Fifty-seven percent of teens say they “fear” climate change, according to a new survey by the non-profit Kaiser Family Foundation and the Washington Post. The survey comes as Greta Thunberg, a climate-change activist from Sweden, brought her well-publicized climate campaign to Washington last week. Called Fridays for Future, it has …
your ad hereNoise and Pollution Free, Green ‘Flying Taxi’ Spreads Wings on Paris’ Seine
A Parisian startup enterprise looks to ease congestion in one of the world’s densest urban transportation networks. Entrepreneurs created a green machine unlike any you have ever seen outside of Hollywood films. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi dredges this story from the river Seine. …
your ad hereWhite House Upgrade: First Lady’s Done a Lot with the Place
She’s done a lot with the place.Like anyone who has ever spruced up their home, Melania Trump will have a few new touches to showcase Friday when guests visit the White House for only the second state dinner of the Trump presidency.There’s refreshed wall fabric in the Red Room, repurposed …
your ad hereNBCUniversal Names Streaming Service ‘Peacock,’ to Launch in 2020
Comcast’s NBCUniversal will name its upcoming streaming service “Peacock,” offering a broad slate of original content, including “Dr. Death” starring Emmy and Golden Globe winner Alec Baldwin, the company said on Tuesday.Peacock, which will also offer classic sitcoms like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation”, is scheduled to launch in …
your ad hereEPA Set to End California’s Ability to Regulate Fuel Economy
The Trump administration is poised to revoke California’s authority to set auto mileage standards, asserting that only the federal government has the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fuel economy.Conservative and free-market groups have been asked to attend a formal announcement of the rollback set for Wednesday afternoon at …
your ad hereTeen Activist to Lawmakers: Try Harder on Climate Change
Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg offered a blunt message to Congress on Tuesday as she brought her campaign for urgent action on climate change to the U.S. Capitol.”I know you’re trying,” she told Democratic senators at an invitation-only forum, “but just not hard enough. Sorry.”Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey thanked the 16-year-old …
your ad hereFacebook to Name First Oversight Panel Members by Year-end
Facebook said Tuesday that it expects to name the first members of a new quasi-independent oversight board by year-end.The oversight panel is intended to rule on thorny content issues, such as when Facebook or Instagram posts constitute hate speech. It will be empowered to make binding rulings on whether posts …
your ad hereSecond Man Arrested in Theft of Gold Toilet
Police in Britain have arrested a second man in connection with the theft of a solid-gold toilet that was part of an art exhibit at the birthplace and home of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.The 18-carat toilet, titled “America,” was created by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. It was part …
your ad hereCities to Step Up at UN to Push Climate Fight, Sustainable Development
As some world leaders question whether the world is facing a climate emergency, more than a dozen cities are stepping up to tackle global warming and sustainable development and will next week pledge to report their progress to the United Nations.Sixteen cities will commit to implementing global goals to end …
your ad hereNo One Claims Ownership of Last Slave Ship ‘Clotilda’
Alabama’s state historical agency apparently will retain control of the last U.S. slave ship, the Clotilda, after no one else laid claim to the wreckage.Friday was the deadline under federal court rules for any potential owners to request control of wreckage of the wooden schooner, which was scuttled and burned …
your ad hereUS Military Still Buying Chinese-Made Drones Despite Spying Concerns
The Air Force and the Navy bought Chinese-manufactured drones for elite forces months after the Pentagon prohibited their use due to cybersecurity concerns, according to government documents.In each case, the services used special exemptions granted by the Pentagon’s acquisition and sustainment office “on a case by case basis, to support …
your ad hereWhy the ‘Yuppie Elderly’ Aren’t Moving as Much
Older Americans aren’t moving as much as they used to. The migration rate of people over 55 has dropped steadily over the past two decades from a high of 6% in 1996, to 4.3% between 2017 and 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Moving rates for Baby Boomers — those …
your ad hereVegetarian Diets not Always the Most Climate-friendly, Researchers Say
