2023-06-16 ‘Benito Cereno,’ by Herman Melville, Part Three
We present the last of three parts of the short story “Benito Cereno.” It was written by Herman Melville. As we told you in earlier parts of our story, rebel…
2023-06-16 AI Helps Make a Beatles ‘Last Record’
Beatles’ cofounder Paul McCartney said this week that artificial intelligence (AI) has recaptured the voice of former Beatles member John Lennon from old recordings. Lennon was murdered in 1980. Music…
2023-06-15 US to Rejoin UN Cultural Agency, Pay Extra Money
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced recently that the United States plans to rejoin the organization. UNESCO said the U.S. would pay more than $600 million…
2023-06-15 Uganda Charcoal Ban Puts Producers, Locals, Police in Conflict
Charcoal is processed wood that is mainly used for cooking. But in the East African nation of Uganda, charcoal making is causing conflict with local people in the country’s north…
2023-06-15 In Ukraine, Dam Collapse Has Long-term Effects
The destruction of the Kakhovka Dam in Ukraine caused widespread flooding and might cause long-term environmental damage. The Associated Press described some of the effects on the Dnieper River area…
2023-06-15 Reviewing Your Message about Guests, Part 2
A few weeks ago, we asked our readers and listeners to write about having guests over. Many of you wrote us using the words you learned. One reader, Gerardo, wrote…
2023-06-16 Why Are Thousands of Subreddits Going Dark?
Reddit is a social media website where people with common interests can have conversations by posting comments, videos and images. Posts are grouped into communities, called subreddits, based on different…
2023-06-14 Belarus Starts Deploying Russian Nuclear Weapons
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said his country has started receiving Russian tactical nuclear weapons. He added that some of them were three times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped…
2023-06-14 UN Says 110 Million Now Displaced Worldwide
The United Nations refugee agency, the UNHCR, says more people have been displaced from their homes than ever before. Recent conflicts in Sudan and Ukraine forced millions of people from…
2023-06-14 US Judge Temporarily Blocks Microsoft’s Purchase of Activision
An American judge has temporarily blocked Microsoft’s planned purchase of video gaming company Activision Blizzard. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley made the ruling Tuesday in San Francisco. Her decision…
2023-06-14 Giant Yellow Ducks Return to Hong Kong, Bring Happiness
Two giant, yellow ducks are floating in Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbor. A huge air-filled “Rubber Duck” was very popular in the city’s financial area 10 years ago. Now, there are…