MONTREAL — Powered by TikTok, the song Je te laisseai des mots by Quebecer Patrick Watson has become the first French-language song to surpass 1 billion listens on Spotify, the streaming platform announced Tuesday. “It’s a dizzying number,” Canadian singer-songwriter Patrick Watson posted on Facebook on Wednesday. “It’s a huge number, …
your ad hereZimbabwe aims to end HIV/AIDS as public health threat by 2030
MARONDERA, ZIMBABWE — Zimbabwean health officials said Tuesday they aim to eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, crediting the United States with making such progress possible through aid and support. U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe Pamela Tremont and officials from PEPFAR and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and …
your ad hereFIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host
ZURICH — FIFA has confirmed Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer. The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations. They took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich on Wednesday by …
your ad hereUS moves to save once-common monarch butterflies from extinction
washington — The United States is moving to grant federal protections to the monarch butterfly — a once-common species recognizable by its striking black and orange patterns that has faced a dramatic population decline in recent decades. The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) said Tuesday it has initiated a public comment …
your ad hereSouth African traditional healers embrace tech
In December, many Africans return to their ancestral homes to reconnect with their families and traditions. In South Africa, that includes traditional healers. As Zaheer Cassim reports from Johannesburg, many are finding that a new app is helping to bring this age-old practice into the digital age. …
your ad hereUN digital program seeks to empower Africa’s public workers
NAIROBI, KENYA — The United Nations, Microsoft and Kenya’s Ministry of Information last week launched a digital and artificial intelligence center in Nairobi to train African public servants and accelerate the development and use of online services. Officials said the program — the Timbuktoo GreenTech Hub and Africa Centre for Competence …
your ad hereSub-Saharan officials say reducing fish imports creates local jobs
Yaounde, Cameroon — Officials in Sub-Saharan Africa countries have agreed it is important to reduce over-dependence on imported fish and seafood from North Africa and the European Union and instead they should strive to cultivate fish-farming, which will create jobs for unemployed youth. The officials, meeting in Cameroon, said their goal …
your ad hereUS sanctions Chinese cybersecurity firm for ‘malicious’ activities
WASHINGTON — The United States slapped sanctions on a Chinese cybersecurity company and one of its employees Tuesday, accusing it of compromising more than 80,000 firewalls in a 2020 attack. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement that it had sanctioned Sichuan Silence Information Technology Company and an employee named …
your ad hereFrom VOA Mandarin: Trump 2.0 and the future of the CHIPS Act
The Biden administration is shoring up its CHIPS Act funding agreements before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Trump has previously disparaged the CHIPS Act and called for higher tariffs instead of subsidies to incentivize companies to build semiconductor factories. What would be the future of TSMC under …
your ad hereTikTok asks federal appeals court to bar enforcement of potential ban until Supreme Court review
TikTok asked a federal appeals court on Monday to bar the Biden administration from enforcing a law that could lead to a ban on the popular platform until the Supreme Court reviews its challenge to the statue. The legal filing was made after a panel of three judges on the …
your ad here‘Emilia Perez,’ ‘The Brutalist’ lead Golden Globe film nominations
BEVERLY HILLS, California — Musical thriller “Emilia Perez” and historical epic “The Brutalist” led the roster of films nominated on Monday for the 2025 Golden Globes, the Hollywood honors that kick off the movie awards season leading to the Oscars. “Emilia Perez,” released by Netflix NFLX.O, scored 10 nods and “The …
your ad hereChina launches anti-monopoly probe into Nvidia
BEIJING — China on Monday said it has launched an investigation into U.S. chip maker Nvidia over suspected violations of the country’s anti-monopoly law, in a move that will likely be seen as a retaliatory move against Washington’s recent chip curbs. The State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) said Nvidia …
your ad here‘Polarization’ is Merriam-Webster’s 2024 word of the year
The results of the 2024 U.S. presidential election rattled the country and sent shockwaves across the world — or were cause for celebration, depending on who you ask. Is it any surprise then that the Merriam-Webster word of the year is “polarization”? “Polarization means division, but it’s a very specific …
