Blue was a rare, expensive color in ancient times, whether it was derived from lapis lazuli mined in Afghanistan some 6,000 years ago, made by blending copper with other elements throughout the Middle East and in ancient China, or mixing an extract of the indigo plant with clay and resin …
your ad here2019 Promises to Be Big Year in Space
This year marks the 50th anniversary of mankind’s first steps on the moon, so it is fitting that there are a number of exciting projects pushing us back into space. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports on some of 2019’s biggest stories in space. …
your ad hereChewing the Fat with Pakistan’s BBQ Masters
The sweet aroma of mutton smoke drifts through a maze of crumbling alleyways, a barbecue tang that for decades has lured meat-eaters from across Pakistan to the frontier city of Peshawar. The ancient city, capital of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has retained its reputation for some of Pakistan’s tastiest cuisine …
your ad hereMexico Finds Temple of the Flayed Lord
Mexican experts have found the first temple of the Flayed Lord, a pre-Hispanic fertility god depicted as a skinned human corpse, authorities said Wednesday. Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History said the find was made during recent excavations of Popoloca Indian ruins in the central state of Puebla. The …
your ad hereDisney Chalks Up 2nd Best Year at Box Office: $7.325 Billion
Disney posted its second best year at the box office ever, raking in $7.325 billion worldwide for everything from “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Infinity War” to hit animated sequel “Incredibles 2” and the latest “Star Wars” film. Disney remains the only studio to ever post more than $7 billion in …
your ad hereApple Cuts Revenue Forecast on Weak China Sales
Apple on Wednesday cut the revenue forecast for its latest quarter, citing fewer iPhone upgrades and weak sales in China, and its shares tumbled in after-hours trade. The company forecast $84 billion in revenue for its fiscal first quarter ended Dec. 29, which is below analysts’ estimate of $91.5 …
your ad hereNew Riverboat to Ply Mississippi in New Orleans
Few experiences capture old New Orleans and the Mississippi River quite like a paddlewheel riverboat coming around a muddy bend with its tooting whistle, towering smoke stacks and water-churning propeller. This month, a new riverboat is set to launch in this Louisiana port city. A plunge in tourism after Hurricane …
your ad hereStock Market Starts Off 2019 With More Turbulence
The roller-coaster ride on Wall Street resumed Wednesday, the first trading day of the new year, as stocks plunged early on, then slowly recovered and finished with a slight gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped as much as 398 points in the first few minutes of trading after more …
your ad hereNASA: Icy Object Past Pluto Looks Like Reddish Snowman
A NASA spacecraft 4 billion miles from Earth yielded its first close-up pictures Wednesday of the most distant celestial object ever explored, depicting what looks like a reddish snowman. Ultima Thule, as the small, icy object has been dubbed, was found to consist of two fused-together spheres, one of …
your ad hereWomen Strive to End Genital Mutilation in Kurdish Iraq
Dark skies were threatening rain over an Iraqi Kurdistan village, but one woman refused to budge from outside a house where two girls were at risk of female genital mutilation. “I know you’re home! I just want to talk,” called out Kurdistan Rasul, 35, a pink headscarf forming a sort of …
your ad hereFacebook Apologizes for Banning Evangelist Franklin Graham
Facebook has apologized for temporarily banning North Carolina evangelist Franklin Graham from its platform over a 2016 post about the state’s “bathroom bill.” The Asheville Citizen Times reports Facebook apologized to Graham on Sunday. Graham, the son of the late Rev. Billy Graham, said last week that the platform banned …
your ad hereHow Do Workers Compete With Machines In the Near Future?
