The U.S.-China trade war is spooking potential investors in soybean crushing plants planned for Wisconsin and New York state, developers said, casting doubt on the future of a sector that had been a rare bright spot in the U.S. farm economy. Crushers in the United States have been posting near-record …
your ad hereUK Airport Chaos Highlights Difficulty in Stopping Drones
When drones buzzing over the runway forced London’s busy Gatwick Airport to shut down, many travelers wondered why it’s so hard for authorities to stop such intruders. Shoot them down, some said. Jam their signals, others suggested. Experts say it’s not that easy. Britain and the U.S. prohibit drones from …
your ad hereThen One Foggy Christmas Eve, Reindeer Got Connected
Rudolph and friends no longer need to rely on the famous reindeer’s red nose to avoid getting lost. Now they have wireless technology. To keep track of their animals in Lapland, Northern Finland’s vast and remote snow-covered forests, reindeer herders are turning to technology by fitting them with internet-connected collars. …
your ad hereStorms Halt SpaceX’s First US National Security Mission
Thunderstorms forced Elon Musk’s SpaceX to postpone Thursday’s launch of a navigation satellite for the U.S. military, which was poised to be the rocket company’s first national security space mission for the United States. SpaceX said its Falcon 9 rocket and payload, a roughly $500 million GPS satellite built by …
your ad hereSex Abuse Case Against Movie Mogul to Proceed
A New York judge on Thursday refused to dismiss sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein, the Hollywood movie mogul who came to symbolize the MeToo movement which exposed sexual harassment by powerful men against women in the workplace. Weinstein’s lawyers had sought to get the charges dismissed, claiming that the …
your ad hereAt Least 8 Killed in Sudan Protests, State of Emergency Declared
A state of emergency has been declared in two eastern Sudan states after at least eight protesters were killed in mass demonstrations against rising prices. Thousands of protesters marched in cities and towns across Sudan Thursday, angry over widespread corruption and the rising costs of basic goods, including bread. Eyewitnesses …
your ad hereUS Adults Aren’t Getting Taller, But Still Putting on Pounds
You don’t need to hang the mistletoe higher, but you might want to skip the holiday cookies. A report released Thursday shows U.S. adults aren’t getting any taller but they are still getting fatter. The average U.S. adult is overweight and just a few pounds from obese, thanks to average …
your ad hereVirginia House With Over-the-Top Christmas Spirit
Christmas is a time for giving. For one man that means decorating his house with over-the-top Christmas displays to warm people’s hearts. It’s a family tradition that Kurt Farmer took over from his father. VOA’s Deborah Block takes us to the home full of Christmas spirit in Alexandria, Virginia. …
your ad hereNormal Life Possible with Cleft Lip or Palate
Even before Daniel Truglio was born, his parents knew he had a cleft lip and a cleft palate. John Truglio, Daniel’s father, said he and his wife, Roblyn, were nervous and scared. “The first thing I thought about was, ‘Here? In the United States? Is it possible? That only happens …
your ad hereUS Central Bank Boosts Benchmark Interest Rate
The independent U.S. central bank raised borrowing rates Wednesday for the fourth time this year, dismissing President Donald Trump’s contention that policymakers ought not tinker with the country’s robust economy, the world’s largest. The Federal Reserve board voted 10-0 after a two-day meeting to increase its benchmark short-term interest rate …
your ad hereDC Sues Facebook Over Cambridge Analytica’s Data Use
The attorney general for Washington, D.C., said Wednesday that the nation’s capital had sued Facebook over reports involving Cambridge Analytica’s use of data from the social media giant. “Facebook failed to protect the privacy of its users and deceived them about who had access to their data and how it was used,” Attorney General Karl …
your ad hereUS, China Spar Over Trade at WTO
The United States and China blamed each other for the crisis in the world trading system during a two-day “trade policy review” of the United States at the World Trade Organization. The Chinese representative to the WTO, Hu Yingzhi, accused the United States of deforming the rules of world trade, …
your ad hereFDA Panel Backs Prescribing Overdose Reversal Drug With Opioids
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday narrowly recommended prescribing the opioid overdose reversal drug, naloxone, along with addictive painkillers. The panel voted 12-11 in favor of labeling changes for opioids that recommend co-prescribing the overdose antidote, concluding a two-day discussion on ways to make …
