The leaders of the United States and Canada expressed optimism on Wednesday that they could reach new NAFTA deal by a Friday deadline as negotiators prepared to talk through the night, although Canada warned that a number of tricky issues remained. Under pressure, Canada rejoined the talks to modernize the …
your ad hereGermany, Seeking Independence From US, Pushes Cybersecurity Research
Germany announced a new agency on Wednesday to fund research on cybersecurity and to end its reliance on digital technologies from the United States, China and other countries. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told reporters that Germany needed new tools to become a top player in cybersecurity and shore up European …
your ad hereIraq Sees Spike in Water-Borne Illnesses
Iraqi health officials say that a health crisis stemming from water pollution and a shortage of clean drinking water has worsened in recent days, as hospitals in the southern port city of Basra treat more than 1,000 cases of intestinal infections on a daily basis. The problem was exacerbated several …
your ad hereThousands Turn Out for Spain’s Annual ‘Tomatina’ Fight
Thousands of revelers hurled at least 145 tons of tomatoes at each other Wednesday during the annual “Tomatina” festival in the eastern Spanish town of Bunol. With a firecracker blast marking the start of “La Tomatina” shortly before noon local time, at least six trucks loaded with tomatoes drove through …
your ad hereVirtual Reality: Digital Medicine to Combat Pain
More than 100 hospitals across the United States are using virtual reality or VR, as a form of therapy for patients to help manage symptoms such as pain and anxiety. An increasing number of countries worldwide are taking an interest in VR and doctors are starting to develop international guidelines on …
your ad hereUS Economy Grows a Bit Faster Than First Thought
The U.S. economy expanded at a 4.2 percent annual rate in April, May and June, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. The second-quarter growth figure for gross domestic product was one-tenth of a percentage point higher than initial estimates. “The economy is in good shape,” said PNC Bank Chief Economist Gus …
your ad hereCardi B Sorry for ‘Real Housewives’ of Civil Rights Parody
Cardi B has apologized to the daughter of Martin Luther King Jr. for portraying the civil rights leader’s wife, Coretta Scott King, in a comedy skit. News outlets report the Bronx rapper was featured in “The Real Housewives of Civil Rights,” a two-minute parody that surfaced Tuesday on TMZ. Tuesday was …
your ad hereWhere Are Blacks, Women? Living History Museums Rethink Past
A Massachusetts living history museum that depicts life in the early 19th century is looking to overhaul the way it presents the past in an effort to stay relevant to a 21st century audience. Old Sturbridge Village has received a $75,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities it …
your ad here‘Michael Jackson’s Thriller 3D’ to Be Remastered for IMAX
Michael Jackson’s estate and IMAX are partnering to digitally remaster Michael Jackson’s Thriller 3D into IMAX 3D. The partnership was announced Wednesday, which would have been the singer’s 60th birthday. It will be released in IMAX theaters across the U.S. for one week, beginning Sept. 21. The estate’s co-executors say …
your ad hereUN Rights Chief: Uganda Must Investigate Violations Sparked by Bobi Wine Arrest
The U.N. high commissioner for human rights is expressing deep concern about growing unrest and violence in Uganda. The turmoil was sparked by the recent arrest of pop star turned politician Bobi Wine and 32 opposition politicians. The arrests on August 13 followed a campaign rally in Uganda’s northwestern town …
your ad hereDelta Sigma Theta Pays Tribute to Soror, the Queen of Soul
What began as a thin line swelled into a sea of sisterhood as hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta streamed into the rotunda of the Charles H. Wright Museum on Tuesday to pay tribute to the Queen of Soul, a member of the sorority. The moving ceremony, known as …
your ad hereUgandan Pop Star Bobi Wine Has Kidney Problem After Jail
Bobi Wine, the Ugandan pop star who opposes the long-time president, has “a kidney problem” that needs urgent medical attention abroad, his lawyer said Wednesday, two days after the singer was freed from detention on crutches. A medical report confirms “the suspicion of a kidney problem” now afflicting the singer, …
your ad hereRights Groups to Google: No Censored Search in China
More than a dozen human rights groups are urging Google not to offer censored internet search in China, amid reports it is planning to again provide the service in the giant market. A joint letter Tuesday calls on CEO Sundar Pichai to explain what Google is doing to safeguard users …
