Jon Rahm turned the longest day into his sweetest victory, starting Sunday with a four-shot deficit in the morning chill and finishing in fading sunlight as the fourth Spaniard to become a Masters champion. Rahm closed with a 3-under 69 to pull away from mistake-prone Brooks Koepka. He won by four shots over Koepka and…
Ramadan Spurs Muslims in South Africa to Give to Those in Need
Muslims across South Africa are observing Ramadan with prayer and fasting. But some also see the holy month as an opportunity to reach out to those in need within their communities. Zaheer Cassim spoke to residents in Johannesburg and has the story. …
Despite Economic Woes in Sudan, Khartoum Residents Observe Ramadan
Despite their country’s economic challenges, Muslims in Sudan are observing the holy month of Ramadan with customs that include sharing iftar with travelers. Sidahmed Ibraheem spoke to residents in Khartoum and has this story. …
‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Smashes Box Office
Audiences said let’s go to the movie theater for “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” this weekend. The animated offering from Universal and Illumination powered up with $204.6 million in its first five days in 4,343 North American theaters, including $146.4 million over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. With an estimated $173 million in…
Colleges’ Actions on Sustainability are a Draw for Students
Younger Americans – millennials and adults in Generation Z – are more engaged in addressing climate change on- and offline, according to a 2021 Pew Research poll. Compared with older adults, Gen Zers and millennials are talking more about the need for action on climate change, including discussing and sharing information on social media platforms…
What Are the Demographics of International Applicants to US Universities?
Every year, the Common Application, used by thousands of U.S. colleges and universities, releases data on applicants. The field is changing fast: applicants are now more likely to be women, and less likely to submit standardized test scores. Read the story from Scott Jaschik of Inside Higher Ed. (April 2023) …
Is Gun Violence a Concern at US Universities?
While colleges work hard to keep students safe, gun violence can happen anywhere in the U.S. International students discuss the issue, and how it has changed their perceptions of their host country, in this story from Dan Friedell of VOA Learning English. (April 2023) …
Is the ‘Death of the Humanities’ Real?
Between 2012 and 2018, U.S. enrollment in humanities majors dropped by over 14%. Many students think that the humanities, like history or English, won’t get them a good job or aren’t relevant to their interests. But the true picture may be less dire. Some colleges are bringing their humanities programs into the 21st century, and…
Dissident Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei Launches London Show
China feels it has the “right to redefine the global world order,” Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei told AFP on Wednesday ahead of the opening in London of his first design-focused exhibition. The show at the Design Museum features hundreds of thousands of objects collected by the Chinese artist since the 1990s, from Stone Age…
Cambodian Community in California Prepares for Solar New Year
Cambodian communities in California organized a parade and cultural festival ahead of this month’s solar new year. For VOA, Genia Dulot has our story from Long Beach. …
Homes Made Festive for Ramadan, to Children’s Delight
For many people in the U.S. holidays mean enormous lawn decorations. But generally, these decorations coincide with Western holidays. Now, some Muslim families are finding unique ways to celebrate Ramadan. VOA’s Dhania Iman reports. Videographer: Andri Tambunan …
As Russia’s Invasion Grinds On, Young Ukrainian Dancers Resume Training
After an extensive warmup, the dance students break into groups. The most experienced children — from 12 to 16 years old — show off complex jazz-funk and hip-hop routines to songs like K7’s “Come Baby Come.” Outside the technical college hosting the class, snow falls over the mostly abandoned and heavily damaged city. Russian forces…
As Russia’s Invasion Grinds On, Young Ukrainian Dancers Resume Training
As bloody, stalemated battles in Ukraine grind on, young dancers in the eastern city of Izium are training again, hoping to resume competition despite the destruction of their theater. VOA’s Heather Murdock reports from Izium, Ukraine. Camera: Yan Boechat. …
‘Dungeons & Dragons’ Opens With $38.5M, Takes Down John Wick
Riding terrific reviews and a strong word-of-mouth, the role-playing game adaptation “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” opened with $38.5 million in U.S. and Canadian movie theaters over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, stealing the top box-office perch from “John Wick: Chapter 4.” The Paramount Pictures and eOne release appealed to more moviegoers…
Seymour Stein, Record Exec who Signed up Madonna, Dead at 80
Seymour Stein, the brash, prescient and highly successful founder of Sire Records who helped launched the careers of Madonna, Talking Heads and many others, died Sunday at age 80. Stein, who helped found the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and was himself inducted into the Rock Hall in 2005, died of cancer in…
