From Italian to Chinese and Afghan to Ethiopian, there are many diverse ethnic restaurants in Washington. Yet, opening a new one with an unfamiliar cuisine can be risky. Seng Luangrath, a former refugee with a passion for cooking, dared to open the first Lao restaurant in the U.S. capital. As …

U.S. comedian Samantha Bee has apologized for comments directed at White House adviser Ivanka Trump that Bee now says were “inappropriate and inexcusable.” Bee hosts a late-night talk show on the U.S. network TBS where she often comments at length on U.S. politics. On Wednesday, Bee took to task a …

Tom Cruise is back on the flight line for a sequel to the 1986 film “Top Gun.” The actor on Thursday tweeted a photo of himself as Navy pilot Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in a flight suit, looking at a fighter jet. The photo includes the phrase “feel the need.” In …

U.S. President Donald Trump again asked the ABC TV network Thursday for an apology for reasons that were not entirely clear. The request came a day after the network canceled Roseanne Barr’s television show following racist remarks she posted about Valerie Jarrett, an African American who served as a White …

In an attempt to bridge the gap of understanding between different Indian communities, a house in the Indian capital of New Delhi is trying to foster the message of tolerance and peaceful coexistence in a unique manner. The house gives people from different religions and communities the chance to live …

This year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee drew the largest number of competitors in its history, 516. But the field is far smaller, as only 41 spellers advance to the finals Thursday.  The finalists were announced Wednesday after two days of onstage spelling during which nearly 200 spellers were eliminated for …

Film producer Harvey Weinstein was indicted Wednesday on first- and third-degree rape and criminal sex act charges, furthering the first criminal case to arise from a slate of sexual misconduct allegations against the former movie mogul. Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. said the indictment brought Weinstein “another step closer …

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian West is heading to the White House on Wednesday to make a star-powered case for prison reform and advocate on behalf of a great-grandmother serving a life sentence. Kardashian West has urged the president to pardon Alice Marie Johnson, 63, who is serving a life …

A judge in Philadelphia has denied Meek Mill’s request for the removal of another judge from the rapper’s case.   President Judge Leon Tucker told Mill in a Wednesday hearing that he doesn’t have jurisdiction over the matter. He says only the state Supreme Court can decide that.   The …

Harvey Weinstein declined Wednesday to testify before the New York grand jury that is weighing whether to indict him on rape and other sex charges, with his lawyers saying there wasn’t enough time to prepare and “political pressure” made an indictment unavoidable. A statement issued through a Weinstein spokesman said …

Cirque Du Soleil, one of the world’s largest theatrical producers, is back on tour with another surreal spectacle. It’s called Luzia, a dazzling, acrobatic presentation that takes its audience to an imaginary world where light combines with spirit and rain to celebrate the beauty and magic of Mexican culture. VOA …

Pablo Picasso’s painting of ‘Golden Muse’ Marie-Therese Walter, estimated to be worth up to $45 million, is on display in Hong Kong. The highly celebrated painting of his secret mistress of many years is the highlight of a collection of treasured works of art by Old Master painters that will …

The lawyer defending movie mogul Harvey Weinstein against rape charges said Tuesday he was concerned that publicity surrounding the case and “inappropriate pressure” on prosecutors could be unfair to his client. The lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, spoke to reporters after a closed-door proceeding before New York Supreme Court Justice James Burke …

The American Broadcasting Co. canceled Rosanne Barr’s new television show Tuesday after she posted racist remarks about Valerie Jarrett, an African-American who served as a White House adviser to President Barack Obama.  Barr, who is white, tweeted earlier in the day that Jarrett was a product of the Muslim Brotherhood …

The Vegas Golden Knights, the newest team in the National Hockey League, started their season last October as Las Vegas was recovering from the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. As Western Conference winners, the Knights are now competing for the Stanley Cup, the top award in professional hockey. …

A man in Poland turned medical equipment into a musical instrument. Wooden tongue depressors used by doctors to examine mouths and throats are popular for making artwork. But an amateur musician spent six months turning 1,300 pieces of wood into a working electric guitar. Arash Arabasadi reports. …

The newest team in the National Hockey League — the Golden Knights — is competing for the Stanley Cup, the top award in professional hockey. A best-of-seven series against the Washington Capitals opened Monday night in Las Vegas and the Knights took Game #1 by a score of 6-4. Las …

One of Russia’s leading art galleries announced on Monday it would try to stop the sale of alcohol on its premises after a man attacked a masterpiece with a metal pole after drinking vodka there. The incident at Moscow’s State Tretyakov Gallery on Friday caused serious damage to one of …

In 1973, William Friedkin made one of the most iconic horror movies of all time – The Exorcist. Forty-five years later, he brings us the story of real exorcisms. Azra Dolberry from VOA’s Bosian Service reports. …

Thousands of flags wave proudly this weekend at tombstones in Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, just outside Washington. For more than 60 years, the army’s ceremonial unit, known as the Old Guard, has been placing the flags at graves in the huge military cemetery in preparation for Memorial Day. The …

To many Americans the Star-Spangled Banner, also known as Old Glory, is almost a religious icon. That hasn’t always been the case. Back in the late 1700s, during the American Revolutionary War, regiments of George Washington’s Continental Army used various flags to declare their independence from Great Britain. VOA’s Nikoleta …

It is commencement season in America, when high school and university students gather for graduation ceremonies featuring advice from prominent Americans. This year, at a time of heightened political divisions in the country and accusations of “fake news,” many speakers are featuring political themes and talking about integrity. VOA’s Mariama …

Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former Russian oil tycoon-turned-Kremlin foe who spent a decade in prison and now lives in exile, says fellow Kremlin critics should not boycott the upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup, slated to kick off June 14 in Russia. Russian aggression abroad, along with domestic human rights violations, has …

“Star Wars” fans need wait no longer. Another “Star Wars” installment, this one a spinoff about Han Solo’s formative years as a pilot and a fighter, opens on IMAX movie screens the world over. “Solo: A Star Wars Story” also traces the beginnings of the friendship between Han Solo and …

We’re connecting with the five most popular songs in the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles chart, for the week ending May 26, 2018. Surprise! We get a Hot Shot Debut in the No. 1 position. Three consecutive champion songs have opened at the top — something that hasn’t happened in …