One player took off from the airport, while another jumped out of the window of his hotel room. In all, of the 24 members of Cuba’s national baseball team who arrived in Mexico for the under-23 World Cup, only about half came home. This year, a record number of players have defected from the communist-run…
France’s Macron Vows Return of African Art, Admitting ‘Colonial Pillage’
French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that his country will return 26 African artworks — royal thrones, ceremonial altars, revered statues — to Benin later this month, part of France’s long-promised plans to give back artwork taken from Africa during the colonial era. Discussions have been under way for years on returning the artworks from…
Hong Kong’s Boy Band Mirror Reflects Expats’ Yearning for Home
Jenny Chan strode through central London on a late summer Saturday afternoon, heading for the South Bank Lion statue opposite Big Ben. There, by the River Thames, the 57-year-old mother and her two children joined a group of fellow Hong Kong expats who had gathered to sign a banner for Anson Lo, a 26-year-old singer with…
Americans Agree Misinformation Is a Problem, Poll Shows
Nearly all Americans agree that the rampant spread of misinformation is a problem. Most also think social media companies, and the people that use them, bear a good deal of blame for the situation. But few are very concerned that they themselves might be responsible, according to a new poll from The Pearson Institute and…
Nobel Peace Prize Awarded to Two Journalists Fighting for Freedom of Expression
The Norwegian Nobel Committee Friday awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to journalists Maria Ressa of the Philippines and Dmitry Muratov of Russia “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” At a ceremony in Oslo, Norwegian Nobel Committee Chair Berit Reiss-Andersen announced the winners, saying, “Ms.…
Winner in Popular Game Show Reads This Encyclopedia Every Night
Not many computer science students command a lot of attention, especially from the American public. But Matt Amodio, a student at Yale University, is on a streak. He has persevered (at last count) 36 consecutive times on the wildly popular and geeky game show “Jeopardy!” where the goal is to know more than your fellow contestants…
Nobel Prize in Literature Awarded to Tanzanian Novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah
This year’s Nobel Prize in Literature has been awarded to Tanzanian novelist Abdulrazak Gurnah for his body of work detailing the refugee experience and how colonialism shaped African culture. At a news conference at the Swedish Academy’s headquarters in Stockholm, Permanent Secretary Mats Helm said Gurnah received the award for “for his uncompromising and compassionate…
Fulbright Applicants in Afghanistan Seek Help
Afghan semifinalists for next year’s Fulbright scholars’ program are asking the U.S. government about the status of their candidacies, following the closure of the U.S. Embassy in Kabul as American troops withdrew from Afghanistan in August. “After the fall of Kabul on August 15, we did not hear back from the U.S. State Department on…
Troubled Student Loan Forgiveness Program Gets an Overhaul
The Biden administration is moving to relax the rules for a student loan forgiveness program that has been criticized for its notoriously complex requirements — a change that could offer debt relief to thousands of teachers, social workers, military members and other public servants. The Education Department said Wednesday it will temporarily drop some of…
In America: Remembering Lives Lost to COVID
COVID-19 has killed more Americans than the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919. One artist is determined that the more than 700,000 lives lost will not be forgotten. VOA’s Amy Hybels has the story. Camera: Amy Hybels …
US Justice Department Renews Inquiry Into FBI’s Failures in Larry Nassar Probe
The U.S. Justice Department has launched a fresh inquiry into the FBI’s botched handling of its sex abuse investigation into disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, after previously declining to prosecute the agents involved, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said on Tuesday. “The recently confirmed assistant attorney general for the Criminal Division is currently…
Russian Soyuz Spacecraft with Actor, Director Arrives at ISS
The crew of a Russian Soyuz spacecraft was welcomed aboard the International Space Station Tuesday, though a communications glitch during their final approach delayed their eventual boarding. The Soyuz spacecraft was launched Tuesday from the Russian spaceport in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. The ship was carrying a history-making crew, as it included film director Klim Shipenko and…
French Catholic Clergy Sexually Abused Over 200,000 Children Since 1950, Probe Finds
French Catholic clergy sexually abused more than 200,000 children over the past 70 years, according to an investigation by an independent commission. The panel’s report, released Tuesday, said the Catholic Church covered up a “massive phenomenon” with decades of a “veil of silence.” “Until the early 2000s, the Catholic Church showed a profound and even…
At 24, Palestinian Photographer Is Youngest Winner of Journalism Award
A woman walks alone past bombed-out windowless buildings in Gaza, black high heels on gray rubble. This image of life during conflict was one of several captured by a young Palestinian photojournalist in May. The striking set of images has earned Fatima Shbair the 2021 Anja Niedringhaus Courage in Photojournalism Award, bestowed by the International…