It may be possible to help tackle climate change while still munching on the occasional bacon sandwich or slurping a few oysters, a new study suggested on Tuesday.Scientists found that diets in which meat, fish or dairy products were consumed only once a day would leave less of a footprint …
your ad hereNettles With Regal Roots Hit The London Catwalks
Fashion models wearing dresses made from nettles harvested at Prince Charles’s country estate in southwest England will feature at London Fashion Week on Tuesday, in one of this year’s most unusual offerings.The quirky eco-friendly attire stems from an unexpected collaboration between the heir to the British throne, who is passionate …
your ad hereNigerian Boxing Mixes ‘Bloodsport’ with Mixed Martial Arts while Generating Income for Fighters
Some tough athletes are competing in traditional Nigerian boxing called “Dambe,” a fierce, no-holds-barred form of fighting. Now thanks to online fundraising these fighters are getting paid. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi takes us behind the scenes. …
your ad hereCDC Activates Emergency Measures to Combat E-Cigarette Use
Federal health officials have activated emergency measures to tackle the recent spate of lung illnesses blamed on electronic cigarettes.”CDC has made it a priority to find out what is causing this outbreak of e-cigarette or vaping-related injuries and deaths,” the organization’s head, Dr. Robert Redfield, said Monday.Redfield said activating the …
your ad hereLocals Protest Construction of Russia’s Massive Landfill
Who would want what’s possibly Europe’s largest landfill in their own backyard? That question lies at the center of a protest against construction of a massive garbage dump in northern Russia — an environmental issue that has come to symbolize growing frustration towards Moscow’s sway over Russia’s far-flung regions. The fight over …
your ad hereFrance’s Canal+ Pairs Up with Netflix in Pay-TV Shift
Vivendi’s Canal+ has agreed a deal to add Netflix subscriptions to TV bundles in France and elsewhere, the French broadcaster said on Monday, in the latest such alliance to counter pressure from streaming giants.The new Canal+ bundles integrating Netflix would be available in France from Oct. 15 and later expanded …
your ad hereWho Calls the Tunes in Space? Brad Pitt Asks NASA Astronaut
Brad Pitt traded laughs on Monday in a call to the International Space Station with a NASA astronaut, who somersaulted during the zero-gravity interview ahead of this week’s release of the actor’s new film, the space thriller “Ad Astra.”Pitt peppered astronaut Nick Hague with dozens of questions about what life …
your ad hereCutting-edge Electric Boat Undergoes Testing on River Seine in Paris
An innovative boat that saves energy by rising out of the water on hydrofoil wings underwent testing on the Seine river in Paris on Monday as its backers seek to obtain a license to operate a taxi service on the river.The SeaBubbles craft is powered by electric motors and its …
your ad hereNo New Measles Cases Reported in Fading US Outbreak
The nation’s worst measles epidemic in 27 years could be in its final stages as a week went by with no new reported cases.“To get to zero is tremendously encouraging,” said Jason Schwartz, a Yale University expert on vaccination policy.The current epidemic emerged about a year ago and took off …
your ad hereUS Health Secretary Applauds Uganda’s Ebola Control Efforts
U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Alex Azar has applauded Uganda’s efforts to control the spread of Ebola in east and central Africa; however, while the U.S. remains the primary funder of Uganda’s health care sector, the secretary did not shy away from asking the East African country to …
your ad hereRecycled Refrigerators, Imported Carbon Fiber Form ‘Made-In-Senegal’ Drones
Mamadou Wade Diop has been working with drones both in the photography and health sectors for years. But recently, he decided to work with local blacksmiths and construct a drone made entirely in Senegal.Mamadou Wade Diop, who calls himself Dr. Drone on social media, is one of the few people, …
your ad hereUnveiling the Future of Transportation Meets Unwelcoming Committee in Frankfurt
Carmakers unveiled self-driving vehicles and assurances of an eco-friendly future in transportation. Thousands of climate activists blocking the streets in Frankfurt are not buying it. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi looks at the future through a lens of the present. …
your ad hereNew York Moves to Enact Statewide Flavored E-cig Ban
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is pushing to enact a statewide ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes amid growing health concerns connected to vaping, especially among young people.The Democrat announced Sunday that the state health commissioner would be making a recommendation this week to the state Public Health and …
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