Harvey Weinstein was found guilty Monday of rape at a Los Angeles trial in another #MeToo moment of reckoning, five years after he became a magnet for the movement. After deliberating for nine days spanning more than two weeks, the jury of eight men and four women reached the verdict at the second criminal trial…
Art Museum Immerses Visitors in Holiday Multiverse
With images of snowy villages, nutcrackers, candy canes and more, Artechouse’s “Spectacular Factory: The Holiday Multiverse” brings to life the festive feelings of the season. Maxim Moskalkov visited the event. Camera: Sergey Sokolov …
Female ‘Priests’ Secretly Celebrating Catholic Masses
An underground Catholic movement started in 2002 with the secret ‘ordination’ of seven women in Germany by official male bishops. The movement has grown to 250 women globally, despite the Catholic Church’s rules preventing women from becoming priests. VOA senior Washington correspondent Carolyn Presutti takes us to several masses to explain the international controversy. …
Sunday Marked the Beginning of Hanukkah Celebrations
U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host a Hanukkah reception at the White House Monday evening. There will be a menorah lighting and the menorah, created by the Whie House carpentry shop, will become the first Jewish artifact added to the White House archives. Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish celebration also known…
‘Avatar 2’ Makes Waves With $134 Million Domestic Debut
“Avatar: The Way of Water ” didn’t make quite as big of a splash as many assumed it would, but James Cameron’s big budget spectacle still helped breathe life into the box office this weekend. The sequel earned $134 million from North American theaters and $300.5 million internationally for a $434.5 million global debut, according…
Russian Cartoonist in US Blasts Ukraine War Through Art
When Igor Ponochevny drew his first political cartoon, he was living in Russia and working at a bank. Russia’s invasion and annexation of Crimea in 2014 inspired him to draw under the pen name Alyosha Stupin. VOA Russian spoke with the artist. Anna Rice narrates the story. Camera: Vazgen Varzhabetian. …
Murphy to Receive Cecil B. DeMille Award at Golden Globes
Eddie Murphy will receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the 80th Golden Globes, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced Wednesday. The honorary award for the comedian and actor adds to a broadcast that’s taking shape after two years of scandal and backlash tarnished the Globes. After taking the previous Globes off the air, NBC…
There’s Progress Eliminating Some American Indian Mascots, But Not All
Tolerance for Native American-themed sports mascots is wearing thin across the United States. New York is the latest state to ban them from public schools. Activists say conversations about the mascots — and respect and equality are long overdue. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias reports. Cecily Hilleary and Lynn Davis contributed to this report. …
BTS Member Jin Begins Military Duty at Front-Line Boot Camp
Jin, the oldest member of K-pop supergroup BTS, began his 18 months of mandatory military service at a front-line South Korean boot camp Tuesday as fans gathered near the base to say goodbye to their star. Six other younger BTS members are to join the military in coming years one after another, meaning that the…
Kawananakoa, ‘Last Hawaiian Princess,’ Dies at 96
Abigail Kinoiki Kekaulike Kawananakoa, the so-called last Hawaiian princess whose lineage included the royal family that once ruled the islands and an Irish businessman who became one of Hawaii’s largest landowners, died on Sunday. She was 96. Her death was announced Monday morning at ‘Iolani Palace, America’s only royal residence where the Hawaiian monarchy dwelled…
Golden Globe Nominations Led by ‘Banshees,’ ‘Everything Everywhere’
After scandal and boycott plunged the Hollywood Foreign Press Association into disarray and knocked its annual award show off television for a year, the Golden Globes geared up Monday for its return by showering nominations on “The Banshees of Inisherin” and “Everything Everywhere all at Once.” The nominations were read by father-daughter duo George and…
‘Tár,’ ‘Everything Everywhere’ Tie for LA Critics’ Top Award
Todd Field’s symphonic backstage drama “Tár” and the existential comedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” tied for top honors with the Los Angeles Film Critics Association in awards announced Sunday. The critics group opted to split its best film award between the two acclaimed films. “Tár,” which was also chosen as best film by the…
Golden Globes to Unveil Nominations as Censured Awards Eye Comeback
Boycotted by A-listers and studios last year, the Golden Globes will attempt to rebuild their reputation as one of Hollywood’s top award shows with organizers unveiling this year’s nominees on Monday. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which organizes the film and television awards, has scrambled to reform itself since long-harbored criticisms of the group’s practices…
Indian Kashmir Cricket Bat Industry Faces Raw Material Shortage
Mohammad Shafi Dar, 55, picks up a piece of willow, called a cleft, and places it on a vertical bandsaw to cut out a V-joint from the wooden block before passing it on to one of his colleagues, Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, 45, for further modification on a mechanical planer. Both Dar and Bhat are pod-shavers,…
