The gravity-defying customized cars known as lowriders started out in Mexican American communities of the western United States and now have inspired lowrider clubs in Asia and South America. VOA Correspondent Scott Stearns takes us to an art show inspired by lowrider design. …
2023 Comic-Con Showcases Diverse Voices
Comic books have often been about tackling social issues and protecting the underdog. That may be why they are attracting a wide variety of unique voices, from comic creators to cosplayers. Genia Dulot reports from Comic-Con 2023 in San Diego, California. …
Young Designer Brings Upcycling to New York Fashion Scene
Jonas King from Brooklyn, New York is among a new group of designers who focus on revitalizing pre-owned garments and textiles. As Nina Vishneva reports, King takes someone’s trash and turns it into custom pieces. Anna Rice narrates the story. (Camera: Vladimir Badikov) …
‘Barbie’ Crowned Box Office Queen, ‘Oppenheimer’ Soars in Historic Weekend
“Barbenheimer” didn’t just work – it spun box office gold. The social media-fueled fusion of Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” brought moviegoers back to the theaters in record numbers this weekend, vastly outperforming projections and giving a glimmer of hope to the lagging exhibition business, amid the sobering backdrop of strikes. Warner Bros.’…
UK Band ‘The 1975’ Cancels Indonesia, Taiwan Shows After Malaysia LGBTQ Controversy
British band The 1975 said on Sunday they have canceled shows in Taiwan and Muslim-majority Indonesia, a day after Malaysia banned them from performing there after their frontman kissed a bandmate on stage and criticized the country’s anti-LGBTQ laws. “Unfortunately, due to current circumstances, it is impossible to proceed with the scheduled shows,” the pop…
Women’s Amateur Soccer Takes Baby Steps in China During World Cup
BEIJING – As China geared up for their opening Women’s World Cup fixture in Australia on Saturday, there was cause for optimism for the future back home as more and more young women take up soccer for fun. Wang Lu, a 32-year-old screenwriter and lifelong soccer fan, is one. Last week, after some two decades…
Celebrities, Fans Travel From All Over to Watch Messi’s MLS Debut
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Kingston Peel, 11, and his 9-year-old brother, Wynn, got woken up early Friday at their home in the Bahamas. Their mother had a surprise for them. In only a few hours, they’d fly to South Florida to see superstar Lionel Messi make his Major League Soccer debut with Inter Miami. “We’re…
Tony Bennett, Masterful Stylist of American Musical Standards, Dies at 96
Tony Bennett, the eminent and timeless stylist whose devotion to classic American songs and knack for creating new standards such as “I Left My Heart In San Francisco” graced a decadeslong career that brought him admirers from Frank Sinatra to Lady Gaga, died Friday. He was 96, just two weeks short of his birthday. Publicist…
Comic-Con Kicks Off in San Diego Amid Hollywood Actors, Writers Strikes
Comic-Con 2023 is happening in San Diego — without large movie studios and high-profile stars. Some participants say the Hollywood actors and writers strikes are taking the event back to its comic book roots. For VOA, Genia Dulot has the story. Camera: Roy Kim …
Why Does Sweden Allow Quran Burnings? It Has No Blasphemy Laws
STOCKHOLM — A recent string of public desecrations of the Quran by a handful of anti-Islam activists in Sweden has sparked an angry reaction in Muslim countries and raised questions – including in Sweden – about why such acts are allowed. In the latest such incident, an Iraqi living in Sweden on Thursday stomped on…
Record Crowds Expected as Women’s Soccer World Cup Kicks Off
SYDNEY/AUCKLAND – Australia and New Zealand will open the ninth Women’s World Cup co-hosted by the two nations Thursday, despite a shooting near the Norwegian team hotel in New Zealand’s largest city of Auckland that left three dead and six injured. Police said the shooter was among those killed and the danger from the incident…
Messi Mania Hits Fever Pitch Following Soccer Star’s Miami Arrival
Messi mania has descended on Florida with the arrival of Lionel Messi to play for local team Inter Miami. Many fans say they hope a player of his stature will signal a new era for U.S. soccer. Verónica Villafañe narrates this story from reporters Antoni Belchi and José Pernalete in Miami. Camera: Antoni Belchi and…
Hoping to Attract Tourists, Iran Looks to Neighbors
Iran, largely shunned by western tourists, is making a push to attract visitors from wealthy Gulf Arab states and other nearby countries to boost its sanctions-hit economy. The Islamic republic is also drawing more visitors from Russia and China to its ancient sites that date back to the Persian empire and the fabled Silk…
Somalia’s National Museum Hosts First Post-War Exhibit
Somalia’s rebuilt national museum is hosting its first show after more than three decades of damaging war and conflict. The 90-year-old museum is holding an international exhibit for 18 artists. Mohamed Sheikh Nor reports from Mogadishu, Somalia. …
Chinese Dissident Artist Creates Sculpture Park in California Desert
