The consequences of Afghanistan’s increasingly deadly war are weighing the heaviest on the nation’s civilians. But violence and social pressures have not deterred members of the country’s nascent orchestra of mostly young girls from using music to “heal wounds” and promote women’s rights in the strictly conservative Muslim society. Ayaz …
your ad hereIranian Twin Sisters Win Over the US with Their Emotional Art
The most beautiful art is born where there is pain. This idea became the moving force behind the success of Iranian-born twin sisters Bahareh and Farzaneh Safarani. They moved to Boston from Tehran in order to advance their art and show it to the world, and they never regretted the …
your ad hereScientists Fear Non-Pest Insects are Declining
Scientists are noticing that the numbers of beneficial flying insects like bees, ladybugs, fireflies and butterflies seem to be declining. They can’t be certain about what’s happening, but possible reasons include habitat loss, insecticide use, the killing of native weeds, single-crop agriculture, invasive species, light pollution, highway traffic and climate …
your ad herePath Partially Clears for Russia’s Return to International Sports
Russia cautiously celebrated a move by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to reinstate its own laboratory for testing athletes for performance enhancing drugs, a decision that has divided the sports world by clearing a path for Russian athletes to return to international competition following a three-year suspension over allegations of …
your ad hereRising Oil Prices Haven’t Hurt US Economy
America’s rediscovered prowess in oil production is shaking up old notions about the impact of higher crude prices on the U.S. economy. It has long been conventional wisdom that rising oil prices hurt the economy by forcing consumers to spend more on gasoline and heating their homes, leaving less for …
your ad hereChina Cancels Trade Talks with US After New Tariffs
China has canceled trade talks with the United States following Washington’s imposition of new tariffs on Chinese goods. The Wall Street Journal reports that China had planned to send Vice Premier Liu He to Washington next week for the talks, but has now canceled his trip along with that of …
your ad hereAnti-Doping Agency Is Compromised, Group Contends
A leading anti-doping group hinted at changing the structure of the World Anti-Doping Agency, saying the decision to reinstate Russia’s drug-fighting operation was a sign that WADA leaders were saddled with “conflicting priorities.” The Institute of National Anti-Doping Organizations (INADO) said in a statement Friday that members of the WADA …
your ad hereKenya Lifts Ban on Lesbian Love Tale, in Time for Oscar Nominations
A Kenyan court on Friday temporarily lifted a ban on the movie Rafiki. Justice Wilfrida Okwany said that during a seven-day period, the film, a lesbian love story produced in Kenya, can be screened to willing adults. The ruling means that Rafiki will be eligible for Oscar consideration as the …
your ad hereQuestions Raised About US Museum’s Abraham Lincoln Hat
It has been a question plaguing the museum dedicated to one of America’s greatest presidents: Is the hat real? The hat in question is of the stovepipe variety that adorned the head of Abraham Lincoln — recognized for his fashion sense and lauded for ending slavery. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential …
your ad here‘Star Wars’ Fans Applaud Movie Release Slowdown
Plans by Disney to slow down the release of future “Star Wars” projects are getting a thumbs up from fans, who also hope that new movies in the multi-billion dollar sci-fi franchise will be more creative. In an unexpected admission that the slew of “Star Wars” films and spinoff projects …
your ad hereWHO: Progress Made Containing Ebola in Eastern DRC
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports substantial progress is being made in containing the spread of the Ebola virus in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It warns, however, that new hotspots are appearing. The WHO says the number of confirmed and probable cases of Ebola in the DRC …
your ad hereWHO: Alcohol Responsible for One in 20 Deaths Worldwide
Alcohol kills three million people worldwide each year — more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined, the World Health Organization said Friday, adding that men are particularly at risk. The UN health agency’s latest report on alcohol and health pointed out that alcohol causes more than one in 20 …
your ad hereTechnology Enhances Food Delivery Experiences
Self-driving technology is making online shopping a more convenient, more cost-effective experience. One new startup in San Jose, California, is launching a fully driverless delivery service, which many predict is something customers will be seeing a lot more of in the future. Faiza Elmasry takes a look at how these …
