Newsletter Archive

A spate of child disappearances among the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh is fueling fears the children have fallen into the hands of human traffickers. VOA talks to the mother of a missing boy at the Kutapalong Camp, where these already displaced, persecuted and vulnerable Muslims must now face one of a parent’s worst nightmares.

Religion is expected to play a key role in this Wednesday’s gubernatorial runoff election in Jakarta. Polls show the contest between the Muslim candidate and his Chinese Christian opponent is too close to call. Some see the election as a battle between moderates who favor a pluralistic society and conservatives eager for Islam to dominate society in Indonesia’s huge capital city.

If you’re a refugee, Uganda might be the place to go. While many countries are hostile to refugees and place restrictions on them, Uganda allows refugees and asylum seekers freedom of movement and the right to operate their own businesses. In Uganda, VOA explores a progressive refugee policy that reflects the country’s Pan-African mindset of helping Africans in trouble.

Wake up and smell the coffee. It’s kind of like Starbucks, only with a distinctively homey Afghan feel. VOA checks out the newly opened coffee shop in Kabul that also offers free internet, books, poetry reading and literary programs. But can iCafe’s owner convince a nation of tea consumers that coffee shop culture is for them?

Why did the United States unleash the biggest non-nuclear explosive in the American arsenal on eastern Afghanistan? While Candidate Donald Trump did vow to bomb Islamic State, some believe the specific target of last week’s attack was chosen for another reason.

In Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the seasonal workforce of foreign workers is a common sight. Summer work is a tradition in some families, with the grown children of former seasonal employees coming in to earn money during the 5-to-6-month tourist season. But these H2B visa-holders — and others like them around the country — can be at risk of exploitation.