Canines have served as working dogs for thousands of years. They guard our homes, help in search and rescue missions and assist people with disabilities. But now scientists are training a special group of Australian dogs to use their sensitive noses — and ears — to help find one of Australia’s most endangered creatures. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …
Print Yourself a Mobile House
Imagine this – a fully autonomous 3D-printed mobile house that can survive any weather and is completely self-powered. This is not a technological dream – it’s the ambitious project of a Ukrainian company called PassivDom. It’s working on the prototype of a printed home in Reno, Nevada. VOA’s Iuliia Iarmolenko gives us a look inside the 3D-printed walls of the futuristic house. …
Pakistan Halts Decline of Critically Endangered Vulture
The population of the white-backed vulture, which inhabits Africa and parts of South and Southeast Asia, has declined significantly over the past several decades to the point that it is now considered an endangered species. But a decade-long conservation effort in Pakistan appears to have stopped the vulture’s decline, as Ayaz Gul reports from Islamabad. …
Fields Medal Stolen from Kurdish Mathematician in Rio
A winner of the Fields Medal, often called the “Nobel Prize of mathematics,” had his prize stolen shortly after receiving it during a ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday. Caucher Birkar, a Kurdish refugee from Iran teaching at Cambridge University, put the gold medal, worth around $4,000, in a briefcase and soon afterward realized that it had been stolen, according to event organizers. Four mathematicians shared this year’s honor. Security officials at the Riocentro venue, Riocentro, found the empty briefcase in a nearby pavillion. Police reviewed security tapes and identified two potential suspects. “The International Congress of Mathematicians is profoundly sorry about the disappearance of the briefcase belonging to mathematician Caucher Birkar, which contained his Fields Medal from the ceremony this morning,” organizers said in a note. It was the first time that the awards, held every four years, were hosted in the southern hemisphere. …
British Businesses Told to Do More to Close ‘Obscene’ Gender Pay Gap
More British businesses should be made to report the difference in how much they pay male and female staff, lawmakers said Thursday, citing “obscene” gender pay gaps in some companies. Businesses and charities with more than 250 workers must publish figures on their gender pay gap each year under a law introduced last year, but they account for less than half Britain’s workforce. On Thursday a parliamentary committee said smaller firms tended to be more unequal, urging the government to extend the reporting requirement to all businesses with more than 50 employees. Shine a light wider “Companies are failing to harness fully the talents of half the population,” said Rachel Reeves chairwoman of the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee. The first round of reporting completed this year helped to shine a light on how men dominate the highest paid jobs in Britain, the committee said in a report. Yet more has to be done to bridge the country’s pay gap — one of the largest in Europe, it said. “Our analysis found that some companies have obscene and entirely unacceptable gender pay gaps of more than 40 percent,” Reeves said. The committee said the government should require companies to publish a blueprint to address discrepancies in salary and report annually on their progress. This year only 5 percent set themselves a target, it said. “We have to move on from simply reporting the pay gap, to taking action to close it,” said Sam Smethers, the head of women’s rights …
Plastics Contribute to Global Warming, Scientists Say
Add plastics to the list of causes for global warming. Scientists writing in the journal PLOS One said Wednesday that plastics emit the greenhouse gases methane and ethylene when they are exposed to sunlight and degrade. The researchers carried out tests on such common plastic products as water bottles, shopping bags and food containers. “Plastic represents a source of climate-relevant trace gases that is expected to increase as more plastic is produced and accumulated in the environment,” said senior researcher David Karl of the University of Hawaii. Methane gas, both man-made and naturally occurring, is said to be a major cause of climate change. The manufacturing and use of plastics have come under scrutiny in recent years after environmentalists discovered a massive island of garbage floating in the Pacific Ocean — threatening sea life and the food supply. Plastic drinking straws are the latest target of activists, who say they are used once and discarded because most cannot be recycled. A graphic video of doctors pulling a plastic straw out of the bloody nose of a large sea turtle has prompted some U.S. cities and companies to phase out the straws. …
US Confirms Plan to Raise China Import Tariff to 25 Percent
