New York Fashion Week is generally known as a showcase for fashion designers, and the celebrities that wear their clothes. But several shows held on the sidelines are trying to call attention not only to fashion but to serious and difficult issues like sexual assault. VOA’s Rendy Wicaksana reports from New York …
Health Check: Vaccinations International Students Need for the US
Telangana Today, an Indian news outlet, has a rundown on the immunizations international students must receive to study in the U.S. “Vaccination is mandatory for students of all levels, including undergraduates, graduates, and doctoral candidates, regardless of their residential status,” the story notes. Get the full list here. (August 2023) …
‘American Fiction’ Wins People’s Choice Award at Toronto Film Festival
Cord Jefferson’s “American Fiction,” a biting satire starring Jeffrey Wright as a disillusioned academic, has won the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, a much-watched bellwether in the Oscar race. “American Fiction” is the directorial debut of Jefferson, the veteran TV writer of “Watchmen” and “Succession,” and an adaptation of Percival Everett’s…
UN Committee Votes to List Ruins of Ancient Jericho as World Heritage Site
A U.N. conference voted Sunday to list ruins of the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World Heritage Site, a decision likely to anger Israel, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state. Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, and is in a part of…
‘Nun 2’ Narrowly Edges ‘A Haunting in Venice’ Over Quiet Weekend in Movie Theaters
“The Nun 2” and “A Haunting in Venice” virtually tied for the No. 1 spot in U.S. and Canadian theaters over the weekend, with a slight edge carrying the horror sequel over the Hercule Poirot mystery, according to studio estimates Sunday. In its second weekend of release, Warner Bros.’ “The Nun 2,” a spinoff from…
UN Committee Votes to List Ruins of Ancient Jericho as World Heritage Site in Palestine
A U.N. conference voted Sunday to list ruins of the ancient West Bank city of Jericho as a World Heritage Site in Palestine, a decision likely to anger Israel, which controls the territory and does not recognize a Palestinian state. Jericho is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities on earth, and is in a…
Beer Flows, Crowds Descend on Munich for Oktoberfest
The beer is flowing and millions of people are descending on the Bavarian capital to celebrate the official opening of Oktoberfest. With the traditional cry of “O’zapft is” — “It’s tapped” — Mayor Dieter Reiter inserted the tap in the first keg at noon on Saturday, officially opening the 18 days of festivities. Revelers decked…
Rolling Stone Co-Founder Removed from Rock Hall Leadership After Controversial Comments
Jann Wenner, who co-founded Rolling Stone magazine and also was a co-founder of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, has been removed from the hall’s board of directors after making comments that were seen as disparaging toward Black and female musicians. “Jann Wenner has been removed from the Board of Directors of the Rock…
UNESCO Puts 2 Ukraine Locations on its List of Historic Sites in Danger
The U.N.’s World Heritage Committee on Friday placed two major historical sites in Ukraine on its list of such sites that it considers to be in danger. The iconic St. Sophia Cathedral in the capital, Kyiv, and the medieval center of the western city of Lviv, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites central to Ukraine’s culture…
After 4 Years. Pro Tennis Resumes in China as WTA Ends Boycott
A four-year absence of elite women’s tennis in China is set to end with the Women’s Tennis Association holding seven tournaments in the next six weeks as part of the tour’s Asian swing. After tournaments in China were canceled due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in 2020, the WTA suspended events in the country in December…
How International Students Can Feel More at Home in US
Indian news outlet Telangana Today has some tips on how international students can acclimate to life in the United States. They include: Attending welcome-week events organized by the university. Taking advantage of support services offered by the school’s international student office. Joining clubs and organizations. Read the full article here. (August 2023) …
Hong Kong Tries to Woo Back Mainland Chinese Tourists
Chinese tourists used to flock to Hong Kong before the pandemic, bringing empty suitcases to fill with everything from baby milk powder, to cosmetics and nonprescription drugs. Large tour groups would descend on the city, sparking complaints from some locals. When Hong Kong reopened its borders earlier this year, many people were expecting an influx…
Tool Compares States’ Education Programs
U.S. states differ in education levels, college faculty pay, student enrollments, and more. This tool from the Chronicle of Higher Education lets you quickly compare them. (August 2023) …
Road to Grad School for 1 Afghan Student Has Been Far From Simple
Amena Sadat, a political science Ph.D. student at the University of California, Riverside, fled Afghanistan with only the clothes on her back after the Taliban took over. Her educational journey has been harrowing. Many of her family members did not want her to study, and one, a local politician, even canceled a scholarship rather than…
Affirmative Action Ban Affects Elite Hiring, Not Just Elite Admissions
While the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling eliminating affirmative action in college admissions only applies to higher education, many elite industries, such as consulting and investment banking, that hire students right out of college may struggle to meet their own diversity goals, according to an article in Forbes. While firms have promised to broaden their search,…
Is Giant Panda Program in US a Victim of US-China Tensions?