your ad hereBritain Seeks Ways to Continue Trading with Iran
British officials have been turning to Japan for tips on how to dodge American sanctions on Iran, according to local media. Britain is already seeking from Washington exemptions from some U.S. sanctions, which are being re-imposed by President Donald Trump because of the U.S. withdrawal earlier this year from a …
your ad hereUS, Canada Holding Trade Talks Following US-Mexico Pact
Negotiators from Canada and the United States are holding detailed trade negotiations in Washington as they seek to work out a replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement. The talks come after the United States and Mexico agreed to a bilateral trade deal this week while leaving the door …
your ad hereWomen Photojournalists in a Male-Dominant Society are Breaking the Norm
In the violence-wracked, Indian-administered state of Kashmir, photojournalists have been capturing the daily lives of people and telling their stories to the outside world for many years. 18 journalists and media personnel have been killed covering the three-decade old armed conflict in the disputed Himalayan region. Like much of South …
your ad hereTrudeau Promises Effort to Reach Trade Agreement With US
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his country will negotiate new trade terms with the United States, but will only accept a deal that serves Canada’s interests. Speaking after the United States reached a tentative deal with Mexico to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Trudeau said negotiators …
your ad hereCameroon Gaming Stars Train New Generation of Business Superheroes
Off a dusty path in the capital city, flanked by chickens roosting in the grass, one of Cameroon’s most successful digital startups is capitalizing on its success to foster a new generation of entrepreneurs. Founded in 2013, Kiro’o Games has grown to become Central Africa’s first major video games studio. …
your ad hereOprah, John Legend Voice ‘Madagascar’ Director’s VR Passion Project
It’s been around for decades, but, unlike regular 3D, virtual reality (VR) has yet to make a big impact in the movie industry, something a maker of Hollywood animations believes can change – if the films are good enough. Eric Darnell, who co-wrote and directed the “Madagascar” movies, showed his …
your ad hereChina Struggles to Curb Its Reliance on US Buyers, Suppliers
Faced with plunging U.S. orders, surgical glove maker Ren Jiding is hunting for new markets amid Chinese government calls to reduce reliance on the United States. But no other market can absorb the 60 percent of his sales that went to American customers last year. “Other countries import much less than …
your ad hereAfter Flood, Tourism in India’s Kerala Left a Muddy Mess
More than a week after the floodwater began subsiding, animal carcasses are still floating in Kerala’s backwaters, and in places a nauseating stench rises like a wall when the wake from a passing boat breaks the surface. These inland lagoons running parallel to the coast are one of the biggest …
your ad hereExpress Fitness Gaining Popularity in US
Express fitness is gaining popularity in the United States, as people try to squeeze exercise into their hectic schedules. To accommodate them, gyms are offering more total body workouts in a compressed period of time. VOA’s Jill Craig has more. …
your ad hereGlioblastoma Remains a Deadly Form of Cancer
U.S. Senator John McCain’s death from glioblastoma on Saturday brought new attention to the most deadly type of brain cancer. The National Brain Tumor Society says 80 percent of brain tumors are benign, but a glioblastoma tumor grows rapidly, and it returns after treatment. It usually affects adults, especially men …
your ad hereAppetite for Destruction: Soy Boom Devours Brazil’s Tropical Savanna
When farmer Julimar Pansera purchased land in Brazil’s interior seven years ago, it was blanketed in tiers of fruit trees, twisted shrubs and the occasional palm standing tall in a thicket of undergrowth. He mowed down most of that vegetation, set it ablaze and started planting soybeans. Over the past …
your ad hereSucking Carbon From Air, Swiss Firm Wins New Funds for Climate Fix
A small Swiss company won $31 million in new investment on Tuesday to suck carbon dioxide from thin air as part of a fledgling, costly technology that may gain wider acceptance from governments in 2018 as a way to slow climate change. Climeworks AG, which uses high-tech filters and fans …
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