Members of Afghanistan’s women’s youth development soccer team arrived in Britain early Thursday after being flown from Pakistan with the help of a New York rabbi, a U.K. soccer club and Kim Kardashian West. A plane chartered by the reality star and carrying more than 30 teenage players and their …
your ad hereHead of Women’s Tennis Association Concerned About ‘Safety and Whereabouts’ of Chinese Tennis Star
The head of the Women’s Tennis Association on Wednesday voiced concern over an email it received in which Chinese professional tennis player Peng Shuai was said to deny her previous allegations of sexual assault. Peng, one of China’s biggest sport stars, said on social media earlier this month that former …
your ad hereIs China’s Door Closing on Hollywood?
China has been making patriotic movies for its domestic audiences while tightening control of its film industry, developments that have left Hollywood wondering whether its movies will still be welcome in China’s lucrative market. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details. …
your ad hereGreek Birthplace of Olympic Games to be Digitally Preserved
Greece and U.S. tech giant Microsoft have teamed up to digitally revive one of the ancient world’s most sacrosanct sites: the birthplace of the Olympic Games. The ambitious project uses technology to immerse viewers in the world of ancient Olympia. The collaboration between Microsoft and the Greek Culture Ministry will allow millions of visitors to immerse themselves in an experience that organizers say brings history to life. At a recent news conference in …
your ad hereAuthor Wilbur Smith, Chronicler of African Adventures, Dies at 88
Zambia-born novelist Wilbur Smith chronicled dramatic adventures on the African continent, creating internationally acclaimed fiction that drew on his own action-packed life. Smith died in South Africa at age 88, his publisher announced Saturday. He gained recognition in 1964 with his debut novel “When the Lion Feeds,” the tale of …
your ad hereExplainer: Conservatorships and How Britney Spears Was Freed
A judge has freed Britney Spears from the conservatorship that controlled her life and money for nearly 14 years. Here’s a look at how conservatorships operate, what’s unusual about hers, and how calls from her and her fans to #FreeBritney eventually worked. How do conservatorships work? When a person is …
your ad hereFirst African American Bond Girl Reflects on What Her Role Meant at the Time
Actress and model Gloria Hendry became the first African American to play a so-called James Bond girl, debuting in the 1973 movie Live and Let Die. In an interview with VOA, Hendry reflected on what the role meant for her and other Black actresses at the time. More from Genia Dulot in …
your ad here“Rust” Shooting Raises Questions About Security on Movie Sets
A fatal shooting during the production of a movie called “Rust” is raising questions about safety on movie sets. Authorities are still investigating the October 21st shooting south of Santa Fe, New Mexico. VOA’s Penelope Poulou spoke with Tim Forrest, director of the film program at Central New Mexico Community …
your ad hereMarie Antoinette’s Diamond Bracelets Fetch $8.3 Million at Auction
A pair of diamond bracelets that once belonged to Marie Antoinette, the famed wife of French King Louis XVI who met her fate at the revolutionary guillotine, sold for 7.46 million Swiss francs ($8.34 million) on Tuesday. The opulent bracelets, among the rare pieces of jewelry from the ill-fated French …
your ad herePatriotic Korean War Epic Topped China’s October Box Office
The dramatic retelling of a decisive Korean War battle between Chinese soldiers and U.S.-led United Nations forces smashed box office records last month to become China’s third-highest grossing film of all-time, according to state media, amid a new push for patriotic-only historical accounts by the Communist Party. Released over China’s National Day holidays in …
your ad hereAlec Baldwin Shooting Accident Prompts Review of Gun Use on Film Sets
The recent fatal accident on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie, Rust, prompts calls for a ban on the use of real guns in TV shows and films. Genia Dulot in Los Angeles spoke with master armorer Mike Tristano about safety on movie sets. Camera:Genia Dulot and Dana Preobrazhenskaya …
your ad hereNew York City Comeback: Marathon Welcomes Runners and Fans
33,000 runners returned to the streets of New York City for the 50th New York City Marathon. The race was canceled last year due to the pandemic and with its return, the city is on an upswing. Tina Trinh reports. Camera: Esha Sarai Esha Sarai contributed to this report. …
your ad hereShocked Brazil Bids Goodbye to Country Star Mendonca
Thousands of people flooded the hometown of late Brazilian country music star Marilia Mendonca Saturday to pay an emotional tribute to the beloved singer, a day after she was killed in a plane crash at age 26. Mendonca, a Latin Grammy-winning superstar of Brazilian “sertanejo” music, died with four other …
