Many of Malaysia’s urban communities are adding a rural touch. Community gardens are popping up as residents look for ways to bring the great outdoors closer to home. Dave Grunebaum has the story. …
AS Byatt, Who Wrote Bestseller ‘Possession,’ Dies at 87
British author A.S. Byatt, who wove history, myth and a sharp eye for human foibles into books that included the Booker Prize-winning novel Possession, has died at the age of 87. Byatt’s publisher, Chatto & Windus, said Friday that the author, whose full name was Antonia Byatt, died “peacefully at home surrounded by close family”…
Uyghur Poet’s Memoir on China’s Abuses Earns Recognition
Tahir Hamut Izgil witnessed firsthand, China’s repressive treatment of the Uyghur ethnic minority group and experienced how society changed over time in Xinjiang, an autonomous region in northwest China. His memoir, published this year has gained attention by readers and recognition by two prominent U.S. publications this week, while China describes accusations of repression as…
Some US Politicians Want to Cut Funding for Humanities Programs
As cultural battles involving school curriculums are being fought across the United States, some conservative politicians are suggesting funding be cut for college humanities programs. Times Higher Education reports that some elected officials favor programs that help students get higher-paying jobs, and that help states train more skilled workers. (October 2023) …
Hollywood Actors Offered Protections Against AI in Labor Deal
Leaders of the union representing Hollywood actors announced a tentative deal recently with film and television studios to end a strike that started in July. It includes pay raises, streaming bonuses for actors, and the industry’s first protections against the use of artificial intelligence. From Los Angeles, Genia Dulot has our story. …
Startup Hopes to Address Nursing Shortage With International Students
Startup Hopes to Address Nursing Shortage With International Students Boston startup InSpring wants to help alleviate the nursing shortage in the United States by training hundreds of international students, according to a report published by Axios. The first cohort could take exams in 2025, although they could work in health care positions earlier as they study for…
Pakistani American Muslim Superhero Makes Her Big-Screen Debut
Marvel Comics’ first Muslim superhero is making her big-screen debut in “The Marvels” movie. From Los Angeles, Genia Dulot brings us the story of the teenage Ms. Marvel. …
Colleges Continue Fight Against Hazing Among Athletes
A number of college campuses across the United States have been dealing with allegations of hazing in 2023, often involving athletic programs at schools. CNN describes what hazing is, how it gained a foothold on campuses and how colleges are fighting it. (September 2023) …
Iranian, Afghan Tapestries Mix With Contemporary Fashions
Designers in the Western U.S. state of Colorado are mixing modern fashion with cultural textiles from Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Tibet. VOA’s Scott Stearns has our story. …
Programs Provide Parenting Services for College Students
When students are far from home but still need the help of a parent, services offered at schools around the country can help fill the gap. People Magazine reports rent-a-mom services are helping students, and their parents, make the transition to independence a little easier – for a price. (September 2023) …
International Students Have Returned to US Colleges, Fueled by a Surge From India
International students attended U.S. universities in surging numbers last year, rebounding from a pandemic slump with the help of a 35% jump in students coming from India, according to a study released Monday. Overall, the number of international students in the U.S. grew by 12% in the 2022-23 academic year, the largest single-year increase in…
Poll: Few Americans Believe Conservatives Can Speak Freely on Campus
Americans generally believe liberals have a lot of freedom to express themselves on college campuses, while fewer say the same can be said for conservatives, according to a new poll from University of Chicago and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. WDEF in Chattanooga, Tennessee, reports that Americans believe conservatives face stronger bias on…
‘The Marvels’ Melts Down at Box Office, Marking New Low for MCU
Since 2008’s “Iron Man,” the Marvel machine has been one of the most unstoppable forces in box-office history. Now, though, that aura of invincibility is showing signs of wear and tear. The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of “The Marvels,” which opened with just $47 million, according to studio estimates…
Indians Set World Record Celebrating Diwali as Worries About Air Pollution Rise
Millions of Indians celebrated Diwali on Sunday with a new Guinness World Record number of bright earthen oil lamps as concerns about air pollution soared in the South Asian country. Across the country, dazzling multicolored lights decked homes and streets as devotees celebrated the annual Hindu festival of light symbolizing the victory of light over…
Creole in Louisiana: A Ubiquitous Culture Remains Hard to Define
“Creole isn’t about a specific skin tone or country, it’s about a culture,” said Mona Lisa Saloy, author of the poetry collection Black Creole Chronicles. “It’s food, it’s music, it’s architecture, it’s style and it’s traditions,” she told VOA. “There are millions of Creole people in countries across the world and, still, we are…
