Safety is the biggest concern for women using public and private transport in five of the world’s biggest commuter cities, according to a global poll released Thursday as improving city access for women becomes a major focus globally.  A Thomson Reuters …

A frozen and dimly lit planet, dubbed a “Super-Earth,” may be orbiting the closest single star to our solar system, astronomers said Wednesday, based on two decades of scientific observations.  The planet, estimated to be at least 3.2 times more …

The United Kingdom and the European Union have agreed on a deal that will give London’s vast financial center only a basic level of access to the bloc’s markets after Brexit.  The agreement will be based on the EU’s existing …

This is part of “Ocean Shock,” a Reuters series exploring climate change’s impact on sea creatures and the people who depend on them.  A priest in a white robe swung an incense burner, leading the way for thousands of marchers …

Greece’s culture ministry said Tuesday that archaeologists have located the first tangible remains of a lost city that the ancient Greeks believed was first settled by Trojan captives of war after the sack of Troy. A ministry statement said excavations …

Amazon says it will split its long-awaited second headquarters between New York City and and Crystal City, part of Arlington, Virginia, as well as open a new facility in Nashville, Tennessee. “These two locations will allow us to attract world-class …

Stan Lee, the creator of Black Panther, Spider-Man, Iron Man, the Hulk and many other popular comic heroes, died Monday at the age of 95. VOA’s Zlatica Hoke has this story. … From: MeNeedIt

As the Democratic Republic of Congo battles the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, just across the border Ugandan survivors of a 2007 outbreak are reminded of the near-death experience they went through. Bundibugyo district at the border with Uganda …

Dotted with bullet holes and scarred by war, a once glamorous Lebanese hotel, abandoned for more than 40 years, is coming back to life through the paintings of an artist on a mission to revive the memories of its glorious …

Ever been on a blind date with a rock star? How about four of them? That was Grammy-winning producer Paul Epworth’s experience when he initially met up with Mumford & Sons to see if he and the four rockers could …

Singers Miley Cyrus and Neil Young were among hundreds of people who lost their homes in wildfires that destroyed parts of the California seaside town of Malibu, where flames burned for a fourth day on Monday. Cyrus wrote on Twitter …

To Viola Davis, being naked on screen or onstage means more than having your clothes off. It means ridding yourself of self-consciousness and ego. It means exposing yourself. “Oftentimes you do see dynamic acting — there are a lot of …

A broad sell-off in technology companies pulled U.S. stocks sharply lower Monday, knocking more than 600 points off the Dow Jones Industrial Average.   The wave of selling snared big names, including Apple, Amazon and Goldman Sachs. Banks, consumer-focused companies, …

Brazil’s Congress is unlikely to pass pension reform legislation this year, far-right President-elect Jair Bolsonaro said on Monday, a blow to investor hopes that caused the country’s currency to weaken in futures markets. Investors snapped up Brazilian assets in the …

Diversity in the comic and graphic novel industry in the United States has increased with the growing number of artists who have international backgrounds. VOA’s Dhania Iman reports from San Diego, Calif., on two Asian-American authors who are contributing to …

The typical image of ballerinas is of agile dancers in shiny pink slippers. An American company began offering brown-toned slippers last year, and last month, Britain’s oldest ballet apparel supplier began offering shoes made to better match the skin color …

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Monday for a new public works spending program to stimulate the economy amid growing concerns about global risks.  The spending, which is expected in the first half of next fiscal year starting in April, will focus …

Dragon’s blood, mandrake root and devil’s snare were used for potions and spells in the Harry Potter series. But in real life, the creepy-named plants were used for medicinal purposes and could be purchased at an apothecary, also known as …

University of Pennsylvania researchers say that for the first time they have linked social media use to increases in depression and loneliness. The idea that social media is anything but social when it comes to mental health has been talked …

It is almost mid-November, and the fall leaves are finally showing off their beautiful colors in the Washington area and elsewhere on the U.S. East Coast. With higher than average temperatures in September and October in Washington, it took longer …