AZUA, Dominican Republic — It was a busy Saturday morning at Marcia González’s church. A bishop was visiting, and normally she would have been there helping with logistics, but on this day she was teaching sex education at a local school. “I coordinate activities at the church and my husband is …
your ad hereDeepfake Explicit Images of Taylor Swift Spread on Social Media
NEW YORK — Pornographic deepfake images of Taylor Swift are circulating online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and anti-abuse groups have struggled to fix. Sexually explicit and abusive fake images of Swift began circulating widely this week on the social media platform X. …
your ad hereMars Rover Data Confirms Ancient Lake Sediments on Mars
los angeles — Data gathered by NASA’s Perseverance rover have confirmed the existence of ancient lake sediments deposited by water that once filled a giant basin on Mars called Jezero Crater, according to a study published Friday. The findings from ground-penetrating radar observations conducted by the robotic rover substantiate previous orbital …
your ad hereAI Helps People With Voice Disorders Speak Clearly and Naturally
Groundbreaking artificial intelligence-assisted technology can help people with voice disorders speak in their natural voice, giving millions a chance to have clearer conversations. VOA’s Julie Taboh reports. Camera: Tina Trinh …
your ad hereGeorge Carlin Estate Sues Over Fake Comedy Special Purportedly Generated by AI
LOS ANGELES — The estate of George Carlin has filed a lawsuit against the media company behind a fake hour-long comedy special that purportedly uses artificial intelligence to recreate the late standup comic’s style and material. The lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Thursday asks that a judge …
your ad hereUS Agencies Warn of Security Risks from Chinese Drones
Chinese-made drones dominate the global market and are used widely by government agencies inside the United States. As Matt Dibble reports, US cybersecurity watchdogs warn that using those drones come with risks. …
your ad hereDC’s Building Museum Exhibition Immerses Children in the World of Books
Washington, DC has turned the National Building Museum into a wonderland of children’s literature. Using children’s books, it’s an immersive journey into architecture, engineering and design. Maxim Adams has the story. Camera and edit: Andrey Degtyarev, Andrey Degtyarev, Anna Rice …
your ad hereItalian Upsets Djokovic, Ends His Australian Open Unbeaten Streak
MELBOURNE, Australia — Jannik Sinner has upset Novak Djokovic to reach the Australian Open men’s final, ending the 10-time champion’s career unbeaten streak in semifinals at Melbourne Park. The 22-year-old Italian broke Djokovic’s serve twice in each of the first two sets but missed a match point in the third set …
your ad hereUS Scientist Offers Britain Advice on Making Tea; Brits Aren’t Having It
LONDON — An American scientist has sparked a trans-Atlantic tempest in a teapot by offering Britain advice on its favorite hot beverage. Bryn Mawr College chemistry professor Michelle Francl says one of the keys to a perfect cup of tea is a pinch of salt. The tip is included in Francl’s …
your ad hereNASA Helicopter Ends Mars Mission After Three Years
Central Asia Seen as Key to Breaking China’s Rare Earth Monopoly
WASHINGTON — U.S. officials hoping to break China’s near monopoly on the production of rare earth elements needed for many cutting-edge technologies should engage the governments of Central Asia to develop high concentrations of REEs found in the region, says a new report. The study by the U.S.-based International Tax and …
your ad hereRhino’s Pregnancy from Embryo Transfer May Help Nearly Extinct Subspecies
NAIROBI, Kenya — Researchers say a rhinoceros was impregnated through embryo transfer in the first successful use of a method that they say might later make it possible to save the nearly extinct northern white rhino subspecies. The experiment was conducted with the less endangered southern white rhino subspecies. Researchers created …
your ad hereFirst Turkish Astronaut Arrives at International Space Station
Turkey makes space history. Plus, the 20th anniversary of twin rovers on Mars, and a flood of news for future missions to the Red Planet. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi brings us The Week in Space. …
your ad here‘Moon Sniper’ Nailed the Landing, Japan’s Space Agency Says