U.S. President Donald Trump sought to ratchet up pressure on China for trade concessions by proposing a higher 25 percent tariff on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, his administration said Wednesday. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said Trump directed the increase from a previously proposed 10 percent duty because China has refused to meet U.S. demands and has imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. “The increase in the possible rate of the additional duty is intended to provide the administration with additional options to encourage China to change its harmful policies and behavior and adopt policies that will lead to fairer markets and prosperity for all of our citizens,” Lighthizer said in a statement. There have been no formal talks between Washington and Beijing for weeks over Trump’s demands that China make fundamental changes to its policies on intellectual property protection, technology transfers and subsidies for high technology industries. Two trump administration officials told reporters on a conference call that Trump remains open to communications with Beijing and that through informal conversations the two countries are discussing whether a “fruitful negotiation” is possible. “We don’t have anything to announce today about a specific event, or a specific round of discussions, but communication remains open and we are trying to figure out whether the conditions present themselves for a specific engagement between the two sides,” one of the officials said. Derek Scissors, a China scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, said a 25 percent tariff rate is more likely to shut out Chinese products and shift American supply chains to other countries, as a 10 percent duty could be offset by government subsidies and weakness …
Fed Keeps Key Rate Unchanged While Signaling Future Hikes
The Federal Reserve is leaving its benchmark interest rate unchanged while signaling further gradual rate hikes in the months ahead as long as the economy stays healthy. The Fed’s decision left the central bank’s key short-term rate at 1.75 percent to 2 percent – the level hit in June when the Fed boosted the rate for a second time this year. The Fed projected in June four rate hikes this year, up from three in 2017. Private economists expect the next hike to occur at the September meeting. In a brief policy statement, the Fed notes a strengthening labor market, economic activity growing at “a strong rate,” and inflation that’s reached the central bank’s target of 2 percent annual gains. Officials see economic risks as roughly balanced. …
EU Imports of US Soybeans Were Rising Before Deal With Trump
European Union imports of U.S. soybeans were already rising substantially before a top EU official told President Donald Trump last week that the bloc would buy more. EU Commission figures released Wednesday show that 37 percent of the bloc’s soybean imports last month were coming from the U.S., compared with 9 percent in July 2017. Amid a looming trade war over tariffs, Trump and Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker agreed on July 25 to start talks intended to achieve “zero tariffs” and “zero subsidies” on non-automotive industrial goods. The EU also agreed to buy more U.S. soybeans and build more terminals to import liquefied natural gas from the United States. “The European Union can import more soybeans from the U.S. and this is happening as we speak,” Juncker said. But a high level EU official said the increase in soybean purchases from the U.S. is due only to economics, as they are cheaper than imports from Brazil and Argentina. The official, who spoke only on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said there was no political reason for the increase. …
US Officials Promoting Lower-Cost, Short-Term Health Plans
The Trump administration is clearing the way for insurers to sell short-term health plans as a bargain alternative to pricey Obama-law policies for people struggling with high premiums. But the policies don’t have to cover existing medical conditions and offer limited benefits. It’s not certain if that’s going to translate into broad consumer appeal among people who need an individual policy. Officials say the plans can now last up to 12 months and be renewed for up to 36 months. But there’s no federal guarantee of renewability. Plans will carry a disclaimer that they don’t meet the Affordable Care Act’s requirements and safeguards. More details were expected Wednesday. “We make no representation that it’s equivalent coverage,” said Jim Parker, a senior adviser at the Health and Human Services Department. “But what we do know is that there are individuals today who have been priced out of coverage.” Unable to repeal much of the Obama-era law, Trump’s administration has tried to undercut how the law is supposed to work and to create options for people who don’t qualify for subsidies based on their income. Officials are hoping short-term plans will fit the bill. Next year, there will be no tax penalty for someone who opts for short-term coverage versus a comprehensive plan, so more people might consider the option. More short-term plans will be available starting this fall. Critics say the plans are “junk insurance” that could lead to unwelcome surprises if a policyholder gets sick, …
