Norway’s National Museum says a small, barely visible sentence written with a pencil on Edvard Munch’s 1893 masterpiece “The Scream” was penned by the Norwegian painter himself.The painting, which shows a waif-like figure cradling its head in its hands with its mouth agape, has become a global icon for the …
your ad hereWHO Chief Tells Rich Nations: ‘Don’t Undermine COVAX’
World Health Organization (WHO) Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Monday said some of the world’s wealthiest nations are hampering efforts by his agency and its partners to get vaccines to world’s poorest nations.Tedros took part in a joint, virtual news conference, along with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to talk about the …
your ad hereGrammy-Winning Duo Daft Punk Break Up After 28 years
Grammy-winning electronic music pioneers Daft Punk have announced that they are breaking up after 28 years. The helmet-wearing French duo shared the news Monday in an 8-minute video called “Epilogue.” Kathryn Frazier, the band’s longtime publicist, confirmed the break up for The Associated Press. Daft Punk, comprised of Thomas Bangalter …
your ad hereTanzania President Creeps Toward Acknowledging Presence of COVID-19
Tanzania’s President John Magufuli appears to be acknowledging the problem of COVID-19 in the country, after months of claiming the virus had been defeated through prayer and steam treatments. While not specifically naming the virus, Magufuli on Sunday urged Tanzanians to begin wearing face masks for “respiratory” illnesses that are …
your ad hereInternational Red Cross Issues Emergency Appeal to Prevent New Ebola Outbreak in West Africa
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is appealing for $9.4 million to fund efforts to prevent a new Ebola outbreak from spreading across West Africa. The IFRC said Monday the money will be used to step up “surveillance and community sensitization efforts” in Guinea, …
your ad hereIsrael Shuts Mediterranean Shore After Oil Devastates Coast
Israel closed all its Mediterranean beaches until further notice Sunday, days after an offshore oil spill deposited tons of tar across more than 160 kilometers (100 miles) of coastline in what officials are calling one of the country’s worst ecological disasters.Activists began reporting globs of black tar on Israel’s coast …
your ad hereIsraeli Economy Reopening Following Coronavirus Shutdown
Israel has reopened many schools, malls and gyms that were closed for several weeks. Some venues, however, are open only to those with a “green passport,” a document showing they have received both doses of the coronavirus vaccine. The opening comes amid reports that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine works better than …
your ad hereWeather Disrupts US COVID Vaccine Delivery
Major winter storms, extreme cold and power outages shut down more than 2,000 vaccination sites and delayed delivery of 6 million vaccine doses in all 50 states last week, White House senior adviser Andy Slavitt said in a briefing with reporters Friday.Extreme weather has spread across large swaths of the …
your ad hereCOVID Conspiracy Disinformation Campaign Has Had Vast Reach, Study Finds
It took just three months for the rumor that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 was engineered as a bioweapon to spread from the fringes of the Chinese internet and take root in millions of people’s minds.By March 2020, belief that the virus had been human-made and possibly weaponized was widespread, …
your ad hereArgentine Health Minister Resigns Amid COVID Vaccine Scandal
Argentina’s health minister has resigned after he reportedly gave preferential treatment to those with personal connections when authorizing coronavirus vaccinations.The Associated Press reported that President Alberto Fernández, through his chief of staff, asked for Minister of Health Ginés González García’s resignation Friday after a high-profile local journalist said he had …
your ad hereNaomi Osaka Shines to Claim Second Australian Open Crown
Naomi Osaka gave Jennifer Brady a lesson in Grand Slam tennis as she cruised to a 6-4 6-3 win to secure her second Australian Open title Saturday and cement her standing as the new queen of the women’s game. Osaka’s victory over the 22nd-seeded American at a floodlit Rod …
your ad hereWith Louvre Mostly Closed to Public, Staff Gets Rare Chance to Catch Up on Chores
The 518-year-old Mona Lisa has seen many things in her life on a wall, but rarely this: Almost four months with no Louvre visitors. As she stares out through bulletproof glass into the silent Salle des Etats, in what was once the world’s most-visited museum, her celebrated smile could …
your ad hereWHO: ‘Growing Movement Behind Vaccine Equity’
The World Health Organization says it welcomes the recent pledges of coronavirus vaccines from several Western countries to the international health group that will help ensure an equitable allocation of vaccines to countries around the world.“There is a growing movement behind vaccine equity, and I welcome that world leaders are …
