Newsletter Archive

There’s a dramatic decline in Muslim refugees coming to the United States, and a significant shift in where refugees are coming from, according to a VOA review of official data. The start of the first full fiscal year under President Trump shows that 13 percent of refugees who came to the US were Muslim, compared to 35 percent during the first nine months of Trump’s first year in office. Six predominantly Muslim countries showed the greatest decrease in arrivals.

Diversity abounds at President Trump’s home military base. Joint Base Andrews serves US leaders, including the president and members of his Cabinet. While the military men and women based there come from all backgrounds, they share a common goal.

Once year after President Trump’s travel ban went into effect, people in New York’s Muslim-faith community continue to feel the impact. The diverse congregation at Masjid Al-Farooq, the local mosque, includes immigrants from Yemen, Chad and other travel-restricted countries. For many here, the ban has meant separation from family, business losses, and anxiety about not being able to return to the US if they travel abroad.

Thousands of protesters across Russia want Vladimir Putin to allow fair competitive elections. The upcoming presidential election is expected to extend Putin’s grip on power through 2024. The rallies were called by an opposition leader who is being kept out of the race. VOA attends a demonstration in Moscow where young protesters demand change.

A robot could show up the next time you order room service. Hotels around the world are among the various businesses embracing robots that are be hired out for a monthly fee of about $2,000. These futuristic ‘employees’ that can work 24 hours a day without lunch breaks include robots named Elvis and Priscilla who roam the halls of a Las Vegas hotel.

Africa’s traditional arts are making room for contemporary works. Some artists are incorporating social and political messages that resonate globally into their pieces. Some of these works are on display in Nairobi, where the director of the art show points out that because most of the East African artists featured don’t have much formal education, pure talent makes their work unique.