Newsletter Archive

You’d think North Korea’s accelerated nuclear and ballistic missile testing, and increasing talk of a US preemptive strike, might rattle South Koreans. But VOA meets up people enjoying the cherry blossoms in a Seoul park who don’t seem too concerned by talk of war.

VIDEO: New York is set to become the first US state to offer a 4-year, tuition-free college education to some students. The initiative, proposed by New York’s governor and approved by the state legislature, will cover the education costs for nearly one million working-class families. We talked with some New Yorkers who say the plan doesn’t go far enough.

President Donald Trump’s ‘America First’ policy has been challenged by events in the world’s usual hotspots. In Syria, a suspected chemical weapons attack on a rebel-held area prompted Trump to launch airstrikes against the government of President Bashar al-Assad. This interventionist response has many wondering if President Trump is more open to the US role as the world’s policeman than Candidate Trump’s campaign rhetoric suggested.

Edith Galvan realized she was different from other American kids as a teenager, when all of her friends posted pictures of themselves with their newly issued driver’s licenses. That American rite of passage was something denied to Galvan, an undocumented immigrant who came to the United States when she was 6 years old. Galvan is what is known as a dreamer, young adults who were brought to the United States illegally as children. She’s among millions who’ve been living in limbo since President Donald Trump took office.

It’s South African President Jacob Zuma’s 75th birthday. To mark the occasion, tens of thousands of South Africans donned bright colors and marched to Zuma’s official residence in Pretoria, singing and dancing as they made their way through the streets. But Zuma probably won’t appreciate the gift these visitors have in mind.

Mixed signals from Washington on Syria haven’t reassured America’s European allies, even those who favor a tougher approach to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. European officials blame that lack of clarity about US and British policy toward Syria for their opposition this week to new punitive measures against Russian and Syrian military officials.

VOA speaks with the captain of an Indian boat hijacked by Somali pirates who says eight crew members were held on land for nine days before being freed by Somali security forces on Wednesday. Captain Salim Osman says pirates separated the crew three days after hijacking the boat.