The giant pandas that have been living at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington for 23 years will return to China by the end of this year. VOA’s Veronica Balderas Iglesias takes a look at the diplomatic moves that brought them to the United States and how politics and new conservation strategies could impact the…
Met Opera, Lincoln Center Theater Commission Work About Detained Ukrainian Children
A Ukrainian composer has been commissioned to write an opera about mothers from that country going into Russia to rescue their forcibly detained children. The Metropolitan Opera and Lincoln Center Theater said Monday that 42-year-old Maxim Kolomiiets will compose the work to a libretto by George Brant, whose “Grounded,” with composer Jeanine Tesori, premieres at…
North Carolina School Will Offer Early Admissions for First-Generation Students
Many selective universities in the U.S. offer “early action,” which can boost a student’s chances of getting in if they apply early. These programs have been criticized, since underprivileged students are often unfamiliar with the deadlines and unable to get their applications in on time. Now, Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, plans to…
NYC’s Famous Courtroom Sketch Artist Talks About Her Unique Job
Jane Rosenberg started her courtroom sketch artist career drawing prostitutes in New York’s night court in 1980. Four decades later, she is still making court sketches, but these days some of her portraits are of much more well-known people. Nina Vishneva met with the artist to talk about her work. Anna Rice narrates the story. Camera: Natalia Latukhina, Vladimir Badikov …
Zambian Film Focuses on Hardships Faced by Boy With Albinism
A 2022 film highlighting the plight of a person with albinism in Zambia is streaming on Netflix. “Can You See Us” is based on the true story of a boy who becomes a successful musician despite obstacles caused by his genetic condition. Kathy Short reports from Lusaka. VOA footage by Richard Kille. …
‘The Nun II’ Conjures $32.6 Million to Top Box Office
Like many horrors before it, bad reviews didn’t scare off moviegoers from buying tickets for ” The Nun II.” The sequel to the 2018 hit, released in 3,728 theaters by Warner Bros., topped the box office in its first weekend in North American theaters earning an estimated $32.6 million, the studio said Sunday. AP’s Mark…
Israeli Delegation Attends UN Heritage Conference in Saudi Arabia
An Israeli delegation arrived in Saudi Arabia on Sunday to attend a U.N. conference on world heritage sites, in the first public visit by government officials to the kingdom, an Israeli official said. The delegation is led by the head of Israel’s Antiquities Authority and includes diplomats, the official said. It is not a bilateral…
Yorgos Lanthimos’s ‘Poor Things’ Wins Top Prize at Venice
The Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival was awarded Saturday to a hilarious and shockingly explicit reworking of Frankenstein, Poor Things, starring Emma Stone as a sex-mad reanimated corpse. An ongoing Hollywood strike may have robbed Venice of its usual bevy of stars, but its strong selection showed the world’s oldest film festival could…
How to Make Money While Studying in Another Country
Life as an international student brings its own set of financial challenges, and unless you are independently wealthy, you’ll need a plan to stay afloat while studying abroad. While different countries have different restrictions, Investor Times has some suggestions to help you make money while going to school. (August 2023) …
For US Government, Art in Federal Buildings Is a Must
Budget for new public buildings includes allotment for original artworks …
In US, Funding for Original Art Part of Most New Federal Buildings’ Budgets
Since its founding, the United States has incorporated art into its federal buildings. These days, one-half of one percent of a new building’s budget usually goes to funding original art designed specifically for that structure. As VOA’s Dora Mekouar reports, it’s a tradition that helps preserve American culture for future generations. Camera: Adam Greenbaum …
Tokyo’s Threatened Jingu Gaien Park Placed On ‘Heritage Alert’ List
Tokyo’s Jingu Gaien park area has been placed on a “Heritage Alert” list by a conservancy body that assesses international monuments and historic sites. The conservancy says the planned redevelopment will lead to “irreversible destruction of cultural heritage” with thousands of trees being felled. The plan approved earlier by Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike would let…
Could ‘Google Effect’ Make You Less Smart?
A 2011 study claimed that information learned from Googling is less valuable because we don’t remember it. There was academic controversy over the findings, but new follow-up research suggests the “Google Effect” is real. The easier it is to find information, the less likely you are to retain it. Jill Barshay summarizes the research for…