Walt Disney Co.’s long-awaited debut in the streaming media wars on Tuesday was hit with technical glitches that the company said were caused by higher-than-expected demand as it takes on rival Netflix.It was unclear how many people successfully signed up and how many had difficulty accessing the $7-a-month Disney+, which …
your ad hereLos Angeles Takes On Cybercriminals
As the world becomes more connected people are vulnerable of being victims of cybercriminals. Police departments, hospitals, universities and businesses everywhere are also at risk. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee shows how the city of Los Angeles is fighting this problem, by sharing and pooling critical information about cyberattacks. …
your ad hereRobert De Niro to Get Lifetime Award from SAG Actor Union
Robert De Niro, a two-time Oscar winner and considered one of the finest actors of his generation, is being recognized by his peers with an annual lifetime achievement award from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).De Niro, 76, will receive the award in January, the labor union said Tuesday.”I have been …
your ad hereHow Do You Save Endangered Gorillas? With Lots of Human Help
Deep in the rainforest of Volcanoes National Park, a 23-year-old female gorilla named Kurudi feeds on a stand of wild celery. She bends the green stalks and, with long careful fingers, peels off the exterior skin to expose the succulent inside.Biologist Jean Paul Hirwa notes her meal on his tablet …
your ad hereReports of Vaping Health Risks on Rise in Pakistan
Over the past couple of years, many smokers have made the switch to electronic cigarettes in what is called vaping. The appeal is the idea that vapers get all the benefits from smoking cigarettes without the tar and ash. However, according to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at …
your ad hereEU Approval of First Ebola Vaccine is Game Changer
This week the European Commission gave approval to a Ebola vaccine — an act that the World Health Organization calls landmark moment for global health and a likely game-changer in the battle against this deadly disease. This is the first time an Ebola vaccine has been licensed anywhere in the world. The …
your ad hereThree Actors Stabbed on Stage in Saudi Capital
A Yemeni man stabbed three actors at a performance in the Saudi capital, police said on Tuesday, in the first such attack since the ultra-conservative kingdom began easing decades-old restrictions on entertainment.The knife-wielding assailant was arrested after state television footage showed him storming a musical performance in Riyadh’s King Abdullah …
your ad hereZimbabwe Says 200 Elephants Have now Died Amid Drought
Zimbabwe’s parks agency says more than 200 elephants have died amid a severe drought, and a mass relocation of animals is planned to ease congestion. Spokesman Tinashe Farawo on Tuesday said at least 200 elephants have died in vast Hwange National Park alone since October and other parks are …
your ad hereUS Film Industry Taps New Mexico Community College for Talent
While Southern California draws film and television students from all over the world, people in New Mexico don’t have to set foot outside the state to learn the trade, as local colleges are grooming talent for a booming entertainment industry that has sprung up about 1,200 kilometers from Hollywood.Recently, Albuquerque …
your ad hereFrance Hosts World Leaders to Address Global Challenges
French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting an international peace forum in the notable absence of the United States, to discuss solutions to ease the world’s tensions, including fighting terrorism and climate change.Some 30 heads of state or government, high level officials from other countries and the leaders of 10 international …
your ad hereAs Wildfires Worsen, Californians Harness Tech for Help
When a wildfire threatened Margie Hanselman’s home in the northern California hills two years ago, the fire department dispatcher told her all the crews were already busy battling another blaze.”That’s when I knew we were really on our own,” she said. “I knew I had to do something differently for …
your ad hereSpaceX Launches 60 More Mini Satellites for Global Internet
SpaceX launched 60 mini satellites Monday, the second batch of an orbiting network meant to provide global internet coverage.The Falcon rocket blasted into the morning sky, marking the unprecedented fourth flight of a booster for SpaceX. The compact flat-panel satellites – just 575 pounds (260 kilograms) each – will join …
your ad hereDisneyland ‘Tiki’ Birds Among Vast Theme Park Auction
A Los Angeles gallery is preparing to auction more than 1,500 rare items from Disneyland and Walt Disney World, dating back to the theme park’s founding in the 1950s.Mike Van Eaton, co-owner of Van Eaton Galleries, said on Monday that the auction traces the history of the famed park, featuring …
