Amid mounting anger over allegations of bullying, Broadway and Hollywood producer Scott Rudin broke his silence Saturday, saying he was profoundly sorry” and would step back from his theater work.After a period of reflection, I’ve made the decision to step back from active participation on our Broadway productions, effective immediately. …
your ad hereFinal Ruling on Trump Facebook Ban Delayed
A final ruling on whether to overturn Facebook’s ban on former U.S. president Donald Trump will take a bit longer than anticipated, an independent oversight board said Friday.Critics of the social media company and even strong advocates of unfettered political discourse called on Facebook’s oversight board to endorse the decision …
your ad hereCelebrities Make a Stand for COVID-19 Vaccines on TV Special
President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and a slew of celebrities including Billy Crystal, Jennifer Hudson and Lin-Manuel Miranda are part of a special aimed at boosting COVID-19 vaccination rates.”Roll Up Your Sleeves,” airing at 7 p.m. EDT Sunday on NBC, will feature Matthew McConaughey interviewing Dr. Anthony Fauci …
your ad here‘Godzilla’ Shark Discovered in New Mexico Gets Formal Name
The 300-million-year-old shark’s teeth were the first sign that it might be a distinct species.The ancient chompers looked less like the spearlike rows of teeth of related species. They were squatter and shorter, less than an inch long, around 2 centimeters.”Great for grasping and crushing prey rather than piercing prey,” …
your ad hereGlobal COVID-19 Infection Rate Approaches Record High, WHO Warns
The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 cases are increasing globally at a worrying rate, with the number of new cases doubling each week, a pace approaching the highest rate of infection since the pandemic began.The WHO said Friday there were 541,960 new cases in the past week. On …
your ad hereNigeria Steps Up Vaccination Efforts After Slow Rollout Blamed on Misinformation
Nigerian authorities are stepping up efforts to vaccinate more people against COVID-19 after a slow rollout blamed on misinformation. Authorities aim to vaccinate over 80 million Nigerians by year’s end but are running far behind schedule. An Abuja vaccination center, which opened March 16, one week after Nigeria’s official vaccine rollout, …
your ad here2.5 Billion T. Rex Roamed Earth, but Not All at Once, Study Says
One Tyrannosaurus rex seems scary enough. Now picture 2.5 billion of them. That’s how many of the fierce dinosaur king probably roamed Earth over the course of a couple million years, a new study finds.Using calculations based on body size, sexual maturity and the creatures’ energy needs, a team at …
your ad hereTraditional Cambodian Silk Ikat at Risk of Extinction
A handmade pictorial Cambodian silk ikat that uses all-natural silk and dyes takes nearly a year to produce and can sell for thousands of dollars. But this traditional handicraft, which is being preserved by fewer than a dozen small nonprofits in the country, is at risk of disappearing. VOA’s Bopha …
your ad hereIndia Records More Than 200,000 New COVID Cases Thursday
Health officials in India said they counted more than 200,000 new COVID-19 cases Thursday, an all-time daily high for the South Asian nation.The surge in cases has India scrambling to find hospital beds and oxygen. The escalating tally has also forced India, a major vaccine producer, to delay global shipments …
your ad hereUN Warns COVID-19 is ‘Roaring Back’ as Yemen Faces Famine
The U.N. humanitarian chief warned Thursday that the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in Yemen is getting even worse with the COVID-19 pandemic “roaring back” in recent weeks as the Arab world’s poorest country faces a large-scale famine.In a grim update to the U.N. Security Council, Mark Lowcock said tens of …
your ad hereCoronavirus Hug Image Named World Press Photo of the Year
A photo of an 85-year-old Brazilian woman getting her first embrace in five months from a nurse through a transparent “hug curtain” was named the World Press Photo of the Year on Thursday.It was the second time the Danish photographer who shot the image has won the prestigious award.That the …
your ad hereUS Water Managers Warn of Dismal Year Along the Rio Grande
It has been 30 years or so since residents in New Mexico’s largest city last saw their stretch of the Rio Grande go dry. There’s a possibility it could happen again this summer. Federal water managers released their annual operating plan for the Rio Grande on Thursday, and it doesn’t look good. …
your ad hereZuckerberg Urged to Nix Kids’ Version of Instagram
Advocates for children from around the world urged Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday to ditch plans for a version of Instagram geared toward preteens.Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Electronic Privacy Information Center were among nearly 100 groups and individuals from North America, Europe, Africa and Australia to …
