Facebook has hired Ajit Mohan of the Indian streaming service Hotstar to run its India division, in the midst of accusations from the Indian government that the company’s WhatsApp messaging service has helped trigger mob violence. Mohan has been CEO of Hotstar since 2016, according to his LinkedIn. Mohan’s appointment …
your ad hereOklahoma Astronaut Corn Maze Photographed from Space
It’s apt that a maze cut into an Oklahoma cornfield featuring the likeness of a former NASA astronaut can be seen from space – and has been photographed by a satellite orbiting Earth. The image of Oklahoma-born Thomas P. Stafford is cut into a 10-acre field at P Bar Farms …
your ad hereWhy the ‘Gig’ Economy May Not be the Workforce of Future
The “gig” economy might not be the new frontier for America’s workforce after all. From Uber to TaskRabbit to YourMechanic, so-called gig work has been widely seen as ideal for people who want the flexibility and independence that traditional jobs don’t offer. Yet the evidence is growing that over time, …
your ad hereWill Bill Cosby, 81, Go to Prison? A judge is Set to Decide
Bill Cosby faced the start of a sentencing hearing Monday at which a judge will decide how to punish the 81-year-old comedian who blazed the trail for other black entertainers and donated millions to black causes but preyed on at least one young woman and perhaps many more. Cosby was …
your ad hereComedian Bill Cosby to Be Sentenced for Sexual Assault
A two-day sentencing hearing for popular U.S. television star Bill Cosby is set to begin Monday. Cosby was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault in April for drugging and molesting a woman in 2004. Each count carries a maximum 10-year penalty. The case has been hailed as …
your ad hereSentencing Hearing for Comedian Bill Cosby Opens Monday
Comedian Bill Cosby will likely learn his fate this week as the sentencing phase in his sexual assault trial begins Monday near Philadelphia. Cosby was convicted in April on three counts of aggravated indecent assault against former Temple University administrator Andrea Constand. Under sentencing guidelines, Cosby could get as much …
your ad hereTalking Gloves and Tactile Windows Provide Help for the Disabled
New technologies are helping people who are disabled with physical, cognitive, vision and hearing problems. Some promising new tools include a digital glove that translates sign language, and tactile windows for people who are blind. More from VOA’s Deborah Block. …
your ad hereEuropean Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter Heads Closer to Sun than Ever Before
Researchers at the European Space Agency are preparing for a historic trip. They say their Solar Orbiter, a modified spacecraft built to withstand the heat, will travel closer to the sun than ever before, which may help scientists study the buildup of solar storms. Arash Arabasadi reports. …
your ad hereMalawi Moves to Improve its Struggling Tourism Industry
Malawi continues to struggle to develop its tourism industry, despite having several attractions, including national parks, game reserves and mountains. But the government has developed a Tourism Strategic Plan that seeks to address challenges to attracting more tourists. Lameck Masina reports on Malawi’s efforts to develop the industry, after attending …
your ad hereTiger Woods Seals First Win in Five Years With Tour Championship
Tiger Woods scored his first victory in more than five years on Sunday, completing a two-shot win at the Tour Championship to crown a fairy tale comeback after a near two-year absence. The 42-year-old, 14-time major winner carded a one-over-par 71 at Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Course to claim the …
your ad hereInternational Organizations Join Tech Powerhouses to Fight Famine
The United Nations, the World Bank and the International Committee of the Red Cross are partnering with technology powerhouses to launch a global initiative aimed at preventing famines. “The fact that millions of people — many of them children — still suffer from severe malnutrition and famine in the 21st …
your ad hereFatal Drug Overdoses in Ohio Increase to Record Number
Fatal drug overdoses increased to a record 4,854 last year in Ohio, a 20 percent rise compared with the previous year, according to information reported to the state. Data on unintentional drug deaths provided to the Ohio Department of Health show 2017 was the eighth year in a row that …
your ad herePompeo: US Would Win Trade War with China
