Newsletter Archive

Some unlikely Donald Trump supporters are eager to see whether the president-elect can make a difference in their lives once he takes office. An African-American immigrant female business owner is among those who are hopeful Trump’s business background will lead to increased job creation and support for American entrepreneurship.

Where does human rights fit into President-elect Donald Trump’s ‘America first’ foreign policy outlook? The U.S. has never based its foreign policy solely on human rights. Like any government, Washington weighs its values against its perceived national interests, which means, at times, that U.S. presidents ally themselves with human rights violators. What’s different about Trump is that he enters office having publicly championed proposals that disregard human rights.

Recent U.S. presidents have tried to leave a significant legacy in Africa. For Bill Clinton, it was opening U.S. markets to certain African exports. George W. Bush poured billions of dollars into AIDS research and treatment. Here’s the one thing Barack Obama decided was most responsible for stifling African development.

VIDEO: It’s almost time for the biggest event in American politics. Almost a million people are expected to attend the 58th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. Security planning is a huge undertaking that’s been in the works for months. Who’s in charge of security? It’s complicated.

Iraqi forces battling Islamic State fighters made a grim discovery in a Mosul neighborhood. They confirmed reports that the terror group had leveled a shrine that’s believed to have housed the tomb of the Prophet Jonah, a key figure in the Judaic, Christian and Islamic religions. The Iraqi forces said IS razed the shrine that once attracted thousands of visitors from around the world.

Video of a girl being tortured, stabbed and sexually assaulted by several men has sparked an outcry in Somalia, where the crime occurred. Five men have been arrested for raping two girls during the same incident last month. The girls’ relatives believe the suspects leaked the video in order to embarrass the victims’ families into silence, but it’s had the opposite effect. In the town of Galkayo, the mother of one of the victims spoke to VOA from the hospital where her daughter is being treated.

Kiss the bride, mourn the dead, register to vote. That could soon be a new mantra in Kenya, where leaders are coming up with creative ways to encourage people to register to vote. That includes having electoral officials at weddings and funerals. VOA reports from Nairobi as Kenya’s electoral body targets about 9 million Kenyans over the age of 18 who are eligible to vote, haven’t registered yet. If voters won’t come to them, they’ll go out and find them.