Biz Markie, a hip-hop staple known for his beatboxing prowess, turntable mastery and the 1989 classic Just a Friend, has died. He was 57.Markie’s representative, Jenni Izumi, said the rapper-DJ died peacefully Friday evening with his wife by his side. The cause of death has not been released.”We are grateful for the many calls and prayers…
Nigerian Basketball Fans Hope for Medal at Tokyo Olympics
The Nigerian D’Tigers basketball team’s stunning victories this past week in friendly matches with the United States and Argentina has pushed it further into the Olympic spotlight.D’Tigers beat the United States NBA stars 90-87 on Saturday in Las Vegas, making international basketball history as the first African country to beat the U.S. On Monday, the team…
Little Sister of Statue of Liberty Makes Way to US From Paris
Over a century after its big sister made its way from France to New York City, a miniature version of the Statue of Liberty has made the same journey, but this time to Washington, D.C. Karina Bafradzhian has the story.Camera: David Gogokhia …
Somalia Sends First Non-runner to Tokyo Olympics
Somalia is sending two athletes to compete at the Tokyo Olympics, and they include the country’s first non-runner — female boxer Ramla Ali. The Somali Olympic team officially departed for the Tokyo Games on Friday, after President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo bid them farewell. The head of state and senior sport officials urged the team to compete successfully…
US Modeling Agency Takes Step Toward Diversity in Fashion
Briana Mariah, founder of We Speak model agency, believes models should reflect the world, and her agency finds and promotes a unique and diverse group of people. Karina Bafradzhian reports from Washington D.C.Camera: David Gogokhia …
Public Has Their Say on World Emoji Day
World Emoji Day, celebrating technology users’ favorite emoticons, is Saturday.Jeremy Burge, the founder of the icon reference site Emojipedia, created the holiday in 2014. The day is intended to celebrate the beloved icons that are increasingly used in online messaging.World Emoji Day organizers are asking the public to vote in the World Emoji Awards. The…
Global Vaccine Distribution Inequality Hampers Pandemic Efforts Worldwide
Global inequality in the distribution of vaccines continues to hamper efforts to end the pandemic worldwide. But for those able to travel to wealthier countries with an abundance of vaccines, they are now willing to travel the distance and bear the high cost of “vaccine tourism”. VOA’s Virginia Gunawan explains.Camera: VIDEOGRAPHER: Rendy Wicaksana, Ahadian Utama,…
US Modeling Agency Steps Toward Diversity in Fashion
Briana Mariah, founder of We Speak model agency, believes models should reflect the world, and her agency finds and promotes a unique and diverse group of people. Karina Bafradzhian reports from Washington D.C.Camera: David Gogokhia …
Federer Memorabilia Net $4.7 Million at Auction
Roger Federer may have seen his dreams of Olympic gold dashed this week, but he can celebrate that t-shirts, racquets, and shoes from his trophy-laden tennis career proved a treasure trove at auction. The sports legend saw every single item that went under the hammer at a two-phased Christie’s auction sold, raking in $4.7 million. The combined…
‘Their Goal Is Make Me Feel Like I’m Crazy,’ Tearful Britney Spears Tells Court
Singer Britney Spears on Wednesday won the right to choose her own lawyer to help her end a 13-year-long conservatorship and tearfully pleaded for the court to oust her father immediately from the role of controlling her business affairs.Her father, Jamie Spears, has been a major figure in the conservatorship since he set it up…
Legendary Music Memorabilia Up for Auction In New York
Guernsey’s Auction House in New York is auctioning off pieces of music history this week. Evgeny Maslov has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Michael Eckels Producer: Barry Unger …
Boris Johnson Promises Measures to Protect Soccer Players from Online Abuse
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed Wednesday to enact measures to protect British professional soccer players from online abuse. Punishment for someone found guilty of such abuse could include banishment from games. The move comes after online abuse, some of it racist, was directed at three Black players for the English national team who missed their penalty…
Business, Not Pleasure, the Focus for Tokyo-bound Athletes
In less than two weeks, Courtney Frerichs will face off in Tokyo against some of the world’s fastest runners. But like every elite athlete preparing for the Summer Olympics, her focus is not only on preparing to compete. Frerichs, a middle-distance runner from the United States, is also using the final days of her training to make sure she complies with the elaborate set of…
First Lady Jill Biden to Lead White House Delegation at Tokyo Olympics
The White House announced Tuesday that first lady Jill Biden will lead the official U.S. delegation at the Tokyo Olympics on July 23 without her husband, U.S. President Joe Biden. News of her trip comes days after Tokyo officials, upon consultation with Olympic officials, decided to hold the Olympic games without fans, after recent surges…
‘The Crown,’ ‘Mandalorian’ Top Emmy Nominations with 24 Each
