What Happens at SXSW?

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What originally started as a music festival in the 1980s has evolved into an event that is much bigger and harder to define. Imagine networking and partying for more than a week. That is what is happening in Austin, Texas. Musicians, film promoters and tech companies from around the world are gathering for the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference and festival. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details from Austin. ...


Scientists Hope to Clean Space Junk

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Space scientists say the satellites and other spacecraft orbiting the Earth, including the International Space Station, are in increasing danger of collision with pieces of junk. Engineers are working hard to solve the problem of removing the trash that threatens functioning satellites worth millions of dollars. VOA’s George Putic reports. ...


India, France Call for Affordable Solar Technology to Address Climate Change

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French President Emmanuel Macron pledged over $850 million for solar projects in emerging economies, as both India and France called for affordable solar technology for emerging nations at the first conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) held in New Delhi.   The alliance was co-founded by both countries two years ago on the sidelines of the Paris climate summit to boost the use of solar power, countering the impact of climate change.   Dozens of country leaders, including many from Africa, attended the meeting in the Indian capital and emphasized the need for access to solar technology and concessional financing to address massive energy shortages in many of their sun-drenched nations.   Promising more loans and donations for solar projects by 2022, Macron stressed the need to remove obstacles…


Economic Problems Prompt Iran to Cautiously Consider Change

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Labor strikes. Nationwide protests. Bank failures. In recent months, Iran has been beset by economic problems despite the promises surrounding the 2015 nuclear deal it struck with world powers. Its clerically overseen government is starting to take notice. Politicians now offer the idea of possible government referendums or early elections. Even Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei acknowledged the depths of the problems ahead of the 40th anniversary of Iran’s Islamic Revolution. “Progress has been made in various sectors in the real sense of the word; however, we admit that in the area of ‘justice’ we are lagging behind,” Khamenei said in February, according to an official transcript. “We should apologize to Allah the Exalted and to our dear people.” Whether change can come, however, is in question. ​An economy run…


The Rising Problem of Old Batteries

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Technology increasingly relies on rechargeable batteries as a source of energy. Today's batteries are better and last longer, but when their capacity drops under a certain level they have to be replaced. Some experts say that, even with a half of their capacity, batteries can be used for less critical purposes. VOA's George Putic has more. ...


China: ‘No Winners in a Trade War’

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China said Sunday it does not intend to ignite a trade war with the U.S. because the move would be disastrous for the entire world. “There are no winners in a trade war,” Minister of Commerce Zhong Shan said on the sidelines of China’s annual parliamentary session. “China does not wish to fight a trade war, nor will China initiate a trade war, but we can handle any challenge and will resolutely defend the interests of our country and our people,” Zhong said. President Donald Trump signed proclamations Thursday imposing a 25 percent tariff on imported steel and a 10 percent tariff on imported aluminum, with the new taxes set to go into effect this month. ​US, Japan, EU talk Trade representatives for Japan and the European Union met with…


Trade Representatives From US, EU, Japan Discuss New Metal Tariffs

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Trade representatives for Japan and the European Union met with the U.S. trade representative Saturday in an effort to avoid a trade war over President Donald Trump's new tariffs on aluminum and steel. At the meeting in Brussels, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom and Japanese counterpart Hiroshige Seko discussed the tariffs as part of a trilateral effort to combat unfair trade practices. The EU said in a statement that both Brussels and Tokyo had serious concerns about the U.S. tariffs. Both powers, two of the biggest trade partners with the United States, have asked for exemptions from the tariffs. After the meeting, Malmstrom tweeted, "No immediate clarity on the exact U.S. procedure for exemption ... so discussions will continue next week." Seko said at a news…


Facebook Exclusive Deal: Streaming 25 MLB Games

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Facebook is getting deeper into the professional sports streaming game, partnering with Major League Baseball to air 25 weekday afternoon games in an exclusive deal. The games will be available to Facebook users in the U.S. on Facebook Watch, the company's video feature announced last August, via the MLB Live show page. Facebook said Friday that recorded broadcasts will also be available globally, excluding select international markets. The package, MLB's first digital-only national broadcast agreement, precludes teams from televising those games on their regional sports networks. The concept is similar to the exclusive package of Sunday night games on ESPN. Facebook, Twitter and Amazon and other tech companies are in a race to acquire sports streaming rights, which can be lucrative and potentially boost user loyalty. The deal comes at…


US Tariffs Spark Fears of Trade Conflict in Asia

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Several Asian nations that are major trading partners with the U.S. reacted strongly Friday to a U.S. decision to impose tariffs on metal imports, raising concerns of global trade conflicts. China, a key target of U.S. trade concerns, said it was "resolutely opposed" to the U.S. tariff decision, with Japan warning of the impact on bilateral ties. South Korea said it may file a complaint to the international trade dispute body, the World Trade Organization (WTO). South Korea is the third-largest steel exporter to the U.S. after Canada and Brazil. Several Southeast Asian nations say they fear a wave of import dumping of steel and aluminum products. U.S. President Donald Trump, turning aside warnings from economists and members within the Republican Party, signed an order Thursday for new tariffs of…


