The first thing musician Fadhel al-Badri did when Mosul was liberated from Islamic State last year was breathe a sigh of relief. The militants who seized the city in 2014 had targeted artists like himself so when neighbours said they were hunting for him, he left home, called his wife …

Each October, fans of comics, anime, graphic novels and manga…Japanese comics…descend on New York for Comic Con. A highlight of the international pop culture festival is cosplay. Cosplayers dress as characters from their favorite comics, and this year, as reporter Asli Pelit discovered, there were more women in costume. Faith …

The film Vaya from Nigerian-born director Akin Omotoso, tells the story of three people who journey from their rural homes in South Africa to Johannesburg. As Mike O’Sullivan reports, it’s a story of migration that deals with universal themes. …

Folk dance groups from 11 Balkan countries gathered in the Aegean coastal city of Izmir, Turkey for the 13th annual Balkan Folk Dance Festival. The dance groups performed in different districts of Izmir. Aside from Turkey, dance groups from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia …

When a high school in the northern Egyptian city of Ismailia hosted a pro wrestling event, the crowd spilled over onto the roofs of neighboring buildings. Pro wrestling, a popular entertainment form in the U.S., mixes theatrical performance with athletics and is gaining traction in Egypt where thousands came to …

Members of the rock band Kiss said they are kicking off a farewell concert tour in January because they wanted to say goodbye while they could still deliver the over-the-top performances that have thrilled audiences over a 45-year career. Known for their makeup, big hair and outrageous costumes, Kiss was …

In the final season of Netflix’s “House of Cards,” Frank Underwood is physically gone, having died unexpectedly in his sleep. But the ghost of the win-at-all-costs politician played by Kevin Spacey haunts his wife and her young presidency. Writers of the acclaimed drama had to rework the story after Spacey …

Most Americans would fail a U.S. citizenship test if they had to take it. Just one in three Americans can pass a multiple choice exam featuring questions taken from the U.S. Citizenship Test, according to a recent survey. And the bar isn’t particularly high. Test takers must get a score …

At this time of the year, people in many parts of the world observe holidays honoring the dead. In some countries the focus is on celebrating ancestors, in others the end of the harvest and beginning of the darker portion of the year. VOA’s Zlatica Hoke reports most of these …

Playwright, poet and author Ntozake Shange, whose most acclaimed theater piece is the 1975 Tony Award-nominated play “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf,” died Saturday, according to her daughter. She was 70. Shange’s “For Colored Girls” describes the racism, sexism, violence and rape experienced by …

Traditionally, the U.S. turns to all things pumpkin as Halloween approaches at the end of October. Coffeeshops sell pumpkin spiced lattes, grocery stores offer pumpkin-scented paper towels, and markets, porches, even the White House are all decorated with carved pumpkins. One California city decided to celebrate the spookiest night of …

A stallion in southwest Mississippi is bringing the first new blood in a century for a line of horses brought to America 500 years ago by Spanish conquistadors. The stallion was bred by Choctaw Indians, who were later forced out of their ancestral homelands. Faith Lapidus has the story. …

Pearls, diamonds and history one of the most beautiful and historic jewelry collections will go to auction in November when Marie Antoinette’s jewels will be sold at Sotheby’s in Geneva. But for now, the breathtaking royal jewels are on display in New York. VOA’s Evgeny Maslov looked at a collection …

A little more than 20 years after he was murdered in Laramie, Wyoming, the remains of Matthew Shepard were laid to rest Friday at Washington’s National Cathedral. Shepard was openly gay, and the aftermath of his brutal killing helped drive change in the United States to include sexual orientation when …

Megyn Kelly, the former Fox News Channel personality who made a rocky transition to softer news at NBC, was fired from her morning show Friday after triggering a furor by suggesting it was OK for white people to wear blackface at Halloween. “‘Megyn Kelly Today’ is not returning,” NBC News …

Americans are expected to spend about $9 billion on Halloween this year as they buy costumes, decorations, greeting cards and candy for the annual Oct. 31 event. The National Retail Federation estimates that more than 175 million Americans are planning to participate in Halloween activities this year, spending about $3.2 …

Since the 20th century, submarine movies have reflected the times. World War II gave rise to nerve-wracking thrillers such as the German “Das Boot.” Tom Clancy’s “The Hunt for Red October” and “Crimson Tide” in the 1990s introduced the perilous nuclear submarines of the Cold War. Now, “Hunter-Killer,” is the …

North Korea has extended the run of its iconic mass games, which it revived last month to mark the country’s 70th birthday. Despite a travel ban blocking tourists from the U.S. and pricey tickets for tourists from other countries, the games, which involve tens of thousands of gymnasts, dancers and …

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has described how she worked with designer Clare Waight Keller of Givenchy to create a “timeless” wedding gown for her wedding to Prince Harry earlier this year. Harry and the former Meghan Markle recorded their memories of the wedding for an audio commentary that is …

Police have arrested Ice-T after he failed to pay a toll at the George Washington Bridge. Authorities say the actor and rapper was ticketed for theft of services Wednesday when he drove through an E-ZPass lane leading to the span connecting New Jersey and New York. The 60-year-old, whose real …

An award-winning film about a Nigerian woman trapped in the sex trade in Austria aims to shine a light on the cycle of abuse and poverty fueling sexual slavery, the director said on Tuesday. Sudabeh Mortezai said she hoped that “Joy”, which won the best film award at the BFI …

A young man in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has set out to do something about the global refugee crisis even if it has only a modest impact. He started a fashion company while in college selling accessories with a special connection to refugees. In this report narrated by Molly McKitterick, VOA’s June …

A Broadway musical about a woman who may be the last surviving member of Russian royalty is starting its tour around the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Ironically, the country it won’t visit is Russia. Elena Wolf explains why in this story narrated by Anna Rice. …

Taylor Swift has donated $15,500 to a GoFundMe account of a fan whose family is struggling with medical bills.   Sadie Bartell’s mother has been in a coma for three years, and the family is worried about losing their Orem, Utah, home because of mounting medical bills. The 19-year-old tweeted …

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts played the percentages Tuesday night with his team down by one run to the Boston Red Sox in the seventh inning of the opening game of this year’s Major League Baseball World Series. He saw two runners on base, a right-handed pitcher on the …