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo vows the United States will be victorious in any trade war with China, a day before the Trump administration’s latest tariffs on Chinese imports go into effect. Pompeo told Fox News on Sunday. “We are going to get an outcome which forces China to behave …
your ad hereRebel Attack in Congo Ebola Zone Kills at Least 14 Civilians
At least 14 civilians were killed on Saturday in a six-hour attack by rebels on the town of Beni in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials told Reuters, warning the unrest may hamper efforts to quash an Ebola epidemic in the area. The latest outbreak of the deadly disease …
your ad hereTreasure Trove of Cars Displayed in a Secured Underground Vault
Inside a hidden vault in Los Angeles, California, is a treasure trove of cars from around the world. It’s the collection of the Petersen Automotive Museum, and it is now open to the public. As Faiza Elmasry tells us, visiting the vault is like traveling back in time, exploring the …
your ad hereFormer Afghan Refugee Uses Telemedicine to Save Lives
A former Afghan refugee turned doctor in the United Kingdom is using technology and the web to save lives in war-torn and low income countries. VOA correspondent Mariama Diallo has more on what the doctor has dubbed “Teleheal,” the charitable organization he recently founded. …
your ad herePlastic in World’s Oceans Killing Young Sea Turtles
Plastic pollution floating in our seas is creating huge environmental hazards, polluting our oceans and killing animals like seabirds and marine life. But a new study shows young turtles, in particular, are at a higher risk of dying from eating ocean-borne plastic because it doesn’t take a lot of plastic …
your ad hereWhat Does the USDA Organic Seal Really Mean?
What makes food organic and what does the “USDA organic” label really mean? VOA’s Mariia Prus visited a certified organic farm in southern Maryland to find out more and spoke to some consumers about why they prefer organically grown products. Joy Wagner narrates for VOA reporter Mariia Prus in Saint …
your ad hereComcast Outbids Fox With $40B Offer for Sky
Comcast beat Rupert Murdoch’s Twenty-First Century Fox in the battle for Sky after offering 30.6 billion pounds ($40 billion) for the British broadcaster, in a dramatic auction to decide the fate of the pay-television group. U.S. cable giant Comcast bid 17.28 pounds a share for control of London-listed Sky, bettering a 15.67 offer by …
your ad hereUK PM’s Team Make Plans for Snap Election
British Prime Minister Theresa May’s aides have begun contingency planning for a snap election in November to save both Brexit and her job, the Sunday Times reported. The newspaper said that two senior members of May’s Downing Street political team began “war-gaming” an autumn vote to win public backing for a new …
your ad hereUS-China Tensions Rise as Beijing Summons US Ambassador
Tensions between China and the United States escalated Saturday as China’s Foreign Ministry summoned U.S. Ambassador to China Terry Branstad to issue a harsh protest against U.S. sanctions set for the purchase of Russian fighter jets and surface-to-air missiles. The move came hours after China canceled trade talks with the …
your ad hereUNICEF: DRC Ebola Orphans Stigmatized
The U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports a growing number of children in eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo orphaned by the Ebola outbreak in the region are at risk of stigmatization and abandonment. UNICEF reports a number of children have died from the disease. Others, it says, have …
your ad hereStudies: More Green Space, Less Crime, Depression in Poor Areas
Keith Green has an unusual fascination with vacant lots. Even on vacation. Out for dinner in Shanghai one recent night, he came across a sight that stopped him short. “Everyone else is taking pictures of the skyline,” he said. “I’m taking a picture of a vacant lot.” Scourge of abandoned …
your ad hereGreen Space Cuts Urban Crime, Depression
A little green space can make a big difference in blighted city neighborhoods, according to recent research from Philadelphia. It found that turning vacant lots into mini-parks reduced crime and cut rates of depression, especially in low-income areas. VOA’s Steve Baragona went to have a look. …
your ad hereAfghan Orchestra Flourishes Despite Violence, Social Pressure
The consequences of Afghanistan’s increasingly deadly war are weighing heaviest on the nation’s civilians, with women bearing the brunt of the violence. The Taliban banned music and girls education, and restricted outdoor activities of women when the group was controlling most of Afghanistan. But violence and social pressures have not …
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