NASA celebrates an anniversary on the Martian surface while a space-travel startup tumbles back to Earth. Russia helps refuel the International Space Station, and how a recent volcanic eruption could lead to faster tsunami warnings in the future. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
your ad hereMarine Researchers Collecting Global Symphony of the Sea
Experts from nine countries are planning to collect and combine aquatic animal sounds for a global library. Scientists in Australia believe an undersea chorus of mammals, fish and some invertebrates will help them gauge the health of marine ecosystems. Songs by bearded seals and the “boing” of a minke whale …
your ad hereAfrican Immigrant’s Pizzeria in Italy Named World’s Top 50
Who says you have to be born in Italy to make excellent pizza? Ibrahim Songne, a West African now living in northern Italy, has successfully challenged that assumption. VOA’s Betty Ayoub has the story. …
your ad hereLingering Pandemic Takes Toll on Americans’ Mental Health
After two years, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be taking a toll on Americans’ mental health, with a growing number of people suffering from a wide array of issues, from anxiety to depression. Lesia Bakalets has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. …
your ad hereGoogle Changes Android Tracking, Data Sharing
Google said Wednesday it plans to limit tracking and data sharing for users of its Android operating system, which is used by over 2.5 billion people around the world. The change, which won’t take effect for at least two years, comes in response to growing pressure on tech companies to …
your ad hereAfter Blow of Beijing, Olympians Ask: What About Africa?
Victory, of sorts, for Eritrea’s sole Winter Olympian — one of just six athletes competing for African countries at the Games in China — was achieved even before his feat of surviving two runs in blizzard conditions down a hazardous course aptly named The Ice River. Before flying to China …
your ad hereStudy: Babies Less Likely to Be Hospitalized with COVID-19 if Mothers Vaccinated During Pregnancy
A study released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that infants are less likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 if their mothers are vaccinated during their pregnancy. The study found that babies whose mothers received two doses of an mRNA vaccine while pregnant were about …
your ad hereWith COVID Rules Eased, Barcelona Embraces Festival’s Return
Crowds gathered in Barcelona’s historic downtown to watch in awe and snap cellphone photos as teams of people in colorful garb formed human towers rising into the air like the spires on the nearby medieval cathedral. A giant figure in bright blue dress and a floral crown paraded through the …
your ad herePJ O’Rourke, Irreverent Author and Commentator, Dead at 74
P.J. O’Rourke, the prolific author and satirist who refashioned the irreverence and “gonzo” journalism of the 1960s counterculture into a distinctive brand of conservative and libertarian commentary, has died at age 74. O’Rourke died Tuesday morning, according to Grove Atlantic Inc. Books publisher and president Morgan Entrekin. He did not …
your ad hereNigerian Rights Group Sues Authorities Over Twitter Agreement
A Nigerian rights group has filed a lawsuit to force authorities to publish an agreement reached with Twitter in January to lift a block on the social media company. The rights group says the failure by Nigerian authorities to publish all the details of the agreement raises concerns about citizens’ …
your ad hereDramatic Sea Level Rise Forecast for US Over Next 30 Years
The United States is expected to experience as much sea level rise by the year 2050 as the country has witnessed in the past century, according to a report led by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and released Tuesday. “Sea levels continue to rise at a very …
your ad hereAlec Baldwin Sued by Family of Cinematographer Killed on Set
The family of a cinematographer shot and killed on the set of the film “Rust” is suing Alec Baldwin and the movie’s producers for wrongful death, their attorneys said Tuesday. Lawyers for the family of Halyna Hutchins announced the lawsuit filed in New Mexico in the name of Hutchins’ husband, …
your ad herePollution Causing More Deaths Than COVID, Action Needed, Says UN Expert
Pollution by states and companies is contributing to more deaths globally than COVID-19, a U.N. environmental report published on Tuesday said, calling for “immediate and ambitious action” to ban some toxic chemicals. The report said pollution from pesticides, plastics and electronic waste is causing widespread human rights violations and at …
your ad hereA Coding Bootcamp Offers a Way for Black, Latino Women to Break Into Tech
The technology industry has long employed mostly men in technical roles. But a nonprofit group in Seattle, Washington is trying to change that. VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya reports. …
your ad herePlans Set for New Private Spaceflights
A billionaire who led an all-private space crew into orbit last year has announced plans for up to three new missions in conjunction with SpaceX, including one with a spacewalk. Jared Isaacman, who founded payment processing company Shift4, will lead the first of the new flights with a launch potentially …
your ad hereReports: Amy Schumer, Regina Hall, Wanda Sykes to Host Oscars
Comic actors Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes will host this year’s Academy Awards ceremony as producers try to attract new viewers after record-low ratings in 2021, Hollywood publication Variety and other media outlets reported on Monday. The actors are finalizing details and an announcement will be made on …
your ad hereFirst Lady Decorates White House Lawn with Giant Valentines
U.S. first lady Jill Biden on Monday observed Valentine’s Day at the White House with displays of giant hearts on the North Lawn and valentines from local elementary school children inside the mansion. The displays include a giant red heart inscribed with a Bible passage, 1 Corinthians 13:13, which says, …
your ad hereDNA Analysis of Elephant Ivory Reveals Trafficking Networks
As few as three major criminal groups are responsible for smuggling the vast majority of elephant ivory tusks out of Africa, according to a new study. Researchers used analysis of DNA from seized elephant tusks and evidence such as phone records, license plates, financial records and shipping documents to map …
your ad hereScientific Meeting Focuses on Impacts, Adaptation, Vulnerability to Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, has begun a two-week meeting to consider a report that assesses the impact of the world’s changing climate and how humans might adapt. Hundreds of scientists meeting virtually will lay out the latest evidence on how past and future changes to the …
your ad hereIvan Reitman, Producer, ‘Ghostbusters’ Director, Dies at 75
Ivan Reitman, the influential filmmaker and producer behind many of the most beloved comedies of the late 20th century, from “Animal House” to “Ghostbusters,” has died. He was 75. Reitman died peacefully in his sleep Saturday night at his home in Montecito, Calif., his family told The Associated Press. “Our …
your ad hereNovel Crisis: Iran’s Books Shrink as US Sanctions Bite
For literature lovers in sanction-hit Iran, a new novel has long provided a brief respite from a grinding economic crisis triggered by international pressure imposed over Tehran’s contested nuclear programme. But now losing yourself in a good book is becoming harder, as cash-strapped publishers struggle because the price of paper …
your ad hereIAEA Reviews Water Release From Damaged Japan Nuclear Plant
A team from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Monday began its review of Japan’s plan to begin releasing more than a million tons of treated radioactive water into the sea from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant — a review that Japan hopes will instill confidence in the plan. The 15-member …
your ad hereRams, Bengals Ready for Super Bowl Blockbuster
A star-studded Los Angeles Rams team will seek to deny the giant-killing Cincinnati Bengals a Hollywood ending in the Super Bowl on Sunday as an NFL season full of plot twists reaches its climax. The first NFL championship game of the post-Tom Brady era sees the Rams play host at …
your ad hereArctic Seed Vault To Receive Rare Deposits
A vault built on an Arctic mountainside to preserve the world’s crop seeds from war, disease and other catastrophes will receive new deposits on Monday, including one from the first organization that made a withdrawal from the facility. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, on Spitsbergen island halfway between mainland Norway …
your ad hereBlack NFL Coaches Lament Hiring Policies That Fall Short
Veteran NFL coach Anthony Lynn appreciates the league policy that requires teams to interview minority candidates for their top jobs, and he has even benefited from it. Like many of his peers, though, the assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers believes the policy has fallen short of its …
your ad here