TOKYO — Japan’s “Moon Sniper” craft landed around 55 meters from its target, the country’s space agency said Thursday as it released the first images from the mission. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), dubbed the “Moon Sniper” for its pin-point technology, had the goal of touching down within …
your ad hereExperimental Gene Therapy Allows Kids With Inherited Deafness to Hear
Global Study of Doping Cases Involving Minors Points to Russia, India, China
Montreal — A 10-year global study of positive doping tests by children and young teenagers showed most were tied to Russia, India and China, and in sports like weightlifting, athletics and cycling, the World Anti-Doping Agency said Wednesday. Diuretics, stimulants and anabolic steroids were the most commonly found substances in more …
your ad hereZimbabwe Hopeful UN Cholera Vaccines Will Contain Outbreak
Harare, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwean health authorities — battling a cholera outbreak that has infected about 20,000 people and killed more than 370 — say they hope donated vaccines will ease the spread of waterborne disease now affecting 60 of the country’s 64 districts. Zimbabwean Health Minister Douglas Mombeshora told …
your ad hereEU Tools Up to Protect Key Tech From China
BRUSSELS — The European Union on Wednesday unveiled plans to strengthen the bloc’s economic security, including measures to protect sensitive technology from falling into the hands of geopolitical rivals such as China. Brussels has bolstered its armory of trade restrictions to tackle what it deems to be risks to European economic …
your ad hereNew Electric Bikes Accelerate Clean Transport in Africa
With the growing concern over greenhouse gas emissions that are blamed for climate change, a Kenyan-Dutch company is introducing electric bikes in sub-Saharan Africa for deliveries in urban areas to help reduce emissions. The transport sector plays a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the effects of …
your ad hereGreen Energy Expected to Cover Growth in Demand for Electricity
Paris — Power generated from low-emissions sources, such as wind, solar and nuclear, will be adequate to meet growth in global demand for the next three years, the International Energy Agency said, adding that emissions from the power sector are on the decline. Following record growth, electricity generation from low-emissions sources …
your ad hereNetflix Gains Subscribers Despite Price Hikes
San Francisco — Netflix added 13 million subscribers in the final three months of last year, the company said on Tuesday, despite price hikes at the leading streaming service. Netflix finished 2023 with slightly more than 260 million subscribers worldwide, with a profit of $938 million in the final quarter versus …
your ad hereAI Audience Row at Sundance Sparks Walkout, Highlights Division
Park City, Utah — An audience member was ejected from a Sundance festival event Tuesday in a spat over artificial intelligence, triggering a walkout that illustrates the divisions the technology has rapidly wrought in the film industry. AI — a key driver of the recent and devastating Hollywood strikes — has …
your ad hereTribes, Environmental Groups Ask US Court to Block $10B Energy Project in Arizona
ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO — A federal judge is being asked to issue a stop-work order on a $10 billion transmission line being built through a remote southeastern Arizona valley to carry wind-generated electricity to customers as far away as California. A 32-page lawsuit filed on January 17 in U.S. District Court …
your ad hereCharles Osgood, CBS Host on TV, Radio and ‘Poet-in-Residence,’ Dies at 91
NEW YORK — Charles Osgood, a five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist who anchored “CBS Sunday Morning” for more than two decades, hosted the long-running radio program “The Osgood File” and was referred to as CBS News’ poet-in-residence, has died. He was 91. CBS reported that Osgood died Tuesday at his home in …
your ad hereUpcycling Flip-Flops: Kenya-Based Company Turns Discarded Footwear Into Colorful Art
Nairobi, Kenya — Being the preferred choice of footwear for many, flip-flops – typically made of plastic or rubber – break easily and often aren’t disposed of properly. Therefore, millions of them end up in oceans, waterways, dumpsites, and landfills all over the world. Ocean Sole, a Kenya-based company, has found …
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