Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka says she hopes her sponsors will consult with her about how they portray her, but her focus is on her game as she heads into the final at the Australian Open. Osaka was asked about criticism over one of her main sponsors, Nissin Foods Holdings, …
your ad hereMan says Emotional Support Alligator Helps his Depression
A Pennsylvania man says his emotional support alligator helps him deal with his depression. Joie Henney, 65, said his registered emotional support animal named Wally likes to snuggle and give hugs, despite being a 5-foot-long alligator. The York Haven man said he received approval from his doctor to use Wally …
your ad hereIn Iran, Parched Lands Hollowed by Water Pumping Now Sinking
Fissures appear along roads while massive holes open up in the countryside, their gaping maws a visible sign from the air of something Iranian authorities now openly acknowledge: the area around Tehran is literally sinking. Stressed by a 30-year drought and hollowed by excessive water pumping, the parched landscape around …
your ad hereChris Brown Accuser Alleges Multiple Rapes, Lawyer Says
The lawyer for a woman who filed a rape complaint in Paris against American singer Chris Brown and two other men says she was raped four times during a drug-fueled party. Police questioned Brown and the others before releasing them from custody without charges Tuesday. The Paris prosecutor’s office says …
your ad hereEU’s Malmstrom: Europe Should be More Ambitious on Climate Change
European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said on Thursday that Europe should be more ambitious on issues such as climate change as a way to unite the bloc around a single vision. “We need a great debate on the future of Europe,” she said in a wide-ranging debate at the World …
your ad hereChina to Crack Down on Health Care Violations, State Media Say
China will step up its fight against “irregularities” in the sale of health care products after a series of scandals in the industry in recent months, state media reported Thursday, citing senior officials. Zhang Mao, minister at the State Administration for Market Regulation, told China Central Television in an interview that the country’s health …
your ad hereA Peek Inside Amazon Headquarters
Amazon’s long search for a new headquarters location — nicknamed HQ2 — came to an end in November 2018, as the company decided to open offices in New York City and Crystal City in Northern Virginia. And while the opening of HQ2 is still months away, Natasha Mozgovaya visited the …
your ad hereImpact of Drone Sightings on Newark Airport Detailed
The Federal Aviation Administration said on Wednesday that 43 flights into New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport were required to hold after drone sightings at a nearby airport Tuesday, while nine flights were diverted. The incident comes as major U.S. airports are assessing the threat of drones and have been …
your ad hereCardi B is Getting Her 1st Las Vegas Residency
Cardi B will have her first Last Vegas residency this spring. Palms Casino Resort announced Wednesday the 26-year-old singer’s appearance as part of its debut of KAOS, a dayclub and nightclub amphitheater-style complex that is set to open in April. Above and Beyond, G-EAZY, Kaskade and Skrillex are among the …
your ad hereMichael Jackson Stage Musical to Premiere in Chicago
A stage musical about Michael Jackson will premiere in Chicago later this year before heading to Broadway in 2020. Officials said Wednesday that “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” will begin pre-Broadway performances at Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre on Oct. 29 and run through Dec. 1. The previously confirmed …
your ad hereMeek Mill, Jay-Z and Sports Owners Back Justice Reforms
A coalition of big names in sports and entertainment is taking on criminal justice reform. Rappers Meek Mill and Jay-Z and the owners of the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets and the Super Bowl-bound New England Patriots came together in New York City on Wednesday to announce the launch of an …
your ad hereShutdown Makes It Tough for Groups to Help Endangered Whales
Rescuers who respond to distressed whales and other marine animals say the federal government shutdown is making it more difficult to do their work. A network of rescue groups in the U.S. works with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to respond to marine mammals such as whales and seals …
your ad hereBlue Origin Shoots NASA Experiments Into Space in Test
