The popular National Air and Space Museum in Washington on the National Mall has partially reopened, after being closed for almost seven months, with a new look and new exhibits. Among them, a historical look at The Wright Brothers and the Invention of the Aerial Age, and Exploring the Planets. …
your ad hereJury: Kevin Spacey Didn’t Molest Actor Anthony Rapp in 1986
A jury sided with Kevin Spacey on Thursday in one of the lawsuits that derailed the film star’s career, finding he did not sexually abuse Anthony Rapp, then 14, while both were relatively unknown actors in Broadway plays in 1980s. The verdict in the civil trial came with lightning speed. …
your ad hereThe Solo Jumper Who Shattered the Speed of Sound
A decade-old publicity stunt continues shaping modern life. Plus, satellite TV gets a serious upgrade, and the Webb telescope gives us another stunning image. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
your ad hereWHO: Lack of Physical Activity Can Lead to Disease, Premature Death
The World Health Organization warns physical inactivity can lead to the development of debilitating noncommunicable diseases and millions of premature deaths. Data from 194 countries show governments are not doing enough to encourage their populations to engage in physical activity, including creating the opportunities for people to be more active …
your ad hereAustralian Scientists Receive Mystery Drug at Pill-Testing Center
Canberra scientists are researching a mysterious new recreational drug not seen before in Australia. The Australian National University says the substance is a “close cousin” of ketamine, a controlled anesthetic used by doctors and veterinarians. The new substance is known as “CanKet” — a Canberra ketamine. It was discovered at …
your ad hereFirst Native American Woman in Space Awed by Mother Earth
The first Native American woman in space said Wednesday she is overwhelmed by the beauty and delicacy of Mother Earth and is channeling “positive energy” as her five-month mission gets underway. NASA astronaut Nicole Mann said from the International Space Station that she’s received lots of prayers and blessings from …
your ad hereWHO: COVID-19 Still an International Emergency
The World Health Organization said Wednesday it is too early to lift the highest-level alert for the COVID-19 crisis, with the pandemic remaining a global health emergency despite recent progress. The WHO’s emergency committee on COVID-19 met last week and concluded that the pandemic still constitutes a Public Health Emergency …
your ad hereWHO to Switch to One Dose of Two-Dose Cholera Vaccine Amid Rising Outbreaks
The World Health Organization said on Wednesday it will temporarily suspend the standard two-dose vaccination regimen for cholera, replacing it with a single dose due to vaccine shortages and rising outbreaks worldwide. The U.N. agency said “the exceptional decision reflects the grave state of the cholera vaccine stockpile” at a …
your ad hereAustralia Flooding Heightens Risk of Mosquito-Borne Diseases
Experts say record-breaking floods in Australia are allowing mosquitoes to thrive, increasing the risk of spreading diseases like Japanese Encephalitis. Communities across three states have in recent days been hit by flooding, and more torrential rain is forecast this week. Parts of eastern Australia have been repeatedly flooded in the …
your ad hereAbortion Looms as Issue in Late US Midterms Campaign Push
As the November 8 elections near in the U.S., both major parties are pushing opposing stances on abortion. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden said if his Democratic Party wins a legislative majority, he will codify the right to abortion access into law. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. …
your ad hereClimate Change May Boost Arctic ‘Virus Spillover’ Risk
A warming climate could bring viruses in the Arctic into contact with new environments and hosts, increasing the risk of “viral spillover,” according to research published Wednesday. Viruses need hosts like humans, animals, plants or fungi to replicate and spread, and occasionally they can jump to a new one that …
your ad hereRwanda’s New ‘Gorillagram’ to Promote Citizen Participation in Gorilla Conservation
There are only about 1,000 mountain gorillas left in the wild and they live in only three countries — the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. To encourage tourists and locals to help protect the endangered gorillas, Rwanda has turned to social media platform Instagram with a project they …
your ad hereDoorbell Cameras: Deterring Criminals, as Residents Become ‘Cops on the Beat’
More and more, people are installing video doorbells and surveillance cameras in and around their homes to protect against unwanted intruders. But while many consumers feel the devices provide some peace of mind, some observers are concerned that they trigger personal biases toward those captured on camera. VOA’s Julie Taboh …
