KARACHI, Pakistan — Attiq Ur Rehman is determined to follow his dream to become Pakistan’s first professional surfer despite his father’s concern for his future, a lack of equipment and the messy waves near Karachi. “I don’t care about the money right now. I just want to compete,” the 21-year-old says, shrugging off his father’s plea…
Vinyl thrives at United Record Pressing, oldest record maker in US
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — During the six decades since United Record Pressing stamped out the Beatles’ first U.S. single, the country’s oldest vinyl record maker has survived 8-tracks, cassettes, CDs, Napster, iPods and streaming services. Now, the Nashville-based company has rebounded so dramatically that some of its equipment and technology has been retrofitted to keep pace with…
Report says college rankings have the potential to mislead
Each year, prominent lists of college and university rankings are compiled and released to the public, but a report conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago says those rankings have the potential to mislead. Writing in Forbes, Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier says changing methodologies can distort results, and profit motives can create doubt.…
NYC hosts world’s largest Halloween parade
New York City recently hosted the world’s largest Halloween parade, bringing together the city’s spookiest and most spectacular characters. Here’s Aron Ranen with the story. Camera: Aron Ranen …
College athletes push for voter turnout while largely avoiding controversy as election nears
Lily Meskers faced an unexpected choice in the lead-up to the first major election she can vote in. The 19-year-old University of Montana sprinter was among college athletes in the state who received an inquiry from Montana Together asking if she was interested in a name, image and likeness deal to support Sen. Jon Tester,…
Use of firecrackers renews air pollution debate in India ahead of Diwali
NEW DELHI — As India gears up for Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, people are divided over whether they should celebrate by setting off firecrackers, which worsen the country’s chronic air pollution. Diwali, which will be celebrated Thursday, is marked by socializing and exchanging gifts with family and friends. Many Indians light earthen oil lamps…
Children trick-or-treat at White House; first lady dresses as panda for Halloween
washington — President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn on Wednesday for the last time. The first lady had participated in the National Zoo’s announcement earlier this year that pandas would be returning to Washington. They arrived in the nation’s capital in…
Indians mark Diwali by lighting record number of earthen lamps
LUCKNOW, INDIA — Millions of Indians began celebrating the annual Hindu festival of lights, Diwali, by symbolically lighting a record 2.51 million earthen oil lamps at dusk on Wednesday on the banks of the Saryu River in a northern Indian city they believe to be the birthplace of the deity Lord Ram. Diwali is the most…
Bloomberg Philanthropies says investment in low-income students fell short
More than $140 million from billionaire Michael Bloomberg’s charitable programs have been spent getting talented low-income students into top colleges, but an analysis of those programs found they fell short of goals. The Wall Street Journal took a look at the programs, their objectives, and how they haven’t led to the results Bloomberg Philanthropies wanted…
Cambodian archaeologists discover centuries-old statues at Angkor
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA — Archaeologists in Cambodia have unearthed a dozen centuries-old sandstone statues in a “remarkable discovery” at the Angkor World Heritage Site near the city of Siem Reap, authorities said Wednesday. The statues — depicting “door guardians” — were discovered last week near the north gate leading to the 11th-century Royal Palace at Angkor…
Teri Garr, comic actor of ‘Young Frankenstein’ and ‘Tootsie,’ has died
LOS ANGELES — Teri Garr, the quirky comedy actor who rose from background dancer in Elvis Presley movies to co-star of such favorites as Young Frankenstein and Tootsie, has died. She was 79. Garr died Tuesday of multiple sclerosis “surrounded by family and friends,” publicist Heidi Schaeffer said. Garr battled other health problems in recent years…
Authorities in Shanghai crack down on Halloween celebrations
In Shanghai, police, not trick-or-treaters and partygoers, are taking to the streets this week as the city approaches Halloween. The strengthened police force accompanies official notices prohibiting citizens from “role-playing” on Halloween, signaling the government’s paranoia over the social instability the holiday’s festivities could bring. Videos online show police cars lining the streets of Shanghai,…
Nigeria praises CAF decision in controversy over Libya’s treatment of Nigerian footballers
Abuja, Nigeria — Africa’s football governing body has sided with Nigeria in that country’s dispute with Libya over a canceled qualifying game. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) awarded Nigeria a 3-0 victory over Libya following accusations Libya deliberately breached competition guidelines. Libya’s football federation is appealing. The decision by the CAF puts Nigeria at the…
Texas Country Boys give charity concerts in war-torn Ukraine
