Newsletter Archive

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A mosque in Berkeley, California is trying something new: allowing men and women to pray side-by-side. Traditionally, Muslim men and women pray separately. Rabi’a Keeble decided to establish her own Islamic house of worship after becoming frustrated that she couldn’t see the imam during services.

Early exit polls suggests the liberal candidate is on track to win the South Korean presidential election, although the official winner won’t be announced until Wednesday. Voter turnout was historically high following the removel of ex-President Park Geun-hye amid corruption charges. South Korea’s likely next president, Liberal Democratic Party of Korea candidate Moon Jae-in, favors increased government spending for jobs and education and increased engagement with North Korea.

“I waited until the last person to get off the train, but he was nowhere to be seen.” The wife of the latest American to be detained in North Korea became alarmed when her husband failed to arrive in China as expected. Kim Hak-song was detained in North Korea over the weekend and his wife is appealing for his immediate release. Kim Mi Ok also tells VOA’s Korean service why her husband was in North Korea.

A Pakistani sportswoman is taking a 1,500-kilometer motorbike trip to promote women’s education, tourism and peace in a region that until recently was in the grip of Islamic militancy. Guliafshan Tariq will stop at popular tourist destinations along the way in hopes of showing the world the country is safe to visit, especially if a Muslim Pakistani girl can take a solo ride through the countryside.

The victory of centrist Emmanuel Macron  in France’s presidential race is raising hopes across the English Channel. In Britain, there’s talk of a progressive alliance that could deprive the Conservatives of a likely landslide win in next month’s parliamentary elections. But not everyone’s on-board.

In Greece, there’s talk of a light at the end of the tunnel after seven years of economic turmoil. Last month, the country posted its first overall budget surplus in more than two decades. But, on the streets of Athens, VOA finds that everyday reality remains grim for Greeks scraping to get by.

QUICK TAKE VIDEO: A popular hot sulphur spring in Iraq is back in business now that it’s been retaken from Islamic State. Visitors believe Hamman al-Alil has healing powers and, now that IS and its extreme rules are long gone, they’re flocking back to the spring looking for a little healing.