your ad hereTaylor Swift’s record-breaking ‘Eras Tour’ ends in Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia — Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” officially ended Sunday in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The nearly two-year-long tour was record-breaking and trend-setting. It is finally the end of an era for Taylor Swift. The last show here in Vancouver is the finale of a 149-concert tour that spanned …
your ad hereIndia not pursuing shared BRICS currency, analysts say
NEW DELHI — India is not pursuing the creation of a shared BRICS currency, an idea that has met with a strong verbal pushback from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, but the South Asian giant is making efforts to promote trade in its local currency, according to analysts in New Delhi. …
your ad hereIndia not pursuing shared BRICS currency
India is not supporting the creation of a shared currency among the nine-nation BRICS grouping but it is trying to promote trade in its local currency, according to analysts in New Delhi. Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump recently warned BRICS nations against efforts to replace the dollar with an alternative …
your ad here‘Moana 2’ cruises to another record weekend, $600 million globally
The Walt Disney Co.’s animated film “Moana 2” remained at the top of the box office in its second weekend in theaters as it brought in another record haul. The film added $52 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. That brings its domestic total to $300 million, surpassing the original, …
your ad hereJapanese artist finds global fans with intricate leaf-cutting
TOKYO — A frog holding a taro-leaf umbrella. A parade of frolicking animals. An Ukiyo-e style Mount Fuji. Giant waves. A Japanese artist who goes by the name Lito carves these delicate designs on fallen leaves, giving life back to them. The world of Lito’s delicate art, which he began in …
your ad here$45M stegosaurus on display in NY. Here’s what scientists hope to learn about it
NEW YORK — The most expensive dinosaur fossil ever discovered will be on view in New York starting this weekend, American Museum of Natural History officials announced Wednesday. The giant stegosaurus fossil, dubbed “Apex,” is 3.3 meters tall and 8.2 meters nose to tail. The display will start in a giant …
your ad hereAs data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — Richard Andre Newman thought he would live the rest of his life in his quiet, leafy neighborhood in suburban Virginia. He was born and raised in Bren Mar Park, where children ride their bikes and neighbors wave hello. But now, as he’s approaching 60, he’s considering selling his …
your ad hereSumo wrestlers bring 1,500 years of tradition to London as sport has international moment
LONDON — London’s Royal Albert Hall, the gilded concert venue known for an annual Rule Britannia singalong, is preparing to host a different kind of spectacle: Sumo wrestling. Camera shutters clicked furiously and reporters “Ahhhed” in delight Wednesday as wrestlers Daisuke Kitanowaka and Akira Fukutsuumi demonstrated a sideways stamp and put …
your ad hereUS House to vote to provide $3 billion to remove Chinese telecoms equipment
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on an annual defense bill that includes just over $3 billion for U.S. telecom companies to remove equipment made by Chinese telecoms firms Huawei and ZTE 000063.SZ from American wireless networks to address security risks. The 1,800-page text …
your ad hereGarland’s ruby slippers from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ auctioned for $28M
MINNEAPOLIS — A pair of iconic ruby slippers that were worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz and stolen from a museum nearly two decades ago fetched $28 million in an auction Saturday. Heritage Auctions had estimated that they would fetch $3 million or more. Online bidding opened last …
your ad hereNorth Macedonian political party calls for ban on social media content that incites ‘self-destructive behavior’
SKOPJE, North Macedonia — A political party in North Macedonia on Saturday demanded authorities ban social networks whose content incites violence and self-destructive behavior after several young people were seriously injured in connection with the popular “Superman challenge” on TikTok. Health authorities said at least 17 students, ages 10 to 17, …
your ad herePope presides over ceremony with wide bruise on his chin
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis was seen with a significant bruise on his chin Saturday, but he presided over a ceremony to install new cardinals without apparent problems. A Vatican spokesperson said later Saturday that the bruise was caused by a contusion on Friday morning when Francis hit a nightstand with …
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