U.S. News & World Report publishes the most influential college rankings in the U.S. But last year, Yale Law School – the No. 1 legal program in the country for years – chose not to participate. Twelve of the top 14 law schools followed suit, though most still made it into this year’s rankings despite…
Should Government Employees Be Hired Based on Skills? Or Degrees?
Many college graduates aspire to work in government because of the stability, benefits and sense of purpose. But at least six states have tried to reduce the importance of a college degree in getting a job, arguing that the requirements are a burden on poorer applicants and result in turning away many gifted ones –…
US Visa Costs Are Going Up; How Will That Affect Students?
The cost of U.S. tourist and student visas, among other kinds, is increasing on May 30. See the full breakdown in this news release from the U.S. State Department. (March 2023) …
Russian and Belarusian Exiles Prepare for Another Year in Lithuania
Hundreds of thousands of Russians opposed to Putin’s war in Ukraine have left to find refuge in Baltic countries, where they have joined Belarusians who have fled Lukashenko’s repression. Ricardo Marquina has more from the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, in this report narrated by Marcus Harton. …
Academic Coaches Help Students Finish Community College
Two-year community colleges, which serve many of the students who need the most support, have the lowest completion rates of any kind of university or college, The Associated Press reported. The availability of advisers, students say, is often a deciding factor in who succeeds, the AP says in its story. (April 2023) …
Al Jaffee, Longtime Mad Magazine Cartoonist, Dead at 102
Al Jaffee, Mad magazine’s award-winning cartoonist and ageless wise guy who delighted millions of kids with the sneaky fun of the Fold-In and the snark of “Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions,” has died. He was 102. Jaffee died Monday in Manhattan from multiple organ failure, according to his granddaughter, Fani Thomson. He had retired at…
Muslim Businessmen Volunteer to Feed DC Homeless
The instruction to feed the hungry is a common philosophy among most major world religions. Muslims are no exception, especially while the observe the fasting month of Ramadan. VOA’s Irfan Ihsan reports. Alam Burhanan and Ronan Zakaria contributed. …
In India, Revision of History in School Texts Stirs Controversy
A group of historians from India’s leading universities have slammed recent revisions to school textbooks that include removing or trimming references to Islamic rule in the subcontinent and to the anger among some Hindu extremists at independence leader Mahatma Gandhi’s pursuit of Hindu-Muslim unity. Education authorities have said the history, political science and sociology texts…
Show Stopper: Singalong Fans Ejected, ‘Bodyguard’ Halted
A British performance of “The Bodyguard” musical ended in unrequited love for some audience members who couldn’t refrain from singing along to the anthemic finale. The show at the Palace Theatre in Manchester screeched to a halt Friday when two unruly patrons were ejected for joining the lead in singing “I Will Always Love You,”…
Jon Rahm Rallies to Win the Masters
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…