Newsletter Archive

Is Donald Trump’s plan to turn over control of his company to his sons enough to insulate him from conflicts of interest in the White House? The president-elect has ruled out selling off his vast global business interests, but says he’ll announce a plan to address his business conflicts next month. However, in a one-on-one interview, a former top U.S. government ethics enforcer tells VOA that Trump will ‘be conflicted the moment he steps into the office.’

The new president’s first test of Congressional relations could come during Senate hearings to confirm his Cabinet nominees. To form his inner circle, Donald Trump drew from corporate boardrooms, the military, and conservative, pro-business public servants. Republicans have a slight Senate majority, but Democrats hope the public hearings will help sway public opinion, and a few Republicans, to their way of thinking.

True American innovation often starts with a brilliant idea, but not a lot of know-how about how to build a business. A unique environment in Pittsburgh helps bridge that gap by tailoring programs to help young innovators develop their concepts into functioning companies.

The popularity of internet celebrities has exploded in China, creating a massive streaming video industry that’s turned some cyber stars into millionaires. While these online stars are  popular with Chinese netizens, the same can’t be said of authorities, who are working to place extensive controls on the booming industry.

During the Soviet era, Belarus was famous for making tractors at a state-run factory. The enterprise survived the collapse of the USSR 25 years ago and is still a major employer. VOA visits the former Soviet republic which, while holding on to its manufacturing past, is also looking to the future by battling its way into the global market of high technology and innovation.

For many serious musicians, the ukulele is a toy, the underdog of the instrument world. The popularity of the small, 4-stringed instrument soared in the decades after World War I, but, by the 1960s, the world seemed to lose interest. Now, the ukulele is experiencing a renaissance, thanks in large part to senior citizens.