your ad hereNigerian Authorities Worry About Meeting Vaccination Targets
Nigerian authorities are stepping up efforts to vaccinate more people against COVID-19 after a slow rollout blamed on misinformation. Authorities aim to vaccinate over 80 million Nigerians by year’s end but are running far behind schedule. Timothy Obiezu reports from Abuja. Camera: Emekas Gibson …
your ad hereZimbabwe Reports Major Rise in Teen Pregnancies During Pandemic
Zimbabwe’s government this month reported nearly 5,000 teenage pregnancies in January and February — a major jump from previous years. Advocates are blaming the rise on coronavirus lockdowns and poverty. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare, Zimbabwe. Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe …
your ad hereIsraeli, Emirati Youth Meet to Cement New Ties
Young social media activists from Israel and the United Arab Emirates met this month in Dubai in a bid to expand the Abraham Accords peace treaty signed between the two countries last year. The meeting was shared by more than 15 million followers on social media, as Linda Gradstein reports for VOA from Dubai. Camera: Ricki Rosen …
your ad hereWHO: Tobacco Taxes Save Lives, Money
The World Health Organization says that raising taxes on cigarettes and other tobacco products is the smartest and best way to save lives and save billions of dollars in health expenditures.An estimated eight million people die prematurely every year from tobacco-related illnesses, such as emphysema and lung cancer. Furthermore, the …
your ad hereDecision on Fate of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Delayed by US Advisory Panel
An independent panel of U.S. health experts is delaying a final decision about Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine as they get more information about it and possible links to a very rare but dangerous blood clot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s immunization advisory committee held an emergency meeting Wednesday, …
your ad hereToy Cars Get Eco-friendly Makeover to Inspire Children
Matchbox is launching a new series of toy cars based on real-life electric and hybrid vehicles, in a bid to make its miniatures more sustainable and to raise awareness among children of the environmental impact of motoring.The first model off the production line is a scaled-down version of the Tesla …
your ad hereNobel Doctor Calls Sexual Violence in Conflict a ‘Pandemic’
Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege warned Wednesday that the scourge of sexual violence and rape in all conflicts is now “a real pandemic” and without sanctions and justice for the victims these horrific acts won’t stop.The Congolese doctor told the U.N. Security Council in a video briefing that …
your ad hereJ&J COVID-19 Vaccine in Limbo as US Panel Delays Vote on Resuming Shots
Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine remained in limbo on Wednesday as a U.S. health panel called for more data before deciding how and whether to resume use of the one-dose shot, putting off a vote for a week or more.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advisory panel …
your ad hereSouth African Telecom App Helps Gender-Based Violence Survivors
South African mobile communications company Vodacom South Africa, with British parent company Vodafone and charity Hestia, has launched a free mobile phone application to support targets of gender-based violence, which has soared during the coronavirus pandemic. The application, “Bright Sky,” provides information for people to identify gender-based violence and get counseling and …
your ad hereKurdish Officials Demand Help With Looming COVID ‘Catastrophe’ in NE Syria
Kurdish officials in northeast Syria are expressing concerns over a sharp increase in coronavirus cases in their region, calling on international health organizations to intervene to prevent a “humanitarian catastrophe.” A 10-day curfew went into effect Tuesday in an attempt to curb the spread of the deadly virus in …
your ad hereSouth Africa Pauses J&J Vaccination Campaign After US Expresses Concerns
South Africa’s health minister says the nation will still hit its COVID-19 vaccination targets, even as it pauses the use of the Johnson & Johnson shot amid concerns over blood clots. South Africa’s mass-inoculation campaign was dealt the setback following word that six women in the United States developed a blood …
your ad hereJohnson & Johnson Delays Rollout in Europe of its COVID-19 Vaccine
Hours after U.S. federal health officials urged a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine after it was linked to a rare but dangerous blood clot, the U.S. pharmaceutical giant announced Tuesday it was delaying rollout of the single-dose vaccine in Europe.“We have been working closely with …
your ad here