SYDNEY — Australian authorities are being criticized for ruling out drug decriminalization at an international summit in Sydney this week, ignoring a call by many experts and health groups for a health care response to drug use and addiction rather than criminal penalties. Several hundred politicians, policy experts, police officers and …
your ad hereMaternal mortality review panels are in the spotlight. Here’s what they do
Efforts to reduce the nation’s persistently high maternal mortality rates involve state panels of experts that investigate and learn from each mother’s death. The panels — called maternal mortality review committees — usually do their work quietly and out of the public eye. But that’s not been the case recently …
your ad hereFrance’s Notre Dame Cathedral reopens 5 years after shocking blaze
PARIS — Notre Dame will formally reopen Saturday, five years after the Paris cathedral was devastated by fire, with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump among world leaders there to celebrate its remarkably rapid restoration. Held up as an example of French creativity and resilience by President Emmanuel Macron, Notre Dame’s renaissance so …
your ad hereAppeals court upholds law that could ban TikTok in US
A federal appeals court in Washington on Friday upheld a law requiring the wildly popular social media app TikTok to be sold to a non-Chinese owner or face closure in the United States by next month. The court cited “persuasive” and “compelling” arguments presented by the federal government that TikTok …
your ad hereMexico study finds that heat kills young people more than elderly
A surprising study of temperature-related deaths in Mexico upends conventional thinking about what age group is hit hardest by heat. Researchers found at higher temperatures and humidity, the heat kills far more young people under 35 than those older than 50. For decades, health and weather experts have warned that …
your ad hereNASA delays next moon mission to April 2026
The U.S. space agency, NASA, is leading an effort to return astronauts to the surface of the moon and establish a routine presence on the lunar surface. As VOA’s Kane Farabaugh reports, NASA says it will push the next mission of its Artemis program from late 2025 to early 2026. …
your ad hereUS rebounds, adds 227,000 jobs in November
WASHINGTON — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up …
your ad hereBig polluters fear UN court case will fuel compensation demands
LONDON — As a landmark climate change case reached its halfway mark Friday at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, clear divisions have emerged over whether nation states can be held legally liable for global warming under international human rights laws. The 15 judges at the United Nations’ top …
your ad hereCargo sailboat cruises to cleaner future with blend of old, new technology
Using sailing ships to move cargo may be making a comeback. These days, eco-friendly watercraft are equipped with the latest technology. Elena Wolf has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Max Avloshenko …
your ad hereUS farmers, economists weigh in on impact of tariffs
Through social media posts, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to imposed tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – three of the top trading partners for the United States. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more about the potential economic impact if Trump follows through. …
your ad hereChina fine tunes economic stimulus as it braces for new US administration
BANGKOK — China is fine-tuning policies to rev up its economy as it braces for uncertain relations with the United States under President-elect Donald Trump, giving manufacturers a 20% made-in-China price advantage in sales to the Chinese government. The moves come ahead of a top-level annual economic planning conference scheduled for …
your ad hereIran launches heaviest space payload into orbit: media
Tehran, Iran — Iran successfully launched on Friday its heaviest space payload, which includes a satellite and a space tug, using a domestically developed satellite carrier, official media reported. Weighing 300 kilograms, the payload consisted of the Fakhr-1 telecommunications satellite and the Saman-1 space tug, according to state television. The Saman-1 …
your ad hereCongo says it’s ‘on alert’ over mystery flu-like disease that killed dozens
KINSHASA, CONGO — Public health officials in Africa urged caution Thursday as Congo’s health minister said the government was on alert over a mystery flu-like disease that in recent weeks killed dozens of people. Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters that more details …
your ad hereSierra Leone begins nationwide rollout of Ebola vaccine
FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE — Authorities in Sierra Leone on Thursday started a nationwide rollout of the single-dose Ebola vaccine, the first such campaign in West Africa, where a deadly outbreak 10 years ago resulted in the death of thousands. The 2014 Ebola outbreak — the deadliest in history — was primarily …
your ad hereBiden caps Angola visit with stop at train terminal at western port
LOBITO, ANGOLA — In the blistering midday heat at Angola’s largest port, U.S. President Joe Biden beamed Wednesday as he shook hands, one by one, with nine smiling hard-hatted workers. He had journeyed all the way from Washington to meet them at the terminus of an ambitious 1,300-kilometer, U.S.-financed rail line …
your ad hereChinese online retailer Temu suspended in Vietnam
HANOI, Vietnam — Vietnam has suspended the operations of Chinese online retailer Temu after it failed to meet a government deadline to register the company by the end of November. It is unclear if Temu, a unit of Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo, will be allowed to resume its business once it …
your ad hereJapan’s sake joins UNESCO’s cultural heritage list
LUQUE, PARAGUAY — Sake is perhaps more Japanese than the world-famous sushi. It’s brewed in centuries-old mountaintop warehouses, savored in the country’s pub-like izakayas, poured during weddings and served slightly chilled for special toasts. The smooth rice wine that plays a crucial role in Japan’s culinary traditions was enshrined on Wednesday …
your ad hereAnalysts troubled by trend of internet, social media shutdowns in Africa
WASHINGTON — Amid widespread protests in Kenya this summer over a controversial finance bill, the country’s Communications Authority announced it did not intend to shut down internet access. The next day, however, Kenya experienced a countrywide loss in internet connectivity. The main internet service providers said the outage on June 25 …
your ad hereUS senators vow action after briefing on Chinese Salt Typhoon telecom hacking
WASHINGTON — U.S. government agencies held a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday on China’s alleged efforts known as Salt Typhoon to burrow deep into American telecommunications companies and steal data about U.S. calls. The FBI, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, Federal Communications Commission Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, the National …
your ad hereNotre Dame reopens amid French political turmoil
PARIS — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and U.S. first lady Jill Biden are among global dignitaries expected in Paris Saturday as the city’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral reopens five years after a massive fire. Trump’s visit to Paris is expected to be his first foreign trip since winning the election last …
your ad hereTransgender rights case lands at Supreme Court
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court is hearing arguments Wednesday in just its second major transgender rights case, which is a challenge to a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming health care for minors. The justices’ decision, not expected for several months, could affect similar laws enacted by 25 other states and a …
your ad hereMany former X users migrate to Bluesky social media platform
Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform, recently experienced significant growth, surpassing 22 million users. The surge is attributed to users migrating from X due to their dissatisfaction with changes under Elon Musk’s ownership. Andrei Dziarkach has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: David Gogokhia …
your ad hereAustralia urges greater internet user choice amid Google dominance, genAI
Australia’s competition watchdog said there was a need to revisit efforts to ensure greater choice for internet users, citing Google’s dominant search engine market share and its competitors’ failure to capitalize on the artificial intelligence boom. A report by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said that while the integration …
your ad hereRegional analysts suggest caution as Nigeria signs new deals with France
ABUJA, NIGERIA — Political analysts in Nigeria say the country needs to be careful after signing a series of agreements with France during President Bola Tinubu’s three-day visit to the European country last week. Tinubu’s three-day visit to France was the first official state visit to Paris by a Nigerian leader …
your ad hereUS Embassy in Kenya unveils new tech hub for innovators
In Kenya, tech entrepreneurs who had trouble accessing resources as simple as an internet connection are getting an assist from American libraries. The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is now operating six tech hubs, the newest of which opened in Nairobi last month. Victoria Amunga reports. Camera: Jimmy Makhulo …
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