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a musical group of American Christians calling themselves the Texas Country Boys have been playing charity events in Ukraine. Tetiana Kukurika met with the band members to find out why Ukraine is so important to them. Anna Rice narrates her story. (Camera: Sergiy Rybchynski; Produced by: Vitaliy Hrychanyuk and Anna…
Music students find community through ‘international chat’ program
State University of New York at Fredonia is trying a new method to help international music students feel at home. A professor at the school hosts informal chats — known as “international chat” — several times a semester. The goal, the school says in an article, is to function “as a study group session for…
Bavarian tradition honors St. Leonhard, patron saint of farmers, horses and livestock
WARNGAU, Germany — Farmers and their horses walked in a festive parade through the small Bavarian town of Warngau on Sunday to honor their patron saint, St. Leonhard. Their manes neatly combed, the massive horses were decorated with ribbons and greenery as they pulled the adorned carriages to a local church as part of the procession…
‘Venom: The Last Dance’ misses projections as superhero films’ grip on theaters loosens
New York — “Venom: The Last Dance” showed less bite than expected at the box office, collecting $51 million in its opening weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, significantly down from the alien symbiote franchise’s previous entries. Projections for the third “Venom” film from Sony Pictures had been closer to $65 million. More concerning, though, was…
War casts shadow over Lebanon’s ancient Baalbek
Baalbek, Lebanon — Since war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah, the famed Palmyra Hotel in east Lebanon’s Baalbek has been without visitors, but long-time employee Rabih Salika refuses to leave — even as bombs drop nearby. The hotel, which was built in 1874, once welcomed renowned guests including former French President Charles de Gaulle and American…
Thousands turn out for Thai royal barge pageantry
Bangkok — Thousands of well-wishers lined the banks of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River Sunday to watch King Maha Vajiralongkorn ride a glittering royal barge procession to mark his 72nd birthday. A flotilla of 52 ornately decorated boats, paddled by more than 2,000 oarsmen decked out in scarlet and gold, carried the king and Queen Suthida in…
Major Vatican meeting sidelines talks of women priests, deacons
Rome — A major Vatican meeting gathering clerics and laity across the globe to discuss the future of the Catholic Church closes this weekend, thwarting discussion of women becoming priests or deacons in the world’s largest Christian denomination. But that didn’t stop a half-dozen Catholic women from “ordination” in a secret ceremony in Rome that was…
Bassist Lesh, founding member of Grateful Dead, dies at 84
los angeles — Phil Lesh, a classically trained violinist and jazz trumpeter who found his true calling reinventing the role of rock bass guitar as a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died Friday at age 84. Lesh’s death was announced on his Instagram account. He was the oldest and one of the longest-surviving members of…
Portland State U has tough time enrolling international students
Portland State university has a problem with its international student enrollment, and it wants to find out why. The school says it’s found potential fraud in about 14% of international applications. It’s also found that of the 46 students from India and Bangladesh it accepted, 20 sent deposits but only three actually enrolled. Read the…
Student from Bangladesh pursues academic passions at Mississippi school
Shihab Hossain Saran, a student from Bangladesh studying at the University of Southern Mississippi, is studying marine science with an emphasis on physical oceanography. Here, he talks about his successes and his visions for the future. (October 2024) …
International students reflect on life at Rutgers U.
International students at Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey, talk about their experiences and their goals in a story in The Daily Targum, the student newspaper. Read the full story here. (October 2024) …
For international student, MBA is just the start
Vui Nguyễn, a Vietnamese student working toward an MBA at Cal State Fullerton, talks about her journey and her goals in an interview with CSUF News. (October 2024) Read the story here. …
New US campus protest rules spur outcry from college faculty
Dissent is thriving this fall at American colleges, and not just among student activists. With student protests limited by new restrictions, faculty have taken up the cause. To faculty, new protest rules threaten freedom of speech — and the freedom to think, both central to university life. This semester, some of the most visible…
Ukrainians find normalcy between shellings in Sumy ‘art yard’
In the front-line city of Sumy, Ukraine, some residents are trying to create a sense of normalcy despite constant Russian shelling. One particularly determined Sumy native has created an oasis of art in his yard. Olena Adamenko has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Camera: Yuriy Andriushchenko …
Miami U. student’s fieldwork aids US officials in Serbia
An international student at Miami University in Ohio is helping the Serbian government and the U.S. Embassy through her research. Anastasija Mladenovska, who’s originally from Macedonia and who speaks English, Russian, Serbian and French, is studying political science, finance and Russia. As part of that, she did field research in Belgrade, Serbia. “By integrating herself…