China Gears Up to Retaliate Against US Tariffs

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China is gearing up to retaliate in response to stiff U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum as Chinese industry associations urge authorities to take "resolute measures." Retaliation from Beijing could contribute to a possible trade war between the world's two biggest economies, analysts said. China's Ministry of Commerce has pledged to "firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests" and called for an end to the measures as quickly as possible. In a statement posted on the website of the China Iron and Steel Association, the group appealed to the government in Beijing "to take resolute measures against imports of some U.S. products, including stainless steel, galvanized sheet, seamless pipe, coal, agriculture products and electronic products." While the possibility of retaliating over steel and hitting agricultural imports and other sectors has…


Students Learn Real Skills, Earn Simulated Profits

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Young people around the United States are creating virtual businesses that produce simulated products, which are marketed and sold for virtual money. Thirteen hundred students recently showcased their ventures, ranging from telecom firms to gourmet food providers, in Pasadena, California. At what looked like a corporate trade show, students from Miguel Contreras Business and Tourism School in Los Angeles solicited customers for their tour company. Teacher Darrell Iki helped the students launch Big City Tours, which exists only in the classroom and online. The company stages virtual tours to different parts of Los Angeles, highlighting the city's ethnic heritage, fashion or high-end shopping. A related virtual company sells travel gear. Students from Century High School in Santa Ana, California, sell a hypothetical translation device geared toward travelers.  It all starts…


Watchdog: Western Tech Used for Hacking in Turkey, Syria

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A Canadian company’s hardware is being used to hack internet users along Turkey’s border with Syria, researchers said Friday, adding that there were signs that Kurdish forces aligned with the United States might have been targeted. The revelation comes as Turkey presses its offensive against the Kurds dug in along the country’s frontier with northwestern Syria, a conflict that threatens to disrupt the American-led effort to extinguish the Islamic State group. The apparent use of Canadian technology to target a U.S. ally was an irony underlined by Ron Deibert, the director of the internet watchdog group Citizen Lab, which published a report on the spying. “These companies are not closely regulated, and that can lead to a lot of unintended consequences, including consequences that harm our foreign policy interests and…


Judge to Weigh Whether Trump’s Twitter Blocks Violate Free Speech

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A federal judge is expected to hear arguments on Thursday about whether President Donald Trump violated Twitter users' free speech rights under the U.S. Constitution by blocking them from his account. The arguments before U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald in Manhattan are part of a lawsuit brought last July by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and several individual Twitter users. Trump and the plaintiffs are seeking summary judgment, asking Buchwald to decide the case in their favor without a trial. Twitter lets users post short snippets of text, called tweets. Other users may respond to those tweets. When one user blocks another, the blocked user cannot respond to the blocker's tweets. The plaintiffs have accused Trump of blocking a number of accounts whose owners criticized, mocked or disagreed with him in replies to his tweets. They argued that Trump's…


European Central Bank: Trump Tariff Move ‘Dangerous’

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Europe's top monetary official criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal to put tariffs on steel and aluminum imports as a "dangerous" unilateral move. Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank, said that the "immediate spillover of the trade measures ... is not going to be big." But he said such disputes should be worked out among trade partners, not decided by measures initiated from one side. "Whatever convictions one has about trade ... we are convinced that disputes should be discussed and resolved in a multilateral framework, and that unilateral decisions are dangerous." Trump is expected to announce by the end of this week tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum. Trump has long singled out China for being unfair in trade practices, but…


11 Nations to Sign Pacific Trade Pact as US Plans Tariffs

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Trade ministers from 11 Pacific Rim countries are set to sign a sweeping agreement to streamline trade and slash tariffs just as U.S. President Donald Trump is preparing to formalize new tariffs on aluminum and steel to protect U.S. producers. The deal to be signed Thursday in the Chilean capital is an outgrowth of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Trump pulled the U.S. out of last year. Many feared the agreement would not prosper without its most influential country. But the remaining 11 members pressed ahead, saying it shows resolve against protectionism. The pact includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. ...


