California should pay substantial financial reparations to African-Americans to compensate for the legacy of US slavery and systemic racism, a committee report published Thursday said.. In March, a city-appointed reparations committee in San Francisco provoked controversy by recommending that $5 million be paid to each eligible African-American.
The US Supreme Court on Thursday banned the use of race and ethnicity in university admissions, dealing a major blow to a decades-old practice that boosted educational opportunities for African-Americans and other minorities.. Others have said the policy has outlived its need because educational opportunities have vastly improved for Blacks and other minorities.
Scientists have discovered a genetic variant linked with multiple sclerosis becoming more debilitating over time, in research hailed as a first step towards a new drug.. "It's the first step towards treatments that work in a different way," she said, emphasising that any such drug was a long way from being available.
Afghanistan's Taliban government reacted angrily Thursday to Swedish authorities allowing a man to burn a copy of the Koran outside a mosque in Stockholm, calling it "utter contempt towards this noble religion".. "Permission for such despicable acts in front of a mosque on one of the holiest days of Islam shows nothing more than the utter contempt towards this noble religion and its close to two billion adherents by the Swedish authorities," it said in a statement.
Turkmenistan on Thursday inaugurated Arkadag, a $ 5-billion "smart" city built in honour of former strongman leader Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, cementing one of the most extraordinary personality cults in the world.. The new city built in the foothills of the picturesque Kopet-Dag mountains is named after Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, who ruled over the country between 2006 and 2022 and now carries the title Hero Arkadag (Protector).
Cats are considered lucky in Japan, and owners of the popular pets spend big on their care.. Now the app "has an accuracy level of more than 90 percent", he told AFP. According to the Japan Pet Food Association, 60 percent of owners take their cat to a veterinarian at most once a year.
Thitid Tassanakajohn has a degree in economics from Thailand's top university, but turned his back on a stable career in finance to launch a high-end restaurant in Bangkok -- a city famed for its street food.. Educated and trained at top restaurants in New York City, Chef Ton said he learned from the best about how to push culinary boundaries.
Hollywood's summer of discontent could dramatically escalate this weekend, with actors ready to join writers in a massive "double strike" that would bring nearly all US film and television productions to a halt.. While the writers' strike has already dramatically reduced the number of movies and shows in production, an actors' walkout would shutter almost everything.
City parks and green spaces help counter heat, boost biodiversity, and instill a sense of calm in the urban jungle. . "We have more and better scientific evidence to increase and promote the use of urban green spaces," added Franco, who was not involved in the study. ia/jh
The White House on Wednesday put to bed speculation about a mystery line on President Joe Biden's face, explaining that he has begun wearing a CPAP device to help ward off sleep apnea.. As the oldest president ever in the White House and seeking another four years in office in the 2024 election, Biden's health is under constant scrutiny. sms/bgs
