Jeff Bezos’ rocket company suffered its first launch failure Monday. No one was aboard, only science experiments. The Blue Origin rocket veered off course over West Texas about a minute after liftoff. The capsule’s launch abort system immediately kicked in, lifting the craft off the top. Several minutes later, the …
your ad herePoll: Americans Give Health Care System Failing Mark
When Emmanuel Obeng-Dankwa is worried about making rent on his New York City apartment, he sometimes holds off on filling his blood pressure medication. “If there’s no money, I prefer to skip the medication to being homeless,” said Obeng-Dankwa, a 58-year-old security guard. He is among a majority of adults …
your ad hereCarlos Alcaraz Wins US Open for 1st Slam Title, Top Ranking
Carlos Alcaraz used his combination of moxie and maturity to beat Casper Ruud 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (1), 6-3 in the U.S. Open final on Sunday to earn his first Grand Slam title at age 19 and become the youngest man to be ranked No. 1. Alcaraz is a Spaniard who …
your ad hereEthereum Blockchain Set for ‘Monumental’ Overhaul
An army of computer programmers scattered across the globe is set to attempt one of the biggest software upgrades the crypto sector has ever seen this week to reduce its environmentally unfriendly energy consumption. Developers have spent years working on a more energy-efficient version of the ethereum blockchain, a digital …
your ad hereIraq Ancient Ruins Open Up to Tourism After IS Atrocities
Strolling along the ancient ruins of Hatra in Iraq’s north, dozens of visitors admired the site, where local initiatives seek to turn over a new leaf after a brief but brutal jihadist rule. Designated an endangered world heritage site by UNESCO, Hatra dates back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries …
your ad hereSpielberg Confronts His Childhood as ‘Fabelmans’ Premieres in Toronto
Steven Spielberg finally turned the camera on his own childhood — from his parents’ troubled marriage to anti-Semitic bullying — as his new movie “The Fabelmans” received its world premiere on a star-studded Saturday at the Toronto film festival. Considered one of Hollywood’s greatest living directors, with classics from “Jaws” to “E.T.”, …
your ad hereSwiatek Defeats Jabeur to Clinch US Open Crown
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek defeated Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur to win her second Grand Slam title of the year with a straight sets victory in the U.S. Open final on Saturday. Polish star Swiatek overcame a spirited second set from fifth seed Jabeur to win 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) in 1 …
your ad here‘Come From Away’ Readies for 9/11 Anniversary by Giving Back
This Monday, the cast and crew of the Broadway musical “Come From Away” have an appointment, as usual, with an aircraft carrier. Every year to honor Sept. 11, they help box thousands of meals for food banks across the city and perform for the volunteers aboard the U.S.S. Intrepid. “9/11 …
your ad hereOpioid Epidemic Documentary Wins Top Prize at Venice Festival
“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” Laura Poitras’s epic documentary about photographer Nan Goldin and her activism against the Sackler family and their art connections has been awarded the Golden Lion for best film at the 79th Venice International Film Festival. Poitras thanked the festival for recognizing that “documentary is …
your ad hereSmall Nuclear Reactors Emerge as Energy Option, but Risks Loom
A global search for alternative sources to Russian energy in light of the war in Ukraine has refocused attention on smaller, easier-to-build nuclear power stations, which proponents say could provide a cheaper, more efficient alternative to older model mega-plants. U.K.-based Rolls-Royce SMR says its small modular reactors, or SMRs, are …
your ad hereVoice-Operated Smartphones Target Africa’s Illiterate
Voice-operated smartphones are aiming at a vast yet widely overlooked market in sub-Saharan Africa — the tens of millions of people who face huge challenges in life because they cannot read or write. In Ivory Coast, a so-called “Superphone” using a vocal assistant that responds to commands in a local …
your ad hereNew York to Ramp Up Polio Vaccinations After Virus Found in Wastewater
New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency Friday in a bid to accelerate efforts to vaccinate residents against polio after the virus was detected in wastewater samples taken in four counties. Hochul’s executive order followed the discovery of the virus last month in samples from Long Island’s Nassau …