your ad hereBrazilian Singer, Latin Grammy Winner Dies in Plane Crash
Marília Mendonça, one of Brazil’s most popular singers and a Latin Grammy winner, died Friday in an airplane crash on her way to a concert. She was 26. Mendonça’s press office confirmed her death in a statement and said four other passengers on the flight also died. Their plane crashed …
your ad hereUS Calls on China Not to Limit Journalists’ Freedom at Winter Olympics
The United States on Thursday urged China not to restrict access and movement for journalists reporting on next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing. The Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China this week said it was concerned about a lack of transparency from organizers of the Feb. 4-20 Games. “We urge PRC …
your ad hereTennis Star Accuses China Ex-Vice Premier of Sexual Assault
Chinese authorities have squelched virtually all online discussion of sexual assault accusations apparently made by a Chinese professional tennis star against a former top government official, showing how sensitive the ruling Communist Party is to such charges. In a lengthy social media post that disappeared quickly, Peng Shuai wrote that …
your ad hereIndian Muslims Arrested for Celebrating Pakistani Cricket Victory Over India
Indian police have detained or arrested at least a dozen Muslims for allegedly celebrating Pakistan’s cricket match victory October 24 over archrival India in the T20 World Cup. Those arrested include a Muslim teacher in the western state of Rajasthan who was fired from her job for writing “We won” on her WhatsApp status following Pakistan’s crushing victory against India last week in Dubai. …
your ad hereCycling Race Traverses Conflict-Stricken Burkina Faso
The Tour du Faso, a 10-day bicycle race through the conflict-stricken West African country of Burkina Faso, began in the southern city of Banfora on October 29. One Burkinabe rider hopes to build on his Summer Olympics performance and secure victory despite security concerns. Paul Daumont is one of eighty cyclists taking part in this year’s Tour du Faso, Burkina Faso’s answer …
your ad hereSouth African Damon Galgut Wins Booker Prize for ‘The Promise’
South African writer Damon Galgut won the prestigious Booker Prize for fiction on Wednesday with “The Promise,” a novel about one white family’s reckoning with South Africa’s racist history. Galgut had been British bookmakers’ runaway favorite to win the 50,000-pound ($69,000) prize with his story of a troubled Afrikaner family …
your ad hereAtlanta Braves Dominate Houston Astros to Win 2021 World Series
Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves posted a dominating 7-0 victory over the host Houston Astros to clinch the best-of-seven 2021 World Series by a 3 games to 2 margin. Atlanta pitcher Max Fried pitched six strong innings, giving up only four hits while striking out six Houston batters, with ace …
your ad hereSinger Jon Bon Jovi Diagnosed with COVID-19 Just Before Concert
Local media in Miami reported that rock star Jon Bon Jovi was forced to cancel a concert Saturday minutes before taking the stage after testing positive for COVID-19. A Miami television station said a spokesman for the fully vaccinated singer told the audience Saturday evening that Bon Jovi had tested …
your ad hereAncient Maya Canoe Found in Mexico’s Yucatan
A wooden canoe used by the ancient Maya and believed to be more than 1,000 years old has turned up in southern Mexico, officials said on Friday, part of archeological work accompanying the construction of a major new tourist train. The extremely rare canoe was found almost completely intact, submerged …
your ad hereIn Somalia, a Rare Female Artist Promotes Images of Peace
Among the once-taboo professions emerging from Somalia’s decades of conflict and Islamic extremism is the world of arts, and a 21-year-old female painter has faced more opposition than most. A rare woman artist in the highly conservative Horn of Africa nation, Sana Ashraf Sharif Muhsin lives and works amid the …
your ad hereJay-Z, Foo Fighters Welcomed Into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Jay-Z added another title to a resume that includes rapper, songwriter, Grammy winner, billionaire business mogul, and global icon — Hall of Famer. The self-proclaimed “greatest rapper alive” was inducted Saturday night as part of an eclectic 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame class that included Foo Fighters, Carole …
your ad here‘Candyman’ Remake Explores Horrors of Chicago Racial Injustice
Candyman, the latest film by Jordan Peele and director Nia da Costa, is a remake of the 1992 original of the same title, by Bernard Rose. The reimagined Candyman addresses the racial divide, gentrification, and police brutality in Chicago. VOA’s Penelope Poulou has more. …
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