Jeff Bezos’ rocket company, Blue Origin, has launched NASA experiments into space on a brief test flight. The New Shepard rocket blasted off Wednesday from West Texas, hoisting a capsule containing the experiments. The eight experiments were exposed to a few minutes of weightlessness, before the capsule parachuted down. The …
your ad hereEU Calls for Tougher Checks on Golden Visa Applicants
The European Union on Wednesday warned countries running lucrative schemes granting passports and visas to rich foreigners to toughen checks on applicants amid concern they could be flouting security, money laundering and tax laws. EU countries have welcomed in more than 6,000 new citizens and close to 100,000 new residents …
your ad hereBest and Worst Jobs of the Future
The hottest job of the future might be app developer. All you have to do is look at what you’re holding in the palm of your hand to figure out why. “All of us use our cellphones probably more than we should be every day, and that is what is …
your ad hereDavos Annual Meeting Open Amid Trade Wars, Slow Growth and Brexit
The annual World Economic Forum opened today in Switzerland against a backdrop of anxieties over trade disputes, Brexit and a growth slowdown that some fear could tip the world economy. VOA’s Mariama Diallo reports. …
your ad hereOn the Night Shift, an Office Security Guard Makes the Rounds
Cameras and alarms keep offices and warehouses safe worldwide. But a new kind of security guard is making the rounds looking for anything that is unusual. Michelle Quinn reports. …
your ad hereWhite House Denies Reports of Canceled Trade Meeting
The White House on Tuesday said high-level trade talks with Beijing were proceeding uninterrupted, quickly rebutting media reports that progress toward resolving their trade war had faltered. Chinese Vice Premier Liu He is to meet his U.S. counterparts in Washington next week as the two sides work to resolve their …
your ad hereKaye Ballard, Boisterous Singer and Actress, Dies at 93
Kaye Ballard, the boisterous comedian and singer who appeared in Broadway musicals and nightclubs from New York to Las Vegas and starred with Eve Arden in the 1960s TV sitcom “The Mothers-In-Law,” has died. She was 93. Ballard died Monday night at her home in Rancho Mirage, California, after a …
your ad hereA New Generation Takes up the Hunt for Dead Sea Scrolls
In the cliffs high above the Dead Sea archaeologists chip away with pick axes, hoping to repeat one of the most sensational discoveries of the last hundred years – the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The scrolls, a collection of manuscripts, some more than 2,000 years old, were first …
your ad here‘Roma,’ ‘The Favourite’ Lead Oscar Nomination With 10 Nods
Oscar voters on Tuesday showered Alfonso Cuaron’s “Roma” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite” with a leading 10 nominations to the 91st Academy Awards, while two dominant but contentious Hollywood forces — Netflix and Marvel — each scored their first best picture nomination. Though many expected “A Star Is Born,” Bradley …
your ad hereMinister: Nigeria to Recommend 50 Percent Hike in Minimum Wage
Nigeria is to send a bill recommending a national minimum monthly wage rise of 50 percent to 27,000 naira ($88) to lawmakers in the national assembly, the labor minister said on Tuesday. Cost of living is a major campaign issue ahead of a presidential election on 16 February and unions …
your ad hereAP-NORC Poll: Disasters Influence Thinking on Climate Change
When it comes to their views on climate change, Americans are looking at natural disasters and their local weather, according to a new poll. Lately, that means record deadly wildfires in California, rainfall by the foot in Houston when Hurricane Harvey hit and the dome of smog over Salt Lake …
your ad hereGoogle Opens New Office in Berlin With Eye on Expansion
American tech giant Google has opened a new office in Berlin that it says will give it the space to expand in the German capital. CEO Sundar Pichai said Tuesday the space means Google could more than double the number of Berlin employees to 300. Google currently has 1,400 …
your ad hereUS Singer Chris Brown Detained in Paris After Rape Complaint
U.S. singer Chris Brown and two other people are in custody in Paris after a woman filed a rape complaint, French officials said Tuesday. Brown was detained Monday on potential charges of aggravated rape and drug infractions and remained in custody Tuesday, a judicial official said. Investigators have another two …
your ad here