Student Lawyer Fights to Diminish Might of Misdemeanors
Like many others, Azra Ozdemir’s parents sent her off on the first day of school with the usual sage advice about doing well so she could get into a good college. That was her first day of kindergarten. “I knew three words in English: Yes. No,” and the letter P to indicate the…
‘Captain Kirk’ Heading to Space
Actor William Shatner, best known for his portrayal of space explorer Captain James T. Kirk in the “Star Trek” television series, announced he will travel to space later this month. Shatner, 90, will blast off October 12 aboard a Blue Origin rocket. Blue Origin is the space travel company of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. If…
Shang-Chi Asian Marvel Film Delayed Indefinitely in China
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, the latest Marvel film, is unique in that it features a largely Asian cast. The film has received a warm welcome by audiences in Asian countries. The film’s release, however, has been indefinitely postponed in China. VOA’s Penelope Poulou has more …
Report: Women’s Soccer League Officials Ousted After Accusations Against Ex-Coach
The National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) board of directors has fired commissioner Lisa Baird and general counsel Lisa Levine in the wake of a report detailing allegations of misconduct against former North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley, The Athletic reported Friday. NWSL did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Athletic on…
Reviving the Arts Amid a Pandemic
When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold early last year, artists such as Patricia Boyer of Charlotte, North Carolina, were panic-stricken. Who would see — not to mention purchase — her creations when much of America was on lockdown? “It was really bad, because here you are with all this art, and you’re like ‘what…
Young Investors Eager to Learn Stock Market
Investors younger than 34 surveyed by a financial services company said student debt, health care costs and financial jargon are barriers between them and investing. Of the 898 surveyed, 61% of the young investors said education costs, or paying down student loans, are the biggest barriers to retirement, tied with health care costs (61%), according…
Harvard Gets $45 Million for Asian American Studies Program
Harvard University, often ranked first among the best colleges and universities in the United States, has received more than $45 million to expand its Asian American studies program. The donations come from 14 Asian American alumni leaders who graduated from the university between 1990 and 2003. The money will support new professorships, graduate fellowships and…
US Student Loan Servicer Asks to Bow Out
A second company that services student loan debt has asked the United States federal government to be relieved of its contracts. Navient, based in Wilmington, Delaware, announced Tuesday it had signed an agreement to transfer the loan servicing to Maximus. The deal is subject to the approval of the U.S. Department of Education’s office of…
Rags to Riches: Boxing Great Pacquiao Announces Retirement
Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is officially hanging up his gloves. The eight-division world champion and Philippine senator on Wednesday announced his retirement from the ring. “I would like to thank the whole world, especially the Filipino people, for supporting Manny Pacquiao. Goodbye boxing,” the 42-year-old said in a video posted on his Facebook page. “It…
Amid Boycotts and Pandemic, Athletes Train for Uncertain 2022 Winter Olympics
Two-time Paralympic athlete Tyler Carter may be a seasoned contender on the world stage, but the alpine skier says he is not sure what to expect as the clock ticks toward the Winter Olympic Games in Beijing next February. Carter wants to be prepared to race in Beijing but says he hasn’t had a chance…
R&B Superstar R. Kelly Convicted in Sex-Trafficking Trial
R. Kelly, the R&B superstar known for his anthem “I Believe I Can Fly,” was convicted Monday in a sex-trafficking trial after decades of avoiding criminal responsibility for numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children. A jury of seven men and five women found Kelly guilty of racketeering on their second day of…
‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’ Sashays Home with 10 Tony Awards
“Moulin Rouge! The Musical,” a jukebox adaptation of Baz Luhrmann’s hyperactive 2001 movie, won the best new musical crown at the Tony Awards on a Sunday night when Broadway looked back to honor shows shuttered by COVID-19, mourn its fallen and also look forward to welcoming audiences again. The show about the goings-on in a…
New USA Golf Era Message Sent in Ryder Cup Romp
A new era of American golfers sent a message Sunday with a record-setting Ryder Cup blowout of Europe, their young, talented core players looking ready to dominate for years. With eight under-30 players and six Ryder Cup rookies, the Americans completed a 19-9 rout of Europe at Whistling Straits that signaled a generational change to…
After Abductions, Nigerian Students Seek Overseas Education
Emmanuel Benson was planning to get his diploma in horticulture and landscaping from Nigeria’s Federal College of Forestry Mechanization next year. Now, he’s not willing to risk the return to school, after he was kidnapped by bandits with dozens of others earlier this year. “Our lives are at risk — Nigerian students, especially in…