Newsletter Archive

In the tech startup world, there’s no shortage of venture capital for the next big idea…if you’re a man. Female startup founders have a notoriously hard time securing funding, receiving just 11 percent of total venture funding in the first half of 2017. But new methods of financing could help close the gender gap. With no record of male domination yet, the buzzy technologies of blockchain and cryptocurrencies just might be the great equalizers.

South Africa’s city of Cape Town is counting down to what the mayor calls ‘day zero.’ That’s this April 22, when the seaside metropolis of four million residents is expected to run out of water after years of drought. The water saga has also taken on political tones, with the mayor’s warnings being overshadowed by opposition critics who say mismanagement is partly to blame for the water crisis.

Some see Chinese activist Wu Gan as an example of someone who stands up for social justice. The 44-year-old mocks corrupt officials as pigs and even posted a picture of himself brandishing a knife and vowing to slaughter corrupt local official pigs. China authorities consider the man who calls himself ‘Vulgar Butcher,’ a criminal and have sentenced him to eight years in jail, which Wu seems to consider a badge of honor.

After four years of deadly fighting, South Sudan is moving to promote unity among its young people. In this case that means bringing together hundreds of youths from across the war-torn nation to face each other on the field of competition. Nine days of sports activities will mark South Sudan’s third annual National Unity Day. VOA checks out the preparations in Juba, where the government is sponsoring the event in an effort to unite South Sudanese youth, rather than divide them.

While many governments say they support homegrown innovation, their policy decisions may hamper entrepreneurial growth, according to the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), which is hosting the giant consumer electronics show taking place in Las Vegas this week. The CTA looked at 12 factors to determine whether a country is an ‘innovation champion’ and the country that came out on top might surprise you.

About one-third of US college students change their field of study at least once. And many who do so begin in science, technology, engineering and math – in other words, STEM fields, before choosing a completely different major. Some colleges and professors purposely make early STEM classes more challenging to weed out students who can’t cut it. But in a world where technology is a bigger part of everyday life, it might be time for colleges to be more inclusive.