Newsletter Archive

VIDEO: She’s black, Muslim and a refugee. Some would say Ilhan Omar has everything going against her, but that hasn’t stopped the native of Somalia from going after her piece of the American dream. In Omar’s case, that means taking a seat in the Minnesota state legislature. The 33-year-old is poised to become the first female, Muslim, immigrant lawmaker in the United States.

This year, about 40% of all U.S. voters are expected to cast their ballots before election day. That’s quite an upswing from 1992, when only 7% of Americans opted to vote ahead of time. Early voting, which is now permitted in 37 states and the District of Columbia, fits into the modern, fast-paced U.S. lifestyle.

During Florida’s early voting, women voters are turning out in higher numbers than in the past, according to polling data. Central Florida is home to a diverse mix of voters, a demographic that mirrors the nation, and has the power to swing the vote to either the Democrats or the Republicans in this key battleground state. Much of that influence will come from women voters, who are expected to have a powerful say in electing the next president.

Hillary Clinton hopes to join the ranks of the fewer than two dozen female heads of state and prime ministers in the world. Despite the cultural and political differences among these powerful women, there are striking similarities. Here’s what powerful women have in common.

Kurdish surgeons are scrambling to save limbs and lives as more civilian casualties arrive from the Mosul battle front, but not every arm or leg can be saved. VOA visits the clinic run by a local Kurdish foundation in Irbil, Iraq, and talks to patients about their ordeal.

Allegations of enforced disappearances began surfacing in Bangladesh soon after Prime Minister Hasina Wazed came to power in 2009. Human rights groups say about half the victims are associated with the prime minister’s political opposition. VOA learns more from families of the missing.

Civilization, here we come! After a year living and working at the bottom of the world, VOA blogger Refael Klein is preparing to head home. As the days wind down, he savors his first fresh fruit in months and trains the ‘new blood’ who will spend the next year running America’s station at the South Pole.

Americans might be suffering from election overload, but it’s a different story when it comes to campaign souvenirs. Buyers are snapping them up and the bestsellers might surprise you.  One store owner in Washington tells VOA that sales of campaign buttons and t-shirts are a pretty accurate indicator of who voters plan to elect as their next president. Here’s his prediction.