Chinese artists who are not endorsed by the ruling communist party often find they need to work outside the country, especially if their art is critical of the government in Beijing. Sculptor Weiming Chen is among them. Genia Dulot went to the California desert to see what he is doing. …
Nigerian Women’s Soccer Team Still Fighting for Equal Pay
Female soccer players in Africa, much like those in the United States, are often paid less than their male counterparts. Nigeria’s women’s national team, the Super Falcons, is by far the most successful in Africa, winning nine out of eleven continental titles. The team is preparing to represent Africa this month at the FIFA Women’s…
Hollywood Plunges into All-Out War on Heels of Pandemic and Streaming Revolution
To get a sense of just how much animosity is flying around Hollywood these days, watch how Ron Perlman responded to a report that the studios aimed to prolong a strike long enough for writers to lose their homes. Perlman, the hulking, gravel-voiced actor of “Hellboy,” leaned into the camera in a since-deleted Instagram live…
For the First Time in the Olympics, Men Will Compete in Artistic Swimming, Formerly Called Synchro
Snicker if you wish. Guffaw for good measure. Bill May and other male synchronized swimmers — now called artistic swimmers — have heard the putdowns before. But they’re getting the last laugh. Men have competed in synchro at the lower levels for decades. Now, they’re being included in the Olympics, meaning next year’s Summer Games…
Elton John Backs Kevin Spacey’s Testimony at Actor’s Sexual Assault Trial
Elton John briefly testified Monday for the defense at Kevin Spacey ‘s sexual assault trial as the actor’s lawyer attempted to discredit a man who claimed the Oscar winner aggressively grabbed his crotch while driving to the singer’s summer ball. John appeared in the London court by video link from Monaco after his husband, David…
Parity, Bigger Field Mean There Could Be Surprises at the Women’s World Cup
There could be some surprises at the Women’s World Cup. Sure, the U.S. is still considered dominant, and those elite European teams have developed even more with the rise of competitive clubs. Then there’s Brazil, which always seems on the verge of a breakout. But an expanded field of 32 teams at the tournament starting…
Hollywood Striking Actors Seek Fair Wages and AI Protection
Hollywood actors walked off the job Friday, striking for higher pay, an improved residuals policy and protections against the use of artificial intelligence. Hollywood writers have been on strike since May. Genia Dulot has the report. …
Pipestone Carvers Preserve Native Spiritual Tradition on Minnesota Prairie
Under the tall prairie grass outside this southwestern Minnesota town lies a precious seam of dark red pipestone that, for thousands of years, Native Americans have quarried and carved into pipes essential to prayer and communication with the Creator. Only a dozen Dakota carvers remain in the predominantly agricultural area bordering South Dakota. While tensions…
‘Mission: Impossible’ $80M Debut Ignites Box Office but Misses Expectations
After a globe-trotting publicity blitz by star Tom Cruise, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” launched with a franchise-best $80 million over five days, though it came in shy of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend, according to studio estimates. The Paramount Pictures’ debut was boosted by strong overseas…
Actress and Singer Jane Birkin Dies, France Loses an ‘Icon’
British-born actress and singer Jane Birkin, a 1960s wildchild who became a beloved figure in France, has died in Paris aged 76. The French Culture Ministry said the country had lost a “timeless Francophone icon.” Local media reported she had been found dead at her home, citing people close to her. Birkin had a mild…
Pianist André Watts Dies at Age 77 of Prostate Cancer
Pianist André Watts, whose televised debut with the New York Philharmonic as a 16-year-old in 1963 launched an international career of more than a half-century, has died. He was 77. Watts died Wednesday at his home in Bloomington of prostate cancer, his manager, Linda Marder, said Friday. Watts joined the faculty of the Indiana University…
Actors’ Strike Shuts Down Major Hollywood Studios
Thousands of actors, from A-list celebrities to those struggling to break into the entertainment industry, voted to go on strike this week, plunging Hollywood and the broader film and television industry into what seems likely to be a lengthy work stoppage. The board of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio…
Long Flight to the Women’s World Cup? US Players Have a Plan for That
The U.S. national team, like most of the rest of the field, faces a long flight to the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Already seasoned travelers, the American players have strategies for wiling away the time. And they’ll certainly need those tactics: The flight to New Zealand, where they’ll spend the group…
Coroner’s Report: Lisa Marie Presley Died From Small Bowel Obstruction
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiners’ office says Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of the iconic musician Elvis Presley, died earlier this year as a result of “a small bowel obstruction.” Presley, who was also a musician, died January 12th, just two days after she attended the Golden Globes where she saw Austin…