Pope Forcibly Removes Leading US Conservative, Texas Bishop Strickland
Pope Francis on Saturday forcibly removed from office the bishop of Tyler, Texas, a conservative active on social media who has been a fierce critic of the pontiff and some of his priorities. A one-line statement from the Vatican said Francis had “relieved” Bishop Joseph Strickland of the pastoral governance of Tyler and appointed the…
US Life Expectancy Gap Widens Among Those Who Do and Don’t Have College Degrees
People in the U.S. with college degrees live longer than people without degrees, MSNBC reports. Princeton University economists found the gap between people with and without college degrees in the U.S. widened since the 1990s, so that by 2021, there was an 8.5-year lifespan difference between the two groups. (October 2023) …
Hollywood Actors Union Board Approves Strike-Ending Deal
Board members from Hollywood’s actors union voted Friday to approve the deal with studios that ended their strike after nearly four months, with the union’s leadership touting the gains made in weeks of methodical negotiations. Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists’ executive director and chief negotiator, announced at a Friday…
Beatles Top Charts Again as ‘Now And Then’ Breaks Records
The Beatles returned to the top of the U.K. music charts Friday with the record-breaking track “Now And Then,” making history as the act with the longest gap between its first and last No. 1 single. Billed as the last Beatles song, “Now And Then” features the voice of the late John Lennon and was…
Despite Equity Issues, Internships Are Still Worth It
Did you know that undergraduate students who finished a paid internship are more than twice as likely to finish college with a job offer as those without any internship experience? That’s just one of the points raised by Noah Isenberg in his op-ed. Despite persistent diversity issues with internships, especially the fact that poorer students often…
To Get a Sports Scholarship in the US, Follow These Tips
Student athletes in the U.S. can have their tuition paid for and even win lucrative sponsorships, but the path there is not easy. For US News & World Report, Anayat Durrani explains the recruitment process and the differences between the major intercollegiate athletic groups. (October 2023) …
DC Exhibit by Black Artist Highlights Feminism, Gender Equality, Racial Justice
An exhibition featuring the work of Simone Leigh — one of America’s most influential contemporary female artists — is now on display at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington. Leigh, known for her focus on feminism, gender equality and racial justice, became the first Black artist in history to represent the U.S. at the Venice Biennale in 2022, where she was awarded the coveted Golden Lion.…
Picasso’s ‘Woman with a Watch’ Fetches $139M at Auction
One of Pablo Picasso’s masterpieces, Woman with a Watch, was sold at auction Wednesday night for $139.3 million by Sotheby’s in New York, the second-highest price ever achieved for the artist. In a jam-packed room at the venerable auction house, it only took a few minutes of telephone bidding for the 1932 painting depicting one…
Striking Actors Reach Tentative Deal With Hollywood Studios
The SAG-AFTRA actors’ union reached a tentative agreement with Hollywood studios to resolve the second of two strikes that rocked the entertainment industry as workers demanded higher pay in the streaming TV era, the union said Wednesday. The 118-day strike will end officially just after midnight, SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. The group’s national board…
Transsexual People Can Be Baptized Catholic, Serve as Godparents, Vatican Says
Transsexual people can be godparents at Roman Catholic baptisms, witnesses at religious weddings and receive baptism themselves, the Vatican’s doctrinal office said on Wednesday, responding to questions from a bishop. The department, known as the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith, was vague, however, in response to a question about whether a same-sex couple…
How Can Colleges Better Support International Students?
International students are valued by schools in the U.S., both for the global perspectives they provide, and for the tuition dollars they bring in. Despite this, students often struggle to adjust to the American education system. For Inside Higher Ed, Ashley Mowreader reports on how colleges can culturally integrate students from other countries. (October 2023) …
Even at Princeton, International Students Face Legal Obstacles
The Daily Princetonian, Princeton University’s campus newspaper, spoke with undergraduate students navigating the post-graduation job search. Despite their prestigious degrees, many report limited job options and say they have to apply to in-demand jobs in tech and consulting to have a shot at an H1-B visa. Claire Meng, Sandeep Mangat and Michelle Miao report. (October 2023).…
Federal Rule Change Could Bar Withholding of Transcripts
The U.S. Department of Education recently unveiled new rules that could bar colleges and universities from withholding transcripts and academic credits to students who owe money. Inside Higher Ed reports that the practice of withholding transcripts has come under scrutiny in recent years. (October 2023) …