Saturday, May 26, 2018
Kenya built a reputation as a pioneer of financial inclusion through its early adoption of a mobile money system that enables people to transfer cash and make payments on cellphones without a bank account. Now, a proliferation of lenders are using the same technology to extend credit to the banked and unbanked alike, saddling borrowers with high interest rates and leaving regulators scrambling to keep up. This week, the finance ministry published a draft bill on financial regulation...
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
Dry pine needles and dead wood snapped under fire prevention officer Matt Engbring’s boots as he hiked a half-mile into the woods in search of a makeshift campsite that had served as one man’s home until this week when the area was closed because of the escalating threat of massive wildfires. Engbring walked past small ravines where wind quickly could carry embers and by the charred remains of a campfire, finally reaching the spot where John Dobson had been living among ponderosa pines in...
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
At least four suspected militants were killed in a gunbattle with government troops Saturday after crossing into the Indian-controlled part of Kashmir from the Pakistani side of the disputed territory, the Indian military said. Fighting began early Saturday when soldiers intercepted heavily armed insurgents along the highly militarized de facto border that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, said Col. Rajesh Kalia, an Indian army spokesman. Kalia said the operations...
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
A man has been blinded by his own father and siblings for allegedly wanting to marry a girl he fell in love with in southwestern Pakistan. Abdul Baqi, 22, thought his family would help him get married. Instead, his father and four brothers accused him of violating Islamic values and removed his eyes to punish him. The incident occurred May 13. His brothers and father locked his mother and sisters in a room and took Baqi to the corner of the house, where they tied his hands and...
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
Is the summit on or off? That's the question North Korea-watchers are asking about a planned meeting between North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and US president Donald Trump. Top White House officials Friday expressed optimism that the talks could be back on after a surprising response from North Korea. VOA's Jesusemen Oni has more.
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
Though U.S. President Donald Trump decided Thursday to not hold direct talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, Trump has suggested he's open to talks down the road, if relations improve. That offer of new talks, on his terms, is part of a pattern for Trump when it comes to negotiations. And it's something that has had mixed results, as VOA's Bill Gallo reports.
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
Gene therapy could potentially allow doctors to cure some of the deadliest types of cancer and rare hereditary diseases with one injection. The FDA recently approved the use of three anti-cancer drugs, all based on genetically modified human cells. Scientists say up to 80 percent of all types of cancer will respond to gene therapy treatments in the future. And that's just the tip of the iceberg, as Daria Dieguts reports.
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
It is commencement season in America, when high school and university students gather for graduation ceremonies featuring advice from prominent Americans. This year, at a time of heightened political divisions in the country and accusations of "fake news," many speakers are featuring political themes and talking about integrity. VOA's Mariama Diallo reports.
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo outlined the Trump administration's efforts to end Iran's nuclear program in an exclusive interview with VOA's Persian service. VOA's Julie Taboh reports, Thursday's conversation also covered recent protests in Iran and the administration's efforts to free Americans detained by Iran.
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Saturday, May 26, 2018
A privately run women empowerment program in Pakistan, known as Pink Rickshaw, is helping improve the lives of poverty-stricken families and impacting social behaviors in an otherwise male-dominated society. Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad.
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