your ad hereGoogle Fires 2nd AI Ethics Leader as Dispute Over Research, Diversity Grows
Alphabet Inc.’s Google fired staff scientist Margaret Mitchell on Friday, they both said, a move that fanned company divisions on academic freedom and diversity that were on display since its December dismissal of AI ethics researcher Timnit Gebru.Google said in a statement that Mitchell violated the company’s code of conduct …
your ad hereAfrica’s Coronavirus Death Toll Tops 100,000
The coronavirus death toll on the African continent surpassed 100,000 on Friday, as African countries struggled to obtain vaccines to counteract the pandemic.South Africa alone accounts for nearly half of the confirmed deaths in Africa with 48,859, according to data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. The country, which …
your ad hereUS Rejoins Paris Climate Pact
The United States has officially rejoined the Paris Agreement after the Trump administration abandoned the global climate pact saying it was too costly for business. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports.Produced by: Kimberlyn Weeks …
your ad hereSuspected Russian Hack Fuels New US Action on Cybersecurity
Jolted by a sweeping hack that may have revealed government and corporate secrets to Russia, U.S. officials are scrambling to reinforce the nation’s cyber defenses and recognizing that an agency created two years ago to protect America’s networks and infrastructure lacks the money, tools and authority to counter such sophisticated …
your ad hereBiden Tours Pfizer Vaccine Production Center
President Joe Biden toured a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine manufacturing plant Friday afternoon outside Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he touted the safety of the vaccine.”If there’s one message to cut through to everyone in this country, it’s this: The vaccines are safe,” he said, according to NBC News. “Please, for yourself, your …
your ad hereBiden Pledges $4B to WHO’s COVAX Vaccine Cooperative
U.S. President Joe Biden pledged $4 billion to the World Health Organization’s COVAX plan designed to help provide COVID-19 vaccines for 92 low- and middle-income economies around the world. During Friday’s virtual G-7 and the Munich Security Conference, Biden championed U.S. involvement in international alliances. VOA’s Patsy Widakuswara has more. …
your ad hereSouth African Medics to Row Northwest Passage From Canada to Alaska
Two South African medics are swapping their medical gear for oars as they train for a risky 4,000-kilometer (2,500-mile) journey by rowboat through the Arctic Northwest Passage.If the 14-member team finishes the trip — across the north of Canada to Alaska — they will make history, as all attempts to row the icy waters have failed. “Nobody conquers a passage there,” said Leven Brown, the expedition leader. ”The ocean allows you to pass. And …
your ad herePfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Effective at Standard Freezer Temperatures
Pharmaceutical partners Pfizer and BioNTech said Friday a new study the companies conducted indicates their COVID-19 vaccine can remain effective when stored in standard freezers for up to two weeks. In a statement posted on Pfizer’s website, the companies say they have submitted the new data to the U.S. Food and …
your ad hereIt’s Final: Harry and Meghan Won’t Return as Working Royals
Buckingham Palace confirmed Friday that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will not be returning to royal duties, and Harry will give up his honorary military titles — a decision that makes formal, and final, the couple’s split from the royal family.When Harry and Meghan stepped away from full-time royal …
your ad herePeru Investigates COVID-19 Vaccination Scandal
Investigations are now under way into the Peruvian coronavirus vaccination scandal, in which hundreds of people, many well-connected, were given shots although they did not participate in trials for the Sinopharm vaccine to determine its efficacy.Heath Minister Oscar Ugarte said 3,200 vaccines were given, including 1,200 that went to the …
your ad hereVenezuela Launches COVID-19 Vaccination Program
Venezuela began its immunization program against the COVID-19 virus by vaccinating front-line health care personnel Thursday, less than a week after receiving the first batch of 100,000 doses of the Russian vaccine Sputnik V.”Fortunately, the strategic cooperation between Russia and Venezuela has allowed us to have access to one of …
your ad hereExperts Try to Debunk Myths About COVID
People the world over have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. Most have heard rumors about their safety. Even some health workers and members of the U.S. military have opted out of getting immunized. VOA’s Carol Pearson helps debunk some common myths about the COVID vaccines. …
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