The ongoing controversy over the money left behind by Prince when he died without a will is heating up again after Internal Revenue Service calculations showed that executors of the rock star’s estate undervalued it by 50%, or about $80 million.The IRS determined that Prince’s estate is worth $163.2 million, …
your ad herePope Reappears After Pain Flare-up, Calls for Peace in New Year Message
Pope Francis reappeared Friday after chronic sciatic pain forced him to miss the Church’s New Year services and made no mention of his ailment as he delivered his traditional appeal for world peace. The pope was unable to attend services Thursday and again Friday morning because of the sciatica …
your ad herePandemic-weary World Welcomes 2021
The world’s 7.8 billion people are bidding a hearty farewell to 2020, but without the usual fanfare and public gatherings because of the novel coronavirus pandemic.In India, celebrations to ring in 2021 were toned down because of curfews, a ban on beach parties and other travel restrictions. In major cities, …
your ad here2020 Finally Ending, but New Year’s Revelries Muted by Virus
This New Year’s Eve is being celebrated like no other, with pandemic restrictions limiting crowds and many people bidding farewell to a year they’d prefer to forget. Australia was among the first nations to ring in 2021 because of its proximity to the International Date Line. In past years 1 million …
your ad hereDeaf Painter Uses Art to Warn Others About COVID
Born deaf into a silent world, Nancy Rourke turned long ago to painting to convey her innermost feelings. So, when the 63-year-old artist contracted COVID-19, she responded with a series of striking images intended to alert others to the dangers of the disease. Rourke tested positive on November 13. Her case …
your ad hereActor Dawn Wells, Castaway Mary Ann on TV’s ‘Gilligan’s Island,’ Dies From COVID-19
Dawn Wells, who parlayed her girl-next-door charm and wholesome beauty into enduring TV fame as the sweet-natured desert island castaway Mary Ann on the classic 1960s sitcom Gilligan’s Island, died Wednesday at age 82, her publicist said. Wells, who won the title of Miss Nevada in 1959 and competed in …
your ad hereBosnian-Owned Businesses Stay Afloat Amid Pandemic
During the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina from1992 to 1995, tens of thousands of refugees came to the United States. In this story narrated by Anna Rice, Dino Jahic reports they brought some unique culinary traditions to the U.S. …
your ad hereSouth Sudan Concert Draws Tens of Thousands in Defiance of COVID-19 Protocols
Health experts in South Sudan are criticizing organizers of a weekend concert in Juba where tens of thousands of people gathered in clear violation of the health ministry’s COVID-19 protocols.Tanzanian music star Diamond Platnumz attracted all kinds of fans to the outdoor event at the Doctor John Garang Mausoleum, including …
your ad hereFrench Fashion Designer Pierre Cardin Dies at 98
French couturier Pierre Cardin, who made his name by selling designer clothes to the masses, and his fortune by being the first to exploit that name as a brand for selling everything from cars to perfume, died on Tuesday aged 98. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Cardin drew …
your ad hereTSA: Nearly 1.3 Million Travel by Air Over Christmas, Pandemic Record
Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Americans increasingly seem to be tuning out warnings against travel during what is traditionally one of the busiest periods of the year.On Sunday, the Transportation Security Administration said it screened close to 1.3 million air travelers at U.S. airports Sunday. It was the highest number in …
your ad hereCOVID Lockdowns Change US Fashion Industry
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the way people work, dress and relax. Fashion was one of the first to adapt to the new house-bound reality, making sweatpants the new American go-to attire. Nina Vishneva has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.Camera: Vladimir Badikov, Max Avloshenko, Natalia Latukhina, Alexander Barash …
your ad hereNative American Tribes Try to Protect Elders, Their Knowledge from Loss to Coronavirus
As Monica Harvey watched, crowds flocked to a Sam’s Club in northern Arizona where she works, picking shelves clean of toilet paper and canned goods. Native American seniors couldn’t move fast enough, and Harvey saw their faces fall when they reached empty shelves.The Navajo woman wanted to help tribal elders …
your ad hereBarry Lopez, Author Who Tied People to Place, Dies at 75
