It was a big night for actress Viola Davis, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for “Fences”. Her crowning achievement comes after a long and illustrious career of numerous awards and three Oscar nominations. The Oscar nod also highlights Hollywood’s interest in complex minority characters.

For those who watched Denzel Washington’s film drama “Fences”, about the intricate family dynamics in a 1950’s African American household, it is difficult to forget Davis’ powerhouse performance. She plays Rose, the introspective wife who stands by her man, aware of his imperfections. She perseveres next to him not with deference but with dignity. She is the balancing act between her explosive husband and her brooding son, and when her philandering husband, played by Denzel Washington, brings home a baby, she accepts it not because she has to, but because she chooses to.

This is not the first time Davis fleshes out complex characters; but, her Oscar win underscores the movie industry’s commitment to such characters.

Another example is Mahershala Ali, who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance as Juan, a drug dealer in a poor Miami neighborhood, in the indie drama “Moonlight”. Juan finds himself taking care of a boy abandoned by his own mother, a drug addict. In this role,  Ali is both criminal and nurturer.

Giovanna Chesler, director of George Mason University’s film school, says this recognition was years in the making.

“I don’t think it’s an issue of there’s more films representing black experience in America. I think it’s great films that represent the black experience that are being pushed to the fore finally and being recognized,“ she says.

Chesler attributes the trend in part to audiences who, “were starving” for stories like that, she says. She also notes that actors and filmmakers such as David Oyelowo and Ava DuVernay who rolled out great work in previous years – but were not part of the Oscars conversation – laid the groundwork for this year’s awards.

DuVernay, who made the film drama “Selma” three years ago, and David Oyelowo, who starred as Martin Luther King, Jr., did not win accolades, but their work has passed into the annals of great acting and movie making. Now, DuVernay, who also directed the acclaimed documentary “13th” about incarceration in America, has been tapped by Disney studios to direct a big budget fantasy drama.

And then there is Oscar winner Denzel Washington. In a class of his own, Washington has for years been part of Hollywood’s mainstream, but still tries to push the envelope with contentious characters and projects. He directed and adapted August Wilson’s theater play Fences for the big screen, and portrays Rose’s conflicted husband, Troy.

When asked by VOA to analyze his character – a blistering man, dubious husband and unforgiving father – Washington replied, “Who is Troy? He doesn’t know. He’s working it out. That why there is great drama because it is drama, ’cause all the questions are not answered when the curtain goes up.”

And who didn’t love the film “Hidden Figures”, a heartwarming hit drama about three African American women who helped NASA in the ’60s send the first American into space and then on the moon? The movie has won the hearts and minds of fans, a reminder that audiences crave stories with non-formulaic characters in unconventional situations.

When these characters and stories win, we all do, because such narratives become the catalyst of equality in popular culture. So, the more such roles are awarded, the more the film industry is encouraged to push the envelope in casting.

WATCH: Penelope’s video report
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From: MeNeedIt

Here are the winners of some of the major categories for the 2017 Academy Awards
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From: MeNeedIt

Neither Batman nor Dinesh D’Souza could finagle their way out of a Razzie. 

The annual Golden Raspberry Awards bestowed a tying four “honors” to both D’Souza’s documentary Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party and the superhero blockbuster Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

D’Souza’s film was named the worst picture of the year on Saturday, and the conservative author got both worst director (with co-director Bruce Schooley) and worst actor for playing himself. Worst actress went to Rebekah Turner who played Hillary Clinton. 

“This is absolutely fantastic,” said D’Souza in a video statement. “My audience loves the fact that you hate me. Thank you.” 

Not to be outdone, Zack Snyder’s $250 million Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice also picked up four “wins” including worst remake, worst screenplay and worst screen combo for its dueling stars Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill. Jesse Eisenberg was also singled out as the worst supporting actor for his over-the-top portrayal of Superman baddie Lex Luthor. 

