Equities around the world rose Monday as possible progress in resolving the trade dispute between the United States and China engendered some investor optimism in what has been a punishing end of year for markets. The U.S. benchmark S&P 500 stock index advanced in light trading volume after U.S. President …
your ad hereChina Factory Activity Shrinks for First Time in 2 Years
China’s factory activity shrank in December for the first time in more than two years, an official survey showed Monday, intensifying pressure on Beijing to reverse an economic slowdown as it enters trade talks with the Trump administration. The purchasing managers’ index of the National Bureau of Statistics and an …
your ad hereKenyan GDP Growth at 6 Percent in Third Quarter 2018
Kenya’s economy expanded faster in the third quarter of this year than in the same period last year due to strong performance in the agriculture and construction sectors, the statistics office said on Monday. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said the economy grew 6 percent in the third quarter …
your ad hereA Big Build-Up to a Big Drop: The Times Square New Year’s Ball
An estimated 1 million people will pack New York City’s Times Square to watch the huge, brilliantly lighted, crystal ball drop to signal the start of the new year. It is an American New Year’s tradition that goes back more than a century. As VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports, lot of …
your ad hereYoung Libyan Women Play for Equal Rights on the Soccer Field
Young women looking to play the world’s most-popular sport have a place all their own in Libya. An all-girls soccer academy in the capital looks to break societal norms in the Muslim majority country that frown upon women wearing shorts or competing on the same fields as men. But it …
your ad hereNigeria Targets 26M People in Yellow Fever Campaign
Nigeria’s campaign to vaccinate more people against yellow fever appears to be making headway. The government is partnering with the World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF to immunize more than 26 million people. It is the second phase of Nigeria’s preventive campaign after a yellow fever …
your ad hereThe Euro Currency Turns 20 Years Old on Tuesday
The euro currency turns 20 years old on January 1, surviving two tumultuous decades and becoming the world’s No. 2 currency. After 20 years, the euro has become a fixture in financial markets, although it remains behind the dollar, which dominates the world’s market. The euro has weathered several major …
your ad hereNew Year’s Eve Ball Drop to Honor Journalism
A group of journalists will usher in the New Year Monday in New York City’s Times Square as the time-honored tradition of the annual ball drop recognizes journalism and free speech. Leading American reporters and editors will be on stage just before midnight to push the button that begins the …
your ad hereNASA Probe to Make History New Year’s Day
NASA scientists are getting a very special New Year’s Day gift. The New Horizons spacecraft is moving into unexplored space beyond Neptune to investigate objects so far out in our solar system they can hardly be seen by telescope. As VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports, the trip far out in space …
your ad hereElections, Films Help Effort to Ban Gay Conversion Therapy
Activists urging more states to ban gay conversion therapy for minors are expecting major gains in 2019, thanks to midterm election results and the buzz generated by two well-reviewed films. Fourteen states and the District of Columbia have already enacted laws prohibiting licensed therapists from trying to change a …
your ad hereTrump Says ‘Big Progress’ on Possible China Trade Deal
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Twitter on Saturday that he had a “long and very good call” with Chinese President Xi Jinping and that a possible trade deal between the United States and China was progressing well. As a partial shutdown of the U.S. government entered its eighth day, …
your ad hereAnti-Government Protests in DR Congo’s North Kivu Province Hamper Response to Ebola Epidemic
The World Health Organization says violent protests in DR Congo’s conflict-ridden North Kivu Province are hampering efforts to control the spread of the Ebola virus. Protests erupted Thursday in response to the government’s decision to delay presidential elections in the region until March. The World Health Organization reports anti-government …
your ad hereDRC Protests Hamper Ebola Epidemic Response
The World Health Organization says violent protests in DR Congo’s conflict-ridden North Kivu Province are hampering efforts to control the spread of the Ebola virus. Protests erupted Thursday in response to the government’s decision to delay presidential elections in the region until March. The World Health Organization reports anti-government …
your ad hereFarmers Risk Loss of Federal Payments, Loans, From Shutdown
The end of 2018 seemed to signal good things to come for America’s farmers. Fresh off the passage of the farm bill, which reauthorized agriculture, conservation and safety net programs, the Agriculture Department last week announced a second round of direct payments to growers hardest hit by President Donald Trump’s …
your ad hereHong Kong Economy Caught in US-China Trade Crossfire
The storm winds of the recent trade war between the United States and China have settled in a truce for now, but the weeks of agitation — of rising tariffs and counter duties — battered one economy close to Beijing: Hong Kong’s. In December, Hong Kong government economist Andrew Au …
your ad hereSocial Media’s Year of Falling From Grace
Silicon Valley has enjoyed years of popularity and growing markets. But 2018 has been rocky for the industry. Data breaches, controversies over offensive speech and misinformation — as well as reports of foreign operatives’ use of their services — have left many people skeptical about the benefits of social media, …
your ad here2018: A Year of Climate Catastrophes and Controversies
The five hottest years on record have all taken place this decade, and it looks like 2018 will join their ranks. This year showcased the hazards of climate change, while showing how far the world is from confronting it. VOA’s Steve Baragona looks back on a year of climate catastrophes …
your ad hereNorman Gimbel, Prolific Songwriter, Dies at 91
Norman Gimbel, an Oscar- and Grammy-winning lyricist, has died at the age of 91. The prolific songwriter is perhaps best known for writing the lyrics of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” and the English lyrics for “The Girl From Ipanema.” Gimbel, along with his collaborator Charles Fox, won the …
your ad hereConservationists Continue Fight Against Poachers, Climate Change
The world’s wildlife remains under increasing pressure because of human encroachment, the effects of climate change and — especially — poaching. It is estimated that the global wildlife trafficking market is worth up to $23 billion. Conservationists are fighting back to save some of the most endangered species we have …
your ad hereLampert Makes $4.4 Billion Bid to Keep Sears Alive
Sears Holdings Corp. Chairman Eddie Lampert submitted a $4.4 billion takeover bid for the bankrupt U.S. retailer, representing its only chance of escaping liquidation and laying off tens of thousands of workers, a spokesman for the billionaire’s hedge fund said Friday. Lampert’s bid is backed in part by $1.3 billion …
your ad hereUK Honors Cave Rescue Divers, Twiggy, Monty Python’s Palin
British divers who rescued young soccer players trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand are among those being recognized in Britain’s New Year’s Honors List, along with 1960s model Twiggy and Monty Python star Michael Palin. Twiggy, a model who shot to stardom during the Beatles era, will become a …
your ad hereStudy: Migrants to Affluent Nations May Be Healthier Than Natives
International migrants who relocate to high-income countries to work, study or join family members are less likely to die prematurely than people born in their new homelands, a research review suggests. For the analysis, researchers examined data from 96 studies with mortality estimates for more than 15.2 million international migrants in 92 countries. Overall, migrants …
your ad hereStrong Week, Yet Horrible Month for Wall Street
Wall Street capped a week of volatile trading Friday with an uneven finish and the market’s first weekly gain since November. Losses in technology, energy and industrial stocks outweighed gains in retailers and other consumer-focused companies. Stocks spent much of the day wavering between small gains and losses, ultimately …
your ad hereRevered Israeli Writer Amos Oz Dies at 79
Renowned Israeli writer Amos Oz, a passionate peace advocate whose stirring memoir A Tale of Love and Darkness became a worldwide bestseller, died Friday at age 79, his daughter said. Fania Oz-Salzberger said on Twitter that her father had died and offered thanks to “those who loved him.” “My beloved …
your ad hereZuckerberg Sees ‘Progress’ for Facebook After Tumultuous Year
Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg said Friday that the world’s biggest social network has “fundamentally” changed to focus on securing its systems against manipulation and misinformation. Capping a tumultuous year marked by data protection scandals and government probes, Zuckerberg said he was “proud of the progress we’ve made” in addressing …
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