Europe Split on Nord Stream 2 Pipeline as US Warns Against Dependence on Russian Gas

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A number of eastern European states have ramped up their opposition to a new gas pipeline linking Russia with Germany. The Nord Stream 2 project will bring Russian gas directly to Western Europe, but critics say it will increase dependence on Russia and enrich its state-owned energy firms, at a time when Moscow stands accused of undermining European security. The $11 billion, 1,225-kilometer pipeline is on schedule for completion next year. It is a private project backed by Russian state-owned Gazprom and five energy companies from Germany, France, Britain and the Netherlands. It also has the strong backing of the German and Russian governments. “We support the implementation of this project which is undoubtedly, absolutely free from politics. This is a purely economic and moreover purely commercial project,” Russian President…


Canada, Mexico, Others Could Be Spared From US Tariffs on Metals

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Some countries are now likely to be spared from planned tariffs on metals advocated by U.S. President Donald Trump.  "We expect that the president will sign something by the end of the week, and there are potential carve-outs for Mexico and Canada, based on national security, and possibly other countries as well, based on that process," White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters Tuesday.  Sources at the White House also said Trump's controversial tariff plan could be put into action at a signing ceremony at 3:30 p.m. EDT (2030 UTC) Thursday. Reuters quoted a senior U.S. official as saying the measures would take effect about two weeks after Trump signed the proclamation.  Meanwhile Wednesday, U.S. Representative Kevin Brady, a Texas Republican, and other House members wrote a letter to…


Despite Widespread Pushback, Trump Finds Some Support for Tariff Plan

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U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to impose tariffs of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum has met criticism from his Republican allies in Congress, many of whom worry the measures could trigger a trade war that damages U.S. businesses. But the president does have supporters among some Senate Democrats from states where voters are concerned about the long-term loss of American manufacturing jobs. “This welcome action is long overdue for shuttered steel plants across Ohio and steelworkers who live in fear that their jobs will be the next victims of Chinese cheating,” Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat from Ohio, said in a statement released after the plan was announced. “If we fail to stand up for steel jobs today, China will come after other jobs up and…


FBI Chief: Corporate Hack Victims Can Trust We Won’t Share Info

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The FBI views companies hit by cyberattacks as victims and will not rush to share their information with other agencies investigating whether they failed to protect customer data, its chief said Wednesday. Christopher Wray, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, encouraged companies to promptly report when they are hacked to help the FBI investigate and prevent future data breaches. He contrasted the FBI's approach to that of other regulators and state authorities. Without naming other agencies, Wray referred to "less-enlightened enforcement agencies," some of which he said take a more adversarial approach. "We don't view it as our responsibility when companies share information with us to turn around and share that information with some of those other agencies," Wray said in response to an audience question at a cybersecurity…


Trump Sells Tax-Cut Package to Hispanic Business Owners

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President Donald Trump is selling Hispanic business owners on his new tax cuts. Trump is delivering the keynote address Wednesday at the annual legislative summit of the Latino Coalition. It's his first time addressing Hispanic business owners. The president says the $1.5 trillion package of tax cuts he signed late last year have finally given American business a "level playing field." He tells the Latino business owners that they'll "see more of this in the coming weeks." Trump highlighted administration efforts to eliminate regulations that many businesses find burdensome. Trump also touched on immigration. He blamed Democrats for failing to reach agreement with the White House on a plan to protect immigrants who were brought to the country illegally as children. ...


FOMO at SXSW: How to Conquer Fear of Missing Out in Austin

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The South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, starts Friday. It's grown from a grassroots event to a phenomenon that attracts 400,000 people. For attendees, it can feel overwhelming. What's worth your time? Where's the buzz?   The latest AP Travel "Get Outta Here" podcast offers strategies for conquering FOMO (fear of missing out) at SXSW.   One approach is to let the nostalgia acts go - the former big-name bands promoting comebacks. Instead, pack your schedule with artists that have their best years ahead of them.   And you need a plan. You can't just wing it. Be ready for long lines. But have some backups. Consider less-crowded venues outside downtown. Film screenings take place at theaters all over, and up-and-coming bands play a lot of shows. ...


Drought-hit Kenyans Find Gold in Tea Trees – But for How Long?

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At Sweet Waters, a village in central Kenya, Veronicah Nyambura stands under the hot sun between two fields. One is full of lush plants - but the other has crops so wilted that their leaves have curled up. The green land is planted with tea tree, an Australian native that thrives in this semi-arid part of Kenya. Opposite is a field of maize, which suffers in years of poor rains and high temperatures. "Maize is very disappointing. You plant but you're never sure whether you'll harvest anything," said Nyambura, who has planted a quarter-acre of tea trees. The 65-year-old said she harvests 900 kg of tea tree branches every six months from that bit of land. When it was planted to maize, she got about 270 kg of grain every…


EU Tax Haven Blacklist Set to Shrink Further

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European Union states are set to remove Bahrain, the Marshall Islands and Saint Lucia from a list of tax havens next week, leaving only six jurisdictions on it, an EU document shows. The planned removals from the EU list drew criticism from an anti-corruption watchdog on Tuesday. The decision is also likely to bring more disapproval from lawmakers and activists who had strongly criticized a first delisting in January that cut the number of jurisdictions named to nine from 17. The latest decision was taken by the EU Code of Conduct Group, which includes tax experts from the 28 member states, according to an EU document seen by Reuters. EU finance ministers are expected to endorse the proposal at their regular monthly meeting in Brussels on March 13. The jurisdictions…