Here comes a total lunar eclipse and supermoon, all wrapped into one. The moon, Earth and sun will line up this weekend for the only total lunar eclipse this year and next. At the same time, the moon will be ever so closer to Earth and appear slightly bigger and …
your ad hereGloomy Davos: Plenty of Crises, Few World Leaders
An array of crises will keep several world leaders away from the annual World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos next week, which takes place against a backdrop of deepening gloom over the global economic and political outlook. Anxieties over trade disputes, fractious international relations, Brexit and a growth slowdown that …
your ad hereGuinea Worm Disease Could Soon be Wiped Out, Experts Say
There were just 28 reported human cases of Guinea worm disease (GWD) last year, the U.S.-based Carter Center said Thursday. The nongovernmental organization founded by former President Jimmy Carter said the disease is gradually moving toward eradication. The Carter Center says there were about 3.5 million human cases of GWD …
your ad hereStudy: Asteroids Smacking Earth Twice as Often as Before
Giant rocks from space are falling from the sky more than they used to, but don’t worry. For the past 290 million years, large asteroids have been crashing into Earth more than twice as often as they did in the previous 700 million years, according to a new study in …
your ad hereUS Appeals Court Will Not Delay Net Neutrality Case
A federal appeals court said Thursday it would not delay oral arguments set for Feb. 1 on the Trump administration’s decision to repeal the 2015 landmark net neutrality rules governing internet providers. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Tuesday asked the court to delay the arguments over its December 2017 …
your ad hereWSJ: US Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Weighs Lifting Tariffs on China
U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin discussed lifting some or all tariffs imposed on Chinese imports and suggested offering a tariff rollback during trade discussions scheduled for Jan. 30, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday, citing people familiar with the internal deliberations. But Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer has resisted the idea, …
your ad hereIndonesian Presidential Candidates Spar Over Corruption
Indonesian President Joko Widodo has accused his election rival of allowing corrupt candidates on his legislative ticket and failing to include women in senior positions. Widodo and former General Prabowo Subianto, along with their running mates, faced off Thursday in the first of five debates before the April 17 election. …
your ad hereTunisia Hit by General Strike, Amid Economic Tensions
Workers around Tunisia went on strike Thursday to demand higher pay in a standoff with a government struggling to reduce unemployment, poverty and social tensions. All flights in and out of the North African country’s main airport were cancelled, and schools nationwide were closed. Ports, public transport, hospitals and other …
your ad hereWant to Buy Ethical Food? Scan with Your Phone for Fast Facts
Whether buying a fish fillet at a supermarket or ordering steak in a restaurant, consumers will soon be able to use their phones to check instantly whether their food is green and ethical. Launched by environmental group WWF and investment firm BCG Digital Ventures, OpenSC is a website that harnesses blockchain …
your ad hereJohn Bogle, Founder of Vanguard, Dies at 89
John C. Bogle, who simplified investing for the masses by launching the first index mutual fund and founded Vanguard Group, died Wednesday, the company said. He was 89. Bogle did not invent the index fund, but he expanded access to no-frills, low-cost investing in 1976 when Vanguard introduced the first …
your ad hereStudy: Human Diet Causing ‘Catastrophic’ Damage to Planet
The way humanity produces and eats food must radically change to avoid millions of deaths and “catastrophic” damage to the planet, according to a landmark study published Thursday. The key to both goals is a dramatic shift in the global diet — roughly half as much sugar and red meat, …
your ad hereGiant US Bank Reveals 29 Percent Pay Gap Between Men, Women
Female employees at Citigroup Inc around the world are paid just 71 percent of what men earn, the giant bank said on Wednesday, declaring its intentions to close its gender pay gap. A Citigroup shareholder group that sought data on the pay gap said the bank is the first U.S. …
your ad hereBusiest US Port Sets All-Time Cargo Record in 2018