Many of today’s jobs did not exist 10 years ago. And a decade from now, technology will likely replace some jobs we do today. What can workers do when machines become a prominent part of almost every industry? VOA’s Elizabeth Lee finds out from a technical college in Los Angeles. …
your ad hereRaising Cattle a Risky Business for Venezuela Ranchers
Rotting hides on the road are all that is left of three butchered cows. Such carnage is common in Venezuela’s cattle country, where thieves, squatters and government policy threaten a vital food resource. Venezuela’s severe economic crisis is felt keenly in cities — where food sources are limited — but …
your ad hereOne Million Lights Shine Brightly at Chinese Festival Near Washington
Imagine a magical place where lights are designed in the shape of the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower and dragons. It’s a place where children can enjoy a maze made of Chinese lanterns or see death-defying acts by gymnasts. VOA’s Carolyn Presutti takes us to Light-Up…a Christmas festival near …
your ad hereSpacecraft Opens New Year with Flyby on Solar System’s Edge
NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft pulled off the most distant exploration of another world Tuesday, skimming past a tiny, icy object 4 billion miles from Earth that looks to be shaped like a bowling pin. Flight controllers in Maryland declared success 10 hours after the high-risk, middle-of-the-night encounter at the mysterious …
your ad hereKenya Struggles to Give Life to Futuristic ‘Silicon Savannah’ City
Laborers milled around an unfinished eight-story building in an expansive field in Konza dotted with zebra and antelope — the only visible sign of progress in a decade-old plan to make Kenya into Africa’s leading technology hub by 2030. Grandiose plans, red tape and a lack of funding have left …
your ad hereConcert Asks Composers to Create Works About War, Intolerance
The works of 32 composers from countries affected by war and other conflicts will be featured in a concert Jan. 24 at the Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland — a suburb of Washington, D.C. Award-winning Israeli-American pianist Yael Weiss curated the concert, “32 Bright Clouds,” which she …
your ad hereArtificial Intelligence Helps Sniff Out Suspected Secret Nuclear Weapons Programs
Scientists with the complicated task of tracking secret nuclear weapons developments around the world are getting some help from a new and more-advanced artificial intelligence system. Nuclear explosions, even underground ones on the other side of the world, leave signature traces of radioactive gasses. This system helps sort through masses …
your ad hereElectric Vehicles Poised for Global Growth
Electric vehicles are on the verge of a major growth spurt, according to many experts. Around the world, concerns about pollution and climate change are growing, and EVs provide an attractive alternative to fossil fuel-powered vehicles. But high sticker prices remain a challenge. VOA’s Steve Baragona has more on an …
your ad hereBoxing on a Bridge? Tbilisi Reinvents its Public Spaces
Think of public spaces in big cities, and formal parks, bustling markets and grand squares come to mind. Think again. In the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, residents have redrawn the map and come up with innovative ways for locals to congregate in their ancient and fast-changing city. A boxing ring …
your ad here130th Rose Parade Boasts Floral Floats, Singer Chaka Khan
Floral floats and marching bands took to the streets under a sunny California sky as the 130th Rose Parade drew hundreds of thousands of spectators on New Year’s Day and millions more watched on TV. Among the fanciful floats was an award-winning entry from the UPS Store that featured a …
your ad hereAfter Blockbusters in 2018, Are Black Films Entering Hollywood Mainstream?
The year 2018 was one of box office successes and awards of artistic recognition for black films, from Marvel Comic’s action flick Black Panther to the fact-based drama Blackkklansman. Ryan Coogler’s Black Panther, about a fictional African king with superhero powers and his technologically advanced country, Wakanda, has received dozens …
your ad hereAfter Some Blockbusters, Have Black Films Entered Hollywood Mainstream?
2018 was a year of box office successes and awards of artistic recognition for black films. Marvel’s action flick “Black Panther” introduced the first black superhero lead actor and grossed over a billion dollars domestically and internationally. Other films with black leading characters also did well with audiences and critics. …
your ad hereExtreme Weather Becoming the New Normal
Extreme weather events are on the rise and climate change is playing a role in both the frequency and intensity of the bad weather the world is seeing. And as we enter 2019, weird weather seems to be the norm in many parts of the world. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …
your ad hereThe Digital Revolution’s Double-Edged Sword
Digital developments that have upended businesses throughout the global economy, from music to manufacturing, are also changing what the world trades and how manufacturers and merchants move and sell their goods. Experts tell VOA’s Jim Randle, the digital revolution presents significant opportunities, but also serious problems, for countries. …
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