Barry Lopez, an award-winning writer who tried to tighten the bonds between people and place by describing the landscapes he saw in 50 years of travel, has died. He was 75.Lopez died in Eugene, Oregon, on Friday after a years-long struggle with prostate cancer, his family said.Longtime friend Kim Stafford, …
your ad hereThank COVID-19 for Bringing New Hollywood Blockbusters to Your TV
COVID-19 was the main protagonist of the film industry during 2020. This nefarious character dominated the saga of Hollywood’s struggles at the box office with moviegoers staying home and theater chains going bust. On the plus side, films focused on stories about minorities and gender equality, reflecting the diversity of …
your ad hereDuty-Free King Quietly Gives Away $8 Billion
Among the celebrity philanthropists who donate extreme amounts of money to education and lifting others, Chuck Feeney’s name is not as well-known as Bloomberg, Gates or Buffett.Those billionaires — Michael Bloomberg, Bill Gates and Warren Buffett — are highly recognizable names of great wealth, and their efforts are well-known.But Feeney, …
your ad hereBritish Model, Fashion Muse Stella Tennant Dies at 50
Stella Tennant, the aristocratic British model who was a muse to designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Gianni Versace, died suddenly at the age of 50, her family said Wednesday. Tennant, the granddaughter of a duke, rose to fame in the 1990s while walking the runway for Versace, Alexander McQueen and …
your ad hereMaradona Autopsy Shows No Drink or Illegal Drugs
Argentine soccer star Diego Maradona did not consume alcohol or illicit narcotics in the days before his death, an autopsy released on Wednesday said.Maradona, who died in November at age 60, had taken seven different medicines to treat depression, anxiety and other ailments but “there was no presence of [illegal] …
your ad hereThai Ensemble Turns Econ Student into Classical Music Enthusiast
To many people classical music evokes images of European musical masters like Mozart slaving over their symphonies. But the world of classical music is much wider, as Warangkana Chomchuen reports. …
your ad hereCrisis in South Africa’s Chess Program Cuts to Core of Issues in Rainbow Nation
A crisis in South Africa’s competitive chess world has demanded the attention of the nation’s parliament and Olympic committee, with Parliament saying the pair of dueling chess factions in the nation’s chess federation are holding back eager players from playing in major events — and in doing so, holding back …
your ad here‘The Antidote’ a Remedy Against American Divisiveness
The Antidote, a documentary by filmmakers Kahane Cooperman and John Hoffman, offers stories about acts of kindness in communities across America. The filmmakers tell VOA’s Penelope Poulou that their film reflects Americans’ collective humanity and empathy. Camera: Penelope Poulou Produced by: Penelope Poulou …
your ad hereGraffiti Explodes Across Pandemic-era New York
Graffiti, part of New York’s history for more than 50 years, is flourishing during the coronavirus pandemic, a sign of decadence for some, but vitality for others.As dusk becomes nightfall, graffiti artist Saynosleep takes a quick look around and then gets to work on a luxury store closed since it …
your ad hereIsrael Celebrates Hanukkah with Elaborate Doughnuts
In what is usually a festive Hanukkah holiday season, Israelis are facing a tough reality. The country may be heading toward a third COVID-19 lockdown and a fourth national election within the past two years. But even in these troubled times, Israelis enjoy their Hanukkah tradition of elaborate and fancy …
your ad hereCleveland’s Baseball Team to Change Name
Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians will be changing the team’s name after years of criticism and objections from Native American groups. The team has not officially announced the move, but multiple news organizations cited people familiar with the matter saying that could happen as early as this week. Cleveland had already taken …
your ad hereFamous Waldorf Astoria Clock in NYC Gets a New Look
A beloved meeting spot for generations of New Yorkers, the Waldorf Astoria clock has recently undergone a meticulous restoration and is on view at the New York Historical Society. Vladimir Lenski has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.Camera: Max Avloshenko …
your ad hereMaster Spy Writer John Le Carre Dies at 89, His Agent Says
John le Carre, the spy-turned-novelist whose elegant and intricate narratives defined the Cold War espionage thriller and brought acclaim to a genre critics had once ignored, has died. He was 89.Le Carre died Saturday in Cornwall, southwest England, Saturday after a short illness, his literary agency, Curtis Brown, said Sunday. …
your ad here