Нацбанк уперше опублікував проміжні дані торгів на валютному ринку
Національний банк України з 1 серпня змінив регламент подачі інформації щодо ситуації на валютному ринку. Відтепер регулятор двічі впродовж одного торговельного дня подаватиме дані про курс національної валюти до долара США. Тепер о 12:30 НБУ публікує відомості про перебіг торгів на міжбанківському валютному ринку станом на 12:00, а о 16:00 (замість 18:00, як це було раніше) публікувати офіційний курс гривні на наступний день. Це дозволить усім зацікавленим отримати більш оперативний зріз ситуації на валютному ринку. Читайте також: НБУ пояснив, чому падає гривня 1 серпня НБУ продовжує стримувати девальвацію національної валюти. Станом на 12:00 середньозважений курс проведення операцій на міжбанку становить 26 гривень 95 копійок за долар. «На торги по долару активно вийшов НБУ. За нашими даними, регулятор продав уже не менше 20 мільйонів доларів у межах котирування 26,95 гривні, тільки-но курс підійшов на міжбанку до позначки в 27 гривень», – інформує профільний сайт «Мінфін», який відстежує перебіг торгів. …
«Приватбанк» повідомив суду про підстави всесвітнього арешту активів Коломойського та Боголюбова
Один із найбільших українських банків, «Приватбанк», повідомив суду про підстави всесвітнього арешту активів своїх колишніх акціонерів, Ігоря Коломойського та Геннадія Боголюбова. Про це інформує 1 серпня прес-служба фінансової установи за підсумками п’ятиденних слухань у Високому суді Лондона, які тривали п’ять робочих днів, з 25 до 31 липня. «Протягом слухання банк представив Високому суду детальні аргументи та докази щодо позову та судового наказу про всесвітній арешт активів, який був виданий для забезпечення позову», – ідеться в заяві банку. «Позов як підстава для судового наказу про арешт активів включає заяви, що пан Коломойський та пан Боголюбов незаконно привласнили з банку 1,9 мільярда доларів США у 2014 році шляхом укладення низки удаваних правочинів, що мали наслідком переказування грошових коштів компаніям, якими вони таємно володіли чи контролювали», – вказує «Приватбанк». Сам Ігор Коломойський чи його бізнес-партнер Геннадій Боголюбов не коментували перебігу процесу в лондонському суді. У червні 2018 року Національний банк України подав нові позови в суди Швейцарії та України проти одного з колишніх акціонерів «Приватбанку» Ігоря Коломойського. Судові справи стосуються виконання Коломойським його зобов’язань за наданими у 2016 році особистими поруками на користь Національного банку, повідомляє регулятор. «Мета позовів – забезпечити погашення кредитів рефінансування, які Національний банк надав «Приватбанку» в період між 2008 та 2015 роками», – зазначається в повідомленні НБУ. Загалом йдеться про погашення Ігорем Коломойським заборгованості за п’ятьма кредитними угодами на суму близько 10 мільярдів гривень. Читайте також: Коломойський після 8 місяців у Женеві: «Поїхати сьогодні в Україну було б украй необдумано» У грудні 2016 року уряд України за пропозицією Нацбанку …
China Warns of Retaliation if US Takes More Trade Steps
China’s government has warned it will retaliate if Washington imposes new trade penalties following a report the Trump administration will propose increasing the tariff rate on an additional $200 billion of Chinese imports. A foreign ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang, warned Tuesday that Beijing will “definitely fight back” to defend its “lawful rights and interests.” He gave no details of possible retaliatory measures. Bloomberg News reported, citing three unidentified sources, the Trump administration would propose imposing 25 percent tariffs on a $200 billion list of Chinese goods, up from the planned 10 percent. The two sides have imposed 25 percent tariffs on billions of dollars of each other’s goods in a dispute over China’s technology policy. …
ЄБРР розгляне надання «Нафтогазу» коштів на закупівлю газу
Європейський банк реконструкції та розвитку (ЄБРР) може надати «Нафтогазу України» до 100 мільйонів доларів фінансування в рамках відновлюваної кредитної лінії на 250 мільйонів доларів, повідомив 1 серпня веб-сайті банку. Очікувана дата засідання ради директорів банку з цього питання – 5 вересня 2018 року. ЄБРР вказує, що кредитну лінію організував міжнародний інвестиційний банк Goldman Sachs і гарантувала Американська урядова організація з фінансування розвитку OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation). Кошти надаються під закупівлю компанією газу в літній період. ЄБРР та «Нафтогаз» і раніше співпрацювали в питанні закупівлі природного газу. У січні 2018 року українська компанія повідомила, що здійснила остаточне погашення заборгованості в сумі 300 мільйонів доларів за кредитною угодою з ЄБРР, таким чином повністю і вчасно виконавши свої зобов’язання в рамках угоди, укладеної у жовтні 2015 року. «Всього в рамках кредитної угоди на західному кордоні України було придбано 5,3 мільярда кубометрів газу за процедурами закупівель ЄБРР», – вказала прес-служба «Нафтогазу». …
