Idris Elba’s daughter has been chosen as the Golden Globe Ambassador to assist with the glitzy awards ceremony. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Wednesday that 16-year-old Isan Elba will assume the ambassador title for the 76th annual Golden Globes Awards in January. Her 46-year-old father was named Sexiest …
your ad hereSotheby’s: Marie-Antoinette Jewels Soar at ‘Once in a Lifetime’ Sale
A royal treasure trove including jewels that belonged to French Queen Marie-Antoinette fetched 53.5 million Swiss francs ($53.2 million) on Wednesday, as collectors snapped up rare historic gems fresh to the market, Sotheby’s said. Held in private European collections for more than 200 years, 10 royal jewels that belonged to …
your ad hereReport: China Appears to Ease North Korea Sanctions
A U.S. congressional commission said Wednesday that China appears to have relaxed enforcement of sanctions on North Korea and called on the Treasury Department to provide a report on Chinese compliance within 180 days. In its annual report, the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission said the Treasury report should …
your ad hereRare Conservation Win: Mountain Gorilla Population Ticks Up
There are more gorillas in the mist — a rare conservation success story, scientists say. After facing near-extinction, mountain gorillas are slowly rebounding. On Wednesday, the Switzerland-based International Union for Conservation of Nature updated mountain gorillas’ status from “critically endangered” to “endangered,” a more promising, if still precarious, designation. …
your ad herePoll: Safety, Time Are Women’s Biggest Transportation Concerns
Safety is the biggest concern for women using public and private transport in five of the world’s biggest commuter cities, according to a global poll released Thursday as improving city access for women becomes a major focus globally. A Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of 1,000 women in London, New York, Mexico …
your ad hereFrigid Planet Detected Orbiting Nearby Star
A frozen and dimly lit planet, dubbed a “Super-Earth,” may be orbiting the closest single star to our solar system, astronomers said Wednesday, based on two decades of scientific observations. The planet, estimated to be at least 3.2 times more massive than Earth, was spotted circling Barnard’s Star, a type …
your ad hereDraft Brexit Deal Ends Britain’s Easy Access to EU Financial Markets
The United Kingdom and the European Union have agreed on a deal that will give London’s vast financial center only a basic level of access to the bloc’s markets after Brexit. The agreement will be based on the EU’s existing system of financial market access known as equivalence — a …
your ad hereManá to Be Honored as Latin Grammys’ Person of the Year
Mexican rock band Maná will be honored as the Latin Recording Academy’s 2018 Person of the Year in a star-studded concert Wednesday, the eve of the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony. Lead vocalist Fher Olvera, drummer Alex Gonzalez, guitarist Sergio Vallin and bass player Juan Calleros will be recognized during …
your ad hereOcean Shock: Portugal Mourns Sardines’ Escape to Cooler Waters
This is part of “Ocean Shock,” a Reuters series exploring climate change’s impact on sea creatures and the people who depend on them. A priest in a white robe swung an incense burner, leading the way for thousands of marchers as they crammed into a winding cobblestone alley decorated with …
your ad hereMexicans Disappointed With NFL Decision to Move Chiefs-Rams Game
The NFL’s decision to move the regular-season game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Rams due to the poor condition of the turf at Azteca Stadium has left many Mexicans disappointed, angered and wondering how it will affect the relationship with the league for the future. After …
your ad hereUS Adds New Sanctions on Cuba Tourist Attractions
The Trump administration is adding new names to a list of Cuban tourist attractions that Americans are barred from visiting. The 26 names range from the new five-star Iberostar Grand Packard and Paseo del Prado hotels in Old Havana to modest shopping centers in beachside resorts far from the …
your ad hereUber’s Losses Continue Ahead of IPO
The ride-sharing and delivery company Uber continues to lose money, with growth slowing as it prepares to go public some time next year. The San Francisco-based company announced it lost just over $1 billion from July through September, a 20 percent increase from the previous quarter. Uber’s revenue rose 38 …
your ad hereFCC Launches First US High-Band 5G Spectrum Auction
The Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday launched the agency’s first high-band 5G spectrum auction as it works to clear space for next-generation faster networks. Bidding began Wednesday on spectrum in the 28 GHz band and will be followed by bidding for spectrum in the 24 GHz band. The FCC is making 1.55 gigahertz of …
your ad hereAs Laws Fail to Slow Online Sex Trade, Experts Turn to Tech
The online sale of sex slaves is going strong despite new U.S. laws to clamp down on the crime, data analysts said Wednesday, urging a wider use of technology to fight human trafficking. In April, the United States passed legislation aimed at making it easier to prosecute social media platforms …
your ad hereWhen It Came to Racism, the Pen Was Stan Lee’s Superpower
Stan Lee was a seminal part of Miya Crummell’s childhood. As a young, black girl and self-professed pop culture geek, she saw Lee was ahead of his time. “At the time, he wrote `Black Panther’ when segregation was still heavy,” said the 27-year-old New Yorker who credits Lee with influencing …
your ad hereCuba to Withdraw Doctors From Brazil After Bolsonaro Snub
Cuba said on Wednesday it would pull thousands of its doctors from Brazil after the South American nation’s President-elect Jair Bolsonaro questioned their training and demanded changes to their contracts. The far-right Bolsonaro, who takes office on Jan. 1, said in an interview this month that the 11,420 Cuban doctors …
your ad herePublisher: NYT Reporters Work on Book About Brett Kavanaugh
Two journalists who helped cover the confirmation process of Brett Kavanaugh are working on a book about the newest Supreme Court justice. Portfolio says Wednesday that it has a deal with New York Times reporters Kate Kelly and Robin Pogrebin for “The Education of Brett Kavanaugh.” The publisher …
your ad hereMay’s Brexit ‘Moment of Truth’
Britain’s Theresa May scrambled Wednesday to sell to her Cabinet a draft Brexit divorce agreement British negotiators concluded after months of wrangling with their European Union counterparts. But the 500-page draft remains a source of deep dispute within Britain’s ruling Conservative party and also in the country’s parliament, which will …
your ad hereSoft Wearable Tech is Helping People Move
Robots with rigid metal frames are being used to help the paralyzed walk and have applications that could one day grant military fighters extra power on the battlefield. The problem is that they’re uncomfortable and heavy. But researchers at Harvard University are working on lighter, flexible devices that move easily …
your ad hereFans Pay Tribute to Marvel Comics Legend Stan Lee
Fans are paying tribute to Marvel Comics’ legend Stan Lee at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles. Lee – the creator of many superheroes – died on Monday at 95. VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo reports. …
your ad hereInside the FedEx Hub: How Packages Arrive at Your Door
Several hundred private cargo planes in the United States deliver millions of packages per year. The FedEx superhub in Memphis Tennessee works around the clock to get parcels delivered to customers and hopefully – on time. VOA’s Lesia Bakalets traveled to Memphis to learn what part of day is the …
your ad hereAretha Franklin’s ‘Amazing Grace’ Concert Film Finally Debuts
Three months after her death and 46 years after she first recorded it, Aretha Franklin’s live gospel concert is coming to the big screen. “Amazing Grace,” filmed in January 1972 when the Queen of Soul was just 29 years old, follows Franklin over two nights giving a concert at the …
your ad hereFuel Shortages the New Normal in Venezuela as Oil Industry Unravels
With chronic shortages of basic goods afflicting her native Venezuela, Veronica Perez used to drive from supermarket to supermarket in her grey Chevrolet Aveo searching for food. But the 54-year-old engineer has abandoned the practice because of shortages of something that should be abundant in a country with the world’s …
your ad hereWith J.K. Rowling’s Help, Jude Law Builds a New Dumbledore
When Jude Law met with J.K. Rowling about portraying the younger version of Albus Dumbledore, the two discussed how to rebuild the fan-favorite character from the “Harry Potter” films. Law spent an afternoon jotting down notes from Rowling who talked to him about Dumbledore’s life before becoming the world’s …
your ad hereElon Musk’s ‘Teslaquila’ Faces Clash With Mexican Tequila Industry
Tesla co-founder Elon Musk and Mexico’s tequila producers could be headed for a collision after the agave-based drink’s industry group opposed the flamboyant billionaire’s efforts to trademark an alcoholic drink dubbed “Teslaquila.” One of the world’s richest people and chief executive of Tesla, Musk is known for ambitious and cutting-edge …
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