your ad herePneumonia Kills One Child Every 39 Seconds, Health Agencies Say
Pneumonia killed more than 800,000 babies and young children last year — or one child every 39 seconds — despite being curable and mostly preventable, global health agencies said Tuesday.In a report on what they described as a “forgotten epidemic,” the United Nations children’s fund UNICEF, the international charity Save …
your ad hereCholesterol Levels Dropping in US, but Many Still Need Care
Some good health news: Americans’ cholesterol levels are dropping, and more people at especially high risk are getting treatment.Researchers say Monday’s report suggests a controversial change in recommendations for cholesterol treatment may be starting to pay off.”It is very heartening,” said Dr. Pankaj Arora of the University of Alabama at …
your ad hereDisney Takes ‘Star Wars’ to Streaming with ‘Mandalorian’
The next adventure in the “Star Wars” movie and TV franchise, arriving Tuesday on Walt Disney Co’s new streaming service, takes place on a lawless planet at the outer reaches of the galaxy.”The Mandalorian,” an eight-episode live-action series, stars “Game of Thrones” actor Pedro Pascal as a helmeted bounty hunter. …
your ad hereStudy: Social Media a Double-Edged Sword for Female Politicians
On Democratic presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren’s Facebook page, you can find videos ranging from an announcement in Des Moines, Iowa, that her campaign has reached $2 million in donations …Two Million DonationsWe’ve worked hard, sharing plans and building a grassroots movement. And yesterday, we reached a new milestone—two million donations!Posted …
your ad hereTwitter Wants Public’s Feedback on Deepfake Policy Plans
Social media platform Twitter on Monday unveiled its plan for handling deepfake videos and other manipulated media, and called for feedback from the public.In the run-up to the U.S. presidential election in November 2020, social platforms have been under pressure to tackle the threat of manipulated media, including deepfakes, which …
your ad hereAiming at Olympic Boom, Japan Builds ‘Ethnic Harmony’ Tribute to Indigenous Ainu
On a wooded lake shore in northern Japan, the government is building a modernist shrine that has divided the indigenous Ainu community whose vanishing culture it was designed to celebrate.At a cost so far of $220 million, Japan’s “Symbolic Space for Ethnic Harmony” is on track to open in time …
your ad hereMercury Makes Perfect Alignment with Earth in Rare Celestial Event
Stargazers witnessed a rare celestial event on Monday, as Mercury passed directly across the face of the sun.Mercury, the solar system’s smallest planet and closest to the sun, won’t make the next such transit until 2032.The tiny planet traveled directly between Earth and the sun on Monday, creating a perfect …
your ad hereTwitter Takes Steps to Keep UK Election ‘Healthy And Safe’
Twitter said it would make it easier to report misleading information about the voting process in Britain’s Dec. 12 election, less than a month after its global ban on political advertising comes into force.The microblogging site is a vital tool for candidates, political parties and journalists to break news and …
your ad hereAlbuquerque’s Community College, Seedbed of Local Film Industry
Recently, a film studio in Albuquerque, New Mexico, signed a billion dollar contract with entertainment giant Netflix and a $500 million deal with NBC Universal Studios. These agreements with Albuquerque Studios come on the heels of New Mexico granting enhanced tax incentives to production companies that film in the state …
your ad herePlastic Waste Transformed Into Building Blocks for Africa’s Schools
Ecologists are urging creative solutions to clean up plastic waste choking waterways and threatening ecosystems across the globe. The United Nations Children’s Fund partnered with a Colombian company to turn piles of plastic into the building blocks of education in Africa. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi takes us to school. …
your ad hereBlanket of Smog Covers India’s Capital
A blanket of smog has once again enshrouded India’s capital after a weekend of clearer air and better weather. The morning air quality index Monday at the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi was 497.AQI between 301 and 500 is considered “hazardous” for all population groups. It is not measured past 500.Air …
your ad herePlastic Waste Turned to Plastic Bricks to Build Schools
Ecologists are urging creative solutions to clean up plastic waste choking waterways and threatening ecosystems across the globe. The United Nations Children’s Fund partnered with a Colombian company to turn piles of plastic into the building blocks of education in Africa. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi takes us to school. …
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