U.S. first lady Melania Trump read to a group of children at a New York hospital Thursday to celebrate National Read Across America Day. In one of her first outings in a traditional first lady role, Trump read to children at the pediatrics ward from the Dr. Seuss favorite, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! She told the children, “I came here to encourage everyone to read and to just think about the books and what you want to achieve in life.” Trump also brought a box full of children’s books …

Federal law enforcement agents have searched three facilities of the American heavy-equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Incorporated in the U.S. Midwest. Caterpillar spokeswoman Corrie Heck Scott said in an email that the company, the world’s largest manufacturer of mining and construction equipment, was cooperating with law enforcement, but she gave no further details about the searches Thursday. Federal agents with search warrants entered three Caterpillar offices in Peoria, Illinois, and the surrounding area. News of the searches sent Caterpillar shares tumbling more than 4 percent on U.S. stock exchanges within hours. Caterpillar …

Amazon.com has launched a new program to help students build capabilities into its voice-controlled assistant Alexa, the company told Reuters, the latest move by a technology firm to nurture ideas and talent in artificial intelligence research. The e-commerce company said it was paying for a yearlong doctoral fellowship at four universities for an undisclosed sum. Working with professors, the Alexa Fund Fellows will help students tackle complex technology problems in class on Alexa, like how to convert text to speech or process conversation. Amazon, Alphabet’s Google and others are locked …

Street vendors are a part of the life of many American cities. They’re not always regulated and many are immigrants. Los Angeles is a prime example. Street vending is has been illegal. A number of the vendors there are undocumented immigrants. With hopes to protect them from deportation for breaking the law, the city recently decriminalized street vending. Goldy Fogel narrates for video journalist Arturo Martinez. … From: MeNeedIt

Every year, the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising Museum in Los Angeles holds an exhibit showcasing the works of Oscar nominated fashion designers of that year. VOA got a closer look at the designs of this year’s costumes, and spoke to one of the nominees. … From: MeNeedIt

A Californian musician and a Russian music fan decided to become business partners. They founded a company to manufacture high-end microphones from old machinery that once produced Kalashnikov rifles. VOA’s Faiza Elmasry has more. Faith Lapidus narrates. … From: MeNeedIt

The more science learns about staying healthy, one thing seems increasingly clear: to stay fit, mentally and physically, keep moving. But moving can be hard when most people sit at desks all day. A new study suggests that even if you spend all day in a chair, a couple of hours a week of movement may be enough to keep you healthy. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. … From: MeNeedIt

Yahoo will not pay CEO Marissa Mayer her scheduled 2016 bonus, worth as much as $2 million, because of the massive breach her company suffered in 2014. And Yahoo’s general counsel, Ronald Bell, resigned without severance pay for his department’s lackadaisical response to the security lapses. Although Yahoo’s security team uncovered evidence that a hacker backed by an unnamed foreign government had pried into user accounts in 2014, executives “failed to act sufficiently” on that knowledge, according to the results of an internal investigation disclosed Wednesday. At that time, Yahoo …

The death from childbirth of a woman named Time magazine “Person of the Year” in 2014 for her work fighting Ebola in Liberia is being investigated after reports surfaced that health workers were afraid to treat her, the country’s health ministry said Wednesday. Ebola survivor Salomé Karwah died last week four days after suffering complications from giving birth by cesarean section in a major hospital, according to the ministry’s chief medical officer, Francis Kateh. Josephine Manley, Karwah’s sister, told Time that they rushed her back to hospital after she lapsed …