your ad hereSomething New Under the Sun: Floating Solar Panels
Who said there is nothing new under the sun? One of the hottest innovations for the non-polluting generation of electricity is floating photo-voltaics, or FPV, which involves anchoring solar panels in bodies of water, especially lakes, reservoirs and seas. Some projects in Asia incorporate thousands of panels to generate hundreds …
your ad hereSecretary Blinken Promotes Tech Diplomacy in Silicon Valley
Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to Silicon Valley this week comes as the Biden administration is promoting more investment in technology but also enacting more restrictions on selling technology to businesses in China. Michelle Quinn reports. …
your ad hereSri Lankan Author Shehan Karunatilaka Wins 2022 Booker Prize
Sri Lankan writer Shehan Karunatilaka won the Booker Prize on Monday for his second novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, about a dead war photographer on a mission in the afterlife. Karunatilaka received a trophy from Queen Consort Camilla at the English language literary award’s first in-person ceremony since …
your ad hereKarim Benzema and Alexia Putellas Win Ballon D’or Awards
Karim Benzema won the men’s Ballon d’Or for the first time on Monday after a brilliant season with Real Madrid capped by the Champions League and Spanish league titles. The 34-year-old Benzema had his best season ever at Madrid, being the top scorer in both leagues. He scored 44 times …
your ad hereGuides Help Blind and Visually Impaired Runners Compete in Races
Long distance runners rely on endurance, determination and the ability to see. Today, steps are being taken to help runners with disabilities, including those who are blind or partially sighted, to compete. Andri Tambunan reports for VOA in this report narrated by Zulfian Bakar. Videographer: Andri Tambunan, Maria Iman-Santoso …
your ad hereClimate Questions: How Much Has the Climate Changed Already?
Relentless drought in China, East Africa, the U.S. West and northern Mexico, devastating floods in Pakistan and Kentucky, scorching heat waves in Europe and the Pacific Northwest, destructive cyclones in southern Africa and intense hurricanes in the U.S. and Central America make up just some of the recent extreme weather …
your ad hereKanye West to Buy Conservative Social Media Platform Parler
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West is offering to buy right-wing friendly social network Parler shortly after being booted off Twitter and Instagram for antisemitic posts. Parlement Technologies, which owns the platform, and West, legally known as Ye, said the acquisition should be completed in the fourth quarter, but …
your ad hereAgency Says BTS Members Will Serve in South Korea’s Military
The members of K-pop band BTS will serve their mandatory military duties under South Korean law, their management company said Monday, effectively ending a debate on exempting them because of their artistic accomplishments. Big Hit Music said the band’s oldest member, Jin, will revoke his request to delay his conscription …
your ad hereGates Foundation Pledges $1.2 Billion to Eradicate Polio Globally
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation says it will commit $1.2 billion to the effort to end polio worldwide. The money will be used to help implement the Global Polio Eradication Initiative’s strategy through 2026. The initiative is trying to end the polio virus in Pakistan and Afghanistan, the last …
your ad hereMusk Says SpaceX Will Keep Funding Starlink for Ukraine
Elon Musk said Saturday his rocket company, SpaceX, would continue to fund its Starlink internet service in Ukraine, citing the need for “good deeds,” a day after he said it could no longer afford to do so. Musk tweeted: “the hell with it … even though starlink is still losing …
your ad hereSolar-Powered US Town Successfully Weathers Hurricane
Sitting on a 7,000-hectare stretch of land in southwest Florida, Babcock Ranch has made a name for itself as the first solar-powered town in the United States. Its power comes from nearly 700,000 solar panels that supply energy to more than 2,000 homes and other buildings, including a health center and …
your ad hereDikembe Mutombo Undergoing Treatment for Brain Tumor
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo is undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor, the NBA announced Saturday. Mutombo has been one of the NBA’s global ambassadors for years, and recently appeared at Hall of Fame enshrinement events in Springfield, Massachusetts, and a pair of preseason games in Saitama, …
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