Newsletter Archive

‘Their hearts are dead.’ The trials of suspected Islamic State militants are swift near Mosul, once one of the militant group’s most prized strongholds. More than 4,000 suspects are being tried for terrorism here. Human rights groups have criticized Iraqi courts for hasty trials of masses of detainees, but Iraqi officials say they’re doing their best to punish the guilty, while freeing the innocent. VOA sits in on a day of trials in Tal Kef, near Mosul, where the guilty verdicts usually carry the death penalty.

The latest in drones, robots and wearable devices caused lots of excitement at the massive consumer electronics trade show in Las Vegas last week, but there was also plenty of talk about how digital life might be affecting children. At CES, some exhibitors aimed their products at anxious parents worried that screens are usurping regular play.

VIDEO EXPLAINER: The recent false-alarm missile scare in Hawaii highlights how the subject of US tensions with North Korea has been in the news a lot lately. But how much do most Americans really know about the Korean peninsula, which was divided after World War II? Here’s a primer.

VIDEO: The terrain in Utah is often compared to that of Mars, with its endless rocky canyons and traces of rivers. After a 4-hour drive from Salt Lake City, VOA reaches the research station that scientists have set up to imitate the environment and living conditions on the red planet.

Indonesia is ready to flex its soft power. Jakarta’s establishment of a foreign aid agency underscores its recent push to play a bigger global role. Also pushing forward on a planned bid for a UN Security Council seat next year, Indonesia seems poised to leave a larger imprint on world affairs.

Seventy years after he leapt into action and saved his platoon during World War II, Chips is finally getting the recognition he deserves. The US Army dog began life as a pet in New York before his family signed the animal up for war duty. Chips performed heroically, literally getting a Nazi by the throat, and is finally, all of these decades later, being recognized as a top dog.