Newsletter Archive

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SPECIAL REPORT: Much of President Donald Trump’s base is found in rural America, where VOA reporters recently traveled. We visited a stretch of counties along the upper Mississippi River where voters supported Barack Obama in 2012, but then backed Republican Donald Trump in 2016. Speaking to farmers and carpenters, factory workers and retirees in these overwhelmingly white, Christian, working and middle class communities, we found both people hoping for change as well as those who’ve tired of it. These are their stories.

VIDEO EXPLAINER: President Trump found himself in the center of a storm this week after sharing classified information with Russian officials during an Oval Office meeting earlier this month. What is top secret information? Here’s the scoop on the US government’s system for classifying sensitive information.

A Russian reporter is in hiding after reporting a story detailing the torture and murder of gay men by Chechen security officials. Threats from Chechen officials and clerics have forced Elena Milashina to withdraw from public view. Speaking from an undisclosed location via Skype, Milashina tells VOA she is prepared to die in the line of journalistic duty.

How high a price is Nigeria paying for the return of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls? Last week, 82 of the girls taken by Boko Haram in 2014 were freed in exchange for the release of jailed commanders of the Islamist militant group. Some question the ethics and long-term implications of negotiating with Boko Haram.

The world’s number one opium-producing country expects a bountiful poppy harvest this year. Afghanistan farmers are cultivating the illicit crop in areas where it has never grown before. It’s strictly business for the Taliban, who are believed to be fueling the poppy trade to fund their militancy.

A ‘Herculean accomplishment’ is how the Trump Administration refers to a new trade deal with China. The agreement is aimed closing the US trade deficit with China — reached $347 billion last year — but experts aren’t necessarily convinced the deal will deliver.

North Korea’s most recent missile launch could be a major step forward in Kim Jong Un’s quest to develop a nuclear missile capable of hitting the US mainland. Here’s why experts are concerned about Pyongyang’s latest weapons test.

Paper dresses: A New York-born artist is rediscovering an ancient art perfected by her Korean ancestors. Hanji, traditional Korean paper, was once renowned in Asia for its durability and versatility. Korean-American artist Aimee Lee has immersed herself in the disappearing traditional paper arts. See how she harvests tree bark, makes paper, and transforms it into wearable art.