“The Crown” tied with “The Mandalorian” for the most Emmy nominations Tuesday with 24 apiece, but the Marvel universe also got bragging rights with runner-up “WandaVision.” The nominations reinforced the rapid rise of streaming, with the top-nominated scripted shows on services that largely emerged in the past two years. In the top three categories —…
New York City’s ‘Little Island’ Park is a Tourist Magnet
A new and unique park opened in New York City in late May and since then it has become a city gem and tourist magnet. For VOA, Evgeny Maslov reports from “Little Island” in New York City. Anna Rice narrates. Camera: Vladimir Badikov, Vladimir Tolkachev …
Turkey Takes Step Toward Post-Pandemic Normalcy as Iconic Oil Wrestling Resumes
Last year, the COVID pandemic saw Turkey canceling one of the world’s oldest sporting events: the centuries-old Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament. For Turkish and international fans, the festival’s return offers hope that pandemic restrictions are finally ending. Dorian Jones reports from Edirne in northwestern Turkey. …
British PM Condemns Racist Social Media Attacks on Black Soccer Players
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned racist social media attacks against Black players on Britain’s soccer team following its 3-2 loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 championship Sunday. After the Italy and Britain remained 1-1 following regulation and extra time play, the teams were forced into a penalty shoot-out to decide the game. Black…
Normalcy Returns: Turkey Resumes Iconic Oil Wrestling
Last year, the COVID pandemic saw Turkey canceling one of the world’s oldest sporting events: the centuries-old Kirkpinar oil wrestling tournament. For Turkish and international fans, the festival’s return offers hope that pandemic restrictions are finally ending. Dorian Jones reports from Edirne in northwestern Turkey. …
Italy Erupts as Europe’s Soccer Champions Come Home to Rome
Europe’s soccer champions returned home at dawn Monday to the ecstatic cheers of Italians who spent the better part of the night honking horns, setting off fireworks and violating all sorts of coronavirus precautions to celebrate their team’s 3-2 penalty shootout win over England at Wembley. Captain Giorgio Chiellini, his fist pumping the air,…
British PM Condems Racist Social Media Attacks on Black Soccer Players
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned racist social media attacks against Black players on Britain’s soccer team following its 3-2 loss to Italy in the Euro 2020 championship Sunday. After the Italy and Britain remained 1-1 following regulation and extra time play, the teams were forced into a penalty shoot-out to decide the game. Black…
Italy Explodes in Joy After Winning European Soccer Title
Italians celebrated the European Championship soccer title as a new beginning not only for their youthful national team but for a country that’s been yearning to return to normalcy after being hit hard and long by the coronavirus pandemic. A cacophony of honking cars, fireworks and singing fans filled the night in Rome as thousands of people took to the…
Racist Abuse Targets 3 English Players Who Missed Penalty Kicks
Three Black players who missed penalty kicks for England in the decisive European Championship shootout against Italy on Sunday night were subjected to racist abuse online, prompting the English Football Association (FA) to issue a statement condemning the language used against the players. Bukayo Saka, at 19 one of the youngest players on the England squad, missed the penalty that…
It’s Game On for Olympics Despite COVID Surge and Lockdown
Olympic officials have barred spectators from the games amid spiking coronavirus cases in Japan. Organizers have long said they will push forward with the Olympics, but experts say the highly transmissible delta variant should give them pause. VOA’s Arash Arabasadi has more.Produced by: Arash Arabasadi …
Argentina Beats Brazil 1-0 to Win Copa America, 1st Major Title in 28 Years
Argentina won their first major title in 28 years on Saturday and Lionel Messi finally won his first medal in a blue-and-white shirt when an Angel Di Maria goal gave them a 1-0 win over Brazil and a record-equaling 15th Copa America. Di Maria, starting for just the second time in the Copa, justified his selection by scoring…
US Falls to Nigeria 90-87 in Pre-Olympic Opener
This is not how USA Basketball expected to open its Olympic summer. Nigeria probably didn’t expect it, either. If there was any expectation of invincibility for the Americans heading into the Tokyo Olympics, it’s already gone — after Nigeria shocked the U.S. 90-87 on Saturday night. Nigeria pulled off an international shocker with a roster primarily filled of…
Australian Barty Wins Wimbledon Women’s Title
Top-seeded Ashleigh Barty became the first Australian to win the Wimbledon women’s singles tennis title in 41 years on Saturday in London.Barty defeated the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 to claim the title in the first three-setter in a Wimbledon final since 2012.It’s the second Grand Slam title for Barty, who won…
Zelda Game Cartridge Sells for ‘World Record’ $870,000 at Auction
A sealed cartridge of The Legend of Zelda for the old Nintendo NES console has sold for a world record sum of $870,000, auction house Heritage Auctions said in a statement Friday.The cartridge, dated to 1987, is still in its original packaging and trumps the previous world record sale of a video game — $660,000 for…