Human rights campaigners across the world welcomed the awarding of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize to Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian women’s rights campaigner who is jailed in Tehran. Henry Ridgwell reports. …
Where Do International Students in the US Come From?
The proportion of international students to the total student population in the United States has grown over the last 60 years, with 5.5% of students now coming from abroad. Where do most of them come from? Check out these data visualizations from Visual Capitalist to find out. (September 2023). …
In Northern Nigeria, Atheism Can Be ‘Automatic Death Sentence’
When the megaphone called out for the daily Islamic prayers, the nonbeliever grabbed his prayer beads and ambled through the streets to join others at the mosque in Kano, northern Nigeria’s largest city. Formerly a Muslim, he now identifies as an atheist but remains closeted, performing religious obligations only as a cover. “To survive as…
Nearly 80% of Italians Say They Are Catholic. But Few Regularly Go to Church
Two children scribbled petitions to St. Gabriele dell’Addolorata in the sanctuary where the young saint is venerated in this central Italian mountain village. Andrea, 6, asked for blessings for his family and pets, while Sofia, 9, offered thanksgiving for winning a dance competition. Their parents bring them here often, and consider themselves better Catholics than…
Students in Minnesota Can Graduate in Just Three Years … By Taking Summer Classes
In the U.S., where an undergraduate degree typically takes four years, a national pilot program is graduating students a year early. By taking classes in the summer, students save time and money by doing so, and students who are adrift can benefit from the extra academic push. Jon Marcus has more for The Hechinger Report.…
‘Democracy Exhibitions’ Come to Washington
The U.S. State Department is marking the 60th anniversary of its Office of Art in Embassies, a government partnership with art communities to promote democratic values. VOA’s Saqib Ul Islam shows us two of its traveling exhibitions that were on display in Washington. …
Admissions Officials Worried About Diversity
That’s according to Inside Higher Ed’s annual survey, which finds that most officials think that the end of affirmative action will reduce racial diversity on campus. Read the rest of the findings in this report from Liam Knox. (September 2023) …
Facing a Deficit, One College Drops Foreign Languages
West Virginia University, the flagship public institution in one of America’s poorest states, has announced a plan to get rid of all foreign languages and creative writing, and fire about 7% of its academic staff. The move is unprecedented among large American schools, and faculty and students are not happy. Nick Anderson of The Washington…
Robert Rodriguez Reboots ‘Spy Kids,’ Turns Family Passion Into Legacy
It’s been more than 20 years since “Spy Kids” made its way to movie theaters around the world. Filmmaker Robert Rodriguez has rebooted the franchise to attract a new generation. VOA’s Veronica Villafañe spoke with the director and has more in this report. …
Jailed Iranian Activist Narges Mohammadi Wins Nobel Peace Prize for Fighting Women’s Oppression
Imprisoned Iranian activist Narges Mohammadi won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday in recognition of her tireless campaigning for women’s rights and democracy and against the death penalty. Mohammadi, 51, has kept up her activism despite numerous arrests by Iranian authorities and spending years behind bars. “This prize is first and foremost a recognition of…
Musical About Tiananmen Square Opens Amid Fears Over China’s Response
For years, Chinese officials have referred to the Tiananmen massacre as “political turmoil” and have attempted to make the violence of June 4, 1989, disappear. Estimates of the death toll range from several hundred people to more than 10,000, though there has never been an official tally released. Thousands more were injured by troops who…
NFL Hall of Fame Linebacker Butkus Dies at 80
A photo of Dick Butkus sneering behind his facemask filled the cover of Sports Illustrated’s 1970 NFL preview, topped by the headline, “The Most Feared Man in the Game.” Opponents who wound up on the business end of his bone-rattling hits could testify that wasn’t an exaggeration. Butkus, a middle linebacker for the Chicago Bears…
Students, Teachers Grapple With ChatGPT
Many of the students say they use ChatGPT to organize their notes and make outlines, not to cheat. But other students have used the AI chatbot to do just that. Confusingly, some students who don’t use ChatGPT are being flagged for plagiarism by AI-detection services, often because their work is of a suspiciously high standard.…
Renowned Zimbabwean Author Receives Africa Freedom Prize
Zimbabwean author Tsitsi Dangarembga received the Africa Freedom Prize in Johannesburg on Thursday, which is awarded to individuals who “have shown remarkable courage and dedication to advancing the cause of freedom, democracy and human rights on the African continent.” Tsitsi Dangarembga has long been one of Zimbabwe’s most highly regarded and beloved fiction writers —…
Here’s What a Good Recommendation Letter Looks Like
Colleges often require letters of recommendation, especially from a teacher who knows your academic work well. Ilana Kowarski and Cole Claybourn review what makes a good letter stand out in U.S. News & World Report. (August 2023) ] …
Could ‘Microcredentials’ Change Higher Education?