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach on Wednesday said they set all-time records for moving cargo in 2018, after U.S. retailers and manufacturers pulled forward imports to avoid higher tariffs on Chinese goods. The Port of Los Angeles, North America’s busiest container port, handled 9.46 million 20-foot equivalent …
your ad hereThe Best Rx for Teens Addicted to Vaping? No One Knows
The nation’s top health authorities agree: Teen vaping is an epidemic that now affects some 3.6 million underage users of Juul and other e-cigarettes. But no one seems to know the best way to help teenagers who may be addicted to nicotine. E-cigarettes are now the top high-risk substance used …
your ad hereGrammy-nominated Album Shines Light on Transgender Pioneer
For decades, Jackie Shane was a musical mystery: a riveting black transgender soul singer who packed out nightclubs in Toronto in the 1960s, but then disappeared after 1971. Some speculated she had died, but her legacy lived on among music historians and R&B collectors who paid big money for her …
your ad herePregnant Meghan Laughs Off ‘Fat Lady’ Comment on Charity Visit
A stranger’s comment on one’s growing stomach may not always be welcome but a pregnant Meghan, Britain’s Duchess of Sussex, took it all in her stride on Wednesday when a pensioner called her “a fat lady.” Prince Harry’s wife, who told well-wishers this week she is six months pregnant, laughed …
your ad hereColorism Reveals Many Shades of Prejudice in Hollywood
The breakthrough representation of minorities in Hollywood blockbusters has ignited a frequently overlooked discussion about whether prejudice isn’t just about the color of a person’s skin, but the shade. “Colorism,” the idea that light-skinned minorities are given more privilege than their darker-skinned peers, is a centuries-old concept that many insiders …
your ad hereStreet Singer Gives Voice to Venezuela’s Growing Diaspora
A year ago, Venezuelan migrant Reymar Perdomo was singing for spare change on jammed buses, struggling to make ends meet while building a new life in Peru’s capital. But her life took a turn when she wrote a heartfelt reggae song about leaving her homeland that went viral on the …
your ad hereUse of Expired Vaccine Sparks Public Scare in China
A recent vaccine scandal in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, where 145 children were confirmed to have received expired polio vaccinations, has once again exposed the country’s poor vaccine management and lack of systematic regulatory oversight, a former Chinese health official said. To eradicate such lapses, Chen Bingzhong, ex-head of China’s …
your ad hereScientists Tune In to Trees to Monitor Planet’s Health
Healthy forests are key to a healthy planet. But climate change is putting forests under stress. A new system aims to track the trees’ vital signs. VOA’s Steve Baragona has more. …
your ad here"Pulse" Turns Heartbeats into Interactive Art
Take a minute and think about your heart. Can you hear it beating? Probably not, but you know it is. Now imagine your heartbeat “in color,” with rhythmic lighting to match. You can now see your unique beat pattern at a new interactive exhibit called “Pulse” at the Hirshhorn Museum …
your ad hereRazor Burn: Gillette Ad Stirs Online Uproar
A Gillette ad for men invoking the #MeToo movement is sparking intense online backlash, with accusations that it talks down to men and groups calling for a boycott. But Gillette says it doesn’t mind sparking a discussion. Since it debuted Monday, the Internet-only ad has garnered nearly 19 million views …
your ad hereStudy Links Social Media Addicts, Substance Abusers
Addicted to social media? That’s not just an expression anymore. Scientists have found a connection between excessive social media use and behavior associated with substance abuse. Researchers at Michigan State University and Monash University in Australia found that heavy social media users tended to make riskier decisions usually seen in …
your ad hereSatisfaction: Rolling Stones to Headline 50th Jazz Fest
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival has got satisfaction: The Rolling Stones are among the headliners for the 50th anniversary festival. Organizers Tuesday confirmed reports that Mick Jagger and his band will play. Also headlining are Katy Perry, the Dave Matthews Band, Al Green, Pitbull, Santana, Jerry Lee Lewis, …
your ad hereGlobalization, Climate Change Top Agenda of World Economic Forum
More than 3,200 government, business, academics and civil society leaders will address issues of globalization, climate change and other matters of world importance next week at the annual World Economic Forum in the plush Swiss Alpine village of Davos. The list of participants reads like the Who’s Who of the …
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