Peripheral Artery disease is a painful condition caused when cholesterol and other fats build up and clog blood flow in the veins. One of the most effective treatments involves getting up and moving. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. … From: MeNeedIt
One of China’s biggest textile mills is planning its first North American factory in a small town in the southern U.S. state of Arkansas. VOA’s Ping Zhang went to have a look at local expectations and the promise of new jobs. … From: MeNeedIt
Syria Fest debuted in Washington on Sept. 3, bringing to the nation’s capital an immersive outdoor cultural experience promoting Syrian food, music, art, dance, history and culture. … From: MeNeedIt
As a parade of motorists rolled down their windows on the edges of a Houston Home Depot parking lot offering cash, the crowd of day laborers had slowly thinned to about a dozen by mid-morning. The workers who were already gone were off to tear out soggy carpeting, carry ruined sofas to the curb and saw apart mold-infested drywall. Those who still remained knew they were hot commodities and weren’t going to settle for low offers. The owner of a car dealership shook his head and drove off …
The man who inspired the ice bucket challenge that has raised millions for ALS research is being honored at Boston City Hall. Mayor Martin Walsh is hosting a rally Tuesday for Pete Frates at City Hall Plaza. The event coincides with the release of a new book on Frates. “The Ice Bucket Challenge: Pete Frates and the Fight against ALS” was written by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. Half of its proceeds benefit the Frates family. Walsh will declare Sept. 5 as Pete Frates Day in Boston. Frates, his family, …
The world’s poorest continent continued to grow more generous according to a yearly index of charitable giving released on Tuesday, bucking the trend of otherwise declining signs of charity worldwide. Africa was in a 2016 survey the only continent to report a continent-wide increase of its index generosity score when compared to its five-year average. The score is a combined measure of respondents in 139 countries who were asked whether they had given money to a good cause, volunteered their time and helped a stranger. “Despite the many challenges our …
Chinese millennials with a dim view of their career and marriage prospects can wallow in despair with a range of teas such as “achieved-absolutely-nothing black tea,” and “my-ex’s-life-is-better-than-mine fruit tea.” While the drink names at the Sung chain of tea stalls are tongue-in-cheek, the sentiment they reflect is serious: A significant number of young Chinese with high expectations have become discouraged and embrace an attitude known on social media as “sang,” after a Chinese character associated with the word “funeral” that describes being dispirited. “Sang” culture, which revels in often-ironic …
Security guard Eric Leon watches the Knightscope K5 security robot as it glides through the mall, charming shoppers with its blinking blue and white lights. The brawny automaton records video and sounds alerts. According to its maker, it deters mischief just by making the rounds. Leon, the all-too-human guard, feels pretty sure that the robot will someday take his job. “He doesn’t complain,” Leon says. “He’s quiet. No lunch break. He’s starting exactly at 10.” Even in the technology hotbed stretching from Silicon Valley to San Francisco, a security robot …
Here’s a statistic for you to consider: the U.N. estimates that over 30 percent of the food that is produced every year never gets eaten. Now one enterprising Nigerian entrepreneur has built an app to help get some of that food to those who need it. VOA’s Kevin Enochs reports. … From: MeNeedIt
A rock and roll fan with a penchant for harmony and obtuse references, Walter Becker, the guitarist, bassist and co-founder of the 1970s rock group Steely Dan, which sold more than 40 million albums and produced such hit singles as “Reelin’ In the Years,” “Rikki Don’t Lose that Number” and “Deacon Blues” died Sunday. He was 67. His official website announced his death Sunday with no further details. Donald Fagen said in a statement Sunday that his Steely Dan bandmate was not only “an excellent guitarist and a …
John Ashbery, an enigmatic genius of modern poetry whose energy, daring and boundless command of language raised American verse to brilliant and baffling heights, died early Sunday at age 90. Ashbery, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and often mentioned as a Nobel candidate, died at his home in Hudson, New York. His husband, David Kermani, said his death was from natural causes. Few poets were so exalted in their lifetimes. Ashbery was the first living poet to have a volume published by the Library of America dedicated exclusively to his …
The Grand Canyon — one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World — is one of nature’s most stunning creations. Located in the southwestern state of Arizona, the majestic site has inspired adventurers, poets and painters for hundreds of years. Whether looking down from its massive rim or up from the rushing waters of the Colorado River, it’s easy to see how it got its name. National parks traveler Mikah Meyer, who’s on a mission to see all 417 National Park Service sites, can see why. “It’s grand! That’s the …
Officials in San Diego County have declared a public health emergency because of the spread of the liver disease hepatitis A. Infections have killed 15 people and hospitalized nearly 400 more, with the homeless population hit hardest since the outbreak started last November. The Union-Tribune reports that Friday’s emergency declaration helps the county request state assistance and gives legal protection for new sanitation measures. Hand washing, street cleaning Those measures include about 40 portable hand-washing stations for areas with concentrations of homeless. The virus lives in human …
The world of smart appliances capable of communicating with humans is slowly taking shape, thanks to the increasing popularity and ubiquity of so-called personal assistants. At the International Consumer Electronics Trade Show now being held in Berlin, manufacturers are promoting a new generation of gadgets from smart refrigerators to window cleaning robots. VOA’s George Putic reports. … From: MeNeedIt