Show Goes On for Ukrainian Circus Performers in UK
A warrior-themed circus begins a tour of England on Friday with Ukrainian performers determined that the show should go on even though their hearts are very much still in their war-torn homeland. Although the warrior idea behind the show was conceived in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme has inspired its Ukrainian artists…
French Wire Walker Philippe Petit Shows Off Skills at Washington Museum
French daredevil Philippe Petit showed off his gravity-defying skills at the National Building Museum in Washington. At 73, Petit still walks the wire without a safety net or harness. Maxim Moskalkov talked with the famous wire walker. Video: Artyom Kokhan, Aleksadr Bergan …
FIFA Removes Indonesia as Host of U-20 World Cup 2023
Indonesia was stripped Wednesday of its hosting duties for the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup, sending shock waves through the soccer world just weeks before the tournament was scheduled to begin. FIFA, the international soccer federation, did not spell out the reasons for its decision, saying only on its website that it decided, “due to…
Protests Staged in Brazil Against ‘Zip Lines’ on Rio’s Sugarloaf Mountain
Protesters gathered underneath Rio de Janeiro’s famed Sugarloaf Mountain earlier this week to protest construction of four cable lines that will carry tourists over the surrounding forest. The cables, commonly known as zip lines, will carry individuals connected to them by safety harnesses at least 755 meters over the forest to the nearby peak of…
Artist Paints Contemporary Native American Life
Artist Danielle SeeWalker says she is attempting to paint an accurate and insightful representation of contemporary Native American life. Her work is on exhibit in the Western U.S. state of Colorado. VOA’s Scott Stearns gives us a look. Camera: Scott Stearns …
Spain, Morocco Hope Joint Bid for World Cup Will Patch Up Differences
When Morocco stunned Spain – and the world – with a dramatic penalty shootout victory in last year’s World Cup, authorities feared riots would break out. None did and Morocco made history by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals in what is arguably the world’s biggest sporting event. Now, with the dust…
Army Pulls Recruiting Ads after Jonathan Majors’ Arrest
The arrest of actor Jonathan Majors has upended the Army’s newly launched advertising campaign that was aimed at reviving the service’s struggling recruiting numbers. Majors, who authorities said was arrested Saturday in New York on charges of strangulation, assault and harassment, was the narrator of two ads at the heart of a broader media campaign…
Navajo Tech First Among US Tribal Universities to Offer PhD
A university on the largest Native American reservation in the U.S. launched its accredited doctoral program, becoming the first among more than 30 accredited tribal colleges and universities across the country to offer such a high-level degree. The program at Navajo Technical University will be dedicated to sustaining Diné culture and language. Dine is the…
‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ Film Comes Out Blazing With $73.5M
“John Wick: Chapter 4,” the fourth installment in the Keanu Reeves assassin series, debuted with a franchise-best $73.5 million at the box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Lionsgate film, starring Reeves as the reluctant-but-not-that-reluctant killer John Wick, exceeded both expectations and previous opening weekends in the R-rated franchise. Since first launching in 2014…
Hundreds Gather in Madrid to Sing for Peace in War-Torn Ukraine
Choirs from across the world joined their voices to sing for peace in Ukraine Sunday, with nearly 300 singers gathering in Madrid where the initiative began a year ago. Under cloudless blue skies, singers from 46 choirs in and around the Spanish capital gathered outside the Reina Sofia art museum and began singing at midday…
Former F1 Champ Fined Nearly $1 Million for Racist, Homophobic Remarks
A former Formula One champion has been fined nearly $1 million in damages for racist and homophobic remarks about Lewis Hamilton, the sport’s only Black driver. Nelson Piquet, 70, a three-time Formula One champion, used a Brazilian racial and homophobic slur in a 2021 television interview about a crash, involving Hamilton and Max Verstappen, who…
Indigenous Artists Help Skateboarding Earn Stamp of Approval
Years ago, skateboarding was branded as a hobby for rebels or stoners in city streets, schoolyards and back alleys. Those days are long gone. Skateboarding, which has Native Hawaiian roots connected to surfing, no longer is on the fringes. It became an Olympic sport in 2020. There are numerous amateur and professional skateboarding competitions in…
Artwork That Secretly Honored Hong Kong Dissidents Removed
A Hong Kong department store took down a digital artwork that contained hidden references to jailed dissidents, in an incident the artist says is evidence of erosion of free speech in the semi-autonomous Chinese city. It was unclear whether the government played a role in the decision to remove the artwork, it came just days…