Both films were widely panned by critics upon their release — D’Souza’s film for being biased and sensationalist and Snyder’s for its messiness. While D’Souza’s outing is likely a one-time deal, there is more to come in the DC Comic Book Universe from Snyder whose “Justice League” hits theaters in Nov. 

Another poorly received film, Zoolander 2, got away with only one award, which went to Kristen Wiig for worst supporting actress. 

The organization also bestowed the “redeemer” award to Mel Gibson, who was previously nominated for The Expendables 3 and this year has climbed back up to the ranks to more prestigious awards. Gibson is nominated for a best director Oscar for his World War II film Hacksaw Ridge.

The Razzie Awards are determined by around 1,000 voting Razzie members from 25 countries, while Worst Screen Combo was voted on by “thousands” through a Rotten Tomatoes partnership.
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From: MeNeedIt

Each year, the European Union names two cities as European Capitals of Culture, and they sponsor a year-long series of cultural events. Aarhus, Denmark is one of those cities, where a sculpture exhibition portrays real-life women from different cultures.
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From: MeNeedIt

Students are growing their own organic food at Latin America’s first sustainable public school, just outside Uruguay’s capital, Montevideo. Made of recycled items and powered by clean energy, the school teaches children how to live in harmony with nature. Faith Lapidus reports.
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From: MeNeedIt

President Donald Trump’s administration will begin rolling back Obama-era environmental regulations in an “aggressive way” as soon as next week, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Saturday — adding that he understood why some Americans wanted to see his agency eliminated.

“I think there are some regulations that in the near term need to be rolled back in a very aggressive way. And I think maybe next week you may be hearing about some of those,” EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt told the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington.

Pruitt added that the EPA’s focus on combating climate change under former President Barack Obama had cost jobs and prevented economic growth, leading many Americans to want to see the EPA eliminated.

WATCH: EPA Head Pruitt Wants to Restore Role of States

“I think it’s justified,” he said. “I think people across this country look at the EPA much like they look at the IRS [Internal Revenue Service]. I hope to be able to change that.”

Pollution fears

Pruitt was confirmed as EPA head last week. His appointment triggered an uproar among Democratic lawmakers and environmental advocates worried that he will gut the agency and reopen the doors to heavy industrial pollution. He sued the EPA more than a dozen times as his state’s top attorney and has repeatedly cast doubt on the science of climate change.

But his rise to the head of the EPA has also cheered many Republicans and business interests that expect him to cut back red tape they believe has hampered the economy.

WATCH: EPA Head Pruitt: US Better at Growing Economy

Trump campaigned on a promise to slash regulation to revive the oil and gas drilling and coal mining industries.

Three targets

Pruitt mentioned three rules ushered in by Obama that could meet the chopping block early on: the Waters of the U.S. rule outlining waterways that have federal protections; the Clean Power Plan requiring states to cut carbon emissions; and the U.S. Methane rule limiting emissions from oil and gas installations on federal land.

A Trump official told Reuters late Friday that the president was expected to sign a measure as early as Tuesday aimed at rescinding the Waters of the U.S. rule.

WATCH: EPA Head Pruitt: Republicans Have Nothing to Be Apologetic About Concerning Environment

Pruitt said in his comments to the CPAC summit that the rule had “made puddles and dry creek beds across this country subject to the jurisdiction of Washington, D.C. That’s going to change.” He also suggested longer-term structural changes were in store at the EPA.

“Long term, asking the question on how that agency partners with the states and how that affects the budget and how it affects the structure is something to work on very diligently,” Pruitt said.

Like Trump, he said cutting regulation could be done in a way that does not harm water or air quality.
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From: MeNeedIt

Launching a startup is no easy feat. Launching one outside your native country is even harder. But for certain French startups, the French government is there to help. A government-sponsored competition that began last year offers startups marketing and promotional assistance.

The Creative Next Challenge is a series of competitions sponsored by Business France, the nation’s international business development agency. Each competition offers French entrepreneurs working abroad the chance at official endorsement and international exposure.

