Newsletter Archive

Last week’s police-involved shooting deaths of two African-American men prompted discussion about how the nation’s first black president, Barack Obama, has responded.The president says he’ll leave questions about his legacy on race relations to the history books, but some prominent African-Americans are passing judgment now.

What’s the ‘real America’?  Russian state media is weighing in on the recent killings of African-Americans by police. A leading broadcaster says the recent violence exposes the ‘real America’, which is a far cry from the idealized version touted by U.S. politicians and shown on TV and in movies.

Narrowing the opportunity gap for boys and young men of color is the goal of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative. He hopes to see an increase in high school graduation and employment rates among minority men. Philadelphia was one of the first U.S. cities to get on board with the plan, attempting to put the young men on a productive path so that they don’t become a burden to society.

A United Nations court dismissed China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, saying it has ‘no historic title’ to the vast maritime region. In a move that surprises no one, China rejected the decision and, although the ruling is not binding, it could cause an even deeper rift between China and much of Southeast Asia.

When you think of Arabs, opera probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. A troupe in Lebanon is out to change that with an Arabic opera that tells a classic tale of honor, treachery and love. The Middle East is often seen through a prism of conflict, but these artists hope to show the world the best of Arabic culture, while also shaking up a traditional art form.

In Ivory Coast, about two-thirds of people living with HIV/AIDS are not on anti-retroviral treatment. At a clinic in Abidjan, VOA learned that part of the problem is the stigma — people don’t want to be associated with the disease —and then there’s the lack of adequate supplies, but that could be changing.

With the help of Africa’s richest man, Nigeria aims to take control of its oil supply. Instead of exporting its crude and buying back the fuel it needs, Africa’s largest economy and most populous country, is working on a plan to transform one of the continent’s largest oil industries.