Global plastic consumption reached more than 110 million tons in 2009. Plastic can take up to 1,000 years to degrade. When it does degrade, it can end up as tiny…
more ...Toxin in Corn Adds to Woes of US Farmers, Ethanol Makers
A fungus that causes “vomitoxin” has been found in some U.S. corn harvested last year, forcing poultry and pork farmers to test their grain, and giving headaches to grain growers…
more ...For First Time, Drones Used in Major Search at Grand Canyon
The desperate effort this week to find two hikers who disappeared at the bottom of the Grand Canyon represented the National Park Service’s most extensive use yet of drones in…
more ...Lawmakers Push to Extend Retired Coal Miners Benefits
Lawmakers from coal-mining states are pushing to extend health benefits for more than 22,000 retired miners and widows whose medical coverage is set to expire at the end of April.…
more ...In North Korea, Drivers Scramble to Find Gas
Motorists in Pyongyang are scrambling to fill their tanks as gas stations begin limiting services or closing amid concerns of a spreading shortage. A sign outside one station in…
more ...Silicon Alley: The Latest New York Startups at NY TechDay
Silicon Valley is not the only place to find the next Mark Zuckerberg. Nearly 9,000 tech startups call New York City home, and their offerings reflect the unique needs of…
more ...Colas, Cigarettes: N. Korea Airline Diversifies as Threats of Sanctions Mount
Even after disembarking from North Korea’s Air Koryo plane at Pyongyang airport, it’s difficult to miss the airline’s brand. The Air Koryo conglomerate makes cigarettes and fizzy drinks, besides owning…
more ...Trump Orders Wide Review of Financial System Regulations
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a full review of the powers given to government regulators to oversee the banking and finance industries following the financial meltdown of 2008. Trump…
more ...Greece Blows Away EU-IMF Bailout Targets With Strong Budget Performance
Greece far exceeded its international lenders’ budget demands last year, official data showed on Friday, posting its first overall budget surplus in 21 years even when debt repayments are included.…
more ...US Undergrads Build Prosthetic Arm for 10-year-old Violinist
The pressure was on for Abdul Gouda and his classmates at George Mason University: not only did their graduation depend on the success of their project, but so did the…
more ...Canadian PM Responds to Trump’s Criticism of Dairy Industry
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that he plans to be respectful and engage the United States with a fact-based approach to solving problems a day after Donald Trump…
more ...US Will Not Issue Drilling Waivers to Russia Sanctions
The U.S. government says it will not waive trade sanctions for U.S. companies seeking to drill for oil in Russia, including for U.S. oil giant ExxonMobil. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin…
more ...World Bank: Remittance Flows Slow
The global flow of remittances declined in 2016 for the second year in a row, potentially reducing access to health care, education and food for millions of families in developing…
more ...Trump to Order Review of US Tax, Financial Reform Laws
President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Friday directing the Treasury Department to review significant tax regulations that were implemented last year, with an eye toward fulfilling a campaign…
more ...In a Town That Embraces Refugees, Auto Shop Business Flourishes
In 2014, a stranded motorist left a glowing review for Larry’s Auto and Truck Repair, located on the outskirts of Charlottesville, Virginia. “I am in the midst of hauling my…
more ...Resort Island Without Uber or Lyft Wants to Keep It That Way
Twelve miles and a ferry ride from the New England shore, Block Island is one of the last major tourist destinations in the United States without Uber or Lyft — …
more ...Volkswagen to Pay $2.8 Billion in US Diesel Emission Scandal
A judge on Friday ordered Volkswagen to pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty in the United States for cheating on diesel emissions tests, blessing a deal negotiated by the government…
more ...Germany’s Lilium Calls Test of ‘Flying Taxi’ Prototype Successful
A Bavarian startup is developing a five-seat “flying taxi” after successful test flights over Germany of a smaller version of the electric jet, the company said Thursday. Munich-based Lilium, backed…
more ...US Reviewing Venezuela’s Seizure of GM Assets
U.S. officials are reviewing Venezuela’s seizure of General Motors’ assets in the country, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Thursday. “We are reviewing the details of the case,” Toner…
more ...Trump Orders National Security Probe of Steel Imports
President Donald Trump has ordered an investigation into whether foreign steel imports are damaging U.S. national security, saying his administration would “fight for American workers and American-made steel.” The probe…
more ...Former Brazil Minister Palocci Offers Details of Bribery Scheme
Former Brazilian Finance Minister Antonio Palocci told a court hearing Thursday that he could provide details of a political kickback scheme, which could threaten former President Luiz Inacio Lula da…
more ...Argentina Hopes for Agreement on EU-Mercosur Trade Deal in 2017
Argentina hopes to have an agreement on a free-trade deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc by year’s end, its foreign minister said Thursday. The European…
more ...Trump to Canada: Stop Shielding Dairy Farmers from US Competition
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Canada on Thursday to stop shielding its dairy farmers from U.S. competition and reiterated his disdain for the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), calling…
more ...Robotic Pet Could Provide Comfort for the Disabled, Elderly
A pet can provide comfort and companionship for an elderly person or someone who is disabled. But in the future that pet may be a robotic animal that uses artificial…
more ...GM: Venezuela Illegally Seizes Factory
General Motors said Wednesday that Venezuelan authorities had illegally seized its plant in the industrial hub of Valencia and vowed to “take all legal actions” to defend its rights. The…
more ...Princess Cruises Fined $40 Million for Water Pollution
A federal judge in Miami fined Princess Cruise Lines $40 million Wednesday for illegally dumping oil waste into the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, and for falsifying records. It…
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