your ad here‘World-Changing’ Malaria Vaccine Could Eradicate Disease
Trials of a new malaria vaccine developed by Britain’s University of Oxford show it is 80 percent effective — meaning it has the potential to save millions of lives and eventually eradicate the disease. Henry Ridgwell reports from London. …
your ad hereFour Major Climate Tipping Points Close to Triggering, Study Says
Even if the world somehow limits future warming to the strictest international temperature goal, four Earth-changing climate tipping points are still likely to be triggered, with a lot more looming as the planet heats more after that, a new study said. An international team of scientists looked at 16 climate …
your ad hereNASA Again Scraps Launch of Artemis 1
NASA’s moon mission suffers another setback, this time delaying a test launch for at least a few weeks. Plus, a look back at the first color images of Mars, and we wish a very happy birthday to a TV space pioneer. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
your ad hereNationwide US Mental Health Hotline Boosts Calls for Help
The introduction of a nationwide mental health hotline has increased the numbers of people calling for help in the United States and the need for more counselors to answer their calls. For VOA, Svitlana Prystynska has this story from the Western state of Colorado. Camera – Vladimir Petruniv. …
your ad hereUS Moves to Keep Advanced Semiconductor Technology Out of China
Companies that accept U.S. funding under a plan to build up America’s computer chip-making capacity will be barred from establishing advanced fabrication facilities in China for 10 years, the administration of President Joe Biden announced this week. The Commerce Department rolled out its plan to distribute $50 billion provided by …
your ad hereFDA Panel Backs Much-Debated ALS Drug in Rare, 2nd Review
A panel of federal health advisers voted Wednesday to recommend approval for an experimental drug to treat Lou Gehrig’s disease, a remarkable turnaround for the much-debated medication that was previously rejected by the same group earlier this year. The Food and Drug Administration advisers voted 7-2 that data from Amylyx …
your ad hereApple Offers Adventure Watch, Satellite SOS iPhone — and Steady Prices
Apple on Wednesday avoided price hikes of its best-selling iPhones during its biggest product launch of the year, focusing on safety upgrades rather than flashy new technical specs, with the exception of a new adventure-focused watch. The iPhone maker leaned into safety technologies, like the ability to detect a car …
your ad hereJudge: Musk Can Use Twitter Whistleblower But Not Delay Case
Elon Musk will be able to include new evidence from a Twitter whistleblower as he fights to get out of his $44 billion deal to buy the social media company, but Musk won’t be able to delay a high-stakes October trial over the dispute, a judge ruled Wednesday. Chancellor Kathaleen …
your ad hereUkrainian Musicians Play Mozart’s Personal Instruments in Tribute
One of history’s most famous composers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, has a Ukrainian connection. His son lived in Lviv for three decades. So Ukrainian musicians, with a bit of help from the caretakers of Mozart’s legacy, put together a very special tribute. Omelyan Oshchudlyak has the story. Camera: Yuriy Dankevych …
your ad hereWatchdog Groups Call on Biden to Be More Aggressive on Climate
As the world grapples with multiple climate-related disasters on different continents, a watchdog group in Washington is pressing the Biden administration to take more aggressive action to reduce emissions in the United States. A report, issued by the liberal-leaning Revolving Door Project, outlines a wide number of actions that the …
your ad hereColorado Collage Artist Inspired by Community, Spirituality
A multimedia exhibition of African American culture in the Western US state of Colorado includes works by an artist who found new direction during the coronavirus pandemic. VOA’s Scott Stearns has the story from Denver. …
your ad hereLogOn: Augmented Reality Books Expand Storytelling
Augmented reality books add new dimensions to storytelling by including animation and sound. VOA’s Genia Dulot reports from Los Angeles, California. …
your ad hereJuul to Pay Nearly $440M to Settle US States’ Teen Vaping Probe
Electronic cigarette maker Juul Labs has agreed to pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 U.S. states into the marketing of its high-nicotine vaping products, which have long been blamed for sparking a national surge in teen vaping. Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced the deal …
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