The University of Texas system, one of the largest in the U.S., is “betting big” on microcredentials, or academic certifications short of a degree. UT is partnering with Coursera to do so, as well as big tech firms like IBM and Google. The goal for the 30,000 students expected to participate is to help them…
Norwegian Author Fosse Wins Nobel Prize in Literature
Norwegian author Jon Fosse has been awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Literature. The Swedish Academy highlighted what it said were Fosse’s “innovative plays and prose, which give voice to the unsayable.” “His immense oeuvre written in Norwegian Nynorsk and spanning a variety of genres consists of a wealth of plays, novels, poetry collections, essays,…
Elite Pilots Prepare for Prestigious Gas Balloon Race
It’s been 15 years since the world’s elite gas balloon pilots have gathered in the United States for a race with roots that stretch back more than a century. The pilots will be launching for this year’s Gordon Bennett competition during an international balloon fiesta that draws hundreds of thousands of spectators to the heart…
Biden Touts $9B Student Loan Relief After Pandemic Repayment Pause Ends
President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced another $9 billion in student debt relief through improvements to existing programs, a move that will affect 125,000 Americans, and which he touted as leading to economic improvement. Wednesday’s announcement focuses on three programs: one for borrowers who have worked in public service for more than a decade;…
Florida’s State Universities Are Accepting a New Admissions Test
Florida’s 12 state universities will now accept the Classics Learning Test (CLT), a controversial standardized testing alternative to the SAT and ACT, this fall. They also will continue to accept the more-established SAT and ACT test results. The CLT focuses on the “classical” Western and Christian canon, according to Inside Higher Ed. The move comes…
2030 World Cup Set to Take Place Across Three Continents
The 2030 World Cup will play out across three continents, FIFA, soccer’s governing body, announced Wednesday. The World Cup is usually limited to one host nation, sometimes two. But 2030’s edition will be hosted by an unprecedented six countries: Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Originally, Spain and Portugal proposed to host the 2030…
Award-Winning Chef Empowers Women in Turkey’s Ancient City of Mardin
When members of a tourist group did not like the food in the only restaurant in Turkey’s ancient city of Mardin in 2000, their tour guide, Ebru Baybara Demir, invited them to her home for dinner. That decision created a whole new life and career for Demir. VOA’s Mahmut Bozarslan has this report from Mardin,…
As Birth Rates Crash, Countries Could Force Students to Stay Home
China is one of the world’s largest source countries for international students, but it just entered a “demographic deficit,” meaning that its population is likely to decline. In a shrinking future, Chinese leaders, and those in other countries, might not want to let young talent go to other countries, especially if the move is permanent.…
America’s Most Followed College Rankings Released
U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings have been criticized for inaccuracy and exclusivity. The magazine tried to fix this year’s undergraduate rankings by measuring social mobility and graduation rates for first-generation students. It also dropped several indicators, such as alumni giving, that critics say have more to do with prestige than with the quality…
Striking Actors Hope to Match Writers’ Success at Curtailing AI
Hollywood actors on strike want to limit the use of Artificial Intelligence in moviemaking, hoping for the same success as Hollywood writers, who ended their five-month strike last week after a deal with major studios. From Los Angeles, Genia Dulot has our story. Video edit: Bakhtiyar Zamanov …
Muslim Comic Creators Changing Islamic Stereotypes
Muslim comic creators are working to change Islamic stereotypes in American pop culture. Genia Dulot has our story, with videography by Roy Kim. …
What Does ‘Gen P’ Want as It Starts College?
“Gen P,” the cohort of students who went online for much of the pandemic, demands more in-person experiences and high-quality digital ones. Colleges across the country are adjusting their orientation programs as a result. Read more from Colleen Flaherty of Inside Higher Ed. (September 2023) …
World Culture Festival Brings Thousands Together at Washington’s National Mall
The fourth edition of the World Culture Festival brought together hundreds of thousands of people from all around the world to the National Mall in Washington Sept. 29 through Oct. 1. First held in Bangalore in 2006, the festival continued in 2011 in Berlin and 2016 in Delhi. That event was attended by more than…