Gulf of Mexico ‘Dead Zone’ Smaller than Usual
U.S. scientists have determined that the Gulf of Mexico’s annual “dead zone” — an area with low oxygen that can kill fish and marine life — is the fourth smallest since they started mapping the area in 1985. Scientists supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a report Tuesday that the area is only about 40 percent the average size predicted earlier this year based on nitrogen and other nutrients flowing down the Mississippi river. “Although the area is small this year, we should not think that the low-oxygen problem in the Gulf of Mexico is solved. We are not close to the goal size for this hypoxic area,” said lead scientist Nancy Rabalais of Louisiana State University and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium. This year’s dead zone off Louisiana is about 7,040 square kilometers, rather than the 15,000 square kilometers predicted by the NOAA. Every year the oxygen depletion begins as snowmelt and spring rains bring fresh water to the gulf. Fresh water is lighter than salt water causing two layers to develop. Nitrogen and other nutrients in the fresh water feed a growth spurt of algae and microorganisms at the top. The microorganisms die and fall to the bottom, where their decay consumes oxygen from the bottom up, creating the dead zone. “The data collected from this annual, long-term research program is critical to our understanding of a wide range of Gulf issues including hypoxia and beyond,” said Steven Thur, director of NOAA’s …
Saltwater Treatment Plant Brings ‘Tasty Tea’ to Indian Island
Each morning, Kamarunisa Poovummada sips her cup of tea while watching waves from the Arabian Sea crash around a water treatment plant opposite her house on Kavaratti island, off India’s southwest coast. She links the taste of her perfectly brewed cup to the desalination plant that has brought potable water to the doorsteps of islanders, and almost erased the memory of the brackish tea she hurriedly swallowed down until a decade ago. “We first noticed the difference when we saw the golden color of the tea as we strained it into our cups,” Poovummada recalled. “And then we tasted the tea and it was magical.” The “tasty” tea is celebrated daily by residents of Kavaratti, the capital of India’s smallest Union Territory Lakshadweep, an archipelago of 36 islands, of which only 10 are inhabited. Surrounded by pristine beaches, lagoons and coral reefs, the islanders have for decades battled a shortage of clean water – a challenge facing many island inhabitants globally. Over the years, the sea’s clear blue waters seeped into the islands’ limited groundwater reserves, making every sip saline. Limited land availability also resulted in groundwater sources being too close to sewage sumps, causing contamination and making water unsafe for drinking, cooking or even bathing. “The water system was a mess,” said Hidyathulla Chekkillakam, who grew up on the island and is an employee of the public works department that runs the desalination plant. Different options were tried, from open wells to rainwater harvesting, he said – but they …
Shell, Petrobras Units Probed for Brazil Price-fixing
Brazil’s three largest fuel distribution companies are under investigation for fixing prices at the pump, police said on Tuesday, reigniting debate over potential collusion among gas station owners in Latin America’s largest oil producer. The firms targeted by the probe are Petrobras Distribuidora SA, a subsidiary of state oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA; Ipiranga, a unit of Ultrapar Participacoes SA; and Raizen, a Cosan SA and Royal Dutch Shell Plc joint venture. Police in the southern state of Parana were serving eight arrest warrants and 12 search and seizure warrants in connection with the probe in the city of Curitiba, the state capital, according to police. The probe comes two months after Brazil’s economy was paralyzed by a trucker strike over soaring diesel fuel prices. While the government resolved that protest with new subsidies and other measures, antitrust regulators also raised concerns about a lack of competition in the highly concentrated sector. Investigation a year old Police said they were targeting managers and sales representatives of the three firms in the investigation, which has been underway for over a year. They accused the fuel distribution companies of dictating the prices at the pump charged by individual gas station owners, a violation of Brazilian market rules that the owners should have freedom to set prices freely. Shares in Petrobras Distribuidora, Ultrapar, and Cosan all tumbled at least 3.5 percent in late morning trade, dragging Brazil’s benchmark Bovespa index down some 1.3 percent. To make sure the dictated prices were being applied …
US Treasury Extends Time to Divest From EN+, GAZ, Rusal