your ad hereShiite Muslims Mark Holy Day of Ashura With Mourning Rituals
Muslims are observing Ashura, one of the holiest days in Shiite Islam. Ashura is the 10th day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar. For Shiite Muslims, it is the day of mourning for the sacrifices made in the 7th century Battle of Karbala, especially the death of …
your ad hereRefugees Get Turn on Big Screen in Kenyan Film Festival
A film festival in Kenya this month highlighted a group not often seen on the big screen: refugees. The festival, organized by the nonprofit group Film Aid in collaboration with Amnesty International, screened a selection of short films about exile and identity, some produced by refugees themselves. Rael Ombuor reports. …
your ad hereHurricane Scale Ignores Rain Dangers, Experts Say
Communities along the U.S. southeast coast are drying out after Hurricane Florence. The storm poured more than 80 centimeters of rain in parts of the Southeastern United States, causing catastrophic flooding. Hurricanes are categorized by their wind speeds. But that’s not always what does the most damage. Some experts say …
your ad hereNASA Telescope Discovers Two New Planets Five Months after Launch
A planet-hunting orbital telescope designed to detect worlds beyond our solar system discovered two distant planets this week five months after its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, officials said on Thursday. NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite, better known as TESS, made an early discovery of “super-Earth” and “hot Earth” planets …
your ad hereFacebook to Drop On-site Support for Political Campaigns
Facebook Inc. said Thursday that it would no longer dispatch employees to the offices of political campaigns to offer support ahead of elections, as it did with U.S. President Donald Trump in the 2016 race. The company and other major online ad sellers, including Alphabet Inc.’s Google and Twitter Inc., have long offered free dedicated assistance …
your ad hereOne in Three Gun-owning US Veterans Don’t Store Weapons Safely
A substantial percentage of U.S. military vets store guns loaded and ready to use, according to an American study that could have implications for suicide prevention. “American veterans have a higher suicide risk than demographically matched U.S. adults and most of their suicides are actually related to firearm injury,” said …
your ad herePrince Vaults Open Up with Jazzy ‘Piano & A Microphone’
A nine-track album from Prince’s vast vault of unreleased material goes on sale Friday, along with a new video highlighting gun violence. “Piano & A Microphone” is compiled from a 1983 home studio cassette of the late musician playing jazz piano versions of some of his own songs and those …
your ad hereSuge Knight Pleads to Manslaughter Over Fatal Confrontation
Former rap mogul Marion “Suge” Knight pleaded no contest Thursday to voluntary manslaughter for running over and killing a Compton businessman nearly four years ago and agreed to serve nearly 30 years in prison. The Death Row Records co-founder entered the plea in Los Angeles Superior Court and has agreed …
your ad hereNAFTA Deal Not Yet in Sight, Canada Stands Firm on Auto Tariffs
Canada and the United States showed scant sign on Thursday of closing a deal to revamp NAFTA, and Canadian officials made clear Washington needed to withdraw a threat of possible autos tariffs, sources said. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump wants to be able to agree on a text …
your ad hereAnalysts: Poor Economy, Unemployment Lure Tunisians to Extremism
Seven years after the Arab Spring, little has been done to address youth unemployment in Tunisia, a key factor in extremist groups’ ability to recruit marginalized youth, rights groups and experts warn. “Someone who is marginalized with nothing to lose, no stability in life, no vision of the future, no hope for …
your ad hereBye Bye Bugs? Scientists Fear Non-Pest Insects Are Declining
A staple of summer — swarms of bugs — seems to be a thing of the past. And that’s got scientists worried. Pesky mosquitoes, disease-carrying ticks, crop-munching aphids and cockroaches are doing just fine. But the more beneficial flying insects of summer — native bees, moths, butterflies, ladybugs, lovebugs, mayflies …
your ad hereMaking, Drinking Arak a Source of National Pride in Lebanon
Every part of Lebanon’s national drink, arak, is infused with tradition — from distilling the aniseed-tinged liquor to the ritual of mixing it at the table, when the transparent liquid suddenly turns milky white as water is added. Arak is a staple of big Sunday meals. With a sweet taste …
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