Participants of the Extreme Chainsaw Carving Show have just a few hours to turn a cedar block of wood into a beautiful work of art. VOA’s Natasha Mozgovaya reports from Arlington, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest. …
International Students Coming to US: Avoid These Pitfalls
Stars, Athletes Plan to Flock Las Vegas for Super Bowl Events
LOS ANGELES — Las Vegas will be flooded with so many pre- Super Bowl events that Shaquille O’Neal lowered the prices to his popular carnival-themed “Shaq’s Fun House.” Instead of raising the rate, O’Neal decided to offer potential attendees more bang for their buck to the NBA legend’s sixth annual event planned for Friday in Sin…
Scholarships Open Doors for Student Aiming to Study in US
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Annette Bening Honored as Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Annette Bening, a two-time Golden Globe winner who recently received her fifth Oscar nomination, was feted Tuesday with a raucous parade full of colorful costumes and drag performers as part of festivities honoring her as Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2024 Woman of the Year. A few hours later, Benning endured a celebrity…
Self-Advocacy a Key Skill for International Students, Expert Says
Singer-Songwriter Toby Keith Dies After Battling Stomach Cancer
Bank Accounts for International Students in US: What to Know
International Students Should Use the US Financial Aid Form
Taylor Swift Wins Album of the Year At The Grammy Awards for 4th Time
LOS ANGELES — Taylor Swift won album of the year at the Grammy Awards for “Midnights,” breaking the record for most wins in the category with four. She began her speech by thanking her producer and friend Jack Antonoff and added, “I would love to tell you this is the happiest moment of my life,” she…
Pakistan’s Wedding Season Heats Up in Cool Weather
Karachi, Pakistan — There’s a scrum of people trying to get photos with the married couple at the Radiance banquet hall, and you can barely hear someone talk above the din of 400 guests tucking into biryani and chicken tikka, music and the drone whirring around the room. The bejeweled bride and her natty groom are…
Oklahoma’s Oldest Native American School Threatened by Debts, Disrepair
MUSKOGEE, Oklahoma — The hallways of Bacone College are cold and dark. In the main hall, there are no lectures to be heard, only the steady hum of the space heater keeping the administrative offices warm. Students aren’t attending classes here this semester but work still needs to be done. In the college’s historic buildings, there…
Documentary About Holocaust Photographer Captures Images of Jewish Life
A new documentary called “Vishniac” tells the story of 20th century Jewish photographer Roman Vishniac, who was born in Russia, escaped the Holocaust, and eventually settled in America. His iconic photographs later helped inform the movie “Schindler’s List.” Anna Nelson has this report, narrated by Anna Rice. VOA footage by: Elena Matusovsky, Natalia Latukhina. …
‘Argylle,’ With Checkered Reviews, Flops With $18M for Big-Budget Apple Release
New York — Apple has had its first box office flop. “Argylle,” the $200-million star-studded spy thriller from Apple Studios, debuted with $18 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. The film, directed by Matthew Vaughn, managed to lead the weekend box office, but still found little interest from moviegoers. Although Apple has been…
6 Shoes, $8 Million: Auction of Michael Jordan’s Sneakers Sets Record
New York — A collection of sneakers that superstar Michael Jordan wore as he and the Chicago Bulls won six NBA championships has fetched $8 million at auction, setting a record for game-worn sneakers, Sotheby’s said. The six Air Jordan shoes — one apiece from the last games of the 1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and…
Taylor Swift Chases Album of Year Record at Female-Focused Grammys
LOS ANGELES — Luminaries of the music business gather to hand out the annual Grammy awards on Sunday at a red-carpet ceremony that may culminate with another record for Taylor Swift. The 34-year-old pop superstar in the middle of the world’s highest-grossing tour is competing for an unprecedented fourth album of the year trophy with “Midnights.”…
Music from Africa Rising on Global Charts, with Help from TikTok
LOS ANGELES — When the biggest names in music gather Sunday for the industry’s top honors at the Grammy Awards, they will hand out a new trophy for best African music performance. The prize reflects the growing popularity of Afrobeats, and other music from the continent, which is gaining a global audience with help from social…
New Amazon TV Series Filmed in Hong Kong but Unavailable There
Hong Kong — Frustrated Hong Kong residents say they have been unable to watch the online TV series Expats, starring Hollywood star Nicole Kidman, which was launched globally on Amazon Prime Video late last week and focuses on the former British colony. The six-part show, directed by Chinese-born American filmmaker Lulu Wang, is based on a…
Too Pretty? Easter Poster of Jesus Prompts Criticism in Spain
MADRID — A poster in the southern Spanish city of Seville that depicts a young, handsome Jesus wearing only a loincloth has unleashed a storm on social media, with some calling it an affront to the figure of Christ and others posting lewd remarks and memes poking fun at the image. The poster by internationally recognized…
Carl Weathers, Linebacker-Turned-Actor in ‘Rocky,’ ‘Predator’ Movies, Dies
NEW YORK — Carl Weathers, a former NFL linebacker who became a Hollywood action movie and comedy star, playing nemesis-turned-ally Apollo Creed in the “Rocky” movies, facing off against Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Predator” and teaching golf in “Happy Gilmore,” has died. He was 76. Matt Luber, his manager, said Weathers died Thursday. His family issued a…
FAFSA Can Help International Students with Aid in US
Some Colleges Pay the Leading US Rankings for Greater Visibility
February Is Black History Month in the US
What International Students in the US Need to Know About Police
Optional Practical Training (OPT) Guidelines Are Changing
Dissident Russian Rockers Held in Thailand Fly to Israel, Band Says
Bangkok — A dissident Russian-Belarusian rock band held in Thailand on immigration charges have left the kingdom to fly to Israel, according to a post Thursday on the group’s official Facebook page. Bi-2 have criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine, and their arrest sparked fears they would be deported to Russia where…
With Bonfires, Hope, Iran’s Minority Zoroastrians Mark Sadeh Holiday
TEHRAN, Iran — Lighting fires that brightened the night sky, followers of Iran’s minority Zoroastrian religion marked the Sadeh festival in several cities Tuesday, celebrating the end of the coldest winter days. Every year on January 30, Zoroastrians gather after sunset to celebrate the 50 days and 50 nights remaining until spring. Sadah, which means “the…