The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says the world’s leading weather stations confirm the Earth has just had the warmest June on record, since record keeping began in 1880. Meteorologists say nine of the 10 warmest Junes on record have occurred since 2010. The 10th record-holder was in June 1998. WMO says …
your ad hereGermany: Facebook to Appeal Fine Under Hate Speech Law
Facebook says it plans to appeal German authorities’ decision to fine it 2 million euros ($2.3 million) under a law designed to combat hate speech.The Federal Office for Justice said July 2 Facebook failed to meet transparency requirements for handling hate speech complaints, and contended the company’s report for the …
your ad hereSouth Africa Mourns ‘White Zulu’ Johnny Clegg
South African singer and musician Johnny Clegg, one of the loudest voices in pop during the anti-apartheid movement, is being widely mourned in the country following his death earlier this week. The so-called “White Zulu” — so named for his use of indigenous South African music and dance – …
your ad hereBack to Back Heat Waves Devastate Indian Ocean Coral
About 60 percent of the world’s coral reefs are under stress from rising temperatures, according to the nonprofit group Reef Resilience Network. And new research shows just how devastating two heat waves were to coral in the Indian Ocean. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. …
your ad hereThe White Zulu has Fallen: South Africa Mourns Singer Johnny Clegg
South African musician Johnny Clegg, who was one of the loudest voices in pop during the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980s, has died at age 66 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The “White Zulu” — so named for his use of indigenous South African music and dance — is …
your ad hereReports: Suspect May Have Planned Worst Arson in Japan in Decades
A man suspected of torching an animation studio in western Japan shouted that he had been plagiarized and appeared to have planned the attack, news media said Friday after a blaze that killed 33 people in Japan’s worst mass killing in two decades.The 41-year-old man “seemed to be discontented, he …
your ad hereNew York Governor Signs Ambitious Climate Change Plan
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an ambitious climate change bill Thursday with the goal of slashing the state’s greenhouse gas emissions 85% below what they were in 1990. “Cries for a new green movement are hollow political rhetoric if not combined with aggressive goals and a realistic plan …
your ad hereParis Exhibit Takes Long View of Soccer and a Post-Colonial, Multi-Cultural Society
As Algeria takes on Senegal in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations final, a Paris exhibit takes the long view of soccer (football) — exploring its multi-faceted link to people and politics in the Arab world, and former colonial power France. In a darkened room, children watch a replay of the 1998 world …
your ad hereScientist Turned Chef Ditches Lab to Experiment with Food
Yunan Yang never intended to open a restaurant when she first arrived in the United States from China 10 years ago. Her plan was to study cancer. As a post-doctorate cancer researcher, she spent six years in Madison, Wisconsin, and worked to publish her findings in scientific journals.She used radiation …
your ad herePregnant Women Overseas Lose Access to Pre-Natal Care Due to Trump’s ‘Global Gag Rule’
Medical providers say some pregnant women in developing countries have lost access to prenatal health care because of the Trump administration’s expanded “global gag rule” that cut aid to international organizations involved in abortion-related activities.A recent study in the Lancet Global Health journal also reports that abortions actually increased in …
your ad hereUS Senator Schumer Asks FBI, FTC to Probe Russia’s FaceApp Over Security Concerns
U.S. Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer called on the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission to conduct a national security and privacy investigation into FaceApp, a face-editing photo app developed in Russia, in a letter sent on Wednesday.The viral smartphone application, which has seen a new surge of popularity due …
your ad hereDeneuve, Hawke film ‘The Truth’ to Open Venice Film Festival
The 76TH Venice Film Festival is opening with Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda’s “The Truth.”Festival director Alberto Barbera announced the selection starring Catherine Deneuve, Ethan Hawke and Juliette Binoche in a statement Thursday.This is the first time in years that Venice has not started with a Hollywood film. Recent openers have …
your ad hereImmigrant Scientist Leaves Lab to Experiment with Food in the Kitchen