1-Armed Basketball Player for US College Scores First Points
As soon as Hansel Emmanuel began to weave in from the right wing, his Northwestern State teammates started to stand up. When he dribbled between two defenders for a stylish layup, most everyone in the gym joined them. The freshman with one arm was finally on the board. And a minute later Saturday night, the…
For World Cup Visitors, A Peek Into Islamic Art, Heritage
An emerald inscribed for a Mughal emperor. A Safavid-period knotted wool carpet. An Ottoman-era curtain, intricately embroidered with metal threads, which was part of the covering of the Kaaba, the cube-shaped structure in Mecca that Muslims consider the metaphorical “house of God.” Like tiles in a mosaic, the collection in Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art,…
Brittney Griner Arrives in the US in ‘Very Good Spirits’
U.S. professional basketball star Brittney Griner has arrived in the southwestern U.S. state of Texas after a high-stakes prisoner swap that saw notorious Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout returned to Moscow. Griner was flown to San Antonio and reunited with her family. She was then taken to Brooke Army Medical Center for a medical checkup.…
Smithsonian Grants Smithson Bicentennial Medals to 4 Musicians
America’s diversity as a nation is reflected in its music. As a way to celebrate that legacy, the Smithsonian Museum of American History recently honored four artists who represent the broad American soundscape. Maxim Moskalkov has the story. Camera: Artyom Kokhan …
Iran’s Diverse Cuisine Becomes a Weapon in Drive for Change
After nearly three months of protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in September, the Iranian government is now reviewing a law requiring women to wear a head covering. As demonstrations around the world continue, VOA spoke to the founder of a new drive to support Iranians pushing for change. As Amy…
Bob McGrath, ‘Sesame Street’ Legend, Dies at 90
Bob McGrath, an actor, musician and children’s author widely known for his portrayal of one of the first regular characters on the children’s show “Sesame Street” has died at the age of 90. McGrath’s passing was confirmed by his family who posted on his Facebook page on Sunday: “The McGrath family has some sad news…
Kirstie Alley, Emmy-Winning ‘Cheers’ Star, Dies at 71
Kirstie Alley, who won an Emmy for her role on “Cheers” and starred in films including “Look Who’s Talking,” died Monday. She was 71. Alley died of cancer that was only recently discovered, her children True and Lillie Parker said in a post on Twitter. Alley’s manager Donovan Daughtry confirmed the death in an email…
George Clooney, Gladys Knight Among Kennedy Center Honorees
Performers such as Gladys Knight or the Irish band U2 usually would be headlining a concert for thousands but at Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors the tables will be turned as they and other artists will be the ones feted for their lifetime of artistic contributions. Actor, director, producer and human rights activist George Clooney, groundbreaking…
‘Wakanda Forever’ Is No. 1 for 4th Straight Weekend
“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” kept the box-office crown for the fourth straight weekend, and the comic holiday thriller “Violent Night” debuted with $13.3 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. But the biggest talking point on the weekend was a movie conspicuously absent from theaters. Had Netflix kept Rian Johnson’s whodunit sequel “Glass Onion: A Knives…
Asian Faiths Try to Save Sacred Swastika Corrupted by Hitler
Sheetal Deo was shocked when she got a letter from her Queens apartment building’s co-op board calling her Diwali decoration “offensive” and demanding she take it down. “My decoration said ‘Happy Diwali’ and had a swastika on it,” said Deo, a physician, who was celebrating the Hindu festival of lights. The equilateral cross with its…
Polynesian Pride: 3-Day Canoe Voyage in Mid-Pacific
The causes are worthy, the course is daunting – almost 500 kilometers across a stretch of the Pacific Ocean in a large canoe. It’s the Hoki Mai Challenge, which started Saturday in Rapa Nui, a territory in the Pacific that is part of Chile and is better known as Easter Island. The event consists of…
For Many Hawaiians, Lava Flows Are a Time to Honor, Reflect
When Willette Kalaokahaku Akima-Akau looks out at the the lava flowing from Mauna Loa volcano and makes an offering of gin, tobacco and coins, she will be taking part in a tradition passed down from her grandfather and other Native Hawaiians as a way to honor both the natural and spiritual worlds. Akima-Akau said she…
For Generation Z, It’s Travel Now, Work Later
Generation Z is the name given to people born between 1997 and 2012, and the oldest of them are well into adulthood. But for many, the traditional signs of adulthood — a steady job and home ownership — aren’t yet part of the plan. Karina Bafradzhian has the story. …
World Cup Redemption for Japan Coach 29 Years Later in Qatar
The “Agony of Doha” came 29 years ago, and Hajime Moriyasu experienced it firsthand as a midfielder on Japan’s national soccer team. He’s now the coach, and he’s made amends. Japan won its World Cup group Thursday after beating 2010 champion Spain, 2-1, at the Khalifa International Stadium. Last week, the team defeated 2014 champion…