The U.S. Treasury Department said on Tuesday that it had extended the deadline for investors to divest holdings in sanctioned Russian companies EN+, GAZ Group and Rusal to Oct. 23 from Aug. 5. The U.S. Treasury in April imposed sanctions against billionaire Oleg Deripaska and eight companies in which he is a large shareholder, including aluminum exporter Rusal, in response to what it termed “malign activities” by Russia. Deripaska has held a controlling interest in En+, which in turn controls Rusal, the world’s largest aluminum producer outside of China. Automaker GAZ is also part of his business empire. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said last week that the United States was in productive talks with Rusal to remove it from Washington’s sanctions list. The company has taken a number of steps, including revamping its board, in the hope of escaping the U.S. blacklist. …
Berlin Project ‘Upcycles’ Refugee Boats into Bags
When Abid Ali risked his life in a rubber dinghy in 2015 as he fled Pakistan for Europe, he didn’t think that three years later he would be making bags, backpacks and sneakers out of similar boats in a small workshop in Berlin. Ali, a tailor, is working with non-profit organization Mimycri to upcycle the rubber from abandoned refugee boats found on beaches in Greece after often perilous sea crossings via Turkey. Since Germany received more than a million migrants fleeing war and prosecution in the Middle East, Africa and central Asia in 2015, migration has become a major issue in Germany that is testing Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition. By making fashion accessories out of the rubber dinghies used by refugees, Mimycri wants to create jobs for migrants and give them a chance to show Germans their talents. In Mimycri’s Berlin workshop, Ali carefully measures out a large piece of rubber on a workbench before cutting it precisely to size and skilfully using a sewing machine to craft a bag. Working with the disused rubber boats is not strange, he says. “Yes, sometimes I think ‘yes I came with these boats,’ but no it isn’t too strange for me,” he added. Vera Guenther, Mimycri co-founder, and her project partner Nora Azzaoui came up with their idea in summer 2015 when they were volunteering to help refugees arriving at the Greek island of Chios. “We want to process the plastic waste that lies on beaches in Greece into something new,” …
Study: Heat Deaths to Jump in Absence of Changes
The number of people dying from heat waves is likely to rise sharply in some regions by 2080 if policymakers fail to take mitigating steps in climate and health policies, according to the results of a study released Tuesday. Deaths caused by heat waves could increase dramatically in tropical and subtropical regions, the study found, followed closely by Australia, Europe and the United States. Published in the journal PLOS Medicine, the study’s results suggest stricter mitigation policies should be applied to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, because lower greenhouse gas emissions are linked with fewer deaths due to heat waves. Antonio Gasparrini, an expert from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine who co-led the research, noted that several countries around the world are currently being hit by deadly heat waves and said it was “highly likely” that heat wave frequency and severity would increase under a changing climate. “The good news is that if we mitigate greenhouse gas emissions … then the projected impact will be much reduced,” he said. The researchers said they hoped their research, which used mathematical modeling, would help decision-makers in planning strategies for climate change. Different scenarios The model used different scenarios characterized by levels of greenhouse gas emissions, preparedness and adaption strategies, as well as population density to estimate the number of deaths related to heat waves in 412 communities across 20 countries from 2031 to 2080. The results found that compared with the period 1971 to 2020 and under the extreme scenario, the …
Cases of Tick-Borne Meat Allergy May Be on the Rise
As Americans head outdoors for barbeques or hiking in the woods, danger might be lurking in the grass. The bite of the lone star tick, which lives in many eastern U.S. states, has been known to cause an allergic reaction to red meat. New research suggests that meat allergy may be on the rise. Mammalian meat allergy, also known as the alpha-gal allergy, refers to an allergic reaction caused by a complex sugar found in many mammalian cell membranes. The galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose sugar isn’t found in primates (including humans), but is common to red meats such as pork and beef. Symptoms of meat allergy can include hives, stomach trouble, and a sudden drop in blood pressure. It can lead to anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. New research by Dr. Jay Lieberman at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center finds one-third of anaphylaxis cases in a recent 10-year period were caused by this arachnid-induced allergy. Lieberman and his co-authors were interested in assessing the breakdown of various causes of anaphylaxis, including the alpha-gal (red meat) allergy. Anaphylaxis is usually defined as a reaction involving at least two different organ systems. “For example, if you have full body hives and you vomit,” Lieberman said, “that can be anaphylaxis, as long as you know that it’s not associated with an infection or virus.” The researchers evaluated 218 cases of anaphylaxis in patients ranging from as young as 9 years old to 78-year-old retirees who visited their university-affiliated Tennessee clinic over …