French startup founders who have set up shop outside of France (prior winners include entrepreneurs in India, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates) become global ambassadors for the “Creative France” marketing campaign. Winners are profiled on the Creative France website and their startups are featured in exclusive advertising campaigns. The free marketing and promotion also extends to public relations events, press reports and press releases.

Raising profiles and cash

The competition aims to raise the profile of French-founded startups and encourage outside investment. In France, the startup scene represents a cultural shift, according to Henri Baissas, executive director of Business France in North America.

“Twenty years ago, for the young generation, the ultimate goal was to be a civil servant and now it’s to be an entrepreneur,” Baissas said.   

At a recent event in New York City, a mix of French startup founders, venture capitalists and media gathered to honor the first U.S. winner of the Creative Next Challenge. Among the contenders were augmented reality advertising startup Augment, personal robot manufacturer Blue Frog Robotics and sports-centric crowdfunding platform, Sponsorise.Me.

To qualify, startups had to have registered their company in the U.S. and have at least one founder of French nationality. The competition also included a social media component, with entrants taking to Twitter and Facebook to make a case for their startup’s inventiveness and ingenuity.

In the end, biotech startup Hemarina claimed the prize. The company, which started in France in 2007, develops hemoglobin-based oxygen carrier products that aid in medical efforts such as organ transplants and wound treatments. Hemarina CEO and president Dr. Franck Zal told VOA a combination of government initiatives had helped his company through the years.

“We have a very good thing we call crédit d’impôt recherche,” noted Zal, referring to the tax credit French businesses receive for research and development initiatives. “We invented it in France and [President] Obama brought this idea [to] America.” The Creative Next victory was significant for the startup’s efforts to build global brand awareness, “Hemarina is well known in Europe, and we want to be more known in U.S.,” Zal added.

Investment booster

Overall, French startups have experienced a significant increase in investments that have allowed them to expand. French tech companies captured $2.88 billion in investments in 2016, up 80 percent from $1.6 billion the prior year, according to a report by Tech.eu, an online publication covering the European tech industry. Among the top five countries, France ranked third in investment volume, trailing only Britain and Israel.

“What you have experienced in Silicon Valley with the third or fourth generation of entrepreneurs, we are at the stage of experiencing in France with the second generation of entrepreneurs, and so the ecosystem is going to grow,” Baissas said.

Station F will add to that growth. Billed as the world’s largest startup campus, the 34,000-square meter tech incubator will soon open in Paris. When it does, it will house over 1,000 startups. Additionally, apartments for 600 entrepreneurs are planned for 2018.

Still, global ambitions mean startup founders will venture beyond their borders. A study commissioned by online payments processor Stripe and market intelligence platform VB Profiles found that 98 percent of the 329 French startups in operation since 2014 have customers outside of France.

The “Creative France” global ad campaign gives entrepreneurs and their businesses a presence outside of France. Baissas stressed the importance of effective marketing, especially for French companies entering the U.S. market, “It’s a big challenge. The U.S. companies are very good at that. It’s really inspirational for us.”
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From: MeNeedIt

Using sweet treats and months of patient coaching, scientists in England have taught a group of bumblebees how to play soccer.

The 18-month study at Queen Mary University of London saw scientists train 50 bees to move a small yellow ball to a circled location in order to score a goal and receive a sugary food reward.

The first group of bees then showed others in the colony how to play, with the second group impressing scientists by expanding the game.

“The bees solved the task in a different way than what was demonstrated, suggesting that observer bees did not simply copy what they saw, but improved on it,” said Olli J. Loukola, who co-led the study.

“This shows an impressive amount of cognitive flexibility, especially for an insect.”

Their sporting prowess follows a study last year where the scientists taught bees to pull strings to get food and then relay what they learned to others.

Co-author professor Lars Chittka said it had taken months to teach the first bees how to play football, but that the second group picked up the game from their colony peers within 30 minutes.