Yunan Yang never intended to open a restaurant when she first arrived in the United States from China 10 years ago. Her plan was to study cancer. As a post-doctorate cancer researcher, she spent six years in Madison, Wisconsin, and worked to publish her findings in scientific journals.She used radiation …
your ad hereApollo Moon Rock Samples Still Revealing Scientific Secrets
Fifty years after humans first set foot on the moon, the rock samples collected by Apollo astronauts are being studied by volcanologists who believe what they learn could help predict eruptions on Earth more accurately. Faith Lapidus reports. …
your ad hereScientists Closer to Goal of Blood Test to Diagnose Alzheimer’s
Scientists are finally closing in on a goal they’ve spent years trying to achieve: a blood test to screen people for possible signs of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. At an international conference in Los Angeles, July 14-19, different research groups will present evidence to show how far they’ve progressed. Faith …
your ad hereWHO Declares Ebola in DRC a Global Public Health Emergency
GENEVA — The World Health Organization on Wednesday declared the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s conflict-ridden North Kivu and Ituri provinces a public health emergency of international concern. The declaration by an emergency committee at WHO headquarters in Geneva elevated the disease and the efforts needed to combat it …
your ad hereFatal Drug Overdoses Drop in US for First Time in Decades
WASHINGTON — Fatal drug overdoses in the U.S. declined by 5.1 percent in 2018, according to preliminary official data released Wednesday, the first drop in two decades. The trend was driven by a steep decline in deaths linked to prescription painkillers. “The latest provisional data on overdose deaths show that …
your ad hereProsecutors Drop Sex Assault Case Against Actor Kevin Spacey
Massachusetts prosecutors on Wednesday announced they had dropped a criminal case alleging that former “House of Cards” star Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted an 18-year-old man at a bar in Nantucket over three years ago.Prosecutors said they made the decision to drop the felony indecent assault and battery charge against the …
your ad hereJanet Jackson, 50 Cent to Perform at Saudi Arabia Concert
Janet Jackson and rappers 50 Cent and Future have been added to the lineup for the Jeddah World Fest, the concert in Saudi Arabia that Nicki Minaj pulled out of after human rights organizations urged the rapper to cancel her appearance.The website for the event, to take place Thursday at …
your ad here‘Lion King’ Composer Hans Zimmer Finds Circle of Life
Composer Hans Zimmer can’t seem to get away from “The Lion King.”The emotional score has gotten him jobs, his only Oscar and secured him a place in the hearts of children and adults. But he wasn’t sure he wanted to come back when Jon Favreau approached him to revisit the …
your ad hereApollo 11’s Astronauts Snapped Photos for Science — Then Came MTV
The Apollo 11 astronauts who made mankind’s first visit to the moon 50 years ago were trained in how to take pictures for science. Back on Earth, some of those photos became pop culture touchstones.People collected and shared prints of the Apollo 11 landing and moonwalk, which also became the …
your ad hereVR Helps Young Patients Say Goodbye to Pain Medication
Virtual reality or VR is no longer just for entertainment. It is starting to appear in some children’s hospitals as an experimental tool to help young patients through terrifying and painful experiences. One hospital near San Francisco uses VR as a part of its regular clinical care for children six …
your ad hereApple, Google Continue Inclusive Push With New Emojis
Apple and Google are rolling out dozens of new emojis that of course include cute critters, but the tech giants also continue to push the boundaries of inclusion and diversity. The announcement coincides with Wednesday’s World Emoji Day. Apple Inc. is releasing new variants of its holding hands emoji that …
your ad hereKen Ehrlich Returns as Executive Producer of Grammy Awards
Ken Ehrlich is returning as executive producer of the 62nd annual Grammy Awards for the last time, capping his 40th anniversary with what’s called “music’s biggest night.”The Recording Academy announced Wednesday that Ben Winston will become the executive producer for the 63rd telecast in 2021.The academy says Ehrlich is known …
your ad here‘Rocket City’ USA Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Moon Landing
HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA – It was only fitting that on the 50th anniversary of the 1969 rocket launch that ultimately landed a man on the moon, the “Rocket City” of the United States would attempt to set a rocket record.“We are launching 5000 bottle rockets to break a Guinness World Record,” …
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