НБУ пояснив, чому падає гривня
Національний банк України пояснив 31 липня причини курсових коливань, які спостерігаються на валютному ринку другий тиждень поспіль. Серед причин, які спричинили падіння гривні щодо долара США, регулятор назвав «активне проведення компаніями операцій з перерахування дивідендів за кордон (з початку липня з цією метою було куплено майже 300 мільйонів доларів США) та вихід нерезидентами з облігацій внутрішньої державної позики (з початку липня обсяг ОВДП в портфелях нерезидентів скоротився майже на 1,3 мільярда гривень)». «На курсову динаміку минулого тижня також впливали значні обсяги повернення ПДВ наприкінці місяця, що значно зменшує обсяг вільного продажу валюти, а також збільшення попиту на готівкову валюту, зокрема зі сторони тіньового аграрного сектору у зв’язку з початком сезону», – ідеться в повідомленні. Нацбанк вказує, що з початку минулого тижня продав 148 мільйонів доларів. «Зокрема, сьогодні НБУ оголосив аукціон з продажу 50 мільйонів доларів США… За результатами аукціону НБУ продав 28,1 мільйонів доларів США за ціною відсікання 26,86 гривні за долар», – інформує НБУ. 24 липня вперше за чотири місяці Національний банк України встановив офіційний курс на рівні понад 26 з половиною гривень за долар – 26,58. Відтоді курс продовжив зростання, 31 липня станом на 13:00 на міжбанківському валютному ринку зареєстровано 340 угод на суму понад 190 мільйонів доларів за середньозваженим курсом 26 гривень 86 копійок за долар, повідомляє профільний сайт «Мінфін». …
Tehran: Trump Wrong to Expect Saudis to Cover Loss of Iran Oil Supply
Iran said on Tuesday U.S. President Donald Trump was mistaken to expect Saudi Arabia and other oil producers to compensate for supply losses caused by U.S. sanctions on Iran, after OPEC production rose only modestly in July. The comments, from Iran’s OPEC governor, came a day after a Reuters survey showed OPEC production rose by 70,000 barrels per day in July. Saudi production increased but was offset by a decline in Iranian supply due to the restart of U.S. sanctions, the survey found. “It seems President Trump has been taken hostage by Saudi Arabia and a few producers when they claimed they can replace 2.5 million barrels per day of Iranian exports, encouraging him to take action against Iran,” Hossein Kazempour Ardebili told Reuters. “Now they and Russia sell more oil and more expensively. Not even from their incremental production but their stocks.” He said oil prices, which Trump has been pressuring the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to bring down by raising output, will rise unless the United States grants waivers to buyers of Iranian crude. “They are also calling for the use of the U.S. SPR [Strategic Petroleum Reserve]. This will also mean higher prices. U.S. waivers to our clients if they come is due to the failure of bluffers [Saudi and the other producers] and, if not given, will again push the prices higher,” he said. “So they hanged him [Trump] on the wall. Now they want to have a mega OPEC, congratulations to President Trump, …
50 Years on, McDonald’s and Fast-Food Evolve Around Big Mac
McDonald’s is fighting to hold onto customers as the Big Mac turns 50, but it isn’t changing the makings of its most famous burger. The company is celebrating the 1968 national launch of the double-decker sandwich whose ingredients of “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions and a sesame seed bun” were seared into American memories by a TV jingle. But the milestone comes as the company reduces its number of U.S. stores. McDonald’s said Thursday that customers are visiting less often. Other trendy burger options are reaching into the heartland. The “Golden Arches” still have a massive global reach, and the McDonald’s brand of cheeseburgers, chicken nuggets and french fries remains recognizable around the world. But on its critical home turf, the company is toiling to stay relevant. Kale now appears in salads, fresh has replaced frozen beef patties in Quarter Pounders, and some stores now offer ordering kiosks, food delivery and barista-style cafes. The milestone for the Big Mac shows how much McDonald’s and the rest of fast-food have evolved around it. “Clearly, we’ve gotten a little more sophisticated in our menu development,” McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook said in a phone interview. As with many of its popular and long-lasting menu items, the idea for the Big Mac came from a franchisee. In 1967, Michael James “Jim” Delligatti lobbied the company to let him test the burger at his Pittsburgh restaurants. Later, he acknowledged the Big Mac’s similarity to a popular sandwich sold by the Big …