bit of sci-fi fantasy and — to gun-control advocates — a dangerous way for criminals to get their hands on firearms that are easy to …
your ad herePlastics Contribute to Global Warming, Scientists Say
Add plastics to the list of causes for global warming. Scientists writing in the journal PLOS One said Wednesday that plastics emit the greenhouse gases methane and ethylene when they are exposed to sunlight and degrade. The researchers carried out tests on such common plastic products as water bottles, shopping …
your ad hereUS Confirms Plan to Raise China Import Tariff to 25 Percent
U.S. President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on China for trade concessions by proposing a higher 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, his administration said Wednesday. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Trump directed the increase from a previously proposed 10 percent duty because China has refused to meet U.S. …
your ad hereAeromexico Crash: Stronger Planes Can Mean Fewer Fatalities
Passengers in plane crashes like the Aeromexico accident — in which no one died — have better chances of survival due to better aircraft construction and safety standards, experts say. People are now less likely to be trapped by collapsed seats and floors, especially if the plane comes to rest …
your ad hereA Special Type of 3-D Printing
3-D printers are being used extensively in industry, research, teaching and hobbies, printing with metal, plastic and even edible material such as dough. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh are experimenting with another kind of 3-D printing — with yarn. VOA’s George Putic reports. …
your ad hereGoogle Mum on Chinese Search Engine Reports
Google declined Wednesday to confirm reports that it plans to launch a censored version of its search engine in China, where its main search platform was previously blocked, along with its YouTube video platform. “We provide a number of mobile apps in China … [to] help Chinese developers, and have made significant …
your ad hereFed Keeps Key Rate Unchanged While Signaling Future Hikes
The Federal Reserve is leaving its benchmark interest rate unchanged while signaling further gradual rate hikes in the months ahead as long as the economy stays healthy. The Fed’s decision left the central bank’s key short-term rate at 1.75 percent to 2 percent – the level hit in June when …
your ad hereEU Imports of US Soybeans Were Rising Before Deal With Trump
European Union imports of U.S. soybeans were already rising substantially before a top EU official told President Donald Trump last week that the bloc would buy more. EU Commission figures released Wednesday show that 37 percent of the bloc’s soybean imports last month were coming from the U.S., compared with …
your ad hereDeadly Ebola Outbreak Confirmed in Eastern DRC
Four cases of the Ebola virus have been confirmed in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, officials confirmed Wednesday. Julien Paluku, governor of North Kivu province, announced the outbreak on Twitter, just a week after Congolese and U.N. health officials announced the end of a separate outbreak that killed …
your ad hereSocial Media Bosses to Face US Lawmakers in September
Top executives from Facebook, Twitter and Google will face lawmakers on Capitol Hill next month to explain what the social media giants are doing to combat foreign information operations. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman, Republican Sen. Richard Burr, and ranking Democrat, Sen. Mark Warner, made the announcement Wednesday, at the start …
your ad hereUS Officials Promoting Lower-Cost, Short-Term Health Plans
The Trump administration is clearing the way for insurers to sell short-term health plans as a bargain alternative to pricey Obama-law policies for people struggling with high premiums. But the policies don’t have to cover existing medical conditions and offer limited benefits. It’s not certain if that’s going to translate …
your ad hereChina Warns of Retaliation if US Takes More Trade Steps
China’s government has warned it will retaliate if Washington imposes new trade penalties following a report the Trump administration will propose increasing the tariff rate on an additional $200 billion of Chinese imports. A foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, warned Tuesday that Beijing will “definitely fight back” to defend its …
your ad hereBuilding a Musical Organ is No Simple Task
Thousands of dollars worth of parts, more than a year of hard work, attention to hundreds of intricate details — this is what it takes to build a musical organ. A small company in Tennessee has been building these grand musical instruments for nearly 30 years and recently walked VOA’s …
your ad hereJudge Blocks Plans to Post Gun Blueprints on Internet
A U.S. federal judge has blocked a Texas man from putting plans on the internet showing people how to make their own plastic guns right in their homes as President Donald Trump questioned whether the action should have been approved by his administration to begin with. It’s a controversy drawing …
your ad hereGulf of Mexico ‘Dead Zone’ Smaller than Usual
U.S. scientists have determined that the Gulf of Mexico’s annual “dead zone” — an area with low oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is the fourth smallest since they started mapping the area in 1985. Scientists supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in …
your ad hereSaltwater Treatment Plant Brings ‘Tasty Tea’ to Indian Island
Each morning, Kamarunisa Poovummada sips her cup of tea while watching waves from the Arabian Sea crash around a water treatment plant opposite her house on Kavaratti island, off India’s southwest coast. She links the taste of her perfectly brewed cup to the desalination plant that has brought potable water …
your ad hereWintour Erases Exit Rumors at Vogue
Anna Wintour, the influential editor of Vogue magazine, is remaining in her job “indefinitely,” publisher Conde Nast said Tuesday, refuting rumors that she was on her way out after 30 years. “Anna Wintour is an incredibly talented and creative leader whose influence is beyond measure. She is integral to the future of our company’s transformation …
your ad hereShell, Petrobras Units Probed for Brazil Price-fixing
Brazil’s three largest fuel distribution companies are under investigation for fixing prices at the pump, police said on Tuesday, reigniting debate over potential collusion among gas station owners in Latin America’s largest oil producer. The firms targeted by the probe are Petrobras Distribuidora SA, a subsidiary of state oil company …
your ad hereUS Treasury Extends Time to Divest From EN+, GAZ, Rusal
The U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday that it had extended the deadline for investors to divest holdings in sanctioned Russian companies EN+, GAZ Group and Rusal to Oct. 23 from Aug. 5. The U.S. Treasury in April imposed sanctions against billionaire Oleg Deripaska and eight companies in which he …
your ad hereBerlin Project ‘Upcycles’ Refugee Boats into Bags
When Abid Ali risked his life in a rubber dinghy in 2015 as he fled Pakistan for Europe, he didn’t think that three years later he would be making bags, backpacks and sneakers out of similar boats in a small workshop in Berlin. Ali, a tailor, is working with non-profit …
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