your ad herePoland Signs 20-Year Deal to Buy Natural Gas From the US
Poland has signed a long-term deal with a U.S. company for supplies of liquefied natural gas as part of an effort to reduce its dependence on Russian energy, the two sides announced on Wednesday. Port Arthur LNG, a subsidiary of San Diego-based Sempra Energy, and Poland’s state gas company PGNiG …
your ad hereEuropean Officials Agree on Ban of Some Single-use Plastics
Plastic knives just won’t cut it any longer, if the European Union has its way. The 28-nation bloc moved closer to banning single-use straws, plates, cutlery and cotton swabs, after officials from EU member states and the European Parliament on Wednesday backed recommendations by its executive branch designed to reduce …
your ad hereFacebook Defends Data Sharing After New Report on Partner Deals
Facebook defended its data sharing practices Wednesday after a report revealing that certain partners of the social network had access to a range of personal information about users and their friends. The New York Times late Tuesday reported that some 150 companies — including powerful partners like Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix …
your ad hereUS Teams to Play in European Snow Volleyball Tour
When USA Volleyball asked four-time Olympian Lloy Ball to put together a team for a snow volleyball tournament in Moscow this week, the 2008 gold medalist was eager to accept. Never mind that he’s never played on the snow before. Or that, at 46, he’s not a likely candidate for …
your ad hereWhite House, Congress Appear Headed Toward Funding Extension
The White House and Congress appeared headed toward agreement Wednesday on a stopgap spending plan to avert a partial government shutdown at midnight Friday, but it does not include the $5 billion President Donald Trump wanted for construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell …
your ad hereUber Loses Lastest UK Legal Bid to Block Worker Rights for Drivers
Uber lost its latest court bid Wednesday to stop British drivers from being classified as workers, entitling them to rights such as the minimum wage, in a decision which jeopardizes the taxi app’s business model. Two drivers successfully argued at a tribunal in 2016 that the Silicon Valley firm exerted …
your ad hereEU Gives US Two Months to Name Data Privacy Ombudsman
The European Union on Wednesday gave U.S. President Donald Trump two months to name an ombudsman to tackle EU citizens’ complaints under a data protection deal sealed by predecessor Barack Obama’s team. Brussels has previously sought assurances the Trump administration is committed to the deal to protect Europeans’ personal data …
your ad hereChristian Readers Keep the Faith
The bestselling book of all time is believed to be the Bible, but the holy book is not the only title attracting readers looking for books that reflect Christian values. Christian publishers produce a variety of fiction novels covering traditional commercial genres — historical, suspense, romance, contemporary — but their …
your ad hereNine In 10 Babies Born With A Cleft Condition Could Die Without Corrective Surgery
One of the most common birth defects throughout the world is a cleft lip. Babies born with a cleft lip may also have a cleft palate, where the roof of the mouth is split. These birth defects can be repaired surgically. But unless that is done, it can result in …
your ad hereComposer Duo Faces Challenge of New Music for ‘Mary Poppins’
Everyone involved in the making of “Mary Poppins Returns” felt the pressure to do justice to the original 1964 film. Rob Marshall worked on it for three straight years. Animators came out of retirement to do hand-drawn animation in the style of the first. Sets were built. Cast members …
your ad herePet Cloning the Cutting Edge of Chinese Biotech
The U.S. has had its share of famous on-screen dogs, from Lassie to Benji. In China, the big-screen star is a lovable mutt named ‘Juice.’ But Juice is getting on in years, so what’s a movie company to do? Turn to cutting-edge biotech, of course. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …
your ad hereSalt Lake City Bids for 2nd Olympics in Changed Climate
When Salt Lake City pursued the Winter Olympics more than two decades ago, competition was so fierce that lavishing International Olympic Committee members with gifts and favors seemed commonplace. Salt Lake City got caught in a bribery scandal that nearly derailed the plans for the 2002 Winter Olympics. Two decades …
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