Chittka said further studies would follow to better understand how an insect with a brain the size of the head of a pin could learn so much.

“Our study puts the final nail in the coffin of the idea that small brains constrain insects to have limited behavioral flexibility,” he said.
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From: MeNeedIt

Facing pushback from industry and Republicans in Congress, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency delayed Friday a proposal that would require mining companies to show they have the financial wherewithal to clean up their pollution so taxpayers aren’t stuck footing the bill.

Contaminated water from mine sites can flow into rivers and other waterways, harming aquatic life and threatening drinking water supplies. Companies in the past avoided cleanup costs in many cases by declaring bankruptcy.

Newly sworn-in EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, a longtime critic of the agency during his previous position as Oklahoma attorney general, said the four-month delay would give more opportunity for public comment.

Four-month comment period

The financial assurance rule was proposed during the Obama administration and fiercely opposed by mining industry representatives, who contended it was unnecessary and redundant because of other programs meant to prevent mines from becoming government cleanup liabilities.

“By extending this comment period, we are demonstrating that we are listening to miners, owners and operators all across America and to all parties interested in this important rule,” Pruitt said in a statement.

Environmentalists generally endorsed the proposal as a way to make sure mining companies were held accountable. 

“It appears the new EPA administrator is already favoring industry over public interest with this delay,” said Bonnie Gestring with the advocacy group Earthworks.

The delayed rule was unveiled late last year under a court order that requires it to be finalized by December 2017. The order came after environmental groups sued the government to enforce a long-ignored provision in the 1980 federal Superfund law.

EPA officials said Friday they still intend to meet the court-ordered deadline.

The proposal would apply to hard-rock mining, which includes mines for precious metals, copper, iron, lead and other ores. It would cover thousands of mines and processing facilities in 38 states, requiring their owners to set aside sufficient money to pay for future clean ups.

Cleanup cost taxpayers $1.1 billion 

From 2010 to 2014, the EPA spent $1.1 billion on cleanup work at abandoned hard-rock mining and processing sites across the U.S.

Companies would face a combined $7.1 billion financial obligation under the proposed rule, costing them up to $171 million annually, according to the EPA. The agency said the amount could be covered through third parties such as surety bonds or self-insured corporate guarantees.

Republican U.S. Senators John Barrasso of Wyoming and Dean Heller of Nevada welcomed Friday’s delay. Barrasso has said the benefits of the proposal were dwarfed by its potential costs to industry. Heller criticized the previous administration for having been “too quick to hand down harsh regulations and rules without considering the impact.”

Last year, an EPA cleanup team triggered a 3-million gallon spill of contaminated water from Colorado’s inactive Gold King mine. The accident tainted rivers in three states with heavy metals including arsenic and lead and highlighted the problem posed by tens of thousands of mine sites across the nation.
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From: MeNeedIt

NASA is weighing the risk of adding astronauts to the first flight of its new megarocket, designed to eventually send crews to Mars.

The space agency’s human exploration chief said Friday that his boss and the Trump administration asked for the feasibility study. The objective is to see what it would take to speed up a manned mission; under the current plan, astronauts wouldn’t climb aboard until 2021— at best.

The Space Launch System, known as SLS, will be the most powerful rocket when it flies.

Adding crew would delay mission

NASA is shooting for an unmanned test flight late next year. Putting people on board would delay the mission and require extra money. The space agency’s William Gerstenmaier said if adding astronauts postpones the first flight beyond 2019, it would probably be better to stick with the original plan.

Under that plan, Gerstenmaier said, nearly three years are needed between an unmanned flight test and a crewed mission to make launch platform changes at Kennedy Space Center.

“We recognize this will be an increased risk” to put astronauts on the initial flight, Gerstenmaier said.

Astronauts are taking part in the study, which will weigh the extra risk against the benefits.

Risk to astronauts an important consideration

On Thursday, an independent safety panel cautioned that NASA needs a compelling reason to put astronauts on the initial flight, given the risk. The Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel was formed in the wake of the Apollo 1 fire that killed three astronauts in a countdown test 50 years ago last month.

The capsule that will carry the astronauts — NASA’s new Orion — already has flown on a space demo. Containing memorabilia and toys but no people, the capsule was launched into an extremely long orbit of Earth in 2014 by a Delta IV rocket, and splashed down into the Pacific.

NASA normally prefers testing rockets without people, although for the inaugural space shuttle flight in 1981, two pilots were on board. A small crew of two also is planned for the 2021 SLS mission, which could fly to the vicinity of the moon.

‘Pros and cons’

An inaugural flight with astronauts would grab more attention. But Gerstenmaier said the public aspect won’t be taken into consideration.

 “There are pros and cons both ways, and it’s hard to judge that [public] aspect,” he told reporters. “But I look at it more kind of matter-of-factly. What do I gain technically by putting crew on?”

NASA expects to issue its report in about a month.
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From: MeNeedIt

Republicans in the U.S. Congress are working to overhaul the nation’s health care laws in their effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, considered by some to be one of former President Barack Obama’s most significant legislative achievements.

U.S. media outlets reported details Friday of potential replacements for the health care law, frequently referred to as Obamacare. The details were obtained from draft legislation circulating among lobbyists and congressional staff.

One proposal would cap the amount of money the federal government gives to states for Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor, which was expanded under Obama. The Washington Post reported that another idea gaining traction would allow those who gained access to Medicaid when the program was expanded to keep their benefits, while additional enrollees would be excluded.  

End to subsidies

The Republicans’ draft would end income-based tax subsidies to help individuals purchase health insurance. It also calls for tax credits of up to $4,000 for people 60 years or older, but would allow insurers to increase the rates they charge older people.

The Associated Press reported that Republican governors from seven states want Medicaid to change from an open-ended federal entitlement to a program designed by each state, within a financial limit. Ohio Governor John Kasich leads the group, which is said to be concerned that a new law could shift high health care costs from Washington to the states.

Public opinion surveys indicate a broad majority of Americans oppose repealing the health care law unless lawmakers can come up with an acceptable substitute plan.

President Donald Trump, along with many Republicans in Congress, campaigned on a pledge to repeal Obamacare, but the party’s lawmakers have since faced complaints that simply abandoning Obamacare would leave millions of Americans without any protection against high-cost medical emergencies. Republicans say they expect to decide on a replacement for the present law in the coming weeks.

Vice President Mike Pence, painting the legislative situation in dramatic terms, said Friday that “America’s Obamacare nightmare is about to end.”

Pledge, but no details

“President Trump and I want every American to have access to quality and affordable health insurance,” Pence said, “which is why we’re designing a better law that lowers the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government.” He did not, however, give details of the “better law.”

Congressional committees are still working on the new bills under consideration, and the proposals will still face a period of debate in the full Congress.

Democratic lawmakers argue the existing law has helped slow the rise in Americans’ health care spending and brought coverage to the poor. They also note the current plan guarantees insurance for people with long-standing health problems, to whom insurers often had denied coverage in the past.

Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010, when they had majority control of both houses of Congress. Republicans have opposed the law since its passage, and they tried more than 50 times unsuccessfully to repeal it during the Obama administration. Trump’s party argues that prices are too high for Affordable Care Act insurance coverage, and that individual states should have more control than the federal government over the issue.

The health care law has enabled 20 million previously uninsured Americans to obtain coverage, but it has been plagued by difficulties, including rising premiums and some large private insurers’ decisions to leave the system.
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From: MeNeedIt

The Librarian of Congress wants to upgrade its technology to make the eclectic mix of materials from books and photos to sheet music and baseball cards – available to people around the world. Carla Hayden became the new director of the world’s largest library five months ago, becoming the first woman and the first African-American to hold the job. VOA’s Deborah Block tells us more about the professional librarian and her plans to improve